The 148th running of the Preakness Stakes is scheduled for 5:50 p.m. CDT Saturday, when seven horses are supposed to break from the gate at Pimlico Race Course.

The field includes this year’s Triple Crown hopeful, Mage, who faces six new challenges after beating 17 colts to the wire in the Kentucky Derby on May 6.

If Mage finishes first in the smallest field for the Preakness Stakes since 1986, then the colt would advance to the Belmont Stakes on June 10 with an opportunity to become the 14th Triple Crown winner.

RELATED: TRIPLE CROWN HOPEFUL MAGE RUNNING WITH A LITTLE LUCK FROM ALABAMA

U.S. thoroughbred racing had gone 36 seasons without a Triple Crown winner when American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in 2015.

Justify repeated the feat in 2018. But the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes have had different winners in every year since then.

The winning horse on Saturday will earn $900,000 of the race purse of $1.5 million for its owner.

NBC will televise the Preakness Stakes

The post positions and morning-line odds for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes include:

1. National Treasure 4-1

2. Chase the Chaos 50-1

3. Mage 8-5

4. Coffeewithchris 20-1

5. Red Route One 10-1

6. Perform 15-1

7. Blazing Sevens 6-1

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.