Horse Racing
Andy Serling Preakness Stakes 2025 Picks, Predictions, & Best Bets
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Andy Serling, a TV analyst and handicapper for NYRA, has announced his picks and best bets for the 2025 Preakness Stakes.
2025 Preakness Stakes: Odds & Post Positions
| Post | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goal Oriented | 6-1 |
| 2 | Journalism | 8-5 |
| 3 | American Promise | 15-1 |
| 4 | Heart of Honor | 12-1 |
| 5 | Pay Billy | 20-1 |
| 6 | River Thames | 9-2 |
| 7 | Sandman | 4-1 |
| 8 | Clever Again | 5-1 |
| 9 | Gosger | 20-1 |
2025 Preakness Stakes: Andy Serling Picks & Best Bets
Serling broke down the entire field on NYRA’s YouTube Channel.
Concern for Journalism
Journalism, the 2025 Kentucky Derby favorite, is the horse to beat in the 150th Preakness Stakes.
“There’s really nothing you can say about Journalism that knocks him,” Serling said. “He’s a very good horse, and he got beaten by a horse in Sovereignty that ran just a slightly better race that day.”
Despite getting beaten by Sovereignty in the Derby, Serling could find nothing wrong with Journalism’s performance in the Derby.
Journalism raced on a wet track at the Derby but should have a dry track for the Preakness.
“He is quite simply the horse to beat,” added Serling.
Likes American Promise, But Doesn’t Love Clever Again
Serling believes American Promise is the most interesting horse in the race.
American Promise is trained by seven-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas, who trained 2024 winner Seize the Grey.
“The reality is if he [American Promise] can run back to his race in the Virginia Derby, he can win this race,” Serling said.
American Promise won the Virginia Derby before finishing 16th in the Kentucky Derby.
The most popular pick of the new horses in this race will likely be Clever Again.
Clever Again won the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn in March. Serling says Clever Again has speed and a terrific trainer, and he’s lightly raced.
However, Serling is hesitant to believe in his track record.
“I don’t totally trust his races from Oaklawn, and I don’t trust him to reproduce them here,” Serling explained.
While it wouldn’t shock Serling if Clever Again won, Serling is “not his biggest fan.”
Andy Serling’s Top 4
After surveying the field, Serling is going with the favorite to win the 2025 Preakness Stakes.
“I am not trying to beat Journalism in this race,” Serling said. “I believe he is very much the horse to beat. He’s my top choice.”
Serling’s second choice is American Promise, though that doesn’t mean he will be cemented in an exacta.
Serling feels that American Promise is the kind of “upsetter that maybe wires the field if you’re looking for a horse at a big price.”
Serling has River Thames in third and Clever Again in fourth.
Coverage of the 2025 Preakness Stakes starts on Saturday, May 17, at 4 p.m. ET from the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Watch on NBC and stream on Peacock. Post time is 6:50 p.m. ET.
