The 148thPreakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course is set for Saturday, May 20. The second leg of the Triple Crown has a purse of $1.5 million, with the winner’s share at $900,000. US Racing will profile all the contenders. The post-position draw is Monday, May 15. Profiles will be updated with odds and post positions following the draw.
By US Racing Team
This Kentucky Derby (G1) winner is Preakness-bound.
Unlike last year, when 80-1 longshot Derby winner Rich Strike did not run in the second leg of the Triple Crown, Mage is all in.
After a Friday gallop around Churchill Downs, trained Gustavo Delgado gave a thumb’s up, and the ownership group could not be more delighted.
“Very excited. He’s had a magnificent week of training,” said Ramiro Restrepo, one of the colt’s co-owners. “Gustavo’s just really pleased and over the moon with how he’s come back [from the Derby]. He’s shown all the positive signs. So, it’s on to Baltimore and crab cakes.”
Mage, sent off at 15-1 in the Derby in a field of 18, came through with a strong stretch run and defeated Two Phil’s by a length, covering the 1 ¼ miles in 2:01.57.
He was 14th after the first three-quarters of a mile, before Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano took him about seven wide by the top of the stretch for his winning run.
A week before the race, it appears only two others who ran in the Derby will challenge Mage – Disarm (fourth) and Confidence Game (10th).
While the Derby champ will see many new shooters in the Preakness, he will be the one to beat. A victory would set up a Triple Crown chance in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10.
“It still really hasn’t sunk in that we won the Kentucky Derby,” co-owner/assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr., said this week. “It’s been a surreal last few days. The most important thing is the horse looks great. He’s kept his weight and relaxed when training.”
2023 Preakness Entries: Mage
Post position: 3
Odds: 8-5
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Owners: OGMA Investments LLC, Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC, CMNWLTH
Career record: 4-2-1-0
Career earnings: $2,107,200
Best Equibase speed figure: 104
Pedigree: Good Magic-Puca, by Big Brown
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Closer/stalker
Notes: Prior to his Derby win, Mage won his debut at Gulfstream Park, finished fourth to Forte in the Fountain of Youth, and second by a length to Forte in the Florida Derby … Castellano broke an 0-for-15 Derby run with his win, and comes into his 10th Preakness with two victories – aboard Bernardini in 2006 and Cloud Computing in 2017 … Mage was purchased for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale … Delgado’s only Preakness starter was in 2019 with Bodexpress, who reared in the starting gate, unseated rider John Velazquez, and galloped around the track before outriders safely led him off.
2023 Preakness Stakes Post Positions and Odds
| PP | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Treasure | 4-1 | John Velazquez | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 2 | Chase The Chaos | 50-1 | Sheldon Russell | Ed Moger Jr. |
| 3 | Mage | 8-5 | Javier Castellano | Gustavo Delgado |
| 4 | Coffeewithchris | 20-1 | Jaime Rodriguez | John E. Salzman Jr. |
| 5 | Red Route One | 10-1 | Joel Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 6 | Perform | 15-1 | Feargal Lynch | Claude R. McGaughey III |
| 7 | Blazing Sevens | 6-1 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown |
| 8 | First Mission | 5-2 | Luis Saez | Brad H. Cox |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
