2011 Preakness Stakes Predictions
The 136th running of the Preakness Stakes goes down this Saturday and millions will be watching to see if Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom has what it takes to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive.
I’m sad to say I don’t think the Preakness favorite will cash win tickets at Pimlico. If I’m regrettably right, we will have gone through yet another disappointing year since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown in 1978.
The only thing that will make up for Animal Kingdom coming up short is if I can win some money on the big race. Lookin At Lucky came through for me in the Preakness last year, and hopefully I have pegged the winner again.
Without any further ado, here are my top three horses for Saturday’s Preakness.
Win: Dialed In (+400) – We could experience a little déjà vu in this year’s Preakness. Remember last year? Kentucky Derby favorite Lookin At Lucky entered the second leg of the Triple Crown after finishing a disappointing sixth at Churchill Downs. He bounced back strong at Pimlico to wear the blanket of black-eyed susans. Dialed In, this year’s Kentucky Derby favorite, finished eighth at Churchill two weeks ago, but I believe he has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of Lookin At Lucky. Trainer Nick Zito, who won the Preakness in 1996 with Louis Quartorze, seems to agree. “I still think Dialed In is the best 3-year-old in the country,” Zito said.
Dialed In was the only horse to win two major prep races. He took the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and Grade 1 Florida Derby earlier this season. He had won three of his first four races, finishing second in the one he didn’t win prior to his Derby debacle. I’m not about to dismiss that success, especially since it occurred in major preps. I didn’t turn my back on Lookin At Lucky last year and I won’t turn in on Dialed In here.
Place: Shackleford (+1000) – This horse came dangerously close to beating Dialed In in the Florida Derby as a 68-to-1 long shot. Shackleford fell to Dialed In’s strong finishing kick, losing by a nose. Many chalked that performance up as a fluke until he nearly pulled off the impossible in the Kentucky Derby. He jumped out early and looked like he might pull off a wire-to-wire win. He didn’t have quite enough to get the job done but still finished a respectable fourth at only 3.5 lengths back. Because the Preakness is a shorter race (1 3/16 miles), Shackleford may have just enough left in the tank to hold off the stockers in the homestretch.
Show: Mucho Macho Man (+425) – What’s not to like about this horse? Mucho Macho Man took third place in the Kentucky Derby and has the ability to do at least that well Saturday. He has finished third or better in nine career races on different tracks and at different distances. He took fourth place at the Holy Bull Stakes in his only race outside the top three. I love the consistency this horse brings to the table.
Past Preakness Stakes Predictions
