Preakness Stakes 2025: A Comprehensive Preview

Journalism is the early favorite:: Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Journalism enters the race with strong odds, despite Sovereignty's absence.

Notable contenders:: Besides Journalism, horses like Goal Oriented, American Promise, River Thames, Sandman and Clever Again are expected to be competitive.

Sovereignty's absence:: The Kentucky Derby winner, trained by Bill Mott, will not compete, ending hopes for a Triple Crown winner this year. Bill Mott has indicated he'd rather focus on the Belmont Stakes to give Sovereignty more time to recover. Load management has become a more popular training technique, it appears that many trainers are opting out of the Preakness for their horses' health.

Sandman's Popularity:: Despite finishing 7th in the Kentucky Derby, Sandman has attracted many fans with his catchy name and social media presence.

Journalism:: As the Kentucky Derby runner-up, Journalism is a top contender. Trained by Michael W. McCarthy, this horse has shown consistent performance and is a favorite among bettors.

Goal Oriented:: Trained by Bob Baffert, Goal Oriented, has only two starts in his career but was added to the field after Rodriguez was withdrawn.

American Promise & Clever Again:: Two offspring of Triple Crown winners, adding intrigue to the race.

Sandman:: Despite a disappointing finish in the Kentucky Derby, Sandman remains popular, partially due to social media efforts and a catchy name. The horse will be ridden by John Velazquez.

Goal Oriented (6-1)

Journalism (8-5)

Sandman (4-1)

River Thames (9-2)

Clever Again (5-1)

The 2025 Preakness Stakes promises excitement with a competitive field.

Journalism is a strong contender, but other horses like Goal Oriented, Sandman and Clever Again could challenge for the win.

Sovereignty's absence impacts the race, opening opportunities for other horses.

Keep an eye on weather conditions and track updates as they can influence the race's outcome.