Trainers Steve Asmussen and Chad Brown have a chance to step into elite company if either of their 3-year-olds wins the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Laurel Park.
Asmussen, who sends out Chip Honcho (5-1), and Brown, who saddles 9-2 favorite Iron Honor, each own a pair of Preakness wins – only seven trainers have won the race three or more times.
Bob Baffert has a record eight Preakness victories but doesn’t have an entry on Saturday. He’s the only current trainer with three or more wins.
Wayne Lukas and Robert Windham Walden are next with seven apiece, followed by T.J. Healy (5), H.A. Jones (4), James Fitzsimmons (4), and James Whelan (3).
Asmussen won the Preakness with the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2007 and Curlin in 2009. Brown won with Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting in 2022.
Baffert’s winners: Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin' At Lucky (2010), American Pharoah (2015), Justify (2018), and National Treasure (2023).
This is just the third time in the past 19 years that Baffert has not had a horse in the Preakness.
Windham’s winner came at the end of the 19th century, including five in a row from 1878-1882 – all owned by George Lorillard.
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 farm a Preakness win when Oxbow earned the garland of Black-Eyed Susans at Old Hilltop.
Mike Smith, who won the Preakness twice, leads all jockeys with 19 Preakness mounts. He does not have a ride in Saturday’s race. Gary Stevens is next with 18, Pat Day has 17, and Eddie Arcaro and Jerry Bailey have 15 apiece.
Arcaro won the Preakness six times, to lead all jockeys, while Day brought home five winners, and George Barbee, Bill Hartack, and Lloyd Hughes had 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.
