- Mage rallied to win the 149th Kentucky Derby in a 15-1 upset at Churchill Downs. He is favored to win the Preakness Stakes with +300 odds at Bovada.
- Forte is listed as ineligible to race in the Preakness Stakes after being placed on the vet’s list.
- Angel of Empire, who closed as the betting favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, is not expected to enter the 2023 Preakness Stakes.
The 148th running of the Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at Pimlico Race Course. The Preakness Stakes is known as the second leg of the Triple Crown.
If Mage wins the Preakness Stakes, he will have an opportunity to become the 14th horse to capture the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. It would be a highly unlikely scenario if Mage pulls it off. However, the road has opened up for him following several scratches.
Ultimately, it was a small field for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. Only 18 horses ended up in the starting gate at Churchill Downs due to multiple horses having to pull out of the race, including Forte, who was the betting favorite to win the Kentucky Derby.
MAGE pulls off a magical finish to win the 149th Kentucky Derby. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/wIjVzaMccs
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 6, 2023
Forte Will Not Return At The Preakness Stakes
Despite being included in the Preakness Stakes odds at Bovada, Forte is ineligible to run at Pimlico Race Course. You can ignore his +300 odds to win the race.
If Forte were running in the Preakness Stakes, he would be the co-favorite with Mage. However, there is no chance that Forte will be able to participate.
Regardless of Forte’s health in two weeks, the Florida Derby winner is ruled ineligible to compete in the Preakness Stakes. He was scratched from the Derby due to a bruise on his right front foot.
As a result of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s decision of placing Forte on the vet’s list, the horse cannot enter a race for 14 days.
The earliest we could see Forte is at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 10. That being said, Todd Pletcher may not be confident in Forte going 1 ½ miles and opt to hold him out of the event.
The $1,250,000 Travers Stakes (Gr. 1) at Saratoga Race Course in August looks like a good landing spot for him. Expect Forte to go off as the betting favorite in the Travers Stakes, if he runs.
Road To Triple Crown Gets Easier For Mage
Regardless of the circumstances, winning the Triple Crown is one of the most difficult accomplishments in sports. However, everything is set up nicely for Mage at the Preakness Stakes.
Gustavo Delgado’s Mage won’t have to face arguably the most talented 2-year-old in 2023 at the Preakness Stakes in the first two Triple Crown races with Forte not competing.
Kentucky Derby (G1) champion Mage 🪄 relaxes in his stall, facing his garland of roses, after capturing the first leg of the Triple Crown. pic.twitter.com/x4FkcrdFWA
— BloodHorse (@BloodHorse) May 7, 2023
Along with Forte, it does not appear that Todd Pletcher’s Angel of Empire is going to enter the Preakness Stakes. In the Kentucky Derby, Angel of Empire was coming on strong in the final furlong, but ran out of track to catch Mage.
With Forte and Angel of Empire inactive, those are two strong contenders removed from the equation at Pimlico. Mage will have to contend with First Mission as a viable threat.
Two Phil’s likely would have threatened Mage under the right conditions. However, trainer Larry Rivelli ruled Two Phil’s out of the Preakness Stakes.
He had the lead in the stretch, but Mage was able to catch Two Phil’s and edge ahead for a 1-length victory. With Two Phil’s and Angel of Empire absent at Pimlico, the only two horses that dueled with Mage in the stretch at the Kentucky Derby won’t be present.
Will Mage be able to go the distance at Belmont Park even if he wins the first two legs of the Triple Crown? That could be a tall task.
First Mission Is A Capable Rival
Brad Cox’s First Mission is the most likely horse to give Mage a test in the Preakness Stakes. This Kentucky-bred colt did not participate in the Kentucky Derby. He didn’t appear in a Kentucky Derby prep race until the Lexington Stakes (Gr. 3) on April 15.
The $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) – the final Kentucky Derby 🌹 prep of the year – is won by #5 FIRST MISSION, a son of @darleystallions Street Sense. @luissaezpty up for @bradcoxracing and @godolphin.
Love the post race celebration! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Q5g8kq5QzR
— TVG (@TVG) April 15, 2023
With the Lexington Stakes (Gr. 3) only offering 20 points for a win, it was not enough for an entry into the Kentucky Derby. Pointing First Mission to the Derby was never in the plans for Cox. However, contending for the Preakness Stakes crown was on the agenda.
First Mission has finished 1st, 1st, and 2nd in three career starts. He made his graded stakes debut in the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (Gr. 3) following a strong outing at Fair Grounds Race Course on March 18.
In his effort at Fair Grounds, First Mission cleared easily by 6 Âľ lengths as a heavy favorite for a $50,000 purse. Impressed by his performance, Cox sent First Mission to Keeneland for the Lexington Stakes (Gr. 3).
First Mission handled the assignment pretty well, as he picked up a half-length victory over Arabian Lion. Currently, First Mission is the second favorite to win the Preakness Stakes at +400 odds.
