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 Staff
Just over a year ago, Coffeewithchris was declared the winner of a maiden claiming race at Pimlico after the first-place finisher was disqualified for interference.
Ten races later, the 3-year-old gelding will get a chance to become the first Maryland bred in 40 years to win the state’s signature race – the Preakness Stakes.
Late this past week, with 10th-place Derby finisher Confidence Game withdrawn from Preakness consideration, the connections of Coffeewithchris decided to give it a whirl.
A son of 2014 Preakness runner-up Ride on Curlin, the horse is trained by John Salzman, Jr. He will be ridden by Jaime Rodriguez.
Coffeewithchris won the Miracle Wood at Laurel in February, ran second in the Private Terms, and most recently finished fifth in the Federico Tesio on April 15, a race won by Preakness contender Perform. He comes into the Preakness 1-for-1 at Pimlico.
The horse was scratched out of last week’s Long Branch at Monmouth Park in favor of going big-time in the Preakness. He worked 4 furlongs in 49.60 seconds at Laurel on Friday (May 12).
“Our plan was to run in the Preakness. We were hoping to win the Tesio. The biggest thing is coming up with the money sometimes. I’m a poor working guy. Thirty thousand is a lot of money,” the trainer said. “I looked at the Long Branch. It wasn’t an easy spot. If it was an easy spot, I might have gone on to the Long Branch. I worked it out to come up with the funds to take a chance. I don’t get to take a chance very often.”
2023 Preakness Entries: Coffeewithchris
Post position: 4
Odds: 20-1
Trainer: John Salzman, Jr.
Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez
Owner: John Salzman, Sr., Fred Wasserloos, Anthony Geruso
Career record: 12-3-3-2
Career earnings: $225,600
Best Equibase speed figure: 94
Pedigree: Ride On Curlin-Andiemac, by Outflanker
Color: Bay
Running style: On the lead
Notes: The last Maryland bred to win the Preakness was Deputed Testamony in 1983. The other seven Maryland breds who won the race were Cloverbrook (1877), Dunboyne (1887), Refund (1888), Sly Fox (1898), Challedon (1939), Kauai King (1966), and Bee Bee Bee (1972) … The younger Salzman has been a trainer since 2008, registering 288 wins from 1,641 starters through May 13.
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 |