Preakness Stakes

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The Preakness Stakes is a prestigious Grade I stakes race 1 3/16 mile (1.91 km) thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, held on the third Saturday in May of each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies 121 lb (55 kg). The Preakness Stakes has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a horseshoe of black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia hirta), the state flower of Maryland, is traditionally placed around the winner's neck.

The Preakness is the second and shortest leg in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, some of the other horses that ran in the Derby, and often a few horses that did not start in the Derby. (The phrase "Triple Crown" was not applied to this series of races until the 1930s.) It is followed by the third leg, the Belmont Stakes.

Two years before the Kentucky Derby was run for the first time, Pimlico introduced its new stakes race for three-year-olds, the Preakness, during its first-ever spring race meet in 1873. Former Maryland Governor Oden Bowie named the then mile and one-half (2.41 km) race in honor of the colt Preakness from Milton Holbrook Sanford's Preakness Stables in Preakness, Wayne Township, New Jersey who won the Dinner Party Stakes on the day Pimlico Race Course opened on October 25, 1870.

The first Preakness drew seven starters; John Chamberlain's three-year-old, Survivor, galloped home easily by ten lengths, the largest margin of victory until 2004, winning a purse of $2,050.

In 1889, George "Spider" Anderson became the first African-American jockey to win the Preakness. In 1890 Morris Park Racetrack in the Bronx, New York hosted the race but for the next three years no Preakness Stakes was run. For the fifteen years from 1894 through 1908, the race was held at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island, New York.

Just after the horses for the Preakness are called to the post, the audience is invited to sing "Maryland, My Maryland," the official state song of Maryland. Traditionally, the United States Naval Academy Glee Club assembles in the Pimlico infield to lead the song. This tradition mirrors the singing of "My Old Kentucky Home" at the post parade for the Kentucky Derby.

As soon as the Preakness winner has been declared official, a painter climbs a ladder to the top of a replica of the Old Clubhouse cupola. He applies the colors of the victorious owner's silks on the jockey and horse which are part of the weather vane atop the infield structure. The horseshoe of black-eyed susans is also placed around the winning horse's neck at this time and a replica of the Woodlawn Vase is given to the winning horse's owner. Should that horse have also won the Kentucky Derby, speculation and excitement immediately begin to mount as to whether that horse will go on to win the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing at the Belmont Stakes in June.

The practice started in 1909 at Pimlico when a horse and rider weather vane sat at the top of the old Members' Clubhouse, which was constructed when Pimlico opened in 1870. The Victorian building was destroyed by fire in June, 1966. A replica of the old building's cupola was built to stand in the Preakness winner's circle in the infield.

In 1917, the first "Woodlawn Vase" was awarded to the Preakness winner which he was not allowed to keep. Eventually a half-size reproduction of the trophy was given winners to keep permanently. The original trophy is kept at the Baltimore Museum of Art and brought to the Preakness race each year for the winner's presentation ceremony.

In 1918, twenty six horses entered the race and it was run in two divisions providing for two winners that year.

In 1948, the Preakness was televised for the first time by CBS.

The Preakness has been run at seven different distances:

• 1 1/2 miles (2.41 km) -- 1873 to 1888 and 1890
• 1 1/4 miles (2.01 km) -- 1889
• 1 1/16 miles (1.71 km) -- 1894 to 1900 and 1908
• 1 mile 70 yards (1.67 km) -- 1901 to 1907
• 1 mile (1.61 km) -- 1909 and 1910
• 1 1/8 miles (1.81 km) -- 1911 to 1924
• 1 3/16 miles (1.91 km) -- 1925 to present

The leading Preakness winning jockeys are:

• Eddie Arcaro : 6 - including 2 consecutive wins in 1950-51
• Pat Day : 5 - including 3 consecutive wins in 1994-96
• George Barbee, Bill Hartack and Lloyd Hughes : 3

The leading Preakness winning trainers are:

• Robert W. Walden : 7
• Thomas J. Healey : 5
• D. Wayne Lukas : 5
• Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons : 4
• Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones : 4
• Bob Baffert : 4
• John Whalen : 3

Calumet Farm is both the leading breeder and owner of Preakness winners with 7 each.

Set by Tank's Prospect in 1985 and equalled by Louis Quatorze in 1996, the speed record for the current 1 3/16 miles (1.91 km) Preakness is 1 minute 53 2/5 seconds. The record victory margin is 11½ lengths, by Smarty Jones in 2004.

• In 1999, the Maryland Racing Commission finally awarded Secretariat his rightful time of 1:53 2/5, thus setting the original race record in 1973.
  

