Preakness Stakes 2011 Contenders: Early Odds Favor Animal Kingdom

We still don't know which horses will be in the 2011 Preakness Stakes field, but we do have an early set of odds. The field is expected to be a mix of Kentucky Derby horses and newcomers and Animal Kingdom, winner of the Derby, will be an entrant as he tries for the second-leg of the Triple Crown.

Unlike the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness field is limited to just 14 horses, a far cry from the maximum of 20, or 19 in the 2011 Derby, entered at Churchill Downs.  Animal Kingdom is the favorite this time around after assuming the underdog role at the Kentucky Derby. A late push down the stretch and a trip to victory lane has changed all that, and bettors will likely jump on the Derby winner in early action.

Here are the very early odds for the Preakness Stakes. The field and morning line will be set when post positions are drawn. The odds come from Daily Racing Form and an asterisk means the horse isn't guaranteed entry to the field of 14 and may be bumped.

Animal Kingdom  5-2
Nehro 5-1
Dialed In 6-1
Mucho Macho Man 6-1
Saratoga Red * 10-1
Shackleford 12-1
Astrology 15-1
Dance City 15-1
Midnight Interlude 15-1
Flashpoint 20-1
Mr. Commons 20-1
King Congie 20-1
Sway Away 20-1
Norman Asbjornson 30-1
Concealed Identity 30-1
Isn't He Perfect * 50-1

The 2011 Preakness Stakes gets underway on May 21 at Pimlico. Stay with our Preakness Stakes StoryStream for more on the race. To look back at the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2011 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. Also, our horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come has two must-read resources for Derby and Preakness fans: A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.