Preakness Stakes 2022 contenders, odds, time, horses, picks, predictions: Legendary expert dodging Secret Oath

Despite qualifying for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Chad Brown opted to hold Early Voting out of the first leg of the Triple Crown with designs on keeping him fresh for a run in the 2022 Preakness Stakes. It’s a strategy that paid dividends for Brown in 2017, when he did the same with Cloud Computing, who went on to beat Classic Empire by a head. Sired by the legendary Gun Runner, Early Voting is 7-2 in the 2022 Preakness Stakes odds. The 147th Run for the Black-Eyed Susans will take place at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday. Epicenter is the 6-5 favorite, while Secret Oath is 9-2 and Simplification is 6-1. Post time for the Preakness Stakes 2022 is 7:01 p.m. ET. Before making any Preakness Stakes picks, you need to see what picks legendary handicapper Hammerin’ Hank Goldberg just locked in.

The former horse racing analyst for ESPN and NBC, Goldberg became a legendary handicapper by going straight to the source. In 2004, he had dinner before the Belmont Stakes with trainer Nick Zito at a pizzeria in Queens. The dinner led Goldberg to play Zito’s 36-1 monster long shot Birdstone to win and on top of his exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets. When Birdstone shocked the world, Goldberg won $24,000.

His success has continued at SportsLine. In the San Felipe Stakes in March 2020, Hammer gave out a $20 exacta that paid 9-1. In the 2020 Belmont Stakes, Goldberg was all over Tiz the Law, who scored a convincing victory in the year’s first Triple Crown race. Hammer also nailed the exacta in the Blue Grass Stakes, Haskell Stakes and Pacific Classic that year.

Last year, he hit the Essential Quality-Hot Rod Charlie exacta in the Belmont Stakes. Anyone who has followed him in these races is way up.

Now, he’s turned his attention to the 2022 Preakness Stakes field, and just released his picks and predictions. You can only see them here.

Top 2022 Preakness Stakes predictions

One surprise: Goldberg is completely tossing Secret Oath, even though she is one of the top 2022 Preakness Stakes favorites and just won the Kentucky Oaks. Secret Oath captured her fifth win at the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, holding off a late charge from race-favorite Nest to win by two lengths and give trainer D. Wayne Lukas his fifth Oaks win. However, she didn’t get a strong trip in her only other race against the boys at the Arkansas Derby.

She took an early bump and decided to go wide, sitting at the back of the pack before making a surge towards the front at the top of the second turn. However, that kick proved to be too early and she lost steam in the final furlong being beaten rather soundly by Cyberknife and Barber Road. Both horses were largely non-factors in the Kentucky Derby.

How to make 2022 Preakness Stakes picks

Instead, Hammer is high on a long shot who is a “versatile runner” and is the “best value in the race.” Goldberg is including this horse in his 2022 Preakness Stakes bets, and so should you. He’s only sharing which horses to back and fade at SportsLine.

So who wins the Preakness 2022? What long shot is a must-back? And how has Hammer constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Preakness Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Hammer’s picks for the Preakness Stakes, and find out. 

2022 Preakness Stakes odds, picks, horses, post positions