When it comes to horse race gambling there is no such thing as TMI (too much information, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing). For example, did you know that seven geldings have won the Preakness Stakes? And did you know that a gelding is a castrated horse? Well, now you know it and you can’t unknow it. Here are many other factoids you should know, whether or not you want to.
- The Preakness online wagering horse racing favorite – which in this year’s case would be Always Dreaming – has won 71 of the 141 runnings of the Second Jewel of the Triple Crown; roughly about 50% winning percentage. The last to do so were California Chrome in 2014 and American Pharoah in 2015.
- Only three of the last 16 Preakness Stakes winners have paid more than $8.80 to win; Bernardini ($27.80) in 2006, Shackleford ($27.20) in 2011, and Oxbow ($32.80) in 2013.
- The top payoff in the Preakness was Master Derby, who returned $48.80 in the 1975 edition, as compared to the Kentucky Derby which has produced two winners who paid over $100 in the last 12 years.
- Preakness Stakes runner-ups have sometimes been horse race gambling long shots, such as Cherry Wine in 2016 at 17-1, Tale of Verve in 2016 at 28-1, Macho Again at 39-1 in 2008, and Magic Weisner at 45-1 in 2002.
- Bob Baffert is the living trainer with most wins at the Preakness with six (the late R. Wyndham Walden won it seven times), most recently with American Pharoah in 2015.
- On the other hand, Always Dreaming trainer Todd Pletcher is winless in eight starts at the Preakness Stakes.
- Kent Desormeaux, Gary Stevens, and Victor Espinoza are the active jockeys with more Preakness wins with three each. Eddie Arcaro (RIP) won it six times between 1941 and 1957. Desormeaux won last years with Exaggerator – who became the first Kentucky Derby runner-up to win the Preakness since Prairie Bayou did it in 2003.
- Just three Preakness Stakes winners did not previously compete in the Kentucky Derby since 1983, the last of whom was Rachel Alexandra in 2009 – who was also one and the last of five fillies to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.
- Ten of 20 Derby winners have come back to win the Preakness since 1997, the most recent being Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in 2015.
- Four of the last ten and seven of the last 30 runnings of the Preakness Stakes have been won from gate to wire.
- The 8th post position has produced as many Preakness winners as the No. 1 position since 1908 (10). The most recent winner from No. 1 was American Pharoah in 2015. The last to wing from post position 8 was Bernardini in 2008.
- Smarty Jones won the Preakness Stakes in 2004 by 11 ½ lengths, the largest margin of victory. Online wagering horse racing legend Secretariat posted the fastest time; 1:53.00 over 1-3/16 miles.
- War Emblem and Magic Weisner combined for a record $327 horse race gambling exacta in the 2002 edition.