The Preakness Stakes is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbreds that are three years’ old. First run in 1873, the race is older than the most famous horse race in the United States, the Kentucky Derby. However it was not run for three years from 1891, meaning the Kentucky Derby is the longest, uninterrupted race in the US.
Thanks to its prestige, the Preakness Stakes is one of the three thoroughbred races that make up the Triple Crown. It is commonly agreed that it is the second most prestigious race of the three, with some calling it the “Second Jewel” or “Middle Jewel”.
Each year, the winning horse of the Preakness Stakes has a blanket of yellow flowers draped over it. This has led to the race to be informally known as the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”.
Usually, the Preakness Stakes takes place every year, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is run on a counter-clockwise, dirt track that’s 1 3⁄16 miles (9.5 furlongs) in length.
The 2021 Preakness takes place on May 15, but check back for the exact Preakness Post Time when it is announced. RacingPicks’ horse racing experts will also be compiling the best Preakness picks to help you make the best betting decisions.
The favourite has won the Preakness Stakes in somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters of all of its races. This shows you can’t always rely on the horse that the bookies are choosing.
Correctly predicting which of the Preakness entries will get past the post first requires careful analysis of each horse’s previous form, accounting for the different track and weather conditions, as well as many other factors.
Our experts are passionate about horse racing. They know a jolly from a juvenile, a draw from a dam, and a colt from a carpet. They do all of the leg work, so you can find the best Preakness picks ahead of the race.
These expert picks will be updated as the Preakness Stakes gets closer, so be sure to check back to stay abreast with the latest developments.
Thanks to its status as a Triple Crown race, the Preakness Stakes has seen some of the best races in US horse racing take part. This includes recent winners American Pharoah and Justify, who won the race in 2015 and 2018 respectively.
Other famous winners include:
Most Famous Preakness Winners | ||||
Year | Winning Horse | Winning Jockey | Time | |
1919 | Sir Baton | Johnny Loftus | 1:53.40 | |
1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande | 2:00.60 | |
1935 | Omaha | Willie Saunders | 1:58.40 | |
1937 | War Admiral | Charley Kurtsinger | 1:58.40 | |
1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro | 1:58.60 | |
1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden | 1:57.40 | |
1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens | 2:01.40 | |
1948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro | 2:02.40 | |
1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte | 1:53.00 | |
1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet | 1:54.40 | |
1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen | 1:54.40 |
Secretariat has held the fastest Preakness Post time since 1973, with few horses ever getting close to its record. However, this time was only awarded to the horse in 2012 after it was discovered there had been a malfunction with the timing equipment when the race was run.
Betting on horses is one of the earliest forms of wagering in the United States, dating back to the early days of the sport in the country. For most of its history, horse racing has used a system of betting called pari mutuel. This was traditionally done at the track but now you bet online via numerous ADW's such as TVG, Twinspires and BetAmerica.
The pari mutuel betting system has some slightly different terminology compared to betting on other sports, but there’s no need to worry though! RacingPicks breaks down all the confusing racing language HERE
Our team of horse racing fanatics put together our expert picks that will help you find the best horses to back, the best Preakness Stakes odds to bet at, and the most trusted bookies. We are your home for horse racing and the Preakness Stakes.
The 2020 Preakness was won by the filly Swiss Skydiver, in the second fastest time ever! Here's the full result:
2019 Preakness Results | ||||
Position | Horse | Jockey | Margin | |
1 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Albarado | - | |
2 | Authentic | John Velasquez | Head | |
3 | Jesus' Team | Jevian Toledo | 10 lengths | |
4 | Art Collector | Brian Hernandez Jr | 10 lengths |
With the first Preakness Stakes taking place in 1873, over 100 horses have won this historic race. Some of the most recent winners are:
Previous Preakness Winners | ||||
Year | Winning Horse | Winning Jockey | Time | Prize Money |
2019 | War of Will | Tyler Gaffalione | 1:54.34 | $1.65 million |
2018 | Justify | Mike Smith | 1:55.93 | $1.5 million |
2017 | Cloud Computing | Javier Castellano | 1:55.98 | $1.5 million |
2016 | Exaggerator | Kent Desormeaux | 1:58.31 | $1.5 million |
2015 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | 1:58.46 | $15. million |
2014 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | 1:57.54 | $15. million |
The 2021 Preakness Stakes takes place on May 15 2021.
You can bet on the Preakness Stakes online. RacingPicks finds you the best ADW's to help you place bets on the race with ease.
Expert picks from RacingPicks brings you the best Preakness Stakes predictions to help you choose which horse to back. Check back nearer the time of the race to find our analysis on one of the biggest races of the year.
The Preakness Stakes is one of the three Grade I stakes races that make up the Triple Crown. The other two are the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.
The winner of the Preakness Stakes has a blanket of yellow flowers draped over it. These yellow flowers, Black-Eyed Susans (aka. Rudbeckia hirta), are the official flower of Maryland, where the race is held.