[edit] Preakness Stakes winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2006	Bernardini	Javier Castellano	Tom Albertrani	Darley Stables	1:54.65
2005	Afleet Alex	Jeremy Rose	Tim Ritchey	Cash is King Stable	1:55.04
2004	Smarty Jones	Stewart Elliott	John Servis	Someday Farm	1:55.59
2003	Funny Cide	Jose Santos	Barclay Tagg	Sackatoga Stable	1:55.61
2002	War Emblem	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:56.40
2001	Point Given	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:55.40
2000	Red Bullet	Jerry Bailey	Joe Orseno	Stronach Stables	1:56.00
1999	Charismatic	Chris Antley	D. Wayne Lukas	R. & B. Lewis	1:55.20
1998	Real Quiet	Kent Desormeaux	Bob Baffert	Mike Pegram	1:54.80
1997	Silver Charm	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	R. & B. Lewis	1:54.40
1996	Louis Quatorze	Pat Day	Nick Zito	C-C-H Partners	1:53.40
1995	Timber Country	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas†	Beck- Lewis-Young	1:54.40
1994	Tabasco Cat	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas	D. Reynolds & Overbrook	1:56.40
1993	Prairie Bayou	Mike E. Smith	Tom Bohannan	Loblolly Stable	1:56.60
1992	Pine Bluff	Chris McCarron	Tom Bohannan	Loblolly Stable	1:55.60
1991	Hansel	Jerry Bailey	Frank Brothers	Lazy Lane Farms	1:54.00
1990	Summer Squall	Pat Day	Neil Howard	Dogwood Stable	1:53.60
1989	Sunday Silence	Pat Valenzuela	Charlie Whittingham	H-G-W Partners	1:53.80
1988	Risen Star	Ed Delahoussaye	Louie Roussel III	Roussel & R. Lamarque	1:56.20
1987	Alysheba	Chris McCarron	Jack Van Berg	D. & P. Scharbauer	1:55.80
1986	Snow Chief	Alex Solis	Melvin Stute	Grinstead & Rochelle	1:54.80
1985	Tank's Prospect	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	1:53.40
1984	Gate Dancer	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Jack Van Berg	Kenneth Opstein	1:53.60
1983	Deputed Testamony	Donald Miller Jr.	Bill Boniface	Francis P. Sears	1:55.40
1982	Aloma's Ruler	Jack Kaenel	John Lenzini Jr.	Nathan Scherr	1:55.40
1981	Pleasant Colony	Jorge Velasquez	John P. Campo	Buckland Farm	1:54.60
1980	Codex	Angel Cordero, Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Tartan Stable	1:54.20
1979	Spectacular Bid	Ronnie Franklin	Bud Delp	Hawksworth Farm	1:54.20
1978	Affirmed †	Steve Cauthen	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	1:54.40
1977	Seattle Slew †	Jean Cruguet	Billy Turner	Karen L. Taylor	1:54.40
1976	Elocutionist	John Lively	Paul Adwell	Eugene C. Cashman	1:55.00
1975	Master Derby	Darrel McHargue	Smiley Adams	Golden Chance Farm	1:56.40
1974	Little Current	Miguel Rivera	Lou Rondinello	Darby Dan Farm	1:54.60
1973	Secretariat †	Ron Turcotte	Lucien Laurin	Meadow Stable	1:53.40
1972	Bee Bee Bee	Eldon Nelson	Red Carroll	William S. Farish III	1:55.60
1971	Canonero II	Gustavo Avila	Juan Arias	Edgar Caibett	1:54.00
1970	Personality	Eddie Belmonte	John Jacobs	Ethel D. Jacobs	1:56.20
1969	Majestic Prince	Bill Hartack	Johnny Longden	Frank McMahon	1:55.60
1968	Forward Pass	Ismael Valenzuela	Henry Forrest	Calumet Farm	1:56.80
1967	Damascus	Bill Shoemaker	Frank Whiteley	Edith W. Bancroft	1:55.20
1966	Kauai King	Don Brumfield	Henry Forrest	Ford Stable	1:55.40
1965	Tom Rolfe	Ron Turcotte	Frank Whiteley, Jr.	Powhatan Stable	1:56.20
1964	Northern Dancer	Bill Hartack	Horatio Luro	Windfields Farm	1:56.80
1963	Candy Spots	Bill Shoemaker	Mesh Tenney	Rex C. Ellsworth	1:56.20
1962	Greek Money	John Rotz	V. W. Raines	Brandywine Stable	1:56.20
1961	Carry Back	Johnny Sellers	Jack A. Price	Katherine Price	1:57.60
1960	Bally Ache	Bobby Ussery	Jimmy Pitt	Turfland	1:57.60
1959	Royal Orbit	William Harmatz	Reggie Cornell	Jacques Braunstein	1:57.00
