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2024 Preakness Stakes: Best Exotic Bets, Picks & Predictions

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The difference between the Kentucky Derby field and the Preakness Stakes field is always staggering to me. The Derby requires a thorough breakdown of at least 20 horses and a couple of alternates leading up to race day. But in the Preakness, we’re sometimes lucky to get 10 horses in the field. That makes finding the best Preakness Stakes exotic bets all the more interesting.

Only eight horses are currently slated to break from the starting gates in the 2024 Preakness Stakes, after Muth was scratched earlier in the week. That makes the handicapping a bit easier, but it also makes it harder to find a ton of value on the board.

While the deep Derby field can lead to some massive longshots, the longest shots in this year’s Preakness Stakes are both listed at 20/1, which isn’t quite as juicy. It also doesn’t help that I’ll be tossing one of the longshots from consideration.

With that being said, here are my best exotic bets for the 2024 Preakness States.

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Best Exotic Wagers for the 2024 Preakness Stakes 

$2 Exacta Box - (8) Tuscan Gold – (9) Imagination 

I’ll be reducing this already small 8-horse field to five horses to target in my exotic bettings. Mugatu is overmatched against this field. While Seize the Gray didn’t race in the run for the roses, he is coming off a victory against a weak field in the Pat Day Mile at a shorter distance during Derby weekend. Lastly, I didn’t like the way Just Steel collapsed after being involved as an early pace setter during the Kentucky Derby. Coming off a short layoff, I question how much gas this horse has left in the tank.

While the full five horses will factor into my trifecta and superfecta wagers, there are two, maybe three horses I’m looking to target for my exactas at Pimlico.

First off, we have to discuss Kentucky Derby winner, Mystik Dan. The horse got a perfect trip in the Derby, staying close on the pace while seamlessly navigating to the rail and winning by a literal nose. And the rainy weekend forecast in Baltimore favors Mystik Dan, as his best speed figure actually came on an off track during his win in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes. While he isn’t my first choice, Mystik Dan is a legit contender against this shorter field, even off the short layoff. However, I question whether everything will go just right like it did at Churchill.

The two horses I’m most intrigued by in this race are Tuscan Gold and Imagination. Trained by Chad Brown, Tuscan Gold follows an interesting precedent. Tuscan Gold will be making his fourth career start at Pimlico after skipping the Derby and has continued to improve with every race. Brown’s previous two Preakness winners followed the same path, and Tuscan Gold could come at a value considering he didn’t run in Louisville.

Imagination will be the horse most likely to set the pace and bring the early speed. He’s also trained by Bob Baffert, who won the Preakness last year with National Treasure. While Imagination will start on the outside, the short field should make it easier for him to burst out of the gates and make his move to the inside. If Imagination has made improvements, he could even win this race in wire-to-wire fashion.

While I don’t know if Imagination has the horsepower to hold onto an early lead, I do expect him to be a factor and he’s my preferred choice in an exacta with Tuscan Gold. I also don’t mind throwing Mystik Dan into an exacta if the rain does come as expected.

$1 Trifecta: (8) Tuscan Gold – (9) Imagination – (5) Mystik Dan / (3) Catching Freedom / (2) Uncle Heavy

With such a short field, I’m going to keep my options open and mix and match a few combos that like. However, I do think Catching Freedom’s closing speed could make him a factor to hit the board late. And while Uncle Heavy saw his speed figure drop off significantly in his last race at the Wood Memorial, he should be considered if the track conditions aren’t great, as he does have a victory on a muddy track on his resume.

2024 Preakness Stakes Horse Previews, Picks & Predictions

Check out our previews for every horse competing in the 2024 Preakness Stakes and our expert analysis on the best bets for this year's Run for the Black-eyed Susans.

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