The draw for the 2012 Preakness is scheduled to take place at 6:00pm Eastern at Pimlico (TV: HRTV) and a field of twelve eleven (as noted below, longshot Guanna Star Dweej is out) is expected to enter the second leg of the Triple Crown, led by the top two finishers from the Kentucky Derby: I'll Have Another and Bodemeister. While the draw for the Preakness isn't nearly as critical as the Derby, it's always an advantage for a horse to draw a post position that maximizes it's running style.
Due to the smaller field in the Preakness, and the gate set-up, the rail isn't the "death draw" that it tends to be at Churchill Downs. However, we haven't seen a horse win the Preakness from inside the 4-hole since 1994 when Tabasco Cat won from the rail. Additionally, prior to Tabasco Cat's win in 1994, the Preakness hadn't had a horse win from the rail since Belly Ache in 1960.
I'll be back later on this afternoon for a look at the Preakness draw.