Where Can I Bet On The Preakness In Maryland
Bet & Watch the Preakness Stakes online with OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal Online Wagering
The 145th running of the Preakness Stakes (Grade I), is for the first time, the third jewel of the Triple Crown, set for Saturday, October 3, 2020 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
Yes, you can bet on the Preakness Stakes. You can choose from Straight Bets like Win, Place, Show, and Across the Board. Preakness Stakes betting also offers horse matchup wagering, futures bets, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 6 betting. You can make Daily Double bets, and exotic wagers such as Exacta Bets, Trifecta bets, and Quinella bets.
Bet the Preakness Stakes online! Held every year at Pimlico Race Course, the Preakness is the traditionally the Second Jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Xpressbet offers legal wagering, live video and expert picks for the Preakness – Sign Up and bet the race online, over the phone or on your mobile. – you must be of legal age in your state or province to legally wager on thoroughbred or harness horse racing. Please bet responsibly! Playing the Preakness Stakes Odds. With a chance at racing immortality as a Triple Crown winner, the Kentucky Derby champ is almost always the favorite to win the Preakness Stakes.
When is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, October 3, 2020!
Where is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes is raced at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland
When is the field drawn for the Preakness Stakes?
Post positions are scheduled to be drawn Wednesday, September 30 at 5 p.m. ET at Pimlico.
Where can I watch the Preakness Stakes?
Watch the Preakness Stakes via your player account with OffTrackBetting.com or live on TV with NBC at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
2020 Preakness Will Be a 'Win and You're In' For Breeders' Cup Classic
BALTIMORE and LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 24, 2020) - Officials of the Breeders' Cup and The Stronach Group announced that the winner of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds on October 3rd at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore will earn an automatic starting position into the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
The announcement marks the first time that a Triple Crown race will be a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held this year on November 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. The $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic, contested at 1 1/4 miles, will be run on Saturday, November 7.
'We are delighted to join The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club in welcoming the Preakness to this year's Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, and that we will be able to provide the winning connections with an added incentive to run in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic,' said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. 'As a foundation race of the Triple Crown, and the premier event in the proud history of Maryland racing, we look forward to working together with The Stronach Group, and our partners at NBC Sports, to promote an exciting fall season for Thoroughbred racing.'
'The events of 2020 have for all of us been about responding to unforeseen challenges and making the best of them,' said Craig Fravel, Chief Executive Officer, Racing Operations, 1/ST. 'Many of those challenges including the changes to the Triple Crown have been unwelcome but becoming part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is most welcome and a fitting finale to the three-year-old season as the horses and their connections make their way to Baltimore for the last leg of the Triple Crown. We look forward to hosting the best of America's three-year-old horses on October 3 at the Preakness and to enjoying their success thereafter in the Breeders' Cup Classic.'
'With terrific racing ahead, we're excited that the two biggest events of the fall months will be further connected with the Preakness Stakes winner earning a coveted berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic,' said Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC and NBCSN.
Due to scheduling changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Preakness date was shifted from May 16 to October 3, and will be run as the third jewel of the 2020 Triple Crown.
This year's Triple Crown began on June 20 with the Belmont Stakes (G1), won by Tiz the Law, at Belmont Park, and will be followed by the Kentucky Derby (G1), which will be run on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Four Preakness winners have won the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. In 2015, American Pharoah swept the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland to become racing's first 'Grand Slam' winner. Preakness winners Sunday Silence (1989), Alysheba (1987) and Curlin (2007) also won the Classic. Alysheba captured the Classic in 1988.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the $150,000 in entry fees for the Preakness winner to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which is limited to 14 starters. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $10,000 for all North American starters based outside of Kentucky to compete in the World Championships. The Preakness winner must already be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program or it must be nominated by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.
There are six horses who have thus far earned automatic starting positions into this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Mozu Ascot, winner of the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 23; Tom's d'Etat, who took the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 27; Authentic, winner of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 18; Improbable, who won the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 1; Ghaiyyath (IRE), winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on Aug. 19 in Great Britain and Maximum Security, who won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 22.
