What to know about the 2022 Preakness Stakes

Even without 80-1 Kentucky Derby upset champ Rich Strike, the 2022 Preakness Stakes has a small but mighty field.

The 2022 Preakness Stakes airs on Saturday, May 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. ET on CNBC and from 4 to 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage is also available to stream live on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock. 

Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter opens as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the 147th edition of the race.

The Steve Asmussen-trained colt will break from the No. 8 spot at Pimlico just two weeks after his second-place Derby trip with Joel Rosario in the irons. Asmussen has won the Preakness twice before: in 2007 with Curlin and in 2009 with Rachel Alexandra. 

His connections say he’s come off of his impressive run in the Derby well, so it’s no surprise he’s a heavy favorite.

Two other Derby contenders will also race in the Preakness: Simplification (6-1), who finished fourth, and Happy Jack (30-1), who took 14th out of 20 horses.

Kentucky Oaks 148 winner Secret Oath opens with 9-2 odds and will set off from the No. 4 spot in the gate.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic champ Arrogate is no stranger to racing in a field full of colts after placing third in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and initially being pointed to the Kentucky Derby instead of the Oaks. She could become just the seventh filly to win the Preakness in its 147-year history. Swiss Skydiver was the last to do it back in 2020.

Her Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, has six Preakness Stakes wins to his name, most recently with Oxbow in 2013.

Two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert will be noticeably absent from Pimlico. After 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance (and was