The 146th Grade 1 $1 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday, the second jewel of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, will be run at 1 3/16 miles. The Preakness is the centerpiece of nine graded stakes races to be run at Old Hilltop on Friday and Saturday.
NBC Sports will broadcast the Preakness live, with coverage beginning Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage from Pimlico begins today at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the 97th running of the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and continues Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Over the two days, NBC Sports will cover nine races live.
Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) will broadcast live on Saturday from 5-7:30 p.m. ET from Pimlico via NBC Sports Audio channel on SiriusXM channel 211, along with terrestrial affiliates throughout the United States.
TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.
“America's Day at the Races” will be live on Saturday on FS2 from 2-2:30 p.m., and from 4:30-6:30 p.m. featuring the live programming at Belmont Park. On Sunday, May 16, “America's Day at the Races” will air on FS2 from 12:30-5:30 p.m. ET.
Friday, May 14
3:07 p.m. ―$150,00 Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series Stakes at Pimlico on TVG
New Jersey-bred Horologist, trained by Bill Mott, leads eight fillies and mares entered in Friday's $150,000 G3 Allaire DuPont Distaff at Pimlico as the 3-1 morning line favorite. A 5-year-old daughter of Gemologist, Horologist, ridden by Junior Alvarado from post five, is seeking her fourth career graded stakes win, which includes last October's G2 Beldame Stakes. Horologist won her first start of the year, the listed 1 1/8-mile Top Flight at Aqueduct, by a length over Mrs. Danvers. The latter, owned by Joseph Allen and trained by Shug McGaughey, won last November's G3 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct. The Elkstone Group's Getridofrwhatailesu exits very tough G1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, where she finished behind Letruska, Monomoy Girl and Shedaresthedevil.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA8-EQB.html
4:09 p.m. $150,000 Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on TVG
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Abrogate, trained by Steve Asmussen, and WSS Racing's Joyful Cadence, trained by John Ortiz, the 1-2 finishers in the listed Purple Mountain Stakes at Oaklawn on April 3, are among the favorites as nine 3-year-old fillies go to the post in the six furlong $150,000 Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. The local standout is Lucky 7 Stables' Maryland-bred Street Lute, who won five consecutive races at Laurel Park, but will be stepping into graded-stakes company for the first time for trainer John J. Robb.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA10-EQB.html
5:12 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 3 Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes on NBCSN
WinStar Farm's and China Horse Club's Fearless is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the G3 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special against 10 rivals. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden from post two by Irad Ortiz Jr., Fearless won the G2 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes on Feb. 27, and was second by a half-length last time out on April 10 in the G2 Oaklawn Handicap. The Bill-Mott-trained Modernist won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct on April 10 by 2 ½ lengths. GMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith and Cypress Creek Equine's 5-year-old Maryland-bred Harpers First Ride won last year's Pimlico Special when it was held in October. Trained by Robert Diodoro and ridden from post seven by David Cohen, Harpers First Ride has won 10 races but is winless in his last three starts.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA12-EQB.html
5:44 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on NBCSN
Friday's featured G2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan will be run for the 97th time with a field of ten 3-year-old fillies entered. Godolphin's Adventuring, trained by Brad Cox, has started just four times, but has won both her races this year. After breaking her maiden at the Fair Grounds in February, the bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile captured the listed 1-mile Bourbonette at Turfway Park on March 27 by two lengths. Florent Geroux has the mount starting from post nine. Like Adventuring, Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift, trained by Bob Baffert, also will be making just her fifth start. After winning the G3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita Park on March 7, Beautiful Gift finished second by a half-length in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051421USA13-EQB.html
Saturday, May 15
11:44 a.m. ―$200,000 Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico on TVG
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, a four-time winner of the G3 Chick Lang Stakes, sends out West Point Thoroughbreds and Melvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler in this year's 46th running of the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Maryland-bred Jaxson Traveler broke his maiden last September debuting at Pimlico. He has won four of five starts, with his most recent victory coming in the listed six-furlong Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn on April 24. Asmussen also has entered Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt's Mighty Mischief, a 4 ½ length optional-claiming winner last time out at Oaklawn. Lea Farms' Florida-bred Willy Boi, trained by Jeff Engler, won the listed Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream in March.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA3-EQB.html
1:26 p.m. – $150,000 Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico on TVG
Alex G. Campbell Jr.'s 5-year-old mare Mean Mary, 6-5 on the morning line, seeks her fourth graded-stakes win when she makes her 2021 debut in Pimlico's G3 Gallorette at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares on turf. Trained by Graham Motion, last year Mean Mary won the G3 Orchid and the G3 La Prevoyante, both at Gulfstream, and the G2 New York at Belmont, before losing a heartbreaker to Rushing Fall by a neck in Saratoga's G1 Diana. Mean Mary finished seventh in the G1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf to close out the season. The Christophe Clement-trained Feeling Glorious (GB), a six-time winner, was second in the listed Sand Spring Stakes at Gulfstream on March 27. After six starts in France, Peter Brant's 4-year-old Fighting Lady (IRE) won her U.S. debut in an Aqueduct allowance race on April 3 for trainer Chad Brown.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA6-EQB.html
4:30 p.m. ― $100,000 Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG
