Early Voting headed out of Pimlico early Sunday morning, the Preakness Stakes victory safely tucked away, and with major races this summer his next goals, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday.
Betting on Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore was down 5 percent compared to the record wagering on the race last year, according to charts of the races. The decline was most likely due to the absence both of this year’s Kentucky Derby winner and the intense publicity surrounding the second leg of the Triple Crown last year.
In the Kentucky Derby, it was shock. In Saturday’s Preakness, it was disappointment.
For the second time in a five-year span, trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman decided to pass on the Kentucky Derby with a horse eligible to the race, believing lack of experience would be betrayed, and that sitting tight for the Preakness Stakes two weeks later was a more prudent option. And as in 2017, when Cloud Computing won the Preakness in only his fourth start, on Saturday at Pimlico it was Early Voting who equaled that feat, winning the 147th Preakness Stakes.
Results and payouts from the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 21, 2022, at Pimlico, won by Early Voting.
Preakness Stakes picks and analysis from Daily Racing Form handicappers across the United States.
Smart Strike and his sons have been extremely successful in producing stamina for the Triple Crown series – and, indeed, have stood out in the Preakness Stakes, specifically. That history is one of the best things that longshots Fenwick and Skippylongstocking will have going for them in Saturday’s Preakness.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter remained the Preakness Stakes favorite in early wagering Friday for Saturday's middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
Advance wagering for the Preakness began when the windows opened for the Friday card. Epicenter, who Pimlico oddsmaker Keith Feustle made the 6-5 morning-line favorite at the post position draw on Monday, had been bet down to 3-5 as of 2:15 p.m. Friday.
Trainers and officials at Pimlico were preparing Friday morning as best they could for the blazing heat forecast to descend on this area both Friday and Saturday, when temperatures were predicted to rise to the low-90s for the Black-Eyed Susan card on Friday and as high as 97 for the Preakness card on Saturday.
