Preakness Cheat Sheet

California Chrome winning the 2014 Kentucky Derby. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire, unless otherwise noted)

Two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, nine 3-year-olds, including two rivals from the Derby, will take on California Chrome in the Preakness Stakes. Here the America's Best Racing Brand Ambassadors give you a quick rundown or “cheat sheet” of the 10 Preakness entrants to help you decide who to root for. The contenders for the Preakness are listed in post position order (with morning-line odds).

1. Dynamic Impact (12-1)

Jockey: Miguel MenaTrainer: Mark CasseOwner: John OxleyCareer Record: 6 Starts - 2 Wins - 2 Seconds - 0 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $360,716Earnings Per Start: $60,119Pedigree: Tiznow – Featherbed, by Smart StrikeColor: BayRunning Style: Pacesetter/StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Dynamic Impact edged Midnight Hawkat the finish line to capture the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne in his most recent race. He broke his maiden at Oaklawn Park on March 1 and is riding a two-race winning streak coming into the Preakness. Owner John Oxley already has one victory in a Triple Crown race, winning the Kentucky Derby with Monarchos in 2001.

2. General a Rod (15-to-1)

Jockey: Javier CastellanoTrainer: Mike MakerOwner: Starlight Racing and Skychai RacingCareer Record: 6 Starts - 2 Wins - 2 Seconds - 1 ThirdCareer Earnings: $282,200Earnings Per Start: $47,033Pedigree: Roman Ruler –Dynamite Eyes, by DynaformerColor: Dark Bay or BrownRunning Style: Pacesetter/StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: General a Rod is named for his former owner, Armando Rodriguez. He won the Gulfstream Park Derby in January and hit the board in February’s Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby in March before finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby.

3. California Chrome (3-to-5)

Jockey: Victor EspinozaTrainer: Art ShermanOwner: Steven Coburn and Perry MartinCareer Record: 11 Starts - 7 Firsts - 1 Second - 0 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $2,552,650Earnings Per Start: $584,450Pedigree: Lucky Pulpit - Love the Chase, by Not For LoveColor: ChestnutRunning Style: Pacesetter/StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: California Chrome is riding a 5-race winning streak, all stakes, that includes the $2-million, Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, the $1-million, Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes. California Chrome, or CC for short, is a California-bred horse. He’s only one of four California-bres to win the Kentucky Derby. He won the 140th Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2014.

4. Ring Weekend (20-to-1)

Jockey: Alan GarciaTrainer: Graham MotionOwner: St. Elias Stable and West Point ThoroughbredsCareer Record: 7 Starts - 2 Wins - 2 Seconds - 2 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $305,660Earnings Per Start: $43,666                               Pedigree: Tapit- Free the Magic, by CryptoclearanceColor: ChestnutRunning Style: PacesetterNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Ring Weekend captured the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, thrusting him into the 3-year-old spotlight. His trainer knows a thing or two about winning Triple Crown races, having won the 2011 Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom.

5. Bayern (10-to-1)

Jockey: Rosie NapravnikTrainer: Bob BaffertOwner: Kaleem ShahCareer Record: 4 Starts - 2 Wins - 1 Second - 1 ThirdCareer Earnings: $202,680Earnings Per Start: $50,670Pedigree: Offlee Wild – Alittlebitearly, by Thunder GulchColor: Dark Bay or BrownRunning Style: PacesetterNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: He began his career 2-for-2, winning by a combined margin of more than 18 lengths. He then finished third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Bayern has only raced on dirt. Trainer Bob Baffert is in search of his sixth Preakness victory.

6. Ria Antonia (30-to-1)

Jockey: Calvin BorelTrainer: Tom AmossOwner: Christopher T. Dunn and Loooch Racing StableCareer Record: 8 Starts - 2 Firsts - 1 Second - 0 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $1,254,140Earnings Per Start: $156,768Color: BayRunning Style: StalkerPedigree: Rockport Harbor - Beer Baroness, by Mr. GreeleyNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Won the Sovereign Award for Canada’s 2013 champion 2-year-old filly. She won the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after She’s a Tiger was disqualified from first to second. She finished sixth in the 2014 Longines Kentucky Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Her jockey, Calvin Borel, won the 2009 Preakness with the Rachel Alexandra, who became the first filly since Nellie Morse in 1924 to win the Preakness.

7. Kid Cruz (20-to-1)

Jockey: Julian PimentelTrainer: Linda RiceOwner: Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and Black Swan StableCareer Record: 5 starts - 3 wins - 1 second -0 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $161,375Earnings Per Start: $32,275Pedigree:  Lemon Drop Kid - Layreebelle, by Tale of the CatColor: BayRunning Style: CloserNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Kid Cruz already is a 2-time stakes winner in the state of Maryland, having won the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park and the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico. Trainer Linda Rice is sending out her first career Triple Crown starter in this year’s Preakness. Rice is attempting to become the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race. Kid Cruz was claimed out of his maiden victory for $50,000 by his current connections.

8. Social Inclusion (5-to-1)

Jockey: Luis ContrerasTrainer: Manny AzpuruaOwner: Rontos Racing StableCareer Record: 3 Starts - 2 First - 0 Seconds - 1 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $149,400Earnings Per Start: $49,800Pedigree: Pioneer of the Nile - Saint Bernadette, by Saint BalladoColor: BayRunning Style: PacesetterNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: In just his second start he defeatedRemsen Stakes winner Honor Code by 10 lengths at Gulfstream Park in track-record time for 1 1/16 miles. Next time out he finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct. Both his owner and trainer are natives of Venezuela.

9. Pablo Del Monte (20-to-1)

Jockey: Jeffrey SanchezTrainer: Wesley WardOwner: Wesley Ward, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Mrs. John MagnierCareer Record: 6 Starts - 2 Wins - 0 Seconds - 2 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $158,700Earnings Per Start: $ 26,450                             Pedigree: Giant's Causeway - One Hot Wish, by Bring the HeatColor: ChestnutRunning Style: Pacesetter/StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Pablo Del Monte began his career 2-for-2 and has never finished worse than fifth in six starts. San Pablo Del Monte is a municipality in Southern Mexico and was the site of a famous battle in 1863. Michael Tabor, part of the ownership connections of Pablo Del Monte, won the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes with Thunder Gulch. Tabor and another of Pablo Del Monte's co-owners Derrick Smith won the 2007 Belmont Stakes with the filly Rags to Riches. 

10. Ride On Curlin (10-to-1)

Jockey: Joel RosarioTrainer: William GowanOwner: Daniel DoughertyCareer Record: 10 Starts - 2 Firsts - 2 Seconds- 4 ThirdsCareer Earnings: $414,687Earning Per Start: $41,469Pedigree: Curlin - Magical Ride, by Storm CatColor: BayRunning Style: StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Has not won a Kentucky Derby prep race or any stakes races but has also finished no worse than third in eight of his 10 career starts. Ride On Curlin’s sire [father], Curlin, won the 2007 Preakness Stakes. Ride On Curlin’s morning exercise rider, Bryan Beccia, also was the exercise rider for 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Finished seventh in the 140th Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2014.