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Bourbon War Coming on Strong in Latest Preakness Stakes Odds

Dave Friedman

by Dave Friedman in Horse Racing News

Updated Mar 31, 2020 · 11:52 AM PDT

With Maximum Security and Country House out of Preakness Stakes, odds are fluctuating. Is Bourbon War a legitimate threat, or just the flavor of the day?
  • With Maximum Security and Country House out of the Preakness odds are fluctuating
  • Bourbon War has seen his odds improve dramatically
  • Where can you find Preakness Stakes betting value?

They’re dropping like flies. First Maximum Security, then Country House, and more recently Code of Honor. None are planning to contest the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore on May 18th. You need a scorecard to keep track of who is likely to run. It appears for the first time since 1951 none of the first four horses to hit the wire at the Kentucky Derby will run in the Preakness.

With all of the horses saying thanks but no thanks to the Preakness, Bourbon War, who is planning to run is gaining steam in the latest Preakness Stakes odds. Let’s take a look at how various sportsbooks are sizing up the prospective field.

2019 Preakness Stakes Odds

Horse Odds
Code of Honor +250
Tacitus +400
War of Will +400
Game Winner +500
Improbable +750
Vekoma +1100
Laughing Fox +1200
AlwaysMining +1200
Owendale +1400
Anothertwistafate +1600
Bodexpress N/A
Bourbon War N/A
Mr. Money N/A +1000 +1000
Signalman N/A

*Odds taken 05/08/19

Improbable

This Preakness field is pretty weak. In a group devoid of big names or serious credentials getting the Kentucky Derby favorite at anything more than 5/2 or 3/1 is great value. Fifth across the line in Kentucky, it wasn’t a great effort but certainly not embarrassing.

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You also get Bob Baffert, who has won the Preakness seven times, and a horse that has the best past performances in this group.

Bourbon War

The top Kentucky Derby prep race this year appears to have been the Florida Derby. Maximum Security and Code of Honor equipped themselves well in Kentucky, and Bodexpress wasn’t awful. Bourbon War went off at 3/1 in the Florida Derby and finished fourth.

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He was second behind Code of Honor in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Bourbon War has been running against a very high caliber of competition, and he is rested.

Other Options

War of Will may not have won, or even finished among the top three at the Kentucky Derby, but we’ll never really know how close to the lead he could have gotten. Maximum Security eliminated War of Will’s chances when he moved into his lane. By checking War of Will lost his opportunity. This is a fresh chance for a horse who was in the right position, and the shorter distance at the Preakness could help him.

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Anothertwistafate is a new shooter, having been off since a second place finish in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 13th. After three straight wins including a stakes victory at the El Camino Real Derby, he finished second at the Sunland Derby.

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