The Preakness Stakes, held on the third Saturday in May at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Track, is one of the most eagerly anticipated races in the American sporting calendar. With Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbred Rich Strike not participating, the stage is ripe for another horse to force an upset.

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Among the nine-horse field Epicentre is an odds-on favourite to win. Narrowly missing out in the Kentucky Derby, the trotter would like to make good on expectations at Pimlico. At the Louisville racecourse turning into the final stretch, a wicked inside-out move orchestrated by jockey Sonny Leon helped 80-1 outsider Rich Strike pip Epicentre off the top spot. With derby rival Zandon and Kentucky’s surprise winner ruled out of the race, the colt has the lowest odds of 6-5. The trainer-jockey duo of Steve Asmussen and Joel Rosario will hope to deliver owner Ron Winchell his first Triple Crown victory.

With odds of 7-2, Early Victory is best placed to pip the Preakness favourite, Epicentre. Only in his 4th start owner Seth Klarman has picked the Preakness as his stage to shine. Well rested and showing improvements with every start, the shorter course at Pimlico is likely to suit the trotter. Trainer Chad Brown has prior experience guiding a Klarman horse to Pimlico success, upsetting the odds with Cloud Computing five years ago.

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Starting from no. 4, Secret Oath is the other contender. Running at odds of 9-2, the Kentucky Oaks and Martha Washington Stakes winner is the dark horse in the race. Trained by legendary Wayne Lukas and ridden by Luis Saez, the Briland Farm bred steed will have to go turbo to clinch this one!

Rounding up the field are Simplification (6-1), Creative Minister (1-10), Armagnac (12-1), Skippylongstocking (20-1), Happy Jack (30-1) and Fenwick (50-1). With tickets selling out fast, the 147th Preakness is likely to attract crowds by the tens of thousands to for the first time in three years.