2021 Preakness Stakes odds, Medina Spirit predictions: Expert who nailed 9 winners reveals picks

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Jockey Kent Desormeaux urges Silver Tree past Giant Wrecker for a win by a neck in the Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park in West Long Branch, New Jersey on Haskell Invitational Day. Silver Tree clipped .36 seconds off the track record previously held by Giant Wrecker for the 1 1/16 miles course. (Photo by Scott Serio/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)

Fresh off a thrilling Kentucky Derby that returned to its traditional date in the spring, the 2021 Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 15. Pimlico Race Course will host the Preakness 2021, which takes place over 1 3/16 miles, making it 1/16 of a mile shorter than the Derby. Legendary trainer Bob Baffert recently claimed his record seventh Kentucky Derby win, which matches his seven Preakness Stakes wins. Baffert's colt, Medina Spirit, will look to become the 37th horse to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown as part of the 2021 Preakness Stakes field.

Medina Spirit wasn't among the top five favorites for the Kentucky Derby, but he's now the colt to beat with 2021 Preakness Stakes odds of 7-2. Other 2021 Preakness Stakes contenders include Mandaloun (6-1), Concert Tour (9-1) and Caddo River (10-1). With so much to consider, you'll want to see what SportsLine's Jody Demling has to say before entering any 2021 Preakness Stakes picks or predictions of your own.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2021 Preakness Stakes after a major heater in 2020: At one point last year, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes.

This is the same handicapper who has called the Preakness winner nine times in the last 16 years. In last year's Preakness Stakes, Demling nailed the Swiss Skydiver-Authentic exacta. He also correctly faded 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the Preakness a year ago, saying "it's a lot to ask to come back after that performance in the Derby less than a month ago."

He opened last season's Triple Crown schedule on a heater too. At last year's Belmont, Demling said Tiz the Law was clearly the class of the field, and Barclay Tagg's horse pulled away for a convincing 3 3/4-length victory. Anyone who has followed him is up huge.

Now, with the 2021 Preakness Stakes lineup taking shape, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions at SportsLine. Go here to see them.

Top 2021 Preakness Stakes predictions

One shocker: Demling isn't picking Medina Spirit to win the Preakness Stakes 2021, even though the colt just won the Kentucky Derby. His Kentucky Derby win was as much a surprise to his trainer, Bob Baffert, as it was to many bettors. The Hall of Famer thought Medina Spirit could hit the board but called his victory "a Cinderella story."

Now, Medina Spirit will have to compete with multiple holdovers from the Kentucky Derby as well as a new batch of horses who didn't compete at Churchill Downs. Rested colts like Concert Tour and Caddo River are getting Preakness Stakes 2021 odds of 10-1 or shorter and were considered Derby favorites before pulling out. They will be well-rested for Pimlico Race Course, while Medina Spirit, who has never run on fewer than 22 days rest, will have only a 14-day turnaround.

How to make 2021 Preakness States picks, bets

Instead, Demling is especially high on a horse coming off a "big-time race" who will be "a major contender" at the Preakness. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Preakness Stakes 2021? And which huge underdog is a must-back? Check out the latest 2021 Preakness Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Preakness Stakes.

2021 Preakness Stakes odds (from SportsLine experts)