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Early Voting edged betting favorite and Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter to win the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. Early Voting trailed 18-1 long shot Armagnac early in the race before taking the lead from the outside on the final turn. Epicenter charged from the inside, but secured the same second-place finish he did at Churchill Downs. Creative Minister finished in third.
Early Voting, ridden by jockey Jose Ortiz, was listed at 5-1 to win the race while Epicenter was a 6-5 favorite.
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Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike didn't run
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike didn't run on Saturday, eliminating a chance at a Triple Crown winner this year. The 80-1 long shot was a last-minute addition to the Derby field. Rich Strike's ownership and training team never intended to run the horse in the Preakness and only considered doing so after he secured the shot at history with the Derby upset.
Ultimately, his team decided that running in the Preakness "was not in the best interest of the horse."
"After very careful consideration, the owner and trainer of Rich Strike felt it was not in the best interest of the horse to run in the Preakness," a spokesperson for trainer Eric Reed told Yahoo Sports in a statement on May 12. "We look forward to returning in the Belmont."
Rich Strike is slated to run in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.
Jose Ortiz atop Early Voting wins the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
