After days of conjecture, it's official: Medina Spirit will run in the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
The post positions became official on Tuesday, with the Pimlico Race Course, operator of the Triple Crown's second jewel, releasing the official posts for the 10-horse race. The decision came after the Kentucky Derby winner's results were invalidated at Churchill Downs; the decision came after it tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone — 11 picograms more than the legal limit in races.
That said, there's still a question concerning the Triple Crown: Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun could still be declared winner at the Kentucky Derby if a second drug test validates the first. But it won't run in the Preakness Stakes, meaning there could be no Triple Crown winner even if Medina Spirit wins the Preakness.
MORE: Who won the Preakness Stakes in 2020? Highlights from last year's race
Regardless, Sporting News has the complete results from Tuesday's draw. Check out the full list of post positions at the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
Preakness Stakes post positions 2021
The draw for 2021 Preakness Stakes post positions was originally scheduled for Monday, but was postponed till 4 p.m. ET Tuesday after news broke that Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for 21 picograms of the betamethasone. Horses are allowed to have as much as 10 picograms of the anti-inflammatory drug in a race.
The test, should it be validated by a second positive, will invalidate Medina Spirit's run at the Kentucky Derby. Ergo, Preakness Stakes delayed the draw to sort out whether the horse would be allowed to run at Pimlico.
| Post position | Horse | Odds |
| 1 | Ram | 30/1 |
| 2 | Keepmeinmind | 15/1 |
| 3 | Medina Spirit | 9/5 |
| 4 | Crowded Trade | 10/1 |
| 5 | Midnight Bourbon | 5/1 |
| 6 | Rombauer | 12/1 |
| 7 | France Go De Ina | 20/1 |
| 8 | Unbridled Honor | 15/1 |
| 9 | Risk Taking | 15/1 |
| 10 | Concert Tour | 5/2 |
What is the best post position in horse racing?
The best post positions vary, depending on factors such as track and total horses participating. The Preakness Stakes, for example, have seen the most success at the No. 6 post position, with 16 winners. The No. 7 position is a close second, with 14 winning horses produced. That said, each of the post positions numbered 1-8 have seen double-digit winners since the introduction of the starting gate in 1909.
Here is the complete list of Preakness Stakes winners at each post position:
| Post position | Preakness Stakes winners |
| 1 | 11 |
| 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 12 |
| 4 | 14 |
| 5 | 12 |
| 6 | 16 |
| 7 | 14 |
| 8 | 10 |
| 9 | 4 |
| 10 | 2 |
| 11 | 2 |
| 12 | 3 |
| 13 | 1 |
Preakness Stakes winners by post position
(Since the use of a starting gate in 1909)
*Preakness divided
- 1 — (11) Watervale (1911); Gallant Fox (1930); High Quest (1934); War Admiral (1937); Whirlaway (1941); Capot (1949); Hill Prince (1950); Bally Ache (1960); Tabasco Cat (1994); American Pharoah (2015); War of Will (2019)
- 2 — (12) Col. Holloway (1912); Challedon (1939); Count Fleet (1943); Pensive (1944); Fautless (1947); Damascus (1967); Forward Pass (1968); Personality (1970); Little Current (1974); Spectacular Bid (1979); Snow Chief (1986); Cloud Computing (2017)
- 3 — (12) Buskin (1913); Damrosch (1916); Fabius (1956); Kauai King (1966); Secretariat (1973); Master Derby (1975); Codex (1980); Deputed Testamony (1983); Gate Dancer (1984); Risen Star (1988); Prairie Bayou (1993); California Chrome (2013);
- 4 — (14) Effendi (1909); Bostonian (1927); Head Play (1933); Bold Venture (1936); Citation (1948); Blue Man (1952); Native Dancer (1953); Carry Back (1961); Northern Dancer (1964); Hansel (1991); Pine Bluff (1992); Red Bullet (2000); Curlin (2007); Swiss Skydiver (2020)
- 5 — (12) Jack Hare Jr. (1918*); Pillory (1922); Mate (1931); Dauber (1938); Bimelech (1940); Assault (1946); Nashua (1955); Bold Ruler (1957); Majestic Prince (1969); Elocutionist (1976); Shackleford (2011); Exaggerator (2016)
- 6 — (16) Holiday (1914); Rhine Maiden (1915); Dr. Freeland (1929); Burgoo King (1932); Omaha (1935); Bold (1951): Hasty Road (1954); Royal Orbit (1959); Tom Rolfe (1965); Affirmed (1978); Tank’s Prospect (1985); Alysheba (1987); Louis Quatorze (1996); Charismatic (1999); Smarty Jones (2004); Oxbow (2013)
- 7 — (14) Man O’ War (1920); Broomspun (1921); Nellie Morse (1924); Victorian (1928); Polynesian (1945); Bee Bee Bee (1972); Aloma’s Ruler (1982); Sunday Silence (1989); Summer Squall (1990); Timber Country (1995); Silver Charm (1997); Big Brown (2008); Lookin at Lucky (2017); Justify (2018)
- 8 — (10) War Cloud (1918*); Sir Barton (1919); Vigil (1923); Coventry (1925); Alsab (1942); Tim Tam (1958); Candy Spots (1963); Seattle Slew (1977); War Emblem (2002); Bernardini (2006)
- 9 — (4) Layminster (1910); Canonero II Way (1971); Funny Cide (2003); I’ll Have Another (2012)
- 10 — (2) Greek Money (1962); Real Quiet (1998)
- 11 — (2) Display (1926); Point Given (2001)
- 12 — (3) Kalitan (1917); Pleasant Colony (1981); Afleet Alex (2005)
- 13 — (1) Rachel Alexandra (2009)
