The famous Preakness Stakes is the second race of the Triple Crown. It takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the final event of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes.
The event began in 1873, but it hasn’t always taken place in Maryland as it does today. The Preakness Stakes was originally held in Gravesend, New York, and was held at different times each year. In 1932, the race was scheduled for two weeks after the Kentucky Derby race.
The track that the horses run in the Preakness Stakes is slightly shorter than the track in the Kentucky Derby. The length of the Stakes is one mile and three-sixteenths, and the length of the Derby is one mile and a quarter.
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The Preakness Stakes takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for 1/ST)
Only 12 horses have become Triple Crown winners. The term was coined in 1930 to describe a horse that wins the coveted three annual horse races.
If you are attending the Preakness Stakes, Here is some important information to know about horse racing.
- How much does it cost to enter the Preakness Stakes?
- When is the Preakness Stakes race?
- Where is the Preakness Stakes held?
- Who has the fastest Preakness Stakes time?
- How to bet on Preakness Stakes?
- What is the dress code for the Preakness Stakes?
1. How much does it cost to enter the Preakness Stakes?
A ticket to the Stakes race will vary by year and seat location.
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Ticket prices for the event vary depending on where your seats are located, but the average ticket costs around $170. (Patricio Smith/Getty Images)
At the low end, tickets for the race are around $80, according to SeatGeek, with the average ticket around $170.
Tickets on the higher end are around $500 to $600, depending on the ticketing service.
2. When is the Preakness Stakes race?
The Preakness Stakes is held on the third Saturday of each May. This lands the race two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.
This is the same day as Armed Forces Day, which honors those who fight in the US military.
3. Where is the Preakness Stakes held?
The Preakness Stakes is held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
The Preakness Stakes takes place on the third Saturday in May in Baltimore at Pimlico Race Course. (Patricio Smith/Getty Images)
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The three Triple Crown races are located at different tracks around the United States. The Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Belmont Stakes is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
4. Who has the fastest time in the Preakness Stakes?
Secretariat has the fastest time in the Preakness Stakes. In fact, the horse holds the records for the fastest time of all three Triple Crown races.
Secretariat won the Preakness Stakes in 1973 with a time of 1:53. The horse, ridden by Ron Turcotte, still holds the record today.
5. How to bet on the Preakness Stakes?
There are different bets you can place on the Preakness Stakes, as well as different ways to organize your bets.
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There are many different bets you can place for the Preakness Stakes. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
You can choose make straight bets or exotic bets. Straight bets are when you place a bet on a single result for a single horse. There are also win bets, where the horse must finish first, place bets, where the horse must finish first or second, and show bets, where the horse must finish in the top three.
There are also exotic bets, which are more difficult to win as they are based on multiple outcomes. Because they are theoretically harder to win, the payouts are also higher.
There are exact bets, where you select the two horses to finish first and second in order. Then there are trifecta bets where three horses are selected to win first, second and third, in exact order. Finally, there are the superfecta bets, where four horses are selected to place first, second, third and fourth, again, in the exact sequence.
You can bet on the horse race. in person at the event or at the betting window, as well as at Kiosks at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Here, you can place your bet and also ask the cashiers any questions you may have.
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You can also bet online or through mobile phone applications. Just be sure to check your state’s gambling laws before doing so, as laws and regulations vary widely from state to state.
6. What is the dress code for the Preakness Stakes?
The dress code in the Preakness Stakes isn’t as fancy as it is in the Kentucky Derby. You can wear casual clothes for the race, but avoid cropped or tank tops in the dining halls.
Usually men wear suits and women wear dresses. Quirky hats don’t feature as prominently here as they do at the derby. In the Preakness Stakes, there is more of an emphasis on dress, although you can still wear a trendy hat if you want.