Bets and Tips for the Preakness Stakes

Dubbed as the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness is an annual horse
racing event held at the Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland on the third Saturday
in May.

The timing of the Preakness is purposely scheduled to run fourteen days after the
Kentucky Derby and about two to three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.

Its name comes from a New Jersey Native American Tribe called the Minis, who owned
an area called Pra-qua-les. Throughout the year’s several versions of the spelling
emerged with the name eventually evolving into Preakness.

The race is nicknamed “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans,” This comes from a blanket
of yellow flowers displayed to resemble Maryland’s state flower (Black-eyed Susan); and
is placed across the withers of the horse who is victorious in the race.

Betting a horse running in the Preakness for a Win, Place, or Show finish (separately) is
the most common among wagering enthusiasts; however, making an “Across the Board”
play is arguably your safest investment.

“Across the Board” means you are betting Win, Place, and Show together on one ticket.
You’ll collect all three payouts if you’re lucky enough to have your horse finish in first
place. A second place ending awards you a winning wager on Place and Show, while a
third place close is a winner on the odds of just a Show result.

Another wagering option to consider is a Trifecta.

With this bet you must correctly predict which horse will finish first, second and third in its
exact order. If they complete the race how you have forecasted it to be, an enormous
profit will be waiting for you at the payout window.

As an alternative, if you are confident on the top three horses that win the race, but a
little less uncertain of the order, a trifecta box is another option to have in your
handicapping toolbox.

Boxing a trifecta means the spots of the thoroughbreds can be in any order as long as
they fill the first 3 slots at the completion of the race. Your ticket will be graded a winner
if this happens.

Now that you have an understanding of Across the Board and Trifecta bets, you’ll want
to brush up on the odds to learn the worth of each horse.

One final tip is to review the performance history and trainer of each horse running in the
race. You will learn the health of the horse as well as recent results from past events,
which could turn out to be a major factor in your handicapping. Also, it’s not an accident that
some trainers have an exceptional track-record of winning. Background on trainers
is a must and equally as important to the knowledge of the horse. There is plenty of
value researching the trainers.

The only thing left to do is join a reputable sportsbook, fund the account, place your bet,
and root on your horse…hopefully all the way to the winners’ circle.