Preakness Stakes odds are oftentimes more important in terms of history than Kentucky Derby odds. The winner in Kentucky Derby odds does not always go on to greatness while the winner in Preakness odds oftentimes does. The 2007 Preakness odds winner was Curlin and he went on to win Horse of the Year honors, not Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
Preakness Stakes odds show that many times in history the winner of the Preakness is the best horse. Afleet Alex and Point Given were losers in Kentucky Derby odds this decade but yet winners in Preakness odds. Looking at history we see that since 1988 Preakness Stakes odds winners have produced 14 winners in terms of division honors compared to only 10 for Derby winners. Eliminating horses that won both races we see that Preakness Stakes odds winners are still more important in terms of history holding a 7-3 edge in honors at the end of the year. A dominant horse like Curlin was just not quite ready for the Derby but then went on to victory in Preakness odds and greatness ever since. In 2001 Point Given lost in the Derby but then won in Preakness odds and never lost again before injury ended his career.
Looking at Preakness odds winners lately we see that the champ in 2007 was Curlin who also won horse of the year. Bernardini won honors in 2006 and Afleet Alex in 2005. Smarty Jones was the Preakness odds champ in 2004 and won honors. Funny Cide and War Emblem repeated what Smarty Jones did in 2003 and 2002 respectively. Point Given was the horse in 2001 that pulled off the Preakness Odds win and horse of the year. In 2000, Red Bullet won in Preakness Stakes odds in an upset but he was not horse of the year.
What this recent Preakness Stakes odds history tells us is that the winner of the Preakness is oftentimes the best three-year old horse in the country. Preakness odds are oftentimes the most important horse racing odds of the year in terms of awards although they trail Kentucky Derby odds in terms of popularity.