1958	Tim Tam	Ismael Valenzuela	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:57.20
1957	Bold Ruler	Eddie Arcaro	Jim Fitzsimmons	Wheatley Stable	1:56.20
1956	Fabius	Bill Hartack	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:58.40
1955	Nashua	Eddie Arcaro	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	1:54.60
1954	Hasty Road	Johnny Adams	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	1:57.40
1953	Native Dancer	Eric Guerin	Bill Winfrey	Alfred G. Vanderbilt II	1:57.80
1952	Blue Man	Conn McCreary	Woody Stephens	White Oak Stable	1:57.40
1951	Bold	Eddie Arcaro	Preston Burch	Brookmeade Stable	1:56.40
1950	Hill Prince	Eddie Arcaro	Casey Hayes	Christopher Chenery	1:59.20
1949	Capot	Ted Atkinson	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Greentree Stable	1:56.00
1948	Citation †	Eddie Arcaro	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:02.40
1947	Faultless	Douglas Dodson	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:59
1946	Assault †	Warren Mehrtens	Max Hirsch	King Ranch	2:01.40
1945	Polynesian	Wayne D. Wright	Morris Dixon	Gertrude T. Widener	1:58.80
1944	Pensive	Conn McCreary	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:59.20
1943	Count Fleet †	Johnny Longden	Don Cameron	Fannie Hertz	1:57.40
1942	Alsab	Basil James	Sarge Swenke	Mrs. Albert Sabath	1:57.00
1941	Whirlaway †	Eddie Arcaro	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	1:58.80
1940	Bimelech	Fred A. Smith	Bill Hurley	Edward R. Bradley	1:58.60
1939	Challedon	George Seabo	Louis J. Schaefer	William L. Brann	1:59.80
1938	Dauber	Maurice Peters	Dick Handlen	Foxcatcher Farms	1:59.80
1937	War Admiral †	Charley Kurtsinger	George Conway	Glen Riddle Farm	1:58.40
1936	Bold Venture	George Woolf	Max Hirsch	Morton L. Schwartz	1:59.00
1935	Omaha †	Willie Saunders	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	1:58.40
1934	High Quest	Robert Jones	Bob Smith	Brookmeade Stable	1:58.20
1933	Head Play	Charley Kurtsinger	Thomas Hayes	Mrs. Silas B. Mason	2:02.00
1932	Burgoo King	Eugene James	Herbert J. Thompson	Edward R. Bradley	1:59.80
1931	Mate	George Ellis	James W. Healy	Albert C. Bostwick	1:59.00
1930	Gallant Fox †	Earl Sande	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	2:00.60
1929	Dr. Freeland	Louis Schaefer	Thomas J. Healey	Walter J. Salmon	2:01.60
1928	Victorian	Sonny Workman	James G. Rowe, Jr.	Harry P. Whitney	2:00.20
1927	Bostonian	Whitey Abel	Fred Hopkins	Harry P. Whitney	2:01.60
1926	Display	John Maiben	Thomas J. Healey	Walter J. Salmon	1:59.80
1925	Coventry	Clarence Kummer	William Duke	G. A. Cochran	1:59.00
1924	Nellie Morse	John Merimee	A. B. Gordon	Bud Fisher	1:57.20
1923	Vigil	Benny Marinelli	Thomas J. Healey	Walter J. Salmon	1:53.60
1922	Pillory	L. Morris	Thomas J. Healey	Richard T. Wilson, Jr.	1:51.60
1921	Broomspun	Frank Coltiletti	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Harry P. Whitney	1:54.20
1920	Man O' War	Clarence Kummer	Louis Feustel	Glen Riddle Farm	1:51.60
1919	Sir Barton †	Johnny Loftus	H. Guy Bedwell	J. K. L. Ross	1:53.00
1918	Jack Hare Jr.	Charles Peak	F. D. Weir	W. E. Applegate	1:53.40
1918	War Cloud	Johnny Loftus	W. B. Jennings	Abraham K. Macomber	1:53.60
1917	Kalitan	E. Haynes	Bill Hurley	Edward R. Bradley	1:54.40
1916	Damrosch	Linus McAtee	A. G. Weston	J. K. L. Ross	1:54.80
1915	Rhine Maiden	Douglas Hoffman	F. Devers	E. F. Whitney	1:58.00
1914	Holiday	Andy Schuttinger	J. S. Healy	Mrs. A. Barklie	1:53.80
1913	Buskin	James Butwell	John Whalen	John Whalen	1:53.40
1912	Colonel Holloway	Clarence Turner	D. Woodford	Beverwyck Stable	1:56.60
1911	Watervale	Eddie Dugan	John Whalen	August Belmont, Jr.	1:51.00
