Ten Set for Racing’s Second Triple Crown Jewel

By Margaret Ransom

Today, a field of ten 3-year-olds, including the reigning Kentucky Derby (GI) winner, will race 1 3/16 miles in the 142^ndrunning of the Preakness Stakes (GI), well known as the second jewel to the coveted Triple Crown. Always Dreaming shipped to Maryland to prepare for Pimlico’s most historic and prestigious race two days after capturing the Run for the Roses and, as is tradition, bedded down in stall 40 of the track’s expansive stakes barn on the Baltimore track’s backstretch.

The Preakness itself was actually run for the first time in 1873, two years before the Kentucky Derby, and skipped three years from 1891 to 1893, which is why there is officially one more running of the first jewel of the Triple Crown. The Preakness was named by then Maryland governor, who was honoring a famous racehorse, and since the first running, an army of some of the greatest names in the history of the game have had… (more)