Preakness gate
The post-position draw for the $2 million Preakness (G1) is over. For the most part — unlike the Kentucky Derby (G1) — where a horse starts is unlikely to affect how a horse finishes.
What is the most successful Preakness post position?
The Preakness, at 1 3/16 miles, is a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the 1 ¼-mile Derby. The field usually numbers about half as many as the 20-horse Derby. And there’s no calvary charge to the first turn.
Since 1909, the most successful post has been post 6 with 17 winners. However, post 6 has produced only one winner since Oxbow in 2013. That was Rombauer in 2021.
In the past nine editions of the Preakness, the winningest post has been post 1 with three: American Pharoah in 2015, War of Will in 2019, and National Treasure in 2023. Prior to American Pharoah’s win, the last winner from post 1 was Tabasco Cat in 1994.
Since 2014, posts 1-7 have each produced at least one Preakness winner.
Preakness winners by year, followed by winning post position:
1909 Effendi 4
1910 Layminster 9
1911 Watervale 1
1912 Col. Holloway 2
1913 Buskin 3
1914 Holiday 6
1915 Rhine Maiden 6
1916 Damrosch 3
1917 Kalitan 12
1918* War Cloud 8
1918* Jack Hare Jr. 5
1919 Sir Barton 8
1920 Man O’ War 7
1921 Broomspun 7
1922 Pillory 5
1923 Vigil 8
1924 Nellie Morse 7
1925 Coventry 8
1926 Display 11
1927 Bostonian 4
1928 Victorian 7
1929 Dr. Freeland 6
1930 Gallant Fox 1
1931 Mate 5
1932 Burgoo King 6
1933 Head Play 4
1934 High Quest 1
1935 Omaha 6
1936 Bold Venture 4
1937 War Admiral 1
1938 Dauber 5
1939 Challedon 2
1940 Bimelech 5
1941 Whirlaway 1
1942 Alsab 8
1943 Count Fleet 2
1944 Pensive 2
1945 Polynesian 7
1946 Assault 5
1947 Fautless 2
1948 Citation 4
1949 Capot 1
1950 Hill Prince 1
1951 Bold 6
1952 Blue Man 4
1953 Native Dancer 4
1954 Hasty Road 6
1955 Nashua 5
1956 Fabius 3
1957 Bold Ruler 5
1958 Tim Tam 8
1959 Royal Orbit 6
1960 Bally Ache 1
1961 Carry Back 4
1962 Greek Money 10
1963 Candy Spots 8
1964 Northern Dancer 4
1965 Tom Rolfe 6
1966 Kauai King 3
1967 Damascus 2
1968 Forward Pass 2
1969 Majestic Prince 5
1970 Personality 2
1971 Canonero II 9
1972 Bee Bee Bee 7
1973 Secretariat 3
1974 Little Current 2
1975 Master Derby 3
1976 Elocutionist 5
1977 Seattle Slew 8
1978 Affirmed 6
1979 Spectacular Bid 2
1980 Codex 3
1981 Pleasant Colony 12
1982 Aloma’s Ruler 7
1983 Deputed Testamony 3
1984 Gate Dancer 3
1985 Tank’s Prospect 6
1986 Snow Chief 2
1987 Alysheba 6
1988 Risen Star 3
1989 Sunday Silence 7
1990 Summer Squall 7
1991 Hansel 4
1992 Pine Bluff 4
1993 Prairie Bayou 3
1994 Tabasco Cat 1
1995 Timber Country 7
1996 Louis Quatorze 6
1997 Silver Charm 7
1998 Real Quiet 10
1999 Charismatic 6
2000 Red Bullet 4
2001 Point Given 11
2002 War Emblem 8
2003 Funny Cide 9
2004 Smarty Jones 6
2005 Afleet Alex 12
2006 Bernardini 8
2007 Curlin 4
2008 Big Brown 7
2009 Rachel Alexandra 13
2010 Lookin at Lucky 7
2011 Shackleford 5
2012 I’ll Have Another 9
2013 Oxbow 6
2014 California Chrome 3
2015 American Pharoah 1
2016 Exaggerator 5
2017 Cloud Computing 2
2018 Justify 7
2019 War of Will 1
2020 Swiss Skydiver 4
2021 Rombauer 6
2022 Early Voting 5
2023 National Treasure 1
*Preakness divided