Just 36 hours before the 148th Run for the Black-Eyed Susans, First Mission was scratched from the 2023 Preakness Stakes field, bringing the number of 2023 Preakness Stakes entries down to seven, the fewest since 1986. In a smaller field, Mage will try to become the 37th Kentucky Derby winner to win the Preakness Stakes. Mage could be an unlikely challenger to become the 14th Triple Crown winner if he can win once again at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday. Mage is the 8-5 favorite in the latest 2023 Preakness Stakes odds, but even in the narrower 2023 Preakness Stakes field, there are other horses that could rise to the occasion. Other 2023 Preakness Stakes contenders like Red Route One (10-1), Blazing Sevens (6-1), and National Treasure (4-1) will try to come away with their piece of Triple Crown history.
The 2023 Preakness Stakes post time is 7:01 p.m. ET on Saturday. Before locking in any 2023 Preakness Stakes picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions from SportsLine's Jody Demling, given his dominant Preakness track record.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has called the Preakness winner nine times in the last 18 years, and nailed his 2022 Preakness exacta. Demling also enters the 2023 Preakness Stakes having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last five years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also called Flightline's win at the Breeders' Cup Classic last November.
Additionally, he has hit 10 of the last 15 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but five times in the last 15 tries. Anyone who has followed him on these races is way up.
Now, with the 2023 Preakness Stakes approaching, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2023 Preakness Stakes predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2023 Preakness Stakes picks: Demling is high on Blazing Sevens, even though he's a longshot at 6-1. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. The slimmed-down field benefits more than just the race favorite, as Blazing Sevens has struggled to find the front of the pack early in races. With one less horse to overtake during a late push, the chances of leveraging a burst down the stretch look more promising.
Blazing Sevens' pedigree is also notable, as his grandsire is Curlin, the 2007 Preakness champion. His sire is Good Magic, who took fourth in the 2018 Preakness, but finished second in the Kentucky Derby before that. Blazing Sevens will have to rely on more than genes to win on Saturday, but it can't hurt his case as a potential winner. See who else to back here.
How to make 2023 Preakness Stakes picks, bets
Demling's top pick is an overlooked horse who is "a star in the making." He's also locked in a shocking prediction for Mage, who's coming off a monumental Kentucky Derby victory. Head to SportsLine to see Demling's entire projected leaderboard.
Who wins the Preakness Stakes 2023? Where does Mage finish? And which overlooked horse is a must-back? Check out the latest 2023 Preakness Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the 2023 Preakness Stakes, all from the expert who nailed 10 Derby-Oaks doubles and nine of the last 18 Preakness winners.
2023 Preakness Stakes horses, odds
| Horse | Odds | Program # | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mage | 8-5 | 3 | SEE PICKS |
| First Mission | SCR | 8 | |
| National Treasure | 4-1 | 1 | SEE PICKS |
| Blazing Sevens | 6-1 | 7 | SEE PICKS |
| Red Route One | 10-1 | 5 | SEE PICKS |
| Perform | 15-1 | 6 | SEE PICKS |
| Coffeewithchris | 20-1 | 4 | SEE PICKS |
| Chase The Chaos | 50-1 | 2 | SEE PICKS |
