Horse Withdraws From Preakness Stakes, Field Down To 7
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 21: A view of the final race during Preakness 147 hosted by 1/ST at Pimlico Race Course on May 21, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for 1/ST)
The Preakness Stakes will have one less challenger tomorrow as the already small field becomes its smallest in nearly 40 years.
On Friday, the 8 horse First Mission was scratched by its connections, reducing the size of the field to seven in The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans. Per Daily Racing Form's David Grening, the field is now the smallest since 1986.
First Mission was arguably the best horse in the field other than Kentucky Derby winner and current betting favorite Mage. The horse has two wins and a place in just three starts.
Prior to the race, First Mission actually had the second-best odds to win the Preakness at 5-2. The 1, National Treasure, and the 7, Blazing Sevens, are the only horses other than Mage to have odds higher than 10-1.
Mage was the surprise winner of the Kentucky Derby, beating 15-1 odds to win the Run for the Roses. But his odds of winning the coveted second jewel of the Triple Crown have only improved by the day.
Last week we learned that Forte, the Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched hours before the race, was disqualified from racing in the Preakness. That set up Mage as the clear betting favorite before the bets were even taken.
All of that said, plenty of Kentucky Derby winners have come up well short in the Preakness. And with a field of almost entirely fresh horses with several more weeks of rest, Mage is no lock to win no matter what the odds are.
Post time for the 148th Preakness Stakes is 5:45 p.m. ET tomorrow and will air on NBC.
