Preakness

NBC Sports' presentation of the 148th GI Kentucky Derby averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 16.0 million viewers--marking the eighth consecutive year that the event topped the 15-million mark, excluding pandemic-impacted events. It was the most watched Derby since 2019, with viewership peaking at 19 million from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, shortly after Rich Strike (Keen Ice) crossed the wire first at 80-1, marking the largest Kentucky Derby peak audience since 2017, ahead of the 18.5 million for the controversial 2019 disqualification of Maximum Security. The TV-only average audience of...

Maryland-bred Knicks Go (Paynter), the Eclipse Award winner as champion older horse and Horse of the Year for 2021, has been named the Honorary Postmaster for Preakness 147. Bred by the mother and daughter team of Angie and Sabrina Moore and foaled at their GreenMount Farm in Glyndon, Md., Knicks Go will be recognized Thursday, May 19 during the Alibi Breakfast at historic Pimlico Race Course. In 1996, the United States Postal Service opened a temporary Preakness station at Pimlico the week of the Preakness. It returns this year after...

For the sixth consecutive year, the Maryland Jockey Club will over bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run at least five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes that are to be carded for Preakness weekend May 20 and 21 at Pimlico Racecourse. A total of 16 stakes--10 at the graded level--with combined purse money of $3.8 million will be offered. The trainer who accumulates the most points will earn $50,000, with $25,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth, $4,000 for fifth and $2,000 for sixth. Hall of...

RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike (Keen Ice) left Churchill Downs around 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday to head back to his main base at trainer Eric Reed's Mercury Equine Center in Lexington as a GI Kentucky Derby winner. "I couldn't sleep last night," Reed said after achieving his first Grade I victory and second graded victory in a career that began in 1985. "At four this morning I was wondering if this was real or if it was a dream. I got home and my kids and their friends were there with...

Peacock will live stream NBC's Triple Crown for the first time this spring, beginning Saturday, May 7 at 2:30 p.m. ET, when NBC and Peacock present the 148th GI Kentucky Derby. NBC Sports will present more than 20 hours of Triple Crown coverage across NBC, USA Network, CNBC and Peacock this spring. Two weeks after NBC Sports' five-hour Kentucky Derby show, Peacock will simul-stream NBC's live broadcast of the GI Preakness S. on Saturday, May 21 at 4 p.m. ET. Then on Saturday, June 11 at 5 p.m. ET, NBC...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 636 entries for its upcoming Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, to be held on Monday and Tuesday, May 23-24, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. "This is the strongest catalogue we have ever had for Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training," said Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. "It is the largest in size in recent memory, and there is tremendous quality that will suit both leading national stables as well as the various regional circuits in our area." Bennett added, "Just about every current leading sire is...

Edited Press Release 1/ST EXPERIENCE and Baltimore's own Kevin Liles, CEO and Chairman of 300 Entertainment and Elektra Music Group, have teamed up to launch Preakness LIVE Culinary, Art & Music Festival as part of an expanded Preakness entertainment and cultural celebration set to take place on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 20. The festival is a part of 1/ST's new long-term campaign, Baltimore 1/ST, kicking off this year. In consultation with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and in collaboration with Liles, Preakness LIVE will be the first event to take...

After a two-year hiatus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, America Best Racing's Pre-Preakness Party will be held Wednesday, May 18, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, with the proceeds of all tickets sold to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. A silent auction will be held which will benefit the TAA and the Maryland-based Beyond The Wire Thoroughbred aftercare organization. "We're thrilled to again be a beneficiary of this party, along with our friends at Beyond the Wire, and we're grateful for the continued support from America's Best Racing," TAA...

Voting is officially open for The Art of Racing, a unique art competition presented by 1/ST and the Maryland Jockey Club in partnership with the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) to honor the GI Preakness S., Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, and its impact on Baltimore. A total of 147 entries of original, two-dimensional visual art that depict the unique elements of Thoroughbred racing and the Preakness Stakes were submitted for the contest. The winning artist will receive a $4,000 stipend and their artwork will be reproduced and...

Edited Press Release Early nominations for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to become eligible to compete in the 2022 Triple Crown series are due Saturday, Jan. 29 with a $600 payment. Payment for early Triple Crown nominations must be made at the time of entry on www.TheTripleCrown.com. Information regarding phone or mail-in entries can also be found on the website. The 2022 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 7 with the 148th running of the $3-million GI Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs. The 147th running of the $1.5-million GI Preakness...

The inclusion of an August race meet at Pimlico Race Course for the first time in 17 years was the only major change in the 2022 slate of racing dates approved Thursday by the Maryland Racing Commission. Although not discussed at the Oct. 28 meeting, one obvious benefit to the mid-summer move from Laurel Park to Pimlico will be the ability to give Laurel's turf course a break during the hottest time of the year in Maryland. Pimlico last ran in the late summer back in 2005, when its calendar...

Sometimes a historical moment has to be pointed out. Australian (GB), Fair Play and Fair Play's son Man O' War each sired three GI Belmont S. winners. Lexington sired four Belmont winners who all won at Jerome Park. Now Tapit joins the illustrious ranks of Lexington. Like Lexington, Tapit has now sired four winners of the Belmont: Essential Quality, Tapwrit, Creator and Tonalist. Tapit also sired Belmont runners-up Tacitus and Frosted, as well as Belmont third finishers Hofburg and Lani. An asterisk might be added for last year's fluke 2020...