The second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, is a centerpiece of American horse racing. Typically run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, the 2026 edition will take place nearby at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, while Pimlico undergoes massive renovation. This prestigious Grade 1 race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds covers 1 3/16 miles and boasts a $2 million purse.
The Preakness is a proving ground for the Kentucky Derby winner, who tries to take the second leg and head into New York with a shot at the Triple Crown. But it is also a place where "fresh" horses that bypassed the Derby offer a new challenge. The Preakness is also only two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, which is a turnaround most horses haven't faced, and won't ever again. Some of the best Preakness Stakes winners include horses that did go on to take the Triple Crown, such as Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and American Pharoah. It is a race that has been won by fillies - female horses - twice in the last 17 years: Swiss Skydiver and Rachel Alexandra. Trainer Bob Baffert holds the record for the most wins in the Preakness with eight.  Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, along with 1870s trainer R. Wyndham Walden, each had seven victories.
The horse who wins the Preakness receives a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans, the official flower of the Preakness Stakes and the state flower of Maryland. The flower also lends its name to the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for top 3-year-old fillies, which is traditionally run the day before the Preakness. The official drink of the Preakness is also named the "Black-Eyed Susan", and features a combination of orange juice, sour mix, vodka and bourbon.
Stay updated with the latest Preakness entries, race updates, and full Preakness results at Daily Racing Form (DRF)—your trusted source for expert horse racing coverage.

The second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, is a centerpiece of American horse racing. Typically run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, the 2026 edition will take place nearby at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, while Pimlico undergoes massive renovation. This prestigious Grade 1 race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds covers 1 3/16 miles and boasts a $2 million purse.
The Preakness is a proving ground for the Kentucky Derby winner, who tries to take the second leg and head into New York with a shot at the Triple Crown. But it is also a place where "fresh" horses that bypassed the Derby offer a new challenge. The Preakness is also only two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, which is a turnaround most horses haven't faced, and won't ever again. Some of the best Preakness Stakes winners include horses that did go on to take the Triple Crown, such as Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and American Pharoah. It is a race that has been won by fillies - female horses - twice in the last 17 years: Swiss Skydiver and Rachel Alexandra. Trainer Bob Baffert holds the record for the most wins in the Preakness with eight.  Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, along with 1870s trainer R. Wyndham Walden, each had seven victories.
The horse who wins the Preakness receives a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans, the official flower of the Preakness Stakes and the state flower of Maryland. The flower also lends its name to the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for top 3-year-old fillies, which is traditionally run the day before the Preakness. The official drink of the Preakness is also named the "Black-Eyed Susan", and features a combination of orange juice, sour mix, vodka and bourbon.
Stay updated with the latest Preakness entries, race updates, and full Preakness results at Daily Racing Form (DRF)—your trusted source for expert horse racing coverage.