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Weekend Lineup Presented By Pimlico: Preakness Headlines Busy Weekend In Maryland

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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NHC Rundown: Olsson Double Qualifies For NHC 2022

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) the previous weekend. A total of five players earned automatic entries into the 2022 NHC from May tournaments on Horseplayers.com and on HorseTourneys. Chris Olsson of Bellmore, N.Y., qualified last Saturday through on Horseplayers.com and on Sunday gained a second NHC qualifying spot playing on HorseTourneys.

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally's Events Center from August 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for January 28-30 at Bally's.

Last weekend's qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:

Horseplayers

Christophe Huttepain of Los Angeles, has qualified for his third NHC. In his first NHC, in 2015, Chris finished 24th, and cashed for $17,400.

Geoffrey Schutt of Salem, Mass., has qualified for his fourth NHC. In 2017, he bankrolled $9,500, finishing 52nd overall. Geoff finally qualified for his first NHC in his ninth attempt. “I realized I needed to change my handicapping completely because it wasn't just the horses, it was trying to learn (and handicap) other players who seemed to be doing everything right,” he recalled. “I know racing luck is a big thing, but there are players who consistently do well, and who consistently make the NHC (and win tournaments). So I tried to study the picks they made. It's been a huge thrill each time I've qualified since, and last Friday's Pick-and-Pray contest is no exception.”

Gregg Kingma of Las Vegas, has qualified for three of the past four years for the NHC.

HorseTourneys

Chris Olsson of Bellmore, N.Y., has qualified for his fifth NHC. His best finish was 26th in 2017, cashing for $15,600. Chris described qualifying twice last weekend for the NHC as “surreal,” and “just feel fortunate that a couple of photos fell my way.” On Saturday, Chris nailed three consecutive races, starting with a $28.80, 10.80 win-place payout on Philo, who won the 12th at Gulfstream by a nose. Later at Santa Anita, Big Passion paid $28.40 with a half-length win in the sixth race, and right after that Niege Blanche ($13.40) won the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes by a nose.

In registering his second 2022 NHC qualification on Sunday, Chris