2020 Preakness Stakes Info
Use the links below to learn more about the third leg of the `Triple Crown of Horse Racing'
- 2020 Preakness Contenders - List Of Probable & Confirmed 2020 Preakness Stakes Entries
- Betting the Preakness Stakes - There are several concepts unique to the race that have to be taken into account when handicapping the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
- Preakness Stakes History - Notable Moments In Preakness History.
- Preakness Stakes Traditions - Listing of the long lasting honored traditions of the Preakness Stakes.
- Preakness Past Winners - Listing of previous Preakness Stakes winners from 1873 until present.
- Pimlico - Pimlico Racecourse is the annual host racetrack of the Preakness Stakes.
- Preakness Song Lyrics - Lyrics for Preakness Stakes song - Maryland, My Maryland
- 2019 Preakness Stakes Video Replay - War of Will Wins Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
- Horse Betting News - Get up-to-date horse racing news (RSS Feeds) for the 2019 Preakness Stakes.
G2 Black-Eyed Susan To Be A Part Of 2020 Preakness Day
Maryland's most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies, the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), will contest its 96th renewal this year as part of the Preakness Day program Saturday, Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course.
First run in 1919 as the Pimlico Oaks, the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan was originally scheduled for May 15 on the eve of the Preakness Stakes (G1), which had its 145th edition rescheduled from May 16 to anchor a revamped Triple Crown series amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Nine horses to win the Black-Eyed Susan have gone on to be named champion 3-year-old filly including Hall of Famers Twilight Tear, Davona Dale, Serena's Song, Silverbulletday and Royal Delta. Among other prominent winners are Hall of Famer Gallorette; Nellie Morse, the only filly to also win the Preakness, in 1924; High Voltage, Caesar's Wish and Wide Country.
The legendary $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3), inaugurated in 1937 and the host to one of America's most historic moments in 1938 when Seabiscuit upset War Admiral, will be run Friday, Oct. 2.
The $100,000 Weber City Miss, to be contested at 1 1/16 miles Monday, Sept. 7 at Laurel Park, will once again serve as a `Win and In' race for the Black-Eyed Susan, offering automatic entry for the winner.
In all, Laurel is hosting nine $100,000 stakes on Preakness Prep Weekend as part of its extended summer meet. The Polynesian and Deputed Testamony for 3-year-olds and up and the Alma North and Twixt for fillies and mares 3 and older will be run Saturday, Sept. 5, also the date of the rescheduled Kentucky Derby (G1).
The Weber City Miss and Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds will be part of a special Labor Day program Monday, Sept. 7, with the Tesio serving as a `Win and In' event for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness. Three turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up are also scheduled - the All Along for fillies and mares and the Laurel Dash and Henry S. Clark.
Nominations for all nine stakes close Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Where Can I Bet On The Preakness In Maryland 2020
Preakness Stakes 2019 Race Schedule
Black-Eyed Susan Day - Friday, May 17
| Race Name | Purse | Distance/Surface | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim McKay Turf Sprint | $100,000 | 5 Furlongs/Turf | 3&UP |
| Skipat | $100,000 | 6 Furlongs/Dirt | F3YO |
| Allaire Dupont Distaff | $150,000 | 1 1/8 Miles/Dirt | F&M 3&UP |
| Miss Preakness - GIII | $150,000 | 6 Furlongs/Dirt | F3YO |
| Black-Eyed Susan | $250,000 | 1 1/8 Miles/Dirt | F3YO |
| Pimlico Special | $300,000 | 1 3/16 Miles/Dirt | 3&UP |
| Hilltop | $100,000 | 1 Mile/Turf | F3YO |
Preakness Stakes Day - Saturday, May 18
| Race Name | Purse | Distance/Surface | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preakness Stakes | $1,500,000 | 1 3/16 Miles/Dirt | 3YO |
| LARC Sir Barton Stakes | $100,000 | 1 1/16 Miles/Dirt | 3YO |
| Searching Stakes | $100,000 | 12 Furlongs/Turf | F&M 3&UP |
| Maryland Sprint Stakes | $150,000 | 6 Furlongs/Dirt | 3&UP |
| James W. Murphy Stakes | $100,000 | 1 Mile/Turf | 3YO |
| Dixie Stakes | $250,000 | 1 1/16 Miles/Turf | 3&UP |
| Gallorette Stakes | $150,000 | 1 1/16 Miles/Turf | F&M 3&UP |
