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Ria Antonia odds of winning the 2014 Preakness Stakes were set at 35-1 at AceSportsbook.com.
This horse comes into the Preakness Stakes with an added advantage starting from the number 6 spot. That post position has produced the most Preakness Stakes winners in history at 16.
Another advantage: She’ll be ridden by successful jockey Calvin Borel. He won the Preakness Stakes riding Rachel Alexandra to victory in 2009.
A total of 53 fillies have started in the Preakness with five winning, Rachel Alexandra being the last.
She’ll have a new trainer in Tom Amoss (her 4th trainer).
There is a speed issue with Ria Antonia as pundits believe she could be a little too slow. Her most recent Pace Figures were 74.7/70.6 (final/4f) in the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago where she finished 6th.
"I wish she was 50-1," co-owner Ron Paolucci said of Ria Antonia’s long odds. "The way she works and trains, she thinks she's 3-5.”
And Paolucci disagrees about the speed assessment.
"She's as fast as any horse in the race," Paolucci insisted. "She worked with all of (Hall of Fame trainer) Bob Baffert's horses and she more than held her own. She's a great work horse. Has she translated that every race? No. But she has the ability. Can she beat California Chrome if he runs as good as he did in the Derby? No. Would it be embarrassing to run second if California Chrome runs freakishly good again? No. We're not planning on being that far out of it."
The real concern may be distance. The race is 1 3/16-miles, longer than any race Ria Antonia has ever run.
3. California Chrome 2/1
8. Social Inclusion 3.5/1 -
10. Ride On Curlin 8/1
5. Bayern 10/1
2. General A Rod 18/1
9. Pablo Del Monte 18/1
1. Dynamic Impact 18/1
7. Kid Cruz 20/1
4. Ring Weekend 30/1
6. Ria Antonia 35/1
- Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
