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“Do you bet horses?”
I received that question on Thursday morning from our managing editor, and I was happy to respond with a valiant “Yes.”
I’m pretty sure he knew I did. I interpreted it more as a question about whether I could write about the Preakness Stakes.
After all, Chris “The Bear” Fallica is on vacation.
I constantly bet the horses but always lean on my guys. I handicap the handicappers. Kirk Rockwell and Colin Sheehan are fantastic horse players and fellow Chicagoan Eddie Olczyk knows a thing or two about the ponies.
Sheehan, who correctly picked Sovereignty at the Kentucky Derby, is backing Journalism this Saturday at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
“Journalism has performed at another level along with Sovereignty and Baeza,” Sheehan told FOX Sports. “He was just beaten by a better horse at the Derby. There appears to be enough pace here to set up Journalism for success.
“He’s the class of the race.”
Odds to win 2025 Preakness Stakes:
1. Goal Oriented 6/1
2. Journalism 8/5
3. American Promise 15/1
4. Heart of Honor 12/1
5. Pay Billy 20/1
6. River Thames 9/2
7. Sandman 4/1
8. Clever Again 5/1
9. Gosger 20/1
A huge story surrounding the Preakness is Sovereignty not running. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is giving the Derby winner Saturday off before likely returning him to the fold at the Belmont Stakes.
So, Journalism doesn’t have to compete against the horses who finished first and third.
Fourth-place finisher Final Gambit is skipping, too.
There’s been a slew of sharp money for Saturday’s race on Clever Again, the 8-horse trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Olczyk and Rockwell both love the 8.
“I’m taking out the huge favorite!” Rockwell told me.
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Olczyk, who is an annual staple on NBC’s race day coverage, came on my radio show “Bet Sweats” earlier this week to gush over Clever Again. He’s sold.
“I like the 8,” Olczyk said. “This was the target race all along. He was a wire-to-wire winner at the end of March and the horse is bred to be able to sit off if there’s a little more speed in the race. And I love the post position on the outside, too. I’m thinking he can get the jump on Journalism.
“You’ll get every bit of 5/1.”
So there you have it, actionable thoughts from successful horse handicappers that are all much, much smarter than me when it comes to this stuff.
Here’s what I’m betting on Saturday:
$100 [2] Journalism to win
$100 [8] Clever Again to win
$30 Five-dollar exacta box with 1-2-3
$10 Exacta 8-2
Good luck, all.
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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