| Chick Lang Stakes | $200,000 | 6 Furlongs/Dirt | 3YO |
| The Very One Stakes | $100,000 | 5 Furlongs/Turf | F&M 3&UP |
About the Preakness Stakes
Traditionally the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, is held on the third Saturday each May at Baltimore, Maryland's Pimlico Race Course. Sandwiched between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in the Triple Crown, the Preakness is contested at a distance of 1 3/16 miles, and regularly attracts a field of the best three-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses in North America. A staple on Pimlico's stakes schedule since 1873, the Preakness is often a handicapping challenge for bettors as all of North America's best jockeys and trainers are in action at Pimlico that day. Other key stakes races held Preakness weekend at Pimlico include the Pimlico Special, the Dixie Stakes, the Gallorette Handicap and the Maryland Sprint Handicap.
Predating the Kentucky Derby by two years, the Preakness Stakes was first run in 1873. It got its name from then Maryland Governor Oden Bowie, who dubbed it `The Preakness' in honor of a horse of the same name that won the Dinner Party Stakes on the opening day of the Pimlico track in 1870. The race was originally a mile and a half in length, and the inaugural event saw 7 horses go to the starting gate. The first Preakness was won by My Sheba, who trounced the rest of the field by 10 lengths. That would remain the largest margin of victory in the race until 2004 when Smarty Jones won the event by 11 lengths. To date, Smarty Jones' triumph is the biggest margin of victory in Preakness history.
The Preakness race wasn't an immediate success and moved several times during its early years. In 1890, the Morris Race Course in the Bronx, New York held the race after which there was no race run for the next three years. In 1894, the Preakness was revived at the Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island and remained there for the next 15 years. In 1909 it returned to the Pimlico track in Baltimore where it has been run ever since. In 2009, the parent company of the Pimlico track, Magna Entertainment, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and moving the Preakness was once again considered. The Maryland Legislature quickly approved a plan to buy the track if Magna was unable to find a buyer so for now it looks like the Preakness will remain in Baltimore for the foreseeable future.
Just like the Kentucky Derby is preceded by the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, and the Preakness has a similar tradition with Black-Eyed Susan day. The Black-Eyed Susan was first run in 1919 as the Pimlico Oaks; but the name was changed in 1952 to pay homage to the Maryland state flower. The mile and one-eighth race for three-year-old fillies has been a Grade II event since 1976. Gates for the Black-Eyed Susan day open at 10 AM on Friday, May 17th with a full day of racing action.
Can't make it to the track? Watch and wager on the Preakness Stakes with OffTrackBetting.com. All wagers made through OffTrackBetting.com are directly commingled into track pools, so you can play all of your favorite bet types with confidence, knowing that you'll receive full track odds on all wagers made with us. And with free, high-quality video, you can watch the races online or with your mobile device. OffTrackBetting.com is US-based and legal and licensed, and we promise you superior customer service and the best online wagering experience in the industry.
The Preakness Stakes is a Grade I event for 3-year-olds conducted at Pimlico Race Course inBaltimore. The race is referred to as the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” because the winner receives a blanket of these flowers, which are Maryland’s state flower. Normally the Preakness is contested on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks prior to the Belmont Stakes, making it the second jewel in the Triple Crown. Due to the coronavirus, this year’s Preakness will be held on Saturday, Oct.3. Although the purse has yet to be announced, the 2019 race was $1.5 million.
It is typically 9.5 furlongs (1 3/16 miles) over a track that is nicknamed “Old Hilltop” and is the shortest and second oldest of the three Triple Crownraces, as it was first established in 1873, predating the Kentucky Derby by two years. Colts and geldings must carry 126 pounds while fillies receive a five-pound allowance (121).
