New Preakness date will be announced Saturday on NBC
A rescheduled date for this year’s running of the Preakness Stakes will be announced Saturday on NBC, the network announced Thursday.
On what would have been the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes, NBC will have a special show, highlighted by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s Preakness victory in 2015.
“The one-hour special “The Middle Jewel: American Pharoah’s Run to the Triple Crown” will look back at American Pharoah’s dominating win in the 140th Preakness Stakes,” said the network in a press release. “Just prior to post time in 2015, Pimlico Race Course was engulfed in torrential rain and thunder, resulting in a sloppy track. The conditions didn’t hinder American Pharoah, who ran to a 7-length victory in a Preakness which for the first time since 2009 featured the top three finishers in the Kentucky Derby — American Pharoah, Firing Line, and Dortmund.”
During the broadcast, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Belinda Stronach, president of the Stronach Group, owners of Pimlico, will announce the new date for this year’s running of the Preakness.
A previous report that the race would be run Oct. 3, nearly a month after the rescheduled Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, was shot down by Pimlico officials, who said that date was just one of several under consideration.
The popular belief is that NYRA wishes to keep the Belmont Stakes close to its traditional June date. If so, the Belmont could be the first instead of the last of the Triple Crown races. There is also talk that if the Belmont is run first, it would be at a shorter distance than its normal mile-and-a-half.
This week, Churchill Downs announced an expanded list of Kentucky Derby prep races that would earn qualifying points toward the September running. The track also said that if the Preakness and/or Belmont were run before the Derby, top finishers in those races will receive points, as well.
This month, the Maryland legislature passed a bill paving the way for Pimlico to be renovated, with the Preakness remaining at the Baltimore track. That follows years of negotiations between the state and the Stronach Group, which had threatened to take the race to Laurel Park, located closer to Washington D.C.
Meanwhile, Churchill Downs opens its spring meet on Saturday. A strong 11-race card is scheduled for the opener, which features the return of 2018 Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winter Monomoy Girl. After missing 2019 because of injuries, Monomoy Girl is scheduled to run in the fourth race Saturday.
Churchill reported that as of 11 a.m. Thursday there were 720 horses on the grounds. The track’s stable area opened Monday. Horses from Arkansas will be allowed to ship in beginning Sunday.
Santa Anita has received the go-ahead to return to racing on Friday. Among the horses scheduled to take the track is Big Mel, an $800,000 yearling purchase trained by Bob Baffert. A 3-year-old son of Quality Road, Big Mel has yet to race but has been turning in excellent works, including 6 furlongs in 1:12 4/5 on May 10. Writing for Horse Racing Nation, Keeler Johnson lists Big Mel among his horses to watch this weekend.
The NBC Sports Network will simulcast TVG’s “Trackside Live” throughout the weekend, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 1:47 PM.
