Preakness Stakes betting odds, tips, bets to consider

The second leg of the Triple Crown goes Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Two weeks removed from a wild Kentucky Derby finish, here's how the odds stack up ahead of the 2019 Preakness Stakes:

Betting trends and notes

- With morning-line odds of 6-1 in the Kentucky Derby, Improbable skyrocketed up the boards following the withdrawal of then-favorite Omaha Beach. Improbable officially placed fourth in the first leg of the Triple Crown and is the favorite Saturday. There's a good chance the colt lands in the money, considering 25 of the last 33 Preakness favorites have finished in the top three.

- Jockeys John Velazquez (Bodexpress) and Florent Geroux (Owendale) have yet to win the Preakness, going 0-9 and 0-3, respectively.

- First-time jockeys won the Preakness in three consecutive years from 2004-06. But in each of the last six races, a Hall of Fame jockey with previous wins in the Preakness has come out on top - more good news for Improbable, run by Mike Smith, who rode Justify to a victory in 2018.

- Over the last 42 races, eight winners have come from the No. 8 post position and six each from Post 3 and Post 7. Horses with double-digit post numbers haven't fared well, accounting for only four wins over the previous 33 Preakness events.

Bets to consider

- There's so much to like about Improbable heading into Saturday's race despite a career-worst fourth-place result at the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert has a record-tying seven wins in the Preakness to his credit and a seasoned veteran in Smith joining the fold. Improbable has always been a fast starter; couple the shortest distance in the Triple Crown with a Hall of Fame jockey and it could be a perfect combination for the 3-year-old colt.

- The son of Into Mischief, Owendale is an attractive mid-tier horse to keep tabs on. Following an eighth-place finish at the Risen Star Stakes in February, Owendale rallied in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, winning as a 12-1 long shot. After posting a five-furlong bullet workout of 59.20 seconds just days ago, the 3-year-old is trending in the right direction.

Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.