The first jewel of Horse Racing’s Triple Crown provided quite a shock as one of the biggest long shots in the history of the Derby won outright. Mine That Bird took the run for the roses and even though in most cases the Derby winner is immediately the favorite on the Preakness odds, there is an interesting, special case this year. A filly by the name of Rachel Alexandra, who didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby, will be a huge factor for the Preakness odds.
Rachel Alexandra dominated the Kentucky Oaks race, which is why all of the sudden there was hype surrounding this horse. The speed of Rachel Alexandra was measured as it ran through the Oaks and it was compared to the speed of Mine That Bird – as well as every other horse – at the Kentucky Derby. Expert prognosticators believe that if Rachel Alexandra ran in the Derby, it would have won.
Rachel Alexandra doesn’t have a great pedigree, which is why there was some debate as to whether she should be entered at Pimlico. The super filly did win the Kentucky Oaks and it was an impressive performance, but who knows about how she’ll perform on a bigger stage with tougher competition.
She’s a real wild card for Preakness betting handicappers as they aren’t sure what to make. The science shows that she should dominate, which is why odds makers list her as the favorite, but the intangibles aren’t on her side. There are some questions marks.
But the general concern is that the field at the Preakness may not be as tough as it has been in previous seasons. With such a huge underdog winning at the Derby, it might indicate that the field is rather weak at this point. The favorite at the Derby pulled out of the race and there is clearly no Big Brown that is expected to dominate this field in Baltimore.
Rachel Alexandra is the hot horse right now, which is why you can expect her price tag to climb as the Preakness odds approach. She’s won her last five races all by impressive margins and bettors are going to be hopping on her back as she trots into the starting gates.
Win or lose, one thing is for sure: Rachel Alexandra’s entry into the Preakness has generated plenty of gossip and speculation for the second leg of the Triple Crown.
