Location
Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Maryland, U.S.A.
Established: 1873
Style: Grade I American stakes race, for thoroughbred gelding/colts age three
Type of Track/length: Left-handed on dirt over 1 3/16 miles
Stakes: U.S. One million
Preakness Stakes at a Glance
The Preakness Stakes is hosted by the Pimlico Race Course located in Baltimore Maryland and is held annually in May. The Race is run over a stretch of 1 3/16 miles, and is commonly known as “the run for the Black Eyed Susans,” because each winner receives the flowers shaped into a horseshoe to wear as they proudly display Maryland’s state flower.
Known as the second leg in the American Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes has held this order since 1931 leaving first to the Kentucky Derby and third to the Belmont Stakes.
Prior to the Kentucky Derby by two years, a new race was introduced by Pimlico in 1873 now known as the Preakness. In its early days the distance of the track was a mile and a half, and the first to win that distance was a colt from the Milton Holbrook Sanford’s Preakness Stables, in New Jersey known as Preakness in his honor the race acquired its name. Preakness also took the winners title at the Dinner Party Stakes, in 1870 which were held in honor of the Pimlico Race Course’s opening day.
Pimlico also holds the fame of hosting the famous match race between War Admiral and Seabiscuit (winner) in 1938, before a crowd of 43,000 for the second Pimlico Special.
Once the winner of the Preakness has been officially declared, a tradition of placing the colors is carried out. The winning jockey’s colors are placed on the statue, in the infield of the winners circle. The tradition was established in 1909 in those days a statue of a rider and their mount use to proudly stand at the peak of the Clubhouse cupola. Sadly in 1966 a fire destroyed that statue; however the tradition still carries to this day, because a new replica was created.
Records of the Preakness Stakes
The record for the jockey with most wins at the Preakness Stakes is held by Eddie Arcaro with 6, riding Whirlaway in 1941, Citation in 1948, Hill Prince in 1950, Bold in 1951, Nashua in 1955, and Bold Ruler in 1957.
Trainers with the most wins for the Preakness Stakes are; R. Wyndham Walden with 7 wins, Thomas J. Healey, and D. Wayne Lukas with 5, Jim Fitzsimmons, Jimmy Jones, and Bob Baffert with 4, and John Whalen with 3.
The record time set for the Preakness Stakes is 1:53 2/5, set in 1985 by Tank’s Prospect and shared by Louis Quartorze in 1996 as well as Curlin in 2007.
Records sourced from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preakness_Stakes#Winning_the_race
Betting the Preakness Stakes
For the 2008 Preakness Stakes Big Brown had 2 to 7 odds to win, finishing with 1:54.80 time, and wearing the Black Eyed Susans. Big Brown is from IEAH stables, (P. Pompa Jr.)
2009 will be the 134th running of the one million dollar Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown racing series.
Pimlico race course can hold over 120,000 spectators yearly. But Betting the Preakness Stakes holds no number. Every May hundreds of thousands bet the Preakness, and one of the simplest ways possible is through online betting systems. So for many betting the odds for the Preakness Stakes has never been simpler.
It’s only a matter of clicking your choice, but don’t forget there are many races to choose from, betting the Preakness Stakes doesn’t have to be your only option. Take advantage of all the jewels to the Triple Crown, and more.
