With slightly more than two hours until post for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the filly Rachel Alexandra is the 2-1 favorite. Four other horses are single-digit odds.
Rachel Alexandra is the first Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner to run in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and the betting public is letting it be known that it believes she is superior to the 12 colts in the race.
The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 1/4 lengths and shortly thereafter was purchased by Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick and transferred to the barn of trainer Steve Asmussen. Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode both Rachel Alexandra in the Oaks and Mine That Bird to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), chose to ride the filly in the Preakness.
Mine That Bird, who picked up Mike Smith as rider, is the co-second choice at 6-1 with Derby second-place finisher Pioneerof the Nile . Musket Man and Friesan Fire are both 9-1.
The complete odds as of 4 p.m.:
Big Drama, 10-1
Mine That Bird, 6-1
Musket Man, 9-1
Luv Gov, 22-1
Friesan Fire , 9-1
Terrain, 25-1
Papa Clem, 15-1
General Quarters, 15-1
Pioneerof the Nile , 6-1
Flying Private, 25-1
Take The Points, 16-1
Tone it Down, 21-1
Rachel Alexandra, 2-1