horse betting

Fact is, Moss is having too much fun to get all riled up about getting the dreaded No. 13 post in Saturday's Preakness and being installed as the fourth choice at 6-1.
``We would have preferred something toward the center, but we're all on the same track and we've got a shot at it,'' Moss said Wednesday after the post-position draw. ``It doesn't really matter. It's a number, that's our position and we'll deal with it.''
Despite his stunning victory in the Derby as a 50-1 long shot, Giacomo received longer odds in the Preakness than three horses he defeated: Afleet Alex (5-2), High Fly (9-2) and Closing Argument (5-1).
Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli made Giacomo a 6-1 choice after considering what the rest of the field thought about beating the Derby winner.
``Last year, Smarty Jones ... `No we can't,''' Carulli said. ``This year, Giacomo ... `Yes we can.'''
The last time the Derby winner did not go off as the Preakness favorite was 2001, when Monarchos was the slight second choice behind Point Given, who won the race.
``I don't think my horse knows his odds,'' Moss said. ``It just gives his fans an opportunity to make some more money, which is great.''
Giacomo pulled off the second-biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history two weeks ago. On Saturday, he will be seeking to do what no Preakness horse has done before: win from the No. 13 post.
Since 1983, horses leaving from the No. 8 post and outward are 4-for-73. Since 1917, Preakness starters leaving from the 13-hole post are 0-for-12.
But Giacomo was better than 19 horses in the Derby, so Moss isn't concerned about taking on 13 challengers in the Preakness -- including nine that followed him across the finish line two weeks ago at Churchill Downs.
``The Derby was a cavalry charge, but don't forget, he had the stamina and whatever it took to win that race against a deep field of quality horses,'' Moss said. ``I think he'll prove himself again. He's a very consistent horse.''
Giacomo will start outside Afleet Alex, who finished third in the Derby. Tim Ritchey, trainer for the favorite, also would have preferred to be closer to the rail than the 12-hole. But he didn't have much choice after the lottery left him picking 12th among the 14 entrants.
``I would have liked to have been inside a lot more. Truthfully, 5, 6, 7, 8 would have been a much better position,'' Ritchey said. ``But that was basically all that was left on the outside.''
Except for 13 and 14, which were taken in that order by Giacomo and Going Wild.
A full field of 3-year-olds was entered for Saturday's 1 3-16th-mile race, the first time since 1992 the Preakness drew the maximum entries.
Trainer Nick Zito has three of the horses. High Fly will start from the No. 2 post, Noble Causeway will break from the 3-hole, and Sun King is at No. 10.