Don Chavez

After scaring most of his Kentucky Derby competition, Barbaro should actually have a tougher race this Saturday in the Preakness.  With a field of nine going to the post, Barbaro is sure to be the heavy favorite, with counterparts Brother Derek and Sweetnorthernsaint going off at single digit odds.

Like Now’s connections have made it clear that he will try to wire the field. If the Big 3 get clean trips and Barbaro wins the Preakness, the doubts will be buried.  There will be no more excuses, and we will know if Barbaro is the best horse.  Hopefully nobody tosses a shoe, as this excuse has become the “my dog ate my homework” excuse of horse racing.

With such a small field and the talent of the Big 3 in this race, almost eveyone and their Mother will have a trifecta box going on them.  If Barbaro wins ahead of Brother Derek and Sweetnorthernsaint, that trifecta box might payoff as low as 4-1.

The more savy money will try to get some of the new shooters mixed in with the Big 3, but I still don’t think the payout warrants the play.  However, if I felt that Barbaro will bounce in this race, I’d be diving in head first.

So rather than get frustrated with a small payout in the Preakness, I’ll be jumping on the Pick 4 train that starts with race 9.  Last year I cashed in on this wager for just over $2400 mainly because Artie Schiller got beat by a nose. 

The first 3 legs of this year’s Pick 4 look wide open, and Artie Schiller and Better Talk Now will be vunerable favorites in the Dixie.  Rather than going with a hefty win bet on your choice of the Big 3, I think it offers a better risk versus reward scenario by singling your choice in the Preakness Stakes.

Even with Artie Schiller or Better Talk Now and Barbaro or Brother Derek winning their races, you could cash in for a couple grand with some decent prices in the 9th and 11th races.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll be watching the tote board very closely tomorrow.  The trackside buzz may help to bring Barbaro to up to 6/5, especially when Hammerin’ Hank proclaims “I like Barbaro, but not at these odds”.  That’s right, tomorrow we could see something incredible in the Preakness…the Hank Goldberg double hex.  Let’s just hope that second horse is one of the bombers.