Mage the 8/5 morning line favorite at Preakness 148

HALETHORPE, Md. (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner Mage was installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness at the post position draw Monday.

He’s the only horse in the field of eight set to take part in the second race of the Triple Crown two weeks after running in the Derby. It’s the first Preakness since 1969 with just one Derby horse.

“Everyone has their own agendas for the rest of the year and the schedule, what races they want to run in,” co-owner Ramiro Restrepo said. “All we can really control is our house. The horse is doing great, which is the most important thing. That gave us the green light to run, and whoever they line up in there is who we’ve got to race. That’s all we can focus on.”

Mage will face seven fresh horses in an attempt to keep open the possibility of the first Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018. He drew the No. 3 post for the 1 3/16-mile, $1.65 million race.

“We’re good,” assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. “I’m pretty content with it. I was more concerned at the Derby with a 20-horse field. Eight horses now, I think every horse is going to have a decent shot and hopefully the best wins. That’s what horse racing is about.”

Mage won the Derby at odds of 15-1 as one of 18 horses in the race, which came after seven fatalities at Churchill Downs in a 10-day span — including Derby contender Wild on Ice — raised safety questions. Five were scratched for various reasons the week of, including favorite Forte hours before when Kentucky officials had questions about a bruised right front foot.

The Preakness field includes National Treasure, who was not eligible for the Derby because trainer Bob Baffert is serving a two-year suspension from Churchill Downs. Medina Spirit, who failed a postrace drug test in 2021 to prompt the suspension, was Baffert’s last horse in the Preakness, which he has won a record-tying seven times.

National Treasure drew the inside No. 1 post and is the third choice on the morning line at 4-1. First Mission, trained by Brad Cox, drew the outside No. 8 post and has the second-shortest odds at 5-2.