For a certain trainer and his horse, there’s a lot at stake this weekend in the Preakness Stakes. The Kentucky Derby winner, Mage, is headed to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore to make a run for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday, May 20.
The Preakness is the second race of the Triple Crown series, with the third — the Belmont Stakes — coming up in June. Only 13 horses have won all three races to claim the Triple Crown trophy in almost 150 years of the races. And this guy Mage has got a shot.
Odds opened with Mage as an 8-5 favorite. Brad Cox-trained First Mission emerged as the second choice at 5-2 but was scratched on May 19.
If Mage pulls off a win at the Preakness, he’ll still need to make it through stiffer competition at the Belmont. Mage has only raced four times, the fourth being the Derby. But 3 year-old horses aren’t static — he could keep improving with every race.
All that to say, it will be exciting to see what happens. If you’re excited and plan to follow along or bet on horse racing in Ohio, here’s where to watch and wager on the Preakness in Ohio.
Watch the Preakness Stakes from pretty much anywhere
If you’re planning to watch from home or a local sports bar, NBC has you covered. The Preakness is Race 13 on Saturday, with a post time set for 7:01 p.m. Coverage on NBC, Peacock, CNBC or NBC Sports starts at 1 p.m.
FanDuel Racing app offers betting, live broadcast
To place bets from anywhere in Ohio, FanDuel Racing is the online racebook of choice. If you already have the FanDuel Sportsbook app, you can access racing within the same app. You can actually watch the races you wager on, right on your mobile device as well.
FanDuel Racing is offering a No Sweat Preakness Bet promo, valid on your first win bet on the Preakness. The promo will credit your account up to $20 in free racing bets if your horse doesn’t win.
The official cocktail of the Preakness Stakes
Wherever you watch the big race, ask for — or make yourself — a Black Eyed Susan cocktail if you like to get festive. Like the Kentucky Derby’s famed Mint Julep, the Black Eyed Susan is the official cocktail of the Preakness. The race itself is known as the “Run for the Black Eyed Susans,” stemming from the blanket of said flower that is draped over the winning horse.
The refreshing high ball takes on the bright color of Maryland’s state flower, but it probably tastes a lot better. The beauty of this cocktail is that you can easily make your own variation based on your preferences. But orange and pineapple juices, plus a maraschino cherry and orange slice for garnish are essential to complete the look.
A basic Black Eyed Susan recipe consists of these ingredients, poured over ice:
- 4 oz. orange juice
- 4 oz. pineapple juice
- 1 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. light rum
- 1/2 shot orange liqueur, such as grand marnier, cointreau or triple sec
Don’t forget the black straw!
Ohio racetracks feature live racing on Preakness day
Ohio’s racinos feature simulcast betting, so you watch and bet on remote races from your local track. There’s no doubt that the Preakness Stakes will be on the menu this Saturday. Look for Pimlico Race Course, Race 13.
MGM Northfield Park is doing it big this year with a food truck festival, a handicapping seminar, prize drawings, live music and more. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and live harness racing starts at 6 p.m.
The Food Truck Festival at Northfield Park runs from 1-7 p.m., and features Southern, Mallory’s Fish Hut, Jackpot Chicken, Cookies BBQue, Summerfest Grille and Crooked Kettle.
Ohio’s racinos all feature food and beverage options, slot machine gaming and a retail sportsbook location. These tracks will feature live racing in addition to Preakness Stakes simulcasting:
- JACK Thistledown Racino: BetJACK Sportsbook — live racing starts at 12:20 p.m.
- MGM Northfield Park: BetMGM Sportsbook — live racing starts at 6 p.m.
- Scioto Downs: Caesars Sportsbook — live racing starts at 5:50 p.m.
- Belterra Park: FanDuel Sportsbook — live racing starts at 12:25 p.m.
The following tracks and their sportsbooks are open but will not have live racing on Saturday:
- Miami Valley Gaming: MVGBet Sportsbook
- Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway: Barstool Sportsbook
- Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley: Barstool Sportsbook
2023 Preakness Stakes field, odds, favorites
The 148th-running of the Preakness will feature Kentucky Derby-winner Mage going after the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The Preakness is the longest of the three Triple Crown races at 1 3/16 mile on dirt. The race’s record time was 1.53 by the legendary Secretariat in 1973.
Mage heads into the weekend at 8-5 to win, followed by First Mission (5-2) and Bob Baffert’s National Treasure (4-1).
Here is the full, seven-horse Preakness field after First Mission was scratched from the 8-post:
- Post 1: National Treasure (4-1)
- Post 2: Chase the Chaos (50-1)
- Post 3: Mage (8-5)
- Post 4: Coffeewithchris (20-1)
- Post 5: Red Route One (12-1)
- Post 6: Perform (15-1)
- Post 7: Blazing Sevens (8-1)
