2007 Preakness Stakes Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on May 19, 2007

The 2007 Preakness Stakes will be held Saturday May 19th at Pimlico race course in Baltimore Maryland. Many of you may not know that “Preakness” was the name of the horse who won the first race at the famed track. This race marks the second leg of the historic Triple Crown which hasn’t been accomplished since 1978 when Affirmed raced to glory in the Belmont Stakes.

With Street Sense winning at the 2007 Kentucky Derby, Preakness coverage is already focused around if the colt can win at Pimlico to give himself a shot at the Triple Crown. Our 2007 Preakness Stakes Predictions will help you make your own decision.

Things to keep in mind are that Derby place finisher Hard Spun, and Show finisher Curlin will also be in the Preakness field. Hard Spun is famous for jumping out to big leads as we saw in the Derby, but he is also well-known for not having the strongest of finishing kicks. Pimlico actually suits Hard Spun better than Street Sense who relies on long straightaways to utilize his finishing power. This forces us to pose the question if Street could in fact be a once course horse. His career is, in short, several solid showings and two memorable wins in the 2007 Kentucky Derby and in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile. It’s impossible to ignore the fact that both races were at Churchill Downs. With that being said, you are still going to have to come up with a damn good reason not to bet against Street. Six of the last 10 Kentucky Derby winners have also collected titles at the Preakness with a chance for Triple Crown glory at the Belmont Stakes. As we approach race day, we have to think that Street Sense has a great chance to follow in the hooves of those horses before him.

Let me make this even more convincing for you. In all four cases where the Derby winner did not repeat, there was a valid explanation. Barbaro’s tragedy last year is plain as day. Giacomo (2005) and Monarchos (2001) were not the best horses in the Derby field as Street Sense, Silver Charm, Charismatic, War Emblem, Funny Cide, and Smarty Jones obviously were. In 2000, Derby winner Fusaichi Pegusus didn’t even run in the Preakness. This shows us that solid Derby winners have gone on to be the best horse at the Preakness as well over the last 10 years.

Although stories like Louis Quatorze who won the Preakness in 1996 after finishing 16th at the Derby keep long shot lovers hopeful, who will likely fall in love with Teuflesberg, the 2007 Preakness Stakes should be a heavy weight battle of favorites as recent history indicates.

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in: