Some of the best horses to have competed in the Triple Crown series have set record wins in the Preakness Stakes at Maryland.
Since its founding in 1873, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore has undergone several changes, but remains largely the same since 1925 when Pimlico was built at a distance of 1 3/16 miles.
Read below to find out the fastest racehorses in Preakness Stakes history.
RICH STRIKE NO PREAKNESS AFTER HISTORIC KENTUCKY DERBY VICTORY
- Secretary
- swiss paratrooper
- tank perspective
- louis quatorze
- curlin
1. Secretary
Widely considered the greatest racehorse in the history of the sport, Secretariat holds the crown for the fastest record in the Preakness Stakes. Known for his chestnut coat and three white socks, the stallion became the first horse in more than two decades to win the Triple Crown in 1973 and did so by setting records in the biggest events in US horse racing. .
Secretariat has the fastest record time win in the Preakness Stakes and the Triple Crown winner is considered the greatest racehorse of all time. (Jerry Cooke/Corbis via Getty Images/File)
In May 1973, Secretariat started the Preakness race last, but showed the capabilities of his speed with a drive that quickly moved him into the lead. Secretariat held first place until the finish line and set a record finishing time at Pimlico Racecourse with 1:53 o’clock. The performance left viewers shocked and helped skyrocket Secretariat’s fame and reputation.
However, for decades, the official record set by the Secretariat remained miscalculated at 1:54 2/5. In 2012, the record was officially corrected after a forensic review of the tapes found that the race’s timekeeper had failed to properly keep track of the time. During the race, the stallion ran the remaining 3/16 of a mile in exactly 18 4/5, about 2 ½ lengths ahead of his nearest rival, Sham.
2. Swiss paratrooper
In recent years, one of the racehorses to come close to the record set by the Triple Crown winner in the Preakness Stakes was Swiss Skydiver in October 2020. The race was held five months after its original start date. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. , thus allowing Skydiver to mature for several more months before having to compete.
The mare took command of the field by defeating Kentucky Derby champion Authentic for the second fastest record time in the race’s history at 1:53 28 seconds. Initially, Skydiver maintained his speed throughout the start of the race between the 24 and 50 second mark, however he unleashed speed halfway through, timing the lead at about a minute. The mare cemented his position in racehorse history with the performance, nearly surpassing the Secretariat record.
3. Tank perspective
The chestnut stallion Tank’s Prospect set the third fastest time in the Preakness Stakes in 1982 when he beat Chief’s Crown by a head in a time of 1:53 2/5. Initially, Tank performed well early in the race, falling to the back of the field most of the time. However, at the last minute, the stallion broke out in a sprint and finished as the winner and set a Preakness record.
In 1925, Pimlico Race Course consolidated the length of its course at 1 3/16 of a mile in length. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images/File)
The young horse did not perform well in the first leg of the Triple Crown series, placing seventh in the Kentucky Derby; however, his victory in the Preakness Stakes changed the tone and gave the Belmont momentum. However, Tank suffered an injury early in the race and was unable to finish., thus ending his sports career and prospects.
4.Louis Quatorze
Coming in at No. 4 is Louis Quatorze, known for his breakneck victory in the 1996 Preakness Stakes, where he finished in a time of 1:53.43 seconds. Previously, the young stallion met a disastrous finish weeks earlier during the Kentucky Derby, placing 16th in a 19-horse race. However, his Preakness victory helped solidify his racing legacy.
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Louis Quatorze broke through gate 6 with impressive speed and was able to take and hold a lead early in the race. Also, he turned down a Skip Away challenge around the 1:09 mark and won by 3 ¼ lengths. At the time, Louis’s record was thought to be comparable to the one set by Secretariat years before it was revised in 2012.
5.Curlin
Finishing in No. 5 as one of the top record holders at the Pimlico race track is Curlin. The May 2007 stallion’s story is another example of a racehorse taking victory in the Preakness after being set back early in the event. From 20 seconds to a minute into the race, Curlin fell 13 lengths behind first place, but was able to regain his speed against defeated Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
Some of the biggest names in horse racing history have left their legacy while competing in the Preakness Stakes. (Getty Images/File)
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Curlin’s time was 1:53.46 seconds. The horse would go on to have a remarkable career and win two Horse of the Year titles before retiring in 2008 with some of the highest earnings in North America at over $10 million.