Best Exacta, Trifecta and Superfecta Picks for the Preakness Stakes

The middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes is contested each year on the third Saturday in May. Despite not having quite the prestige of the Kentucky Derby, or no chance of completing a sweep of the series like the Belmont Stakes, it remains one of the most important races each year in the United States. 

Run at Pimlico in Baltimore, MD, the Preakness asks the starters to travel 1 3/16 miles on the main track. It is the shortest leg of the Triple Crown. 

Compared to the Kentucky Derby, it generally has far fewer horses entered, and this year is no different with only eight runners, led by the Kentucky Derby winner Mage. 

The game plan for cashing some nice tickets on Saturday will be to key in on the horse I believe to be the best in the race, Mage, as well as a runner who I expect to outrun his odds, Perform.  

Of the rest, I think only four others are serious contenders, and they are: First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens. I will structure tickets to maximize positive outcomes using my top two above my next four.

Without further ado, these are my best exacta, trifecta, and superfecta plays for this year’s Preakness Stakes.

Exacta 

To win this bet, I will need to have the top two finishers on Saturday. The simplest of the three exotic wagers, it will offer the smallest reward. Because of this, I will be betting a little bit more, in hopes of having a nice winning ticket. 

In this bet, I will use both my top pick, Mage, as well as my top longshot, Perform, in the top spot with all the rest of the horses that I believe are contenders in the Preakness. The “Part Wheel” signifies that I will be using multiple horses in some positions.

This combination of exactas will cost a total of $100:

$10 Exacta Part Wheel ($50)

• 1st: Mage
• 2nd: Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

$5 Exacta Part Wheel ($50)

• 1st: Mage, and Perform
• 2nd: Mage, Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

Bet the Exacta for the Preakness Stakes at TwinSpires. Get a $200 Bonus at TwinSpires when you sign-up. Claim your bonus here!

Trifecta

To win this bet, I will need to have the top three finishers on Saturday. With only eight horses in this year’s middle jewel, I feel like I have a pretty good shot to cash this bet.

Here is my play utilizing Mage, the horse I believe is the most likely winner, and also Perform, my top longshot in the top spot. If Perform can pull off the upset, the payoff should be quite nice.

This combination of trifectas will cost a total of $100:

$4 Trifecta Part Wheel ($80)

• 1st: Mage
• 2nd: Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 3rd: Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

$1 Trifecta Part Wheel ($20)

• 1st: Perform
• 2nd: Mage, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 3rd: Mage, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

Bet the Trifecta for the Preakness Stakes at TwinSpires. Get a $200 Bonus at TwinSpires when you sign-up. Claim your bonus here!

Superfecta 

To win this bet, I will need to have the top four finishers in the Preakness. With only six horses which I believe to be contending for the top spots, my strategy will remain the same.

This is a 10-cent minimum bet, but I will bet a little more than the minimum to hopefully cash something substantial. Once again I will use Mage as my top play, and Perform in a secondary role, looking for a bigger payout. 

This combination of superfectas will cost a total of $144:

$2 Superfecta Part Wheel ($120)

• 1st: Mage
• 2nd:  Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 3rd:  Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 4th:  Perform, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

40-cent Superfecta Part Wheel ($24):

• 1st: Perform
• 2nd:  Mage, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 3rd:  Mage, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens
• 4th:  Mage, First Mission, National Treasure, Red Route One, and Blazing Sevens

Bet the Superfecta for the Preakness Stakes at TwinSpires. Get a $200 Bonus at TwinSpires when you sign-up. Claim your bonus here!

Good luck, I hope these suggested wagers help you win big on the Preakness!