Preakness Stakes 2025 predictions, odds: Best win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta expert picks

By: CBS Sports Posted On: May 17, 2025 View: 8

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The 2025 Preakness Stakes on Saturday does not have the Kentucky Derby winner, but it has the Kentucky Derby favorite. Journalism, who finished second as the favorite in the Derby, will headline the nine-horse 2025 Preakness Stakes field for Saturday's race at Pimlico Race Course. He is the 8-5 favorite in the 2025 Preakness Stakes odds, while Sandman is second at 4-1. Other 2025 Preakness Stakes contenders include River Thames (9-2), Clever Again (5-1) and Goal Oriented (6-1). Post time is 7:01 p.m. ET. Sandman was considered one of the top contenders heading into the Derby following his Arkansas Derby victory, but he never posed a threat in the Run for the Roses. Should you include him in your 2025 Preakness Stakes bets and target him in the 2025 Preakness Stakes wagering menu? With so much to consider while making your 2025 Preakness Stakes picks, a little expert help can go a long way.

There are multiple Hall of Fame trainers who have horses in the 2025 Preakness field, including Bob Baffert, the winningest Preakness trainer of all time with eight victories. He will not have Rodriguez in the field due to a foot problem, so he will try to pull off an upset with Goal Oriented. D. Wayne Lukas is right behind Baffert with seven Preakness victories, including one last year. Steve Asmussen has won this race twice, while Todd Pletcher has six Triple Crown wins but is still seeking his first Preakness triumph. Favorites have won this race 73 out of 150 times.

Given all the history, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Preakness Stakes like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2025 Preakness Stakes picks possible.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling hit the top three finishers in the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the correct order. He has also called 10 of the last 20 Preakness winners, including 2023 when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. He hit the trifecta again in the 2024 Preakness Stakes and has predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last seven years. Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be up huge at sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET when trying to figure out how to bet on the Preakness.

Now, with the 2025 Preakness Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2025 Preakness Stakes betting predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.

Top 2025 Preakness Stakes expert picks

Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:

Preakness Stakes Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 exacta returned $59.70 at the 2024 Preakness Stakes with Seize the Grey and Mystik Dan.

Preakness Stakes Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $183.70 at the 2024 Preakness Stakes with Seize the Grey, Mystik Dan and Catching Freedom.

Preakness Stakes Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned $749 at the 2024 Preakness Stakes with Seize the Grey, Mystik Dan, Catching Freedom and Tuscan Gold.

While Demling has no quibbles about the favorite status of Journalism (8-5), Demling is building his tickets around Clever Again (5-1). He's also high on another longshot who "could be a major factor," spicing up his 2025 Preakness Stakes exotics. You can see his picks here.

How to make 2025 Preakness Stakes bets

Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Preakness Stakes 2025. He's sharing them over at SportsLine.

So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2025 Preakness Stakes.