The 148th Preakness 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."
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.”
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.
| 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.