This guide will walk you through how to bet on the Preakness Stakes legally, types of bets available and odds on 2020 Preakness Stakes.
Best Preakness Stakes betting sites
How to bet on the 2021 Preakness Stakes
Wagering on the Preakness Stakes follows the same course as other Triple Crown events. The race can gather quite a crowd, as the stadium at Pimlico can fit nearly100,000people. Betting on the Preakness, however, is not relegated to merely the individuals at the track, and with the rise of technology there are several alternatives to placing your horse racing bets at the windows.
- Betting apps: TVG is the most popular and convenient form of wagering for a majority of bettors. You can wager online on the Preakness Stakes via the TVG website or using the TVG iOS app from the App Store. At this time, there is no app forAndroid, but the website is enhanced for mobile betting. A full menu of straight and exotic bets is available for bettors. You can also use handicapping tools directly from the website for all races. Due to TVG’s huge presence in the horse racing industry, you can view many races streaming live from the website.
- Betting witha teller: When you are at the track, you can place your bet at the windows with a teller. In this situation efficiencyis key, as wagering on races closes at a specific time before a race goes off, and tellers must enter the bets prior to this deadline. Once you have made your choices, you may want to write them down, especially if you are placing exotic wagers or a number of them. There are specific things the teller must be told in order to bet. These are the racetrack you are betting on, the race number, the numbers of the horse or horses you are wagering on, the type of bet or bets you are making and the amount of each wager.
- Betting off track: There are many facilities where you can place wagers without an app or without attending live racing. You can even go to another track that does not have live racing and is only simulcasting races from other tracks. If this is the case, you simply follow the same guidelines as betting with a teller, as the windows will be open to accept wagers even if there is no live racing. You can also wager on touch-screen machines using vouchers or cash. You simply follow the instructions. Many tracks or off-track betting facilities have tables with televisions to witness the races, as well as touch screens to place bets on.
Odds on the 2021 Preakness Stakes
The 2020 odds and post positions will be available after the Sept. 30 post position draw.
| Post Position | Horse | Jockey | Opening Odds | Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Excession | Sheldon Russell | 30-1 | TBD |
| 2 | Mr. Big News | Gabriel Saez | 12-1 | TBD |
| 3 | Art Collector | Brian Hernandez Jr. | 5-2 | TBD |
| 4 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Albarado | 6-1 | TBD |
| 5 | Thousand Words | Florent Geroux | 6-1 | TBD |
| 6 | Jesus' Team | Jevian Toleldo | 30-1 | TBD |
| 7 | Ny Traffic | Horacio Karamanos | 15-1 | TBD |
| 8 | Max Player | Paco Lopez | 15-1 | TBD |
| 9 | Authentic | John Velazquez | 9-5 | TBD |
| 10 | Pneumatic | Joe Bravo | 20-1 | TBD |
| 11 | Liveyourbeastlife | Trevor McCarthy | 30-1 | TBD |
How payouts work on Preakness odds
The Preakness has a smaller field than the Kentucky Derby but a larger one than the Belmont and has the second highest attendance level of any thoroughbred race in North America. Post time for the race typically is between 6:20 and 6:40 p.m. Last year’s edition of the Preakness Stakes went off at 6:37 p.m. Preakness Stakes betting odds become available when post positions are drawn, which is not always on the same day every year. For some years that has been on a Tuesday morning or afternoon, and for others it has been as early as Monday or as late as Wednesday. Immediately after the horses are assigned their postpositions, what is referred to as a morning line is introduced. These are the odds that are selected by the track’s handicapper, who performs this task not only for the Preakness Stakes but for every race at the facility.
