Preakness Stakes

My obsessive nature has been consumed by this Triple Crown spacing mess. It was obvious that Cherie DeVaux was going to decide to skip the Preakness, although I think she was pure in her process. If the industry is trying to grow its appeal beyond the Derby, AND NYRA won't budge from its traditional June date--and for the life of me, I don't know why--why doesn't the Preakness, now with Churchill Downs at the helm, best market the Preakness, and often the Triple Crown, and leapfrog the early June Belmont...

With the announcement that Golden Tempo (Curlin) will be skipping the GI Preakness Stakes, the GI Kentucky Derby winner's jockey Jose Ortiz has picked up the mount on Chip Honcho (Connect) in the May 16 Classic. Ortiz rode the Steve Asmussen-trained colt to his maiden win at Churchill Downs last November. Paco Lopez rode the colt to victory in the Dec. 20 Gun Runner Stakes and Luis Saez was aboard for his runner-up effort in the Feb. 14 GII Risen Star Stakes and fifth-place finish in the Mar. 21 GII...

At this point in time, there is no reasonable argument to be made that the Preakness should remain two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. Four winners in just the last seven years (2019-2026) have bypassed the second leg of the Triple Crown. These include Golden Tempo (2026), Sovereignty (2025), Rich Strike (2022), and Country House (2019). How stupid do you want to get? Would you like the American Triple Crown to be a practical non-entity as with the English Triple Crown, where you are extremely lucky to have a participant...

While a decision on Golden Tempo (Curlin)'s participation in the May 16 GI Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park is still to be determined, Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, co-owner of the GI Kentucky Derby winner, has another colt waiting in the wings for the second leg of the Triple Crown in GIII Gotham Stakes winner Iron Honor (Nyquist). Viola co-owns the 3-year-old, most recently seventh in the GII Wood Memorial, in partnership with William Lawrence and Glassman Racing. "He's a nice, nice horse," St. Elias racing and bloodstock manager Monique...

In terms of the horses themselves, Americans of due adventure could hardly have more compelling incentives to prospect the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. Last year's auction was staged immediately after Kentucky-bred Ruling Court (Justify) vindicated his status as the record-breaking sale-topper of 2024 by winning the G1 2,000 Guineas, while GI Preakness Stakes winner War of Will (War Front) is among those American-bred graduates to have excelled back on native soil. But this time round there is a fresh spur to American interest. Because even as sires like Justify have finally...

Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Golden Tempo (Curlin) shipped back to Keeneland Sunday morning, a day after his dramatic late-running victory in the GI Kentucky Derby. Connections will be taking a wait-and-see approach to his participation in the May 16 GI Preakness Stakes, trainer Cherie DeVaux confirmed Sunday. DeVaux made an emotional first stop the morning after the Derby at the former Churchill Downs barn of the late trainer Chuck Simon, a full-circle moment after the biggest win of her career. "He meant a lot to me and my...

Has the time finally come to change the dates of the Triple Crown? In an article posted Apr. 13 on the Sports Business Journal website, it was reported that the GI Preakness Stakes would be pushed back a week to be held three weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby in 2027. Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Bill Knauf, however, quickly shot down the report and denied that any decision had been made regarding the date of next year's Preakness. Last year's Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) famously...

Churchill Downs Incorporated has entered into an agreement to acquire the intellectual property, including all trademarks and associated rights, of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan from 1/ST Maryland LLC, the company announced Tuesday morning. The purchase price was $85 million and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions. Under the terms of the deal, CDI will license to the state of Maryland the intellectual property rights necessary to conduct the running of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in exchange for an annual fee. "This acquisition adds...

Taj Mahal (Nyquist) is on target for the May 16 GI Preakness Stakes following his romping victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes Saturday at Laurel Park. "It was really impressive," trainer Brittany Russell said Sunday. "You see a lot of these horses at home win the Tesio and go on to the Preakness and I thought to myself before the race, I hope he runs like 'wow.' You want to see a really big run from him to give you confidence that he should go on to the Preakness, and...

In an article posted last week in Sports Business Journal, it was reported that the GI Preakness Stakes would be pushed back a week next year to be run three weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby and that the GI Belmont Stakes would also be pushed back by a week. The stir the article caused quickly died down when Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Bill Knauf denied that any decisions had been made regarding the date of next year's Preakness. But the story did get some important things...

Taj Mahal (Nyquist) led them every step of the way while making his two-turn debut to romp in the $150,000 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Park, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Preakness Stakes. The 6-5 favorite cleared the field of 10 from his outside draw and it was pretty much over from there. He was well clear through fractions of :23.93 and :47.80. The advantage shrunk to about a length on the far turn, but he had another gear. The $525,000 Keeneland September yearling opened up...

Good prognoses and day-after thoughts abound Sunday morning as connections reported in on their stars after a Saturday of exciting racing that included a dead-heat victory in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes as well as a stylish win in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. Concerning the aforementioned two victresses of the Jenny Wiley, a rare feat at any level, the Brendan Walsh camp reported that Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) emerged from the effort in good form as did the Chad Brown barn for Segesta (Ghostzapper). "She's good...