Preakness contender War of Will, left, with exercise rider Kim Carroll aboard, is led onto the track, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The Preakness Stakes horse race is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 18. (AP Photo/Will Newton)
BALTIMORE — In a field without the top three finishers in the Kentucky Derby, the odds that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert wouldn’t have the favorite in the Preakness are, well, Improbable.
Baffert will seek a record-setting eighth Preakness victory Saturday with 5-2 morning line favorite Improbable, who will start from the No. 4 post in a field of 13 horses.
War of Will, the second choice at 4-1, received the No. 1 post in Wednesday’s draw.
For the first time since 1951, the Preakness will not include the four horses that crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby. Improbable finished fifth and was moved up to fourth following the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
It was the only time in six career races that Improbable failed to finish first or second. On Saturday, co-owner Elliott Walden hopes his horse gets back on track after watching another of his horses, Justify, roll to a Triple Crown win in 2018.
After being bunched tightly in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby, Improbable can expect a much smoother ride within a small field.
War of Will, meanwhile, is stuck on the rail with the No. 1 post — the same place he started from in the Kentucky Derby, when he finished eighth and was moved up to seventh.
The other two Derby participants in this race are Bodexpress and Win Win Win. Bodexpress (14th in the Derby, moved up to 13th) will break from the No. 9 post and is 20-1 on the morning line. Win Win Win (10th to 9th at Churchill Downs) is 15-1 from the 13 hole.
Bodexpress is striving for his first career victory, with hopes of becoming the first maiden to win the Preakness since Refund captured a four-horse race in 1888.
Alwaysmining drew the No. 7 post and odds of 8-1. Not only is Kelly Rubley seeking to become the first female trainer to win the Preakness, but the last Maryland-bred horse to finish first in the race was Deputed Testamony in 1983.
Everfast , entered hours before the draw on Wednesday, was the longest shot in the field at 50-1.
The others: Anothertwistafate (No. 12 post, 6-1); Bourbon War (No. 2, 12-1); Laughing Fox (No. 11, 20-1); Owendale (No. 5, 10-1); Signalman (No. 8, 30-1); Warrior’s Charge (No. 3, 12-1).
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