On Saturday, May 20, Kentucky Derby winner Mage will enter the starting gate at Pimlico Racecourse to compete in the 2023 Preakness Stakes. Morning line odds peg the Derby chalk the favorite followed by First Mission and Bob Baffert trained National Treasure. Will Mage get it done and head to Belmont Park with a chance of becoming a Triple Crown winner? Check out morning line odds, the Preakness entry list, a preview, and free picks.

2023 Preakness Stakes Race Info

Can you guess who this handsome gentleman is? #Preakness148 pic.twitter.com/lwYXbbd38m

— Preakness Stakes (@PreaknessStakes) May 17, 2023

• When: Saturday, May 20, 2023. 6:50 pm EST
• Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, MD
• TV/Streaming: Peacock
• Distance & Surface: 1-3/16 miles (9½ furlongs) on dirt

READ MORE: Best Preakness Stakes Winners of All Time

2023 Preakness Stakes Preview

National Treasure will take the lead from the gate. Javier Castellano aboard Mage is likely to press right away unless he feels National Treasure is going too fast.

Coffeewithchris should be a length off. Luis Saez will run in tandem with First Mission. Blazing Sevens will follow behind First Mission. The others will close from 5 to 6 lengths off the pace.

To Win: Mage

Listed as a closer, Mage broke the maiden running on the lead. The race was a 7 furlong event. So it’s obvious Mage can run, or even take the lead, if National Treasure doesn’t want it.

The Derby winner is doing great leading up to second jewel. Mage galloped out on Tuesday morning. Another few gallops are on the agenda this week leading up to the Preakness. All systems are go.

To Place: First Mission

Brad Cox’s Street Sense sired Godolphin owned runner has shown excellent works leading up to this. But works aren’t the only reason to consider First Mission Mage’s top competition to wear the blackeyed susans.

The way the three-year-old won the Lexington was breathtaking. First Mission had broken his maiden in the race before. So Mission went from a maiden win to a graded victory.

Also, First Mission ran up the rail. If Luis Saez sees the rail open up at the top of the stretch, he will try the same tactics. Doing so could lead to a second straight victory.

To Finish Third: National Treasure

Baffert horses couldn’t run for the roses this year. So National Treasure’s owners switched barns from Bob Baffert to Tim Yakteen in an attempt to qualify for the Derby.

The Preakness will be National Treasure’s second time running for Baffert since the switch back. Treasure has talent, but he had trouble firing in the Santa Anita Derby.

If the Baffert magic takes hold before the race, National Treasure can win this. If not, he’ll fade to third after leading for most of the way.

To Finish Fourth: Blazing Sevens

We pick Blazing Sevens to finish fourth because there isn’t any horse we like more. Chad Brown won the 2022 Preakness with Early Voting. He’s using similar tactics, skipping the Derby and running in the Preakness, with Sevens.

Blazing Sevens could develop into a decent runner. But, for now, he hasn’t shown he can hang with Mage or First Mission. But if you want to take a stab on a pony going for one of the best trainers in the world, Blazing Sevens is the pick.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.

READ MORE: 2023 Preakness Stakes Betting Favorites, Dark Horses & Longshots