When is the Preakness Stakes?The Preakness will take place on May 21, 2011, at the Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, Md., at about 6:19 pm ET. The race is always run on the third Saturday in May. At a distance of 1 3/16 mile, it's the shortest of the Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles and the Belmont Stakes is 1 1/2 miles.
What traditions are associated with the Preakness?Pimlico is the second-oldest racetrack in the nation behind Saratoga and its jewel race has no shortage of traditions. If you had to guess what the highest-valued trophy in sports is, you might say the Stanley Cup or Vince Lombardi Trophy, but it is in fact The Woodlawn Vase that used to be given every year to the Preakness winner. Built by Tiffany in 1860, it was valued at $1 million in 1983. Nowadays the Vase stays at the track and the winner is given a $30,000 replica. After the race, the winning horse is draped with a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans.
Another tradition worth noting is the track's weather vane that gets repainted in the winner's silks.
Is the Black-Eyed Susan a race, a drink or a flower?It's all three. The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes race is run on the Friday before the Preakness featuring 3-year-old fillies. The drink is a powerful concoction of vodka and whiskey. The flower, known to bloom late in the season, is made of the official yellow and black state colors.
What type of horses run in the Preakness?The Preakness is a Grade 1 Stakes race run by 3-year-olds.
Do the same horses run in the Preakness as in the Kentucky Derby?There is usually some overlap between the fields but it's not necessarily the same horses. This year, only five of the 19 horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby will be in the Preakness: Animal Kingdom, Dialed In, Mucho Macho Man, Shackleford and Santiva. Find videos of the contenders and early odds on our Preakness 2011 page.
How many horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness?The 11 Triple Crown winners obviously won both races. In addition, there have been 21 horses who won both the Derby and Preakness but failed to win the Belmont, most recently Big Brown in 2008.
What is the record time for a Preakness winner?The Daily Racing Form clocked Secretariat with a winning time of 1:53.40 but the official timer at the racetrack malfunctioned and only gave Big Red credit for a time of 1:54.40. The "official" record of 1:53.40 is shared by three horses: Curlin (2007), Louis Quatorze (1996) and Tank's Prospect (1985).
What traditions are associated with the Preakness?Pimlico is the second-oldest racetrack in the nation behind Saratoga and its jewel race has no shortage of traditions. If you had to guess what the highest-valued trophy in sports is, you might say the Stanley Cup or Vince Lombardi Trophy, but it is in fact The Woodlawn Vase that used to be given every year to the Preakness winner. Built by Tiffany in 1860, it was valued at $1 million in 1983. Nowadays the Vase stays at the track and the winner is given a $30,000 replica. After the race, the winning horse is draped with a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans.
Another tradition worth noting is the track's weather vane that gets repainted in the winner's silks.
Is the Black-Eyed Susan a race, a drink or a flower?It's all three. The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes race is run on the Friday before the Preakness featuring 3-year-old fillies. The drink is a powerful concoction of vodka and whiskey. The flower, known to bloom late in the season, is made of the official yellow and black state colors.
What type of horses run in the Preakness?The Preakness is a Grade 1 Stakes race run by 3-year-olds.
Do the same horses run in the Preakness as in the Kentucky Derby?There is usually some overlap between the fields but it's not necessarily the same horses. This year, only five of the 19 horses who ran in the Kentucky Derby will be in the Preakness: Animal Kingdom, Dialed In, Mucho Macho Man, Shackleford and Santiva. Find videos of the contenders and early odds on our Preakness 2011 page.
How many horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness?The 11 Triple Crown winners obviously won both races. In addition, there have been 21 horses who won both the Derby and Preakness but failed to win the Belmont, most recently Big Brown in 2008.
What is the record time for a Preakness winner?The Daily Racing Form clocked Secretariat with a winning time of 1:53.40 but the official timer at the racetrack malfunctioned and only gave Big Red credit for a time of 1:54.40. The "official" record of 1:53.40 is shared by three horses: Curlin (2007), Louis Quatorze (1996) and Tank's Prospect (1985).
