After a big event such as the Kentucky Derby, horse racing enthusiasts can’t wait for the rest of the US Triple Crown events that take place each year. All of the excitement of seeing powerful and graceful horses speed their way around the track should not be contained to just one race in particular. This is why among the top horse races in the US, is the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Both of these races have a rich history within the wonderful world of horse racing. To better understand where events such as these are heading to, one needs to know where they came from. These two races will definitely be the main attractions in 2012; along with the participating competitors and the bettors alike.
Preakness Stakes
The race itself is an American flat three-year old Thoroughbred race and it is held on the third Saturday of May every year. The event is part of the US Triple Crown, where it is the second leg; right after the Kentucky Derby. The race happens at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes is a world known horse racing event, which has been taking place ever since its inauguration in 1873. Pimlico presented its stakes race for the three-year-old thoroughbreds in 1973, where former Maryland Governor Oden Bowie named the one-and-a-half mile race after the horse that won the Dinner Party Stakes, a colt named Preakness. The racing location changed various times due to financial difficulties but in 2009, the Maryland Legislature decided to buy the location if they could not find a buyer. Ever since the race began, it has led to many great races and with more to come.
As for the 2012 Preakness Stakes, it is being held on Saturday, May 19th. The competitors in this event will be participating in “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”, a term coined because a blanket containing the state flower of Maryland is placed on the winner; incidentally it is the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Horses looking to qualify must be 3 years old and if they are a Colt or Gelding they should have a weight of 126 lbs., and the weight for the Filly is of 121 lbs. For the winner, if they have already won at the Kentucky Derby, will win their second jewel and will be on their way to win the Triple Crown; on top of all the fame, there is also a purse of US $1 million. This is the second most popular race in the US, where it follows close behind the Kentucky Derby in attendance.
This race will be featuring eleven great horses; Preakness Stakes odds and stats can be seen below.
| Preakness Stakes Horses | Race Records | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Bodemeister | 5-2-3-0 | 15/8 |
| I’ll Have Another | 6-4-1-0 | 15/8 |
| Went The Day Well | 4-2-0-0 | 11/2 |
| Creative Cause | 9-4-2-2 | 6/1 |
| Daddy Nose Best | 11-4-2-1 | 16/1 |
| Teeth Of The Dog | 4-1-1-2 | 20/1 |
| Cozzetti | 7-1-0-1 | 33/1 |
| Optimizer | 9-1-2-1 | 33/1 |
| Tiger Walk | 7-2-0-1 | 33/1 |
| Zetterholm | 5-3-1-0 | 33/1 |
| Pretension | 5-1-2-0 | 50/1 |
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is the oldest amongst the other races that make up the Triple Crown by being inaugurated in 1867; Preakness was in 1873 and Kentucky Derby in 1875. The first race was run on a Thursday in 1867, where first place would receive $1,500 and second place would take home $300. This race is the third event on the way to achieving the Triple Crown. When the anti-gambling legislation happened in New York, the racetrack was closed and the races were cancelled in 1911 and 1912. The lucky winner of the Belmont Stakes is awarded with a trophy said to be one of the most prestigious in the country, the August Belmont Trophy. The length of the racetrack has also given it fame, being called the “Test of the Champion. It is called like this because it is the final race of the Triple Crown, as well for being so long; most three year old horses are unaccustomed to this length. This is why this particular race is the third and hardest of the Triple Crown.
As for this year’s Belmont Stakes, the important race will take place on Saturday, June 9th. The race will be conducted in the Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, New York. Qualifying horses need to be three-year old thoroughbreds; Colts, Gelding, and Fillies. The weight limit for each is at 126 lbs. and 121 lbs. respectively. The purse will be at US $1 million and the 1st place winner will take home $600,000. Since the second Triple Crown race has not happened yet, the Preakness Stakes, the contenders list will not come out until the date gets closer to the Belmont Stakes. People will be anxiously awaiting the results of the second jewel of the Triple Crown to see who could possibly attain the title of Triple Crown winner.
How to bet on the Preakness and Belmont Stakes
For all those people that will be attending the race, there are 5 simple steps on how to bet at the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Once you walk up to the window, you first say which track you will be wagering on. Secondly, say which race you will be betting on; after that, say how much you want to bet. Then say what type of wager you want to make, whether it be for a Win, Place, or Show; there are other terms like Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta that can be used as well.
As for those people that will not be able to attend the actual race, do not fret for there are many ways to place a wager on this exciting race. It is very similar to what a bettor would do at the window, but instead of saying it, you will be choosing from different options. The options will allow the bettor to pick what type of bet to place, as stated above, whether it’s for a Win, Place, or Show. They will also give you room to put how much you want to wager on said bet. They should also understand the Odds. If the odds are in favour of the horse, they will usually have pretty low odds, like 6/1, which means the horse has a very good chance of winning and the pay-out will be equal to the level of risk taken. If the horse has higher odds, it has less of a chance to win, but the winnings would be substantially bigger. It all depends on each bettor if they want to place a bet on their favourite horse, a gut-feeling, or an informed decision, it will be a very entertaining experience to bet on the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.