1910	Layminster	Roy Estep	J. S. Healy	Capt. E. B. Cassatt	1:40.60
1909	Effendi	Willie Doyle	F. C. Frisbie	W. T. Ryan	1:39.80
1908	Royal Tourist	Eddie Dugan	Andrew J. Joyner	Harry P. Whitney	1:46.40
1907	Don Enrique	G. Mountain	John Whalen	August Belmont, Jr.	1:45.40
1906	Whimsical	Walter Miller	T. J. Gaynor	T. J. Gaynor	1:45.00
1905	Cairngorm	W. Davis	Andrew J. Joyner	Sydney Paget	1:45.80
1904	Bryn Mawr	E. Hildebrand	W. F. Presgrave	Goughacres Stable	1:44.20
1903	Flocarline	W. Gannon	H. C. Riddle	M. H. Ticenor	1:44.80
1902	Old England	L. Jackson	G. B. Morris	G. B. Morris	1:45.80
1901	The Parader	F. Landry	Thomas J. Healey	Richard T. Wilson, Jr.	1:47.20
1900	Hindus	H. Spencer	J. H. Morris	George J. Long	1:48.40
1899	Half Time	R. Clawson	Frank McCabe	P. J. Dwyer	1:47.00
1898	Sly Fox	Willie Simms	Hardy Campbell	C. F. Dwyer	1:49.75
1897	Paul Kauvar	T. Thorpe	T. P. Hayes	T. P. Hayes	1:51.25
1896	Margrave	Henry Griffin	Byron McClelland	August Belmont, Jr.	1:51.00
1895	Belmar	Fred Taral	Edward Feakes	Preakness Stables	1:50.50
1894	Assignee	Fred Taral	W. Lakeland	James & Foxhall Keene	1:49.25
1890	Montague	W. Martin	Edward Feakes	Preakness Stables	2:36.75
1889	Buddhist	George B. Anderson	J. Rogers	Sam S. Brown	2:17.50
1888	Refund	Fred Littlefield	Robert W. Walden	Robert W. Walden	2:49.00
1887	Dunboyne	William Donohue	W. Jennings	W. Jennings	2:39.50
1886	The Bard	S. Fisher	John Huggins	A. J. Cassatt	2:45.00
1885	Tecumseh	Jim McLaughlin	Charles S. Littlefield	W. Donohue	2:49.00
1884	Knight of Ellerslie	S. Fisher	T. B. Doswell	Major T. W. Doswell	2:39.50
1883	Jacobus	George Barbee	R. Dwyer	J. E. Kelly	2:42.50
1882	Vanguard	T. Costello	Robert W. Walden	George L. Lorillard	2:44.50
1881	Saunterer	T. Costello	Robert W. Walden	George L. Lorillard	2:40.50
1880	Grenada	Lloyd Hughes	Robert W. Walden	George L. Lorillard	2:40.50
1879	Harold	Lloyd Hughes	Robert W. Walden	George L. Lorillard	2:40.50
1878	Duke of Magenta	C. Holloway	Robert W. Walden	George L. Lorillard	2:41.75
1877	Cloverbrook	C. Holloway	Jeter Walden	E. A. Clabaugh	2:45.50
1876	Shirley	George Barbee	W. Brown	Pierre Lorillard IV	2:44.75
1875	Tom Ochiltree	Lloyd Hughes	Robert W. Walden	John F. Chamberlain	2:43.50
1874	Culpepper	William Donohue	H. Gaffney	H. Gaffney	2:56.50
1873	Survivor	George Barbee	A. D. Pryor	John F. Chamberlain	2:43.00

A † designates a Triple Crown Winner

Note: D. Wayne Lukas swept the 1995 Triple Crown with two different horses.

In 2006, Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro broke down in the first hundred yards of the Preakness. Bernardini went on to win the prestigious event. Barbaro survived his injuries and was cared for at the New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania, but was euthanized January 29, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Preakness Stakes website
• Preakness Stakes

The Triple Crown of Horse Racing

United States, Thoroughbred Horses: Kentucky Derby | Preakness Stakes | Belmont Stakes

United States, Harness Racing Pacers: Cane Pace | Messenger Stakes | Little Brown Jug

United States, Harness Racing Trotters: Hambletonian | Yonkers Trot | Kentucky Futurity

United Kingdom: Two Thousand Guineas Stakes | Derby Stakes (also known as Epsom Derby) | St. Leger Stakes

Canada, Thoroughbred Horses: Queen's Plate | Prince of Wales Stakes | Breeders' Stakes

See Also: Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing | Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers | Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters | Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing*

*Series is still under review for races. See page for details on race proposals.