The list of 2023 Preakness Stakes horses will feature some familiar names from the Kentucky Derby alongside some of the fastest three-year-olds in horse racing, some of which opted out of the first leg of the Triple Crown. With Derby winner Mage expected to run, there be lots of excitement at a possible Triple Crown run for 2023.
The field for the Preakness will feature seven horses, and post positions were drawn on Monday, May 15 resulting in plenty of intriguing Preakness Stakes odds. We break down these elite thoroughbreds for you to research before making your Preakness Stakes picks.
Who is running in the 2023 Preakness Stakes?
The full list of 2023 Preakness Stakes horses was drawn on Monday.
National Treasure
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Post Position: 1
- Odds: 4/1
National Treasure makes his sixth lifetime start in the Preakness Stakes, and is still looking for his initial stakes victory. The Bob Baffert trainee placed in two Grade I stakes as a juvenile, but was a disappointing third in his first start at three. After missing a scheduled start due to a minor setback, he was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8.
Chase the Chaos
- Jockey: Sheldon Russell
- Post Position: 2
- Odds: 50/1
Chase the Chaos is likely to be the longest shot on the board for the Preakness Stakes. After upsetting the El Camino Derby over synthetic dirt at Golden Gate Fields, he was noncompetitive in two straight follow-up efforts.
Mage
- Jockey: Javier Castellano
- Post Position: 3
- Odds: 8/5
Mage’s Kentucky Derby triumph was only his second ever victory in career start No. 4. While there’s plenty of room to grow for this son of Good Magic, running back just two weeks after a demanding Derby effort can be brutally tough. That’s partly why Mage is the only three-year-old running in both the Derby and the Preakness this year.
Coffeewithchris
- Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez
- Post Position: 4
- Odds: 20/1
Coffeewithchris is no stranger to the Maryland circuit, having taken the Heft Stakes and the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park over the last few months. He set the pace and tired to fifth in the Federico Tesio Stakes when last seen
Red Route One
- Jockey: Joel Rosario
- Post Position: 5
- Odds: 10/1
Red Route One came from well out of it to grab the win in a non-graded stakes at Oaklawn Park last month to prep for the Preakness. He was second in both the Grade III Southwest and the Grade II Rebel down at Oaklawn before misfiring in the Arkansas Derby.
Perform
- Jockey: Feargal Lynch
- Post Position: 6
- Odds: 15/1
Perform has seemingly put everything together after hinting at potential in the maiden ranks. After earning his diploma at Tampa Bay Downs in March, Perform overcame a nightmarish trip to take the Federico Tesio Stakes last time out. Trainer Shug McGaughey seeks to complete the career Triple Crown, having won the Derby with Orb in 2013 and the Belmont with Easy Goer in 1989.
Blazing Sevens
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Post Position: 7
- Odds: 6/1
Blazing Sevens has one previous Grade I win on his résumé – the Champagne Stakes at Belmont last fall. He was last seen running a well-beaten third in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Bet $1, Get $200 Bet Credits
No code required
Printable Preakness Stakes horses list
The field and the odds are set, be sure to download our printable Preakness Stakes horses list to take with you on the go!
Track your favorite horses with our printable sheet of Preakness Stakes horses, their post positions, and odds.
How horses qualify for the Preakness Stakes
Qualifying for the Preakness Stakes isn’t based on a points system but rather focused on winnings as well as success in the Kentucky Derby two weeks prior.
Preakness Stake prep races
Unlike the Kentucky Derby qualifying, which is done on points, the Preakness Stakes pulls its field from the horses’ graded stakes earnings as well as lifetime earnings. The Top 5 horses from the Kentucky Derby are also granted automatic spots, however, but not all of those horses will choose to race in the Preakness Stakes.
Triple Crown Horses
The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown and often features the winner of the Kentucky Derby. There have been 23 horses win both the Derby and the Preakness and 13 of those contenders have gone on to win the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.
Types of Preakness Stakes horses
The Preakness Stakes is the shortest of the Triple Crown races with a distance of just 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs), and this event is limited to three-year-old thoroughbreds.
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are known for their long athletic builds and burst of speed, which makes them the ideal horse for the Preakness Stakes — the shortest and fastest of the three Triple Crown races.
Age of horses
The Preakness Stakes, along with the other two Triple Crown events, are limited to three-year-old horses. At that age, horses are just beginning to mature and there is still an aura of the unknown when it comes to their performances.
Instant Replay: Preakness Stakes horses
The Preakness is limited to just 14 horses pulled from the top graded stakes earners and the Top 5 finishers in the Kentucky Derby.
The Preakness Stakes is the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs).
There have been 23 horses to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
The Preakness Stakes is limited to three-year-old thoroughbred horses.
Preakness Stakes horses FAQs
Early Voting won the 2022 Preakness Stakes.
Horses qualify for the Preakness Stakes by ranking among the top in graded stakes and lifetime earnings or finishing inside the Top 5 in the Kentucky Derby.
Mage won the 2022 Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023.
Mage and Forte are the early favorites to win the Preakness Stakes.
