The $1.65 million Preakness Stakes is down to a field of seven. FIRST MISSION was scratched, which leaves Kentucky Derby Winner MAGE only six horses to beat, to pick up the second jewel in his Triple Crown bid.

For the first time this century there will be only one horse from the Kentucky Derby to return in two weeks for the Preakness as MAGE will try to become the eighth horse since 2000 to Win the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Here is a look at the field for the 2023 Preakness Stakes.

1. NATIONAL TREASURE [ML 4-1] Trainer: Bob Baffert. Jockey: John Velazquez. Baffert returns to the Triple Crown series and will try to Win the Preakness for a record eighth time. This horse was returned to the Baffert barn after a 4th-place finish for Tim Yakteen in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) while attempting to qualify for the Run For The Roses. Since he broke his Maiden at Del Mar last summer in his first start, NATIONAL TREASURE has raced exclusively in Graded Stakes and picked up a few top-three finishes without finding the Winner’s Circle. Blinkers go on. 

2. CHASE THE CHAOS [ML 50-1] Trainer: Ed Moger Jr. Jockey: Sheldon Russell. He earned a Win-and-you’re-in spot in the Preakness after his February Victory in the El Camino Real Derby on the artificial surface at Golden Gate Fields. In March, he tried the dirt for the first time and was not competitive in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita. He makes his first start outside of California and this coming after a two-month layoff. 

3. MAGE [ML 8-5] Trainer: Gustavo Delgado. Jockey: Javier Castellano. He will try to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive after he rallied from 13 lengths behind when he was in 16th position to Win the Kentucky Derby by a length at 15-1 odds. A patient and skillful ride by Hall of Famer Castellano helped MAGE overcome a slow start. Since 2000, only three deep closers have Won the Preakness, most recently EXAGGERATOR in 2016. 

4. COFFEEWITHCHRIS [ML 20-1] Trainer: John Salzman Jr. Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez. This is a local entrant in the Preakness with 12 career starts on the Maryland circuit. He has two Stakes Wins at Laurel Park and most recently was 5th in the Federico Tesio, the Maryland prep race for the Preakness. This Triple Crown race will be his first start in a Graded Stakes race.  

5. RED ROUTE ONE [ML 10-1] Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Jockey: Joel Rosario. One of the most experienced horses in the field, having begun his career last summer on the turf at Saratoga and then running in three Graded Stakes in Kentucky. He spent this year at Oaklawn with a pair of 2nds on the Derby trail with rallies from the back of the fields. Three weeks after running 6th in the Arkansas Derby (G1), he Won the Bath House Row Stakes by a head with Lasix for the first time. He will have to race without the medication in the Preakness, which typically favors horses who are more forwardly placed. 

6. PERFORM [ML 15-1] Trainer: Shug McGaughey. Jockey: Feargal Lynch. This late-developing 3-year-old for McGaughey broke his Maiden in his 6th try at Tampa Bay Downs in March. That led him to the Federico Tesio at Laurel for his first start in a Stakes race. He broke poorly to begin an adventurous trip at the back of the field, where he had to wait in traffic on the rail. PERFORM had to steady as he waited for room to race, and then he weaved his way out and in and out down the stretch and surged in the final strides to Win and earn a spot in the Preakness. In order to run here, his connections had to cough up a $150,000 supplemental Triple Crown nomination.

7. BLAZING SEVENS [ML 6-1] Trainer: Chad Brown. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. He earned enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby, but Brown elected to skip that race and focus on the Preakness. The trainer used the same strategy to Win the Preakness with CLOUD COMPUTING in 2017 and EARLY VOTING last year. Last month he ran 3rd in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), from which the 1st- and 2nd-place horses disappointed in the Derby. BLAZING SEVENS has been training sharply in preparation for this Triple Crown start. 

8. FIRST MISSION [ML 5-2] Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Luis Saez. SCRATCHED

The Preakness Stakes is listed as race 13 on a card of 14, with a scheduled Post Time of 7:00.

The contest will be televised live on NBC, with coverage beginning at 4:30. The earlier races from Pimlico will be shown on CNBC starting at 1:00.