Krause's 2015 Preakness Predictions

Here are Dr. Krause's 2015 Preakness picks. Like the 1^st leg of the Triple Crown two weeks ago, this  is a strong field with several top Derby horses making the trip to Baltimore’s Pimlico race track. This should be an interesting race.

Best of the Field: #1 American Pharoah (2:3 odds) was my Derby pick and he did not disappoint, running a nearly perfect race in Louisville. He’s a big favorite entering Pimlico and for good reason – he’s trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza.  The Triple Crown is no guarantee for AP because there are a number of world-class horses capable of beating him this Saturday – such as Dortmund, who starts in the 2^nd post. With only two weeks between the Derby and Preakness, he seems to have plenty of gas in the tank and is the obvious favorite at 2:3 odds. With these poor betting odds I’d avoid a straight WPS bet - nevertheless, he should be included in your exotic wagers. AP still looks like the winner to me and I’ll be cheering for him on Saturday. Note: Dortmund is American Pharoah’s biggest threat - and is also worth including in any exotic betting.

Value Horse: #4 Danzig Moon (14:1 odds). Danzig Moon ran a creditable race in the Kentucky Derby to finish 5^th in the field of 18 thoroughbreds; 6 lengths behind American Pharoah. This horse has improved with each race and could end up in the money – with a big payout given the long odds. An Ontario-bred horse, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Julien Leparoux, both solid records of success.  The son of Malibu Moon, sire of 2013 Derby winner Orb, Danzig Moon continues to improve and makes for a strong WPS bet at the big odds. With the smaller field, the 4^th post isn't a bad starting position for Danzig Moon.

Long Shot: #7 Divining Rod (14:1 odds).  Divining Rod is well rested since he didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby. He won the Lexington Stakes in Keeneland back in April before skipping the Derby. Not only has it been more than a month since he's raced, but he’s coming off a victory and has top-three finishes for all five races of his career. This will be trainer Arnaud Delacour's first Preakness and while a jockey hasn't yet been announced, Delacour will have his pick of some of the top jockeys. (Julien Leparoux, who has ridden Divining Rod previously, jumped ship to ride Danzig Moon in the Preakness. While he’s a long-shot, he has shown continual improvement and is worth a WPS and looks like a good pick underneath American Pharoah and Danzig Moon in your exotic wagers.

Good luck!