Nyquist gets No. 3 post position for 11-horse Preakness Stakes

The trainers, owners and jockeys were huddled around small tables waiting for the Preakness Stakes draw to start Wednesday. It wasn’t the same mob scene as Churchill Downs two weeks ago.

In fact, there wasn’t a national television program wrapped around the proceedings like the Kentucky Derby.

There are few really bad post positions in an 11-horse field for Saturday’s race. The No. 1 is the worst, drawn by Cherry Wine. And No. 2 isn’t so great, either, given to Santa Anita-based Uncle Lino.

As for Derby winner Nyquist, installed as the 3-5 favorite, he got the No. 3 post.

Nyquist’s trainer Doug O’Neill was asked what post position he wanted.

“The three,” O’Neill said, obviously playing to his positive approach. He later described the three as 13 without the one. The undefeated Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby from the 13.

Nyquist’s main competitor, Exaggerator, who finished second in the Derby, drew the five.

“It doesn’t matter,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said. “With our [closing] running style it’s inconsequential. He’s going to take back or get him to relax right out of the gate, so it really doesn’t matter.”

Exaggerator is the 3-1 second betting choice.

It does matter for Uncle Lino, whose trainer Gary Sherlock was hoping to draw a little further outside.

“He’s probably going to have to go to the front now,” Sherlock said. “If he’d drawn outside, we would have had a few more choices.”

The third favorite at 8-1, Stradivari, drew the outside No. 11.

“You’ve got a good run to the turn,” said Todd Pletcher, Stradivari’s trainer,” so you never feel like anyone’s as concerned with the post positions at the Preakness as they are at the Derby.”

A board displays the post positions for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

(Garry Jones / Associated Press)

Bob Baffert, who has won six Preaknesses, including last year with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, has brought Collected to this race. He didn’t have enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Collected, the fourth choice at 10-1, will break from the No. 7 post.

“If you have a speed horse, it’s a good post,” Baffert said. “The break is going to be so important, especially if it’s muddy.”

One major topic at the track this week has been the Saturday weather forecast, which on Wednesday improved from a 100% chance of rain to just 70%. Still, it should be wet.

Both Nyquist and Exaggerator have won over wet tracks. Nyquist won both the Florida and Kentucky derbies on tracks best described as wet fast. Exaggerator won the Santa Anita Derby on a very sloppy track.