Betting on the 2008 Preakness Stakes Could Prove Lucrative

Anyone considering betting on the 2008 Preakness Stakes will be happy to know that if a horse other than Big Brown wins, it's going to be a huge pay day indeed.  After all, the odds of a Triple Crown win this year are certainly greater than any of these other horses winning this weekend's Preakness Stakes.

Online race books the likes of BetUS.com has Behindatthebar and Gayego with the next best odds to win after Big Brown (who is listed as the big 1/3 favorite).  Still, the two above mentioned horses would pay $1000 for every $100 bet if they were to win.  All other horses pay out double digits as well.

Some like Tres Borrachos and and Icebad Crane promise a $3000 payout for every $100 wagered. 

There is no mistaking that Big Brown is the horse to beat at the 2008 Preakness Stakes and, despite the steep odds, many will be betting on Big.

Running on the outside has been very good to Big Brown. Now the Kentucky Derby winner gets to try things from the middle.

He was installed as the 1-2 early favorite for Saturday's Preakness, and a victory could set up a Triple Crown try three weeks later in the Belmont Stakes.

A field of 13 3-year-olds was entered Wednesday, with Big Brown drawing the No. 7 post for the 1 3-16th-mile race at Pimlico.

Big Brown won the Derby from the No. 20 far outside post and he won the Florida Derby from the No. 12 post. Now, he'll test himself under Kent Desormeaux from nearly the middle of the pack.

"He gets to save some ground for the first time," co-owner Michael Iavarone said. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. We'll find out."

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Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com

Originally published May 14, 2008 11:00 pm EST