California Chrome is trying to win the second leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday at the 2014 Preakness Stakes.
California Chrome isn't guaranteed to win Saturday's Preakness Stakes, as a handful of dominant Kentucky Derby winners and ultimate Preakness losers could confirm. Still, California Chrome is a 3-5 favorite to win the second jewel of the Triple Crown, and it seems like it would take something special from one of his nine challengers were he to run a 1 3/16-mile race at par to his standards.
For instance, Fusiachi Pegasus was a 3-10 favorite at the 2000 Preakness after his commanding win in the stretch at the Derby that year, but he lost at Pimlico by 6 3/4 lengths. According to OddsShark, California Chrome is the 3-5 favorite -- lower odds than Orb last year, the 1-1 favorite that finished fourth -- and runner-up favorite Social Inclusion seems way back at 5-1.
But no horse is invincible. California Chrome's perceived weakness in the Run for the Roses was that he helped set a slow pace and in turn won with the the slowest dry time at the Kentucky Derby since 1974. Both Social Inclusion and Bayern, coming in at 10-1 odds, are seen as challengers to set a faster pace early to challenge California Chrome. Neither Social Inclusion nor Bayern ran in the Derby, and both have a sprinter's reputation and relatively fresh legs.
NBC will begin its coverage live from Pimlico at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and the coverage will shift to NBC at 4:30. Post time is 6:20, and NBC will cover the event until 7.
The starting gate order and odds for all 10 horses in the field are below.
1. Dynamic Impact, 12-1
2. General a Rod, 15-1
3. California Chrome, 3-5
4. Ring Weekend, 20-1
5. Bayern, 10-1
6. Ria Antonia, 30-1
7. Kid Cruz, 20-1
8. Social Inclusion, 5-1
9. Pablo Del Monte, 20-1
10. Ride On Curlin, 10-1
TV: NBC, 4:30 p.m.
Post time: 6:20 p.m.
Pre-race coverage: NBCSN, 1:30 p.m.