An example of odds and payouts from last year’s Preakness Stakes, which was captured by War of Will, is as follows:
| Position | Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | War of Will | Tyler Gaffalione | Mark Casse | 6/1 |
| 2 | 10 | Everfast | Joel Rosario | Dale Romans | 29/1 |
| 3 | 5 | Owendale | Florent Geroux | Brad Cox | 8/1 |
| 4 | 3 | Warrior’s Charge | Javier Castellano | Brad Cox | 13/1 |
| 5 | 11 | Laughing Fox | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen | 22/1 |
| 6 | 4 | Improbable | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | 5/2 |
| 7 | 13 | Win Win Win | Julian Pimentel | Michael Trombetta | 14/1 |
| 8 | 2 | Bourbon War | Irad Ortiz. Jr | Mark Hennig | 6/1 |
| 9 | 8 | Signalman | Brian Hernandez | Ken McPeek | 21/1 |
| 10 | 12 | Anothertwistafate | Jose Ortiz | Blaine Wright | 15/1 |
| 11 | 7 | Alwaysmining | Daniel Centeno | Kelly Rubley | 7/1 |
| 12 | 6 | Market King | Jon Court | D. Wayne Lukas | 32/1 |
| DNF | 9 | Bodexpress | John Velazquez | Gustavo Delgado | 20/1 |
Win, place, show payoff schedule
| Horse | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|
| War of Will | $14.20 | $7.40 | $5.40 |
| Everfast | — | $32.00 | $14.40 |
| Owendale | — | — | $6.00 |
Exacta, trifecta, superfecta winnings
| Wager Type | Winning Numbers | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| $2 Exacta | 1/10 | $947.00 |
| $1 Trifecta | 1/10/5 | $4,699.80 |
| $1 Superfecta | 1/10/5/3 | $51,924.00 |
Prize money: How much Preakness horses win
1st — War of Will, $900,000
2nd — Everfast, $300,000
3rd — Owendale, $165,000
4th — Warrior’s Charge, $90,000
5th — Laughing Fox, $45,000
Types of bets
A single or straight bet allows beginners to easily familiarize themselves with the wagering process and consists of the win, place and showbets. For decades all three forms of betting had a $2 minimum, but over the course of the last 10 years these wagers have become available for $1. Details on these wagers are below:
Win
All you need to do to place this wager is bet on a horse to win therace. The facility will deduct a portion from the total wagers in order to cover costs. Traditionally this is 15-20% depending on the facility and that state’s racing regulations. The winning bettors split what remains. The pool for this bet is also separate from the place and show pools. Winodds, unlike those for place and show wagers, are easily accessible to the bettor by checking out the toteboard or graphics on your screen if using a smartphone or computer.
Where Can I Bet On The Preakness In Maryland Today
Say a horse wins at odds of 29-1; the payoff to the bettor would be $60 to $61.80 due to breakage. This is a system tracks utilize to calculate payoff amounts so they can be rounded to the nearest, lowest 20-cent payoff (it is 10 cents in New York) instead of paying in specified amounts.
Odds for a win bet are based on how many people wager on each horse. It’s difficult to determine how tough this wager is for the bettor, but it is tougher than place or show wagers. For example, if you wagered on the favorite in every race on a card, you could expect to cash in on one of every three events. The average decreases if you place win bets on horses that have higher odds; the payoffs, however, would be much greater.
Place
When you bet on a horse to place, it must come in first orsecond. This makes it easier to cash in on than a win bet, but the payoff amounts are generally smaller because the pool is being split into two rather than just one. The bettors who win then divide the pool for the payoff, minus the facility’s take.
Odds and payoffs are not easily accessible to bettors because they are based on which horses run first or second. Despite systems to break down approximate payoffs by breaking down the sum bet on each horse in the pool, beginners should stick with enjoying themselves rather than becoming bogged down in math. That should be left up to the tracks to determine.
Show
From the three types of straight wagers, this bet is the easiest for a bettor to collect on as a horse must come in first, second or third. The pool for this wager is split three ways, and the dividends are often the lowest. If you wager on all favorites, your return on investment may even be less than $1 for every $2 wagered. Like place wagers, odds and payoff amounts are not easy for the public to access, but can be deduced through math calculations.
Exotic wagers
These are different from straight wagers and can be quite challenging for beginners to collect on unless they have some luck. The simplest exotic bets are anexacta, where a bettor must pick the first and second place horses in a race; a quinella, where a bettor must select the first two finishers in one race in either order; and a double, where a bettor picks the winning horse in two consecutive races on a card.
One of the best ways to pick an exacta or double would be to wheel several horses in different formats for the smallest price, which is generally $1. For instance, a $1 exacta wheel of horses 4 and 5 in first place over the 1, 2 and 3 horses would cost $6. Also, a $1 double wheel of horses 4 and 5 with horses 6 and 7 would be $4.
Another way for beginners to learn exotic wagering skills is a showparlay. If four people decide to wager together and place $10 apiece on a show parlay, they would then select a horse to place this money on. They would continue to re-wager the payoffs until they begin to lose or decide they have had enough.
There is a bit of luck involved with wagering in this fashion, but it’s an easy way to introduce people to betting without emptying their pockets. It can also make the wager more intriguing and can enhance entertainment value.
Who is favored to the win the 2021 Preakness Stakes?
Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Preakness Stakes is in a unique position. In most years the horses that finished in the top three of the Kentucky Derby are the favorites. But this year the Belmont was run first and the Derby is not until Sept. 5. This means many horses that may not have been mature enough in early spring as sophomores will run in the Preakness.
The following are the most recently updated odds and predictions for this year’s Preakness Stakes:
- Tiz the Law 2-1
- Honor A.P. 3-1
- Authentic 8-1
- Cezanne 12-1
- King Guillermo 15-1
- Sole Volante 15-1
- Uncle Chuck 15-1
- Art Collector 20-1
- Modernist 20-1
- Dr. Post 30-1
These are considered to be the top 10 horses; however, bear in mind the Preakness Stakes can load up to 14 horses in the gate.
Historic wins in the Preakness Stakes
This will be the 145th edition of the Preakness Stakes, and while it has a long and rich tradition, there are naturally certain years that are more noteworthy than others.
What follows is a list of some of the more historic Preakness Stakes:
- In 2018, Justify eked out a victory over Good Magic after a contentious battle throughout the entire race to set himself up to capture the Triple Crown only four years after American Pharoah accomplished the same feat.
- I’ll Have Another (2012) defeated the extremely talented Bodemeister yet again while the other horse was favored. He chased his rival down less than a furlong from the wire and won by a nose.
- In 2005, favorite Afleet Alex was outdueled to the line by 50-1 shot Giacomo in the Kentucky Derby. In the Preakness, however, the colt asserted his dominance even after nearly going down in the first turn after colliding with ScrappyT. He rebounded and captured this contest in hand by five lengths before winning the Belmont Stakes.
- In 1997, Kentucky Derby victor Silver Charm defeated champions Captain Bodgit and Free House to hit the line in front by a nose. He lost the Belmont Stakes to the late running Touch Gold to end his Triple Crown bid.
- Easy Goer and Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence had one of the most historic rivalries in all of horse racing. In 1989 the two champions were eyeball to eyeball at the top of the stretch and remained that way to the finish. Easy Goer only lost because he moved his head at the wire. He later defeated Sunday Silence easily in the Belmont Stakes.
- One of the most contentious results in Preakness Stakes history came in 1980 when Codex and his pilot, AngelCordero, bumped Kentucky Derby winner Genuine Risk on the far turn. Despite extensive analysis after the final results flashed on the toteboard, Codex remained the winner.
- Affirmed and Alydar are probably the most recognized horse racing rivalry in the last four decades. Affirmed, a Triple Crown winner in 1978, fended off Alydar at Pimlico and would go on to capture the Belmont Stakes. The two horses competed against one another on 10 occasions as freshmen and sophomores, with Affirmed visiting the winner’s circle in seven of those trips to the post. It is also worth noting that Alydar was the sire of Easy Goer, who engaged in his own rivalry with Sunday Silence.
- According to racing buffs, the first turn over this course is notoriously tight to navigate, and it is unwise to make an early move to the lead. But Secretariat and his rider, RonTurcotte, decided to buck tradition. Secretariat broke poorly but rushed from last to first in the first 300 yards of the 1973 contest. He bested Sham and still has the fastest time on record after a teletimer mistake that day was rectified years later.
The five fastest Preakness Stakes
Pimlico is known for its tight turns and usually glib surface. The shortest of the Triple Crown events, the Preakness, generally produces the swiftest times of the three races.
Here are the five fastest Preakness Stakes of all time:
- Secretariat (1973) 1:53
- Curlin (2007) 1:53.40
- Louis Quatorze (1996) 1:53.40
- Tank’s Prospect (1985) 1:53.40
- Summer Squall (1990) 1:53.60
Preakness Stakes and the Triple Crown
Each leg of the Triple Crown has its own history and place within the sport. Each race also has its own traditions, and each race is contested at a differentdistance. The Preakness Stakes stands alone because it nearly always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner and new horses that were unable to make the Derby field. It also offers the WoodlawnVase, which is one of the most prized trophies in the sport and historically in the US. To put it in perspective, 52 horses have won two Triple Crown contests. Twenty-three horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, 18 have won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes and 11 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
History of the Preakness Stakes infield
Although the Kentucky Derby infield has received more press over the years, the Preakness Stakes has its own raucous version that has been popular for decades. There are concerts, Preakness parties and a number of contests as well as other institutions that are very popular with the local population. People also travel from miles around to take part in the Preakness Stakes’ infield festivities.
Secretariat, the Triple Crown winner
He was lovingly referred to as “Big Red” due to his gleaming chestnut coat and large size. Secretariat was born in March 1970 and went on to win five Eclipse Awards, horse racing’s highest honor, during his two-year career.
Sired by champion Bold Ruler and out of the mare Somethingroyal, Secretariat was named Horse of the Year as a 2- and 3-year-old and is the only horse to achieve this honor. Trained by Hall of Fame member LucienLaurin, Secretariat won five stakes as a 2-year-old and was so impressive, he was syndicated for his stud career early in his sophomore season for then a record $6.08 million.
Not only did Secretariat win the Triple Crown, he set records in all three races that still stand. He is one of only two horses to win the Kentucky Derby in under 2:00, with the other being Monarchos in 2001. His Belmont Stakes victory is considered by many to be the greatest race of all-time, and he is considered to be the greatest horse of all-time. He is the second-highest ranked thoroughbred in the history of the sport behind only Man o’ War.
Secretariat also won major stakes on turf to prove his versatility. He was retired to Claiborne Farm after his 3-year-old campaign and died there in 1989 from laminitis at 19. While he never reached the lofty achievements in the breeding shed that he did on the racetrack, Secretariat is considered to be an outstanding broodmare sire and is in many pedigrees of champion racehorses. It is thought he was such an excellent broodmare sire because he had the largest heart of any American racehorse and that genetic trait was passed on to many of his fillies rather than his colts.
This year’s Preakness will be held in October. This is not the first time in the sport’s history the Preakness has not been held on its normal date. In 1890, the Preakness was run at Morris Park in the Bronx on the same card as the BelmontStakes. Following a three-year hiatus, the Preakness returned in 1894 and for 15 years was held at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island before coming home to Pimlico in 1909.
The Preakness was held before the Kentucky Derby on 11 occasions, and both events were held on the same day in 1917 and 1922. In 1931, however, the current order of the Triple Crown races was established with the timing of the events implemented in 1969.
Preakness Stakes traditions
Like its colleagues, the Preakness, which was named by Maryland Gov. Oden Bowie after a colt who won on Pimlico’s opening day, is steeped in tradition. One of the most anticipated events by horsemen is the AlibiBreakfast, which started in the 1930s at the Pimlico Clubhouse. The attendees are media members, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen and fans. It’s a chance to make entertaining race predictions and for trainers to provide excuses as to why their horse has no shot at winning.
The Preakness also has another tradition, which is placing the colors of its winner on the infield cupola’s weathervane. The blanket of black-eyed Susans is also handmade. One bit of trivia about the blanket, however: black-eyed Susans are not in season when the race is conducted, so mums are used to simulate the real thing.