Medina Spirit (John Velazquez)
Medina Spirit has an All-Star Triple Crown team behind him.
Baffert owns seven wins each at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and jockey John Velazquez has six victories at Triple Crown races.
Velazquez has won three of the last five Kentucky Derbies and became the first rider since Victor Espinoza in 2014 and 2015 to win back-to-back races at Churchill Downs on May 2.
Medina Spirit does have one trend going against him, as three of the last 10 favorites took first at the Preakness.
However, the counter to that trend is two of the three horses to win as favorites were American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018, both of whom were trained by Baffert.
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
The 2021 Preakness Stakes is set to start at 6:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, with Medina Spirit seeking a shot at the Triple Crown.
This year s bid for the elusive honor doesn t come without controversy, though.
The Kentucky Derby winner might not hold onto that distinction. After besting a 20-horse field at Churchill Downs, the Bob Baffert-trained colt tested positive for Betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug.
Baffert maintains the test was a result of a skin ointment used to treat a skin condition for the horse. However, the results of the split sample test will determine if the colt remains the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner.
Lineup Analysis
Bob Baffert has opted not to attend the Preakness following Medina Spirit s positive drug test. But there s still a chance the trainer will notch his eighth career win in the race, especially if Medina Spirit performs like he did at the Kentucky Derby.
Medina Spirit led the Derby wire to wire, and although he wasn t the favorite heading into the race, he ended up dominating the event. But there s going to be some strong competition in the Preakness, and things may not unfold quite the same way they did two weeks ago in Louisville.
Longtime trainer D. Wayne Lukas knows what it takes to win the Preakness. He s had a horse emerge victorious at the race six times. If longshot Ram wins Saturday, then Lucas would match Baffert s all-time record with his seventh Preakness win.
Preview, Predictions
Despite all the attention being on Medina Spirit s failed drug test leading up to the Preakness, Baffert still has the top two favorites for the race. And there s a strong chance that either Medina Spirit or Concert Tour will cross the finish line first at Pimlico on Saturday evening.
Medina Spirit has finished first or second in each of his first six career races. He started from the No. 8 post in the Kentucky Derby, broke strong and led the race wire-to-wire, giving Baffert his record-breaking seventh career Derby victory.
At the Preakness, Medina Spirit will once more have a strong starting position, the No. 3 post. And if he jumps out to an early lead again, there s a chance he will pace the field and run to victory.
Top Contenders
Although trainer Bob Baffert won t be attending the Preakness (a decision he made after Medina Spirit s failed drug test), he s going to have the top two favorites in the race. In addition to Medina Spirit (9-5), Concert Tour (5-2) is also expected to be among the contenders to win.
Concert Tour didn t race the Kentucky Derby, as Baffert opted to have the colt skip the event and prepare for the Preakness instead. Concert Tour won his first three career races, then finished third at the Arkansas Derby last month.
However, Medina Spirit remains the horse to watch. When he breaks strong from the gate and gets off to an early lead (as he did in the Kentucky Derby), he is difficult to beat. And he s finished first or second in each of his first six career races.