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Preakness 2018: Post Time, TV Schedule and Race Live Stream

Matt JonesFeatured ColumnistMay 17, 2018

Mike Smith rides Justify to victory during the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Darron Cummings/Associated Press

After a remarkable performance in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, Justify will head to the Preakness Stakes as the heavy favourite and with talk of a potential Triple Crown beginning to intensify.

Bob Baffert's colt was a class above on heavy ground at Churchill Downs on the first weekend in May, steered superbly by jockey Mike Smith and outlasting some strong competition down the home straight.

The second of the three major races this year presents an altogether different challenge, with a tighter track and fresh foes.

Here are the key details for the event at Pimlico in Baltimore, including where you can watch Justify's tilt at another piece of history.

     

Date: Saturday, May 19

Start Time: 6:20 p.m. ET, 11:20 p.m. BST

TV Info: NBC (U.S.), AtTheRaces (UK)

Live Stream: NBC Sports App, fuboTV

   

Post Position and Odds

1. Quip (+1600)

2. Lone Sailor (+2500)

3. Sporting Chance (+2200)

4. Diamond King (+1600)

5. Good Magic (+300)

6. Tenfold  (+2500)

7. Justify (-250)

8. Bravazo (+1800)

     

Figures are courtesy of OddsShark

      

Justify Out to Double Up

Garry Jones/Associated Press

With so many favourites prevailing in the Kentucky Derby in recent years, there's been plenty of Triple Crown buzz before the Preakness Stakes. After all, American Pharoah completed the box set of titles in 2015.

It was the first time in 37 years that feat had been achieved, and it was Baffert who had expertly trained the history-making colt. His expertise and experience have got so many buoyed about Justify potentially claiming the treble.

The omens are certainly positive for the Preakness. As noted by Game Day's Chris Fallica, in the past, Baffert's horses have had no problems making the quick transition from Churchill Downs to Pimlico:

Chris Fallica @chrisfallica

All four of Bob Baffert’s previous Derby winners went on to win the Preakness

In these types of races, there are always factors to overcome, though. It will likely be a different type of terrain for Justify to win on, with the conditions in Kentucky wet and miserable; that would potentially bring other competitors into play.

And while Justify's margin at Kentucky was relatively comfortable in the end, it would be no surprise if he was feeling a little jaded after such a battling display.

In Smith, Justify may just have the ideal man on board, though. He told XBTV about his winning ride under the twin spires and how much better he believes the Kentucky Derby winner can be:

XBTV @WatchXBTV

Mike Smith walks us through his winning ride aboard #Justify in the #KentuckyDerby & says we still have not seen the best of his star colt. Watch this full interview on: https://t.co/BMULIBqdro https://t.co/tfDAsg9YN5

While there will be a number of horses from the field at Kentucky to compete in Baltimore, Justify's biggest challengers could be those that have been prepared with Preakness as a priority.

Quip had the requisite points needed to run at Churchill Downs, but he has been held back for Pimlico instead. He's owned by WinStar Farm, who also co-own Justify, and the company's chief executive Elliott Walden revealed the priority is the second of the Triple Crown jewels.

"We purposely skipped the Derby pointing for the Preakness," he said, per Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun. "We looked at it at that time and asked the question, if we did win the Derby, would we still run Quip in the Preakness? We all kind of answered, 'Yes.' But I wanted to take a fresh look at it after the race and make sure."