The Preakness Stakes is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly in Maryland, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The race currently covers one and three-sixteenths miles (1.906 km) at Laurel Park; colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg), fillies 121 pounds (55 kg).

The race, known as "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown," is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws around 100,000 fans. The Preakness Stakes is one of the crown jewels of the elusive Triple Crown, which includes the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

Horse racing in Maryland is rich in history, dating back to the colonial era when Maryland was one of the premier centers of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in the New World. However, it was in 1873 that the Preakness Stakes was first run, establishing Maryland's place in the fabric of American horse racing.

The Preakness Stakes was named after the horse Preakness, who won the Dinner Party Stakes on the opening day of racing at Pimlico Race Course in 1870. The horse was owned by Milton H. Sanford, who named the horse after his stud farm — Preakness Farm — in Wayne Township, New Jersey.

The first Preakness Stakes was run on May 27, 1873, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Survivor, owned by John F. Chamberlin and ridden by jockey G. Barbee, won the inaugural race by ten lengths. The race was not run continuously; after being suspended from 1891 to 1893, it was moved to New York from 1894 to 1908 before returning permanently to Baltimore in 1909.

The Preakness Stakes has a storied history spanning over 150 years. From its inaugural running in 1873 to its current status as "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown," the race has produced some of the most dramatic moments in American sports history.

The race gained national prominence in the early 20th century as the concept of the Triple Crown took hold. When Sir Barton became the first horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in 1919, the idea of the Triple Crown was cemented in the public imagination — though the term was not officially coined until later.

"The Preakness has always been a race that separates the great horses from the good ones. Two weeks after the Derby, the horses are still fresh enough for peak performances but tested enough to reveal their true character." — Racing historian's perspective on the Preakness Stakes.

The race was formalized as the second leg of the Triple Crown in 1930 when Daily Racing Form columnist Charles Hatton began referring to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes collectively as the Triple Crown. The term has since become one of the most recognized phrases in all of American sports.

Bet Now on Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes Timeline

1873 The inaugural Preakness Stakes is run at Pimlico Race Course on May 27. Survivor wins by ten lengths, setting the stage for one of America's most celebrated annual sporting events.

1894-1908 The Preakness Stakes is temporarily moved to New York, running at Morris Park and Gravesend racetracks before returning to Pimlico in 1909, where it would remain for over a century.

1919 Sir Barton becomes the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in the same year, laying the groundwork for the concept of the Triple Crown.

1930 Daily Racing Form columnist Charles Hatton coins the term "Triple Crown," cementing the Preakness Stakes' place as the second jewel in one of sport's most prestigious achievements.

1948 Citation wins the Triple Crown, becoming one of the most celebrated horses in racing history and drawing massive national attention to the Preakness Stakes.

1973 Secretariat wins the Preakness Stakes as part of his legendary Triple Crown sweep, setting a then-track record. His dominant performance remains one of the most celebrated in racing history.

2015 American Pharoah ends a 37-year Triple Crown drought, thrilling a nation with victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The Preakness, run before a packed crowd at Pimlico, was a defining moment in modern racing history.

2018 Justify wins the Preakness Stakes on his way to an undefeated Triple Crown season, becoming only the 13th horse in history to accomplish the feat.

2025 The Preakness Stakes relocates to Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, as Pimlico Race Course undergoes a transformative redevelopment. Laurel Park, one of the Mid-Atlantic region's premier racing facilities, serves as a world-class stage for the race while the historic Pimlico is being rebuilt.

Bet Now on Preakness Stakes

The move to Laurel Park represents both a bridge to the future and a celebration of Maryland's enduring commitment to Thoroughbred racing. Laurel Park's modern facilities, spacious grandstand, and excellent racing surface ensure that the Preakness Stakes continues to deliver the world-class racing experience that fans have come to expect from "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown."

The traditions of the Preakness Stakes — the Black-Eyed Susan garland, the painting of the weather vane, the stirring rendition of "Maryland, My Maryland" — travel with the race to Laurel Park, keeping the spirit of the Preakness alive as Pimlico is reimagined for the 21st century.

Racing fans from across the country and around the world gather each May to witness the Preakness Stakes, drawn by the promise of elite Thoroughbred competition, rich history, and the ever-present possibility of witnessing the next step toward a Triple Crown. The race at Laurel Park continues that tradition, written into the fabric of American sports for generations to come.

Maryland's racing community has embraced the temporary home at Laurel Park with enthusiasm, recognizing that the Preakness Stakes is bigger than any single venue. The race's identity is rooted in the spirit of competition, the legacy of great horses, and the passionate fans who make the second Saturday in May one of the most anticipated days on the American sporting calendar.

As construction progresses at Pimlico and the vision of a reimagined "Old Hilltop" takes shape, the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of a race that has survived wars, economic downturns, and the passage of time to remain one of the crown jewels of American horse racing.

The Preakness Stakes has been won by some of the greatest horses ever to grace a racetrack. From Man o' War to Secretariat, from Seattle Slew to American Pharoah, the race's roll of honor reads like a who's who of Thoroughbred racing royalty. Each May, a new generation of champions steps onto the track at Laurel Park, chasing glory and the chance to etch their name into the permanent record of one of sport's most enduring traditions.

Whether you are a lifelong racing fan or experiencing the Preakness Stakes for the first time, the race offers something unforgettable: the thunder of hooves, the flash of silks, the roar of the crowd, and the timeless spectacle of the world's finest Thoroughbreds competing for the glory of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.