Devoid of its usual Triple Crown drama and raucous crowd of infield revelers, the 145th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore is set to go off Saturday with a field of 11 starters including Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by John Velazquez, Authentic was a 9-5 favorite on the morning line; the bay colt drew the No. 9 post position. Authentic’s main challenger is expected to be Art Collector (5-2), who missed the Derby with a minor foot injury.

Preakness Stakes 2020 Morning Line Odds

Odds subject to change

Preakness Stakes 2020 Betting Tips

Art Collector, who is trained by Thomas Drury, Jr. and will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., won the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland beating filly Swiss Skydiver by 3½ lengths. At Pimlico, Art Collector has the No. 3 post position and on his right will be Swiss Skydiver in the No. 4 gate. Swiss Skydiver, at 6-1, is trained by Kenny McPeek and Robby Albarado will be in the irons.

Like much in sports, the COVID 19 pandemic has vastly changed the Preakness and horse racing betting. Traditionally, the Preakness is held the third Saturday in May as the second jewel among the Triple Crown races. That has meant, typically, the Derby winner shows up at Pimlico with a shot to capture horse racing’s most coveted prize and the suspense provided the Preakness with tremendous cache.

However, this year, the pandemic has jumbled the order of the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes, usually the last of the three races, was the first one in 2020. Held on June 20, the Belmont was won by Tiz the Law. In the Derby on Sept. 5, Tiz the Law was in second place heading into the stretch but couldn’t catch Authentic and was the runner-up by 1 /4 lengths. Tiz the Law is not running in the Peakness.

The Maryland Jockey Club, which is owned by The Stronach Group and runs the Preakness, announced a few weeks ago that the Baltimore race would be held without fans. In 2019, the Preakness drew more than 131,000 spectators, many of them partying in the infield where there’s a festival atmosphere complete with live music.

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Who Willl Win The 2020 Preakness?

Meanwhile, this year, Pimlico promises to be eerily quiet as the 11-horse field sets out on the 1 3/16-mile, two-turn trek around the famed oval.

Here’s who to play and the finish:

1. Art Collector: It’s finally his time. Would have likely been the second-betting choice in the Kentucky Derby but had to pull out of the race after he "nicked the bulb of his left front heel with a hind hoof while galloping” the Monday before the Derby. He’s ready to go in the Preakness.

2. Authentic: He’s the real deal, just not as good as Art Collector. A win by Authentic would make Baffert the all-time leading trainer in Preakness wins. Baffert has never lost a Preakness when he brought a horse that won the Kentucky Derby. “Now the pressure's on me," Baffert said.

3. Max Player: Betting on his heart, he made up a ton of ground in the Derby. The longish shot paid off in the exotics. He is the only runner in the Preakness field who will have competed in all three Triple Crown races this year.

Others to consider: Mr. Big News at 12-1 on the morning line should be the darling of the Longshot Lous after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby with odds of 45-1. ... Swiss Skydiver, with 6-1 odds, is the only filly in the field. The last filly to win the Preakness Stakes was Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

145th Preakness Stakes Time, Date & TV

When: Post time is 5:45 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore.

TV: NBC.

Triple Crown races: Belmont, June 20, won by Tiz the Law; Kentucky Derby, Sept. 5, won by Authentic.