The Preakness Stakes is just around the corner and will be enormous. Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown, which means after this tournament would be the Belmont Stakes, ending the Triple Crown. 

Of course, since this is the second leg, it’s one of the most critical stages of the Triple Crown since the winners of the Kentucky Derby would duke it out to get a chance to win the Triple Crown altogether. That said, if you’re a massive fan of horse racing in general, this is one event you shouldn’t miss. Also, if you’re a betting man, this is a good time to test your luck since there will be huge betting opportunities surrounding this event. 

With all the famous jockeys and horses in the event, you might feel overwhelmed by which bets to take. That said, we’re here to help you out. This article will discuss some telltale signs that you should look out for in a horse. Here are some of them.

Showmanship

One of the biggest advantages of going to an event like the Preakness Stakes yourself is that you can personally see the horses to make educated preakness bets. With this advantage, you’ll get insight into how the horses are doing, what they are up to before they go to their starting positions, and even gauge their upcoming performance through their behavior before the race starts. For example, one thing you can look out for is the horse’s showmanship. 

Like human athletes and their challenge poses, horses also do the same showmanship towards the onlookers. One good example of this is the Great Zenyatta. The Great Zenyatta is a true showman, doing poses in front of the camera and showmanship trudges to let the onlooker know he will perform a good show. 

And, of course, it would also do a celebratory pose after each victory. If you see a horse doing the same, you can assume that the horse will put up a good show, meaning it’s a good bet.

Emotional Well-Being

Another advantage of going to the event is that you can see the emotional well-being of the horses before the race starts. As trivial as it sounds to some bettors, the emotional well-being of the race plays a huge role in the horse’s upcoming performance. 

If you see the horse being too irritable, sweating excessively, and looking emotionally bad overall, then it’s safe to assume that the horse is not ready to race. On the other hand, if the horse has steady steps, is stepping his front hoof like it’s ready to go, and looks very good emotionally, then you can assume that the horse is ready to race.

Days Since the Previous Race

Horses, just like other creatures, could also get tired. They might be faster and stronger than humans but still need rest occasionally. That said, the amount of rest they had before an upcoming race plays a huge factor in their upcoming performance. Usually, if the horse is too tired to race, it will do badly in the race, but if it’s too relaxed, it will do the same.

The key here is balance, and with that in mind, how much rest should a horse have? The sweet spot would be between 30 to 60 days. However, note that it will take the horse one or two races before it returns to peak physical performance.

Repeating Contestant

If the horse you’re looking to bet on is a previous champion of the same race, it’s a good bet. For example, if the horse you’re betting on won the last Preakness Stakes, it’s a generally good Preakness bet. Repeating contestants, especially previous champions, have a higher chance of winning the same race. That said, the opposite is also true. If the horse has never won the race, it has a small chance of doing so.

Good Track Record

If you can get a hold of a racing form, then you already have a good source of information in your hand. A racing form tells much about horses, jockeys, owners, etc. This is especially true for horses since it also has information on their previous races. 

If it has won its recent races in the form, then you can assume the horse is a good bet. However, you should also check out if these circumstances are the same as the previous races to the current race, like the track surface, weather, etc.

Final Words

The Preakness Stakes is just a few days away, and there’s a lot of money to be had with all these betting opportunities. If you’re an avid horse racing fan, bettor, or both, then this is an event that you should never miss. Many famous names will be there, and of course, it’s a very good time to test your luck and skill in the field.