2018 Preakness Post Position Draw

Preakness 2018 Post Positions: Draw Start Time, Horses Lineup and More

May 14, 2018

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: Justify #7 with Mike Smith up wins the 144th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images)

Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images

The Kentucky Derby has been and gone, and now the eyes of horse racing fans turn to the second leg of the Triple Crown, the 2018 Preakness Stakes.

Justify prevailed at Churchill Downs in an impressive performance, and he is now a short price to win again on Saturday atPimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Should the Bob Baffert-trained colt win the Preakness, he will head to New York for June 9's Belmont Stakes with a chance to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner ever and the second in four years.

The team around Justify will hope he gets a favourable gate when the post positions are drawn on Wednesday.

Here are the details for the draw:

Date:Wednesday, May 16

Time:5 p.m. ET, midday BST

Live Stream: NBCSports.com

Expected Lineup

Justify

Good Magic

Quip

Bravazo

Sporting Chance

Tenfold

Diamond King

Lone Sailor

Justify has more than enough talent to win the 2018 Preakness and become the 36th horse to win the Kentucky Derby-Preakness Stakes double.

A victory would set up a shot at the Triple Crown, but there are a number of factors that could scupper Justify's chances.

The weather could play a role, but then he had no trouble in the slop to win by two-and-a-half lengths at the Kentucky Derby.

There is also the chance Justify could be hampered by thebruised heel he picked up at Churchill Downs.

Baffert, though, has eased concerns on that front, per the Associated Press (viaUSA Today): "We were treating it for a cracked heel, but it never developed because we didn't let it develop.It's all behind us, and we're on to Baltimore."

Then there is a potentially unfavourable post position.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

It should not be a concern, but a position on the extreme outside or inside has caused problems for other horses in the past.

A comfortable spot in the middle of the pack will be what Baffert and jockey Mike Smith are hoping for.

But even if Justify doesn't get a decent draw, he still has the quality to win the Preakness, and given the smaller field in Maryland, post positions aren't quite as important as at the Kentucky Derby.

American Pharoah broke from Gate 1 at the Preakness on his way to Triple Crown glory in 2015, whileCloud Computing came out of the two hole to win last year.

Justify will be the one to beat no matter which post position he draws as he looks to take one step closer to history.