After a delay and plenty of controversies, the post position drawing for the 146th Preakness Stakes was executed on Tuesday evening with Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit starting at the No. 3 position after his trainer, Bob Baffert, agreed to additional monitoring and testing leading up to the race this Saturday.
“We care about the integrity of the sport, but that includes the integrity of due process,” Alan M. Rifkin, Counsel to the Maryland Jockey Club, said. “So today we reached an agreement with Mr. Baffert that allows for additional testing, additional monitoring. Essentially a watchlist to ensure the integrity of the sport leading up to the race. We’re pleased to have that and we appreciate Mr. Baffert’s participation.”
It was uncertain whether or not Medina Spirit would be allowed to compete in the second jewel of the Triple Crown after failing a drug test with an elevated level of nearly double the allowed limit of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug, found.
In a statement released earlier on Tuesday, Baffert blamed an anti-fungal ointment that was applied to Medina Spirit — though it won’t do anything to lift the suspension levied upon him by Churchill Downs from entering horses at the site of the famed Kentucky Derby.
Medina Spirit is still the favorite to win the Preakness Stakes despite the controversy and is one of three horses that raced at the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago (Keepmeinmind, Midnight Bourbon).
Here are the results of the post drawing and each of the 10 horses’ morning odds:
2021 Preakness Stakes Post Positions, Odds
- Ram (30-1)
- Keepmeinmind (15-1)
- Medina Spirit (9-5)
- Crowded Trade (10-1)
- Midnight Bourbon (5-1)
- Rombauer (12-1)
- France Go De Ina (20-1)
- Unbridled Honor (15-1)
- Risk Taking (15-1)
- Concert Tour (5-2)
