American Pharoah is the betting favorite for the Preakness

Kentucky Derby champ American Pharoah is the betting favorite for the Preakness Stakes.

With one win down and two to go for the Triple Crown, Preakness Stakes betting favorite American Pharoah will try to move one step closer to becoming the first horse to sweeping the three-race series since Affirmed in 1978 with a victory at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday.

The Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old, who came from behind to win the Kentucky Derby on May 2, is the 2–3 favorite to win the Preakness.

Looking beyond the Triple Crownraces, American Pharoah is 4–1 to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic at the end of October.

But for now all eyes will be on the Kentucky Derby champion on Saturday to see if the colt can capture the second jewel of the Triple Crown against two other top contenders who came up just short at Churchill Downs.

Firing Line, who finished second in the Derby, is the 17–4 second choice in the Preakness. Dortmund, Baffert’s other prized colt, placed third in the Derby and is 9–2 in the Preakness.

It is worth noting that American Pharoah’s jockey, Victor Espinoza, won the first two legs of the Triple Crown last year with California Chrome before finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

The rest of the contenders for the Preakness are longer shots, starting with Divining Rod and Danzig Moon, both at 14–1. Danzig Moon finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby behind Frosted, who is bypassing this race for a possible run in the Belmont on June 6.

Horses at even longer odds for the Preakness are Mr Z (40–1), Bodhisattva (50–1), and Tale of Verve (50–1).