Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is the Preakness Stakes’ most successful active trainer with eight wins, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).
His other Preakness winners were Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin at Lucky (2010) and National Treasure (2023). This year Baffert will be represented by two runners with the favored Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Muth and San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Imagination.
Robert Wyndham Walden saddled seven Preakness winners in the later years of the 19th century, including five straight from 1878 to 1882. All five were owned by prominent Thoroughbred owner George Lorillard, who was also known as a yachtsman and outdoorsman.
Lucille Wright Markey and Gene Markey’s Calumet Farm remains the leading Preakness owner and breeder with eight wins. The farm and racing stable was founded by Warren Wright, Markey’s first husband, and successfully carried on by her and her second husband, Admiral Gene Markey. Calumet owned and bred Whirlaway (1941), Pensive (1944), Faultless (1947), Citation (1948), Fabius (1956), Tim Tam (1958) and Forward Pass (1968).
Brad Kelley, who purchased Calumet Farm in 2012, gave the new Calumet a Preakness win when Oxbow earned the garland of Black Eyed Susans at Old Hilltop.
Mike Smith lead all riders with 19 Preakness mounts, while Gary Stevens sits at 19 and Pat Day has 17. Only Mike Smith rides this year as Stevens retired for good in 2018. Eddie Arcaro and Jerry Bailey are next with 15 mounts. Edgar Prado (14), Kent Desormeaux (14), Angel Cordero Jr. (13), Chris McCarron (13) and Bill Shoemaker (12) round out the top 10.
Arcaro still leads all riders with six wins, followed by Day’s five and George Barbee, Bill Hartack and Lloyd Hughes at three each.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
