With the sudden withdrawal of Muth from the 149th Preakness Stakes due to a fever, fans and bettors are now focusing on other top contenders for Saturday's race at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Among these is Imagination, another horse trained by two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert.
Initially favored to win, Muth had to be scratched after developing a temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit. This leaves the field open for new favorites, with Imagination now drawing significant attention. Steve Bittenbender, a Gambling.com gaming analyst and writer, who originally picked Muth, has now turned his focus to Imagination.
"Muth's departure is unfortunate, but it doesn't take trainer Bob Baffert out of the running," Bittenbender said. "Imagination is a fresher horse having not run in the Derby. He'll likely draw some of the money that would have been bet on his stablemate, but I think he still should be a good value on Saturday."
Imagination opened the week with 6-1 odds, providing an intriguing option for those looking to place their bets. The Baffert-trained horses were notably absent from this year's Kentucky Derby due to a ban imposed by Churchill Downs on the Hall of Fame trainer.
Muth had started the week as the 8-5 favorite in the fourth post position. The fifth post position was occupied by Mystik Dan, the Kentucky Derby winner, with 5-2 odds. Mystik Dan, who triumphed in a photo finish at Churchill Downs, was guided by jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. of Louisiana. However, the Derby's intense race only two weeks prior raises concerns about Mystik Dan's ability to perform at the Preakness.
"Brian Hernandez rode Mystik Dan very well two weeks ago," Bittenbender noted, "but Mystik Dan coming back two weeks later is a concern to me against a fresher field."
Another expert, Casey Lewless, sportsbook manager at two Penn Entertainment casinos in Northwest Louisiana, also supports Imagination's chances. "I expect him to go and try to set pedestrian fractions so he has something left in the tank," Lewless said.
Lewless also recommended keeping an eye on Catching Freedom, trained by Brad Cox, who started the week with 6-1 odds. Catching Freedom finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby behind Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone, and Forever Young, the latter two not running in the Preakness.
As the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes is a crucial race, following the Kentucky Derby and preceding the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes will temporarily be held at Saratoga Race Course this year due to construction at Belmont Park.
Thirteen horses have claimed the Triple Crown, starting with Sir Barton in 1919. A victory at both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes on June 8 would see Mystik Dan become the first Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018.
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