If you’re looking for a longshot to come through with monster odds in the Preakness, you can all but forget about it.
Who will be the longest shot on the board in this year’s Preakness Stakes?
At first, it seems hard to believe: Since 1911, when pari-mutuel wagering began at Pimlico, there have been only three $2 win bet payoffs more than $40 in the Preakness.
1 Master Derby (1975), 23-1 ($48.80)
2 Coventry (1975), 21-1 ($45.60)
3 Display (1926), 19-1 ($40.70)
Of course, there’s no comparing Derby and Preakness longshot winners (Rich Strike at 80-1, Giacomo, Mine That Bird at 50-1 each in the Derby, to name a few). The Derby usually has a usual field of 20 3-year-olds, while the Preakness field is usually half that.
However, a bigger payoff pattern has emerged over the past few years. First, four of the top 12 Preakness longshot winners have come in the 21st Century:
5 Oxbow (2013), 15-1 ($32.80)
9 Cloud Computing (2017), 13-1 ($28.80)
10 Bernardini (2006), 12-1 ($27.80)
11 Shackleford (2011), 12-1 ($27.20)
To add: Over the past five years, the average $2 win bet returned $17.28. The winners were National Treasure ($7.80), Early Voting ($13.80), Rombauer ($25.60), Swiss Skydiver ($25.40), and War of Will ($14.20).
Good luck, longshot lookers.
Top 12 Preakness Longshot Winners
1 Master Derby 1975 23-1 $48.80
2 Coventry 1925 21-1 $45.60
3 Display 1926 19-1 $40.70
4 Bee Bee Bee 1972 18-1 $39.40
5 Oxbow 2013 15-1 $32.80
6 Hindus 1900 15-1 $32.00
7 Don Enrique 1907 15-1 $32.00
8 Deputed Testamony 1983 14-1 $31.00
9 Cloud Computing 2017 13-1 $28.80
10 Bernardini 2006 12-1 $27.80
11 Shackleford 2011 12-1 $27.20
12 The Bart 1886 12-1 $26.40
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.