Juddmonte's Laurel River made a solid impression with a 4-length maiden special weight score on April 3 at Santa Anita, and has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's G3 Lazaro Barrera for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Bob Baffert trains the bay son of Into Mischief, with Abel Cedillo named to ride. The main challenge should come from Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh's California-bred The Chosen Vron. Trained by Kruljac, The Chosen Vron was third behind Concert Tour and Freedom Fighter in his second start, the G2 San Vicente Stakes, before winning the listed 6 ½-furlong Echo Eddie eight races after Laurel River broke his maiden on the same April 3 program at Santa Anita.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA051521USA3-EQB.html
4:41 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Match Series Stakes at Pimlico on NBCSN
Eleven 3-year-olds will tackle the wide open G3 six-furlong Maryland Sprint Stakes, with Hillside Equestrian Meadows' local 8-year-old gelding Laki getting the chance to show his stuff at Pimlico. Trained by Damon Dilodovico and ridden from post one by Horacio Karamanos, Maryland-bred Laki won his last two starts at Old Hilltop. On April 24, Laki won the listed six-furong Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes, and prior to that, took the G3 Frank J. De Francis last October. Courtland Farm's Strike Power, trained by Steve Asmussen, was one for three at Oaklawn this year, taking an optional claimer and then finishing fourth behind C.Z. Rocket and Whitmore in the G3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 10.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA11-EQB.html
5:38 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico on NBCSN
The Chad Brown-trained Sacred Life (FR) is the 7-5 morning line favorite in an eight-horse field for the 120th running of Pimlico's G2 Dinner Party Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Sacred Life, ridden by Javier Castellano from post 5, has won two of six starts in the U.S. since coming over from France in 2019. He finished third in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in his first start of the year on April 9. Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's 5-year-old Somelikeithotbrown, who finished second in last year's Dinner Party for trainer Mike Maker, and won last year's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch at Saratoga, will try to improve on his seventh-place finish in the April 2 G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA12-EQB.html
5:52 p.m. ―$100,000 Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2
A wide-open field of 11 3-year-old fillies are set for Belmont's Soaring Softly at seven furlongs on the turf, led by the 5-2 morning line choice Toby's Heart. Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Manny Franco, Toby's Heart won the listed 5 ½-furlong TVG Limestone Stakes at Keeneland on April 9 to improve her record to three wins in four starts. Trainer Christophe Clement will start Bach Stables' Bye Bye, who broke her maiden by 2 ¾ lengths at five furlongs at Gulfstream Park on March 21, and Hoolie Racing Stable's and Madaket Stables' Hit the Woah, third last time out in the listed Sanibel Island at Gulfstream on March 27.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL051521USA10-EQB.html
5:58 p.m. ―$150,000 Grade 3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2
Two-time grade 1 winner Arklow makes his 2021 debut against 13 rivals in the G3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs going 1 ½ miles on the turf. A 7-year-old son of Arch, owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway, Arklow finished second by a head in last year's Louisville Stakes. He won the G3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Cup Turf at Kentucky Downs in September, and after a sixth-place finish in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, closed out 2020 by winning the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Trained by Brad Cox, Arklow will be ridden by Florent Geroux. NBS Stable's 6-year-old gelding Spooky Channel has won nine races for trainer Jason Barkley, including the G3 John B. Connally at Sam Houston in January.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD051521USA11-EQB.html
6:38 p.m. – $1,000,000 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes from Pimlico on NBC
Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit, who upset 18 rivals in the May 1 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs at 12-1, is the 9-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's 146th G1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Pending final pre-race testing results from Maryland Racing Commission officials, Medina Spirit will break from post three under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, leading the 10-horse field of 3-year-olds contesting the 1 3/16-mile middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is trying for a record eighth Preakness win, is also starting Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour (5-2), who incurred his first loss in four starts while finishing third in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn last time out and skipped the Kentucky Derby. Winner of both the G2 San Vicente at Santa Anita and G2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, Concert Tour will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith from post 10. (Pre-race testing results on Concert Tour are also pending).
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon (5-1) remains on the Triple Crown trail Saturday after finishing a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby, 8 ½ lengths behind Medina Spirit for trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Preakness with Curlin in 2007 and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Midnight Bourbon finished second in the G2 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby.
Trainer Chad Brown, who won the 2017 Preakness with Cloud Computing, will saddle Klaravich Stables' Crowded Trade and Risk Taking in search of his second Preakness success. Crowded Trade, who finished third in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct last time out, is rated at 10-1 on the morning line, while Risk Taking, who won the G3 Withers before finishing a disappointing seventh in the Wood Memorial, is rated at 15-1. Crowded Trade drew post four, while Risk Taking will break from post nine.
John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer, trained by Michael McCarthy, came from last at the top of the stretch to win the listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in February, and was recently third in the G2 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Japan will be represented in the Preakness with Yuji Inaida's Kentucky-bred France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, who finished sixth in the G2 UAE Derby at Meydan in Dubai.
Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM051521USA13-EQB.html
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