Preakness Stakes betting anticipation continues to grow for the May 15 event from Baltimore as Preakness odds will be posted for the second of three 2010 Triple Crown races. The Preakness Stakes is held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the middle jewel of thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown series and an event with plenty of tradition.
Preakness betting action will focus on the Kentucky Derby winner trying to become the first horse since 1978 to win the Triple Crown. The Woodlawn Vase Trophy is awarded to the winning owner of the Preakness. It was created by Tiffany and Company in 1860 and named for the now defunct Woodlawn Racing Association. The Woodlawn Vase Trophy used to be passed on year to year by the former winning owner to the new winning owner, much like hockey’s Stanley Cup.
That tradition changed in 1953, however, when AG Vanderbilt’s horse named Native Dancer won the Preakness . Vanderbilt’s wife did not want the responsibility of maintaining the prize so from that point on a sterling replica has been awarded to the winning owner that is worth $30,000. The perpetual trophy is on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art and brought to the Pimlico Race Course by guard on Preakness Day.
Some of the biggest names in horse racing have become Preakness betting heroes. In recent years such horses as last year’s filly sensation Rachel Alexandra, Big Brown, Smarty Jones, and Funny Cide have entered the winner’s circle of the Preakness. Legendary jockeys such as Calvin Borel, Kent Desormeaux, Gary Stevens, Pat Day, and Chris McCarron have had the thrill of mounting the winning horse.
The greatest trainers in horse racing history have led their horses to victory in Preakness odds. Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lucas are legends that have been the most dominant trainers at the Preakness since 1994.
The tradition of gamblers trying to handicap which horse is most capable of knocking off the Kentucky Derby winner is part of the excitement of the Preakness. It almost a game within a game as half the public will usually back the Kentucky Derby winner while the other half will search hard for what it considers to be the top challenger. The Preakness Stakes offers a tradition of excitement and a top handicapping challenge.