Preakness 2025: Date, time and everything you need to know

This year s Preakness Stakes will be the last time it s run at Pimlico Race Discipline before the track undergoes massive renovations While the race won t feature the Kentucky Derby winner it will pay out as large a purse as the program has ever seen Here s everything you need to know about the second jewel of the Triple Crown When is the Preakness Stakes The first races begin at a m on Saturday and run well into the evening The post time for the main event the Preakness Stakes which is the penultimate race is approximately p m It s a full day of horse racing broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock How are Preakness horses chosen In the bulk cases the Kentucky Derby winner will enter the field for a shot at the coveted Triple Crown That won t be the matter this year with Sovereignty bowing out of this year s Preakness for fear of too tight a turnaround time The post position draw takes place Monday so we ll know that evening what this year s field looks like But generally speaking the Preakness Stakes is limited to horses all based on performances in current major prep races including but not limited to the Derby How much money does the winner get The total purse this year is million tying the Pimlico Race Discipline record set in Standard protocol is goes to the winner and the rest is divided among second-through-fifth-place finishers The horse s owner will take home the biggest chunk shelling out a portion to trainers and jockeys Imagine what a horse would buy with all that cash How did the Preakness start In the summer of a group of horse owners gathered for dinner in Saratoga Springs New York after a full day of races They had such a good time relatable that John Hunter proposed they run a commemorative horse race in the fall of It would be for -year-old thoroughbreds and they d call it the Dinner Party Stakes Genius Oden Bowie Maryland s post-Civil War governor encouraged they put on the line and have his home state host He even promised to build a new racetrack which would become Pimlico The winner of the inaugural Dinner Party Stakes A horse named Preakness How long is the Preakness There are two answers to this The Preakness runs from about a m until shortly after p m But the Preakness Stakes the specific race folks journey in from all over the world to see takes about two minutes The race in Baltimore is the shortest of the Triple Crown at of a mile a tad shorter than the Kentucky Derby s -mile race Churchill Downs president Matt Winn is credited with coining the phrase The The greater part Exciting Two Minutes in Sports Who are the bulk new winners of the Preakness Seize the Grey won in The year before was National Treasure then Early Voting Rombauer Swiss Skydive War of Will and Justify Justify is the last horse to win the Triple Crown racing for trainer Bob Baffert a two-time Triple Crown winner and the all-time leader in Preakness Stakes wins What horse holds the record for the fastest time at the Preakness In Secretariat won the Preakness Stakes in part of a Triple Crown that set subject records at all three major races The timer on that fateful May day clocked Secretariat at a second shy of the then-record It wasn t until June when the Maryland Race Commission having reviewed witness accounts three-plus hours of personal testimony and st-century tool retroactively awarded Secretariat the record https www baltimoresun com preakness- -redirect What is this year s entertainment Event organizers are bypassing the traditional infield concert and instead featuring a redesigned stage viewable from the grandstand The new setup will be in the open space north of the cupola beneath the LED board rather than facing the infield crowd The new Infield Fan Zone which includes unlimited beer and wine will be hosted by Ravens legend Ray Lewis The design can accommodate approximately spectators within a -square-foot covered tent T-Pain and Wyclef Jean will headline the entertainment The Grammy winners trackside performances on Saturday will anchor a slimmed-down version of Preakness typical race-day entertainment T-Pain will take the stage right now after the final race It will be the Buy U A Drank singer s third time performing in Baltimore in latest years Jean will perform a multi-song live set including one of his greatest hits that will also be included in the national NBC broadcast Is this the last Preakness at Pimlico Sort of Pimlico is set to receive a massive overhaul soon after the Preakness Upgrades to the track are expected to cost million paid by state bonds and will be ready to host the Preakness in May The second jewel of the Triple Crown will relocate to nearby Laurel Park in while the new facility is built Demolition of the track and its adjoining structures is expected to begin later this month The oval track at Pimlico will not be rotated or moved from its current alignment during the renovations What s a Black-Eyed Susan A plant a horse race and a cocktail the big three The Rudbeckia hirta the plant s scientific name resembles a sunflower with its bright-yellow petals It s the official state flower of Maryland The horse race is for -year-old fillies on Friday a prelude to the Preakness The cocktail which is consumed in great quantities every third weekend of May is equal parts bourbon vodka and peach schnapps It has orange juice sour mix an orange slice and cherry for garnish What do people wear to the Preakness Generally something fun Something that you wouldn t wear any other day of the year Something with colors that can be seen from outer space Preakness patrons lean into monochromatic pastel tones with bold silhouettes Horse racing is known for its eccentric hats that look more like a sculpture on your head Calm dress shoes are a worthwhile gamble accenting the tone of the outfit with the rationale of a day spent walking around sometimes through mud So wear something crazy then watch it take up space in your closet until next year How s the weather looking for the Preakness Saturday s forecast is mostly sunny with a high near degrees and a chance of showers according to the National Weather Organization There is a chance of thunderstorms New Preakness winners Seize the Grey National Treasure Early Voting Rombauer Swiss Skydiver War of Will Justify Cloud Computing Exaggerator American Pharoah California Chrome Oxbow I ll Have Another Shackleford Lookin At Lucky Rachel Alexandra Big Brown Curlin Bernardini Afleet Alex Smarty Jones Funny Cide War Emblem Point Given Red Bullet Have a news tip Contact Sam Cohn at scohn baltsun com - - and x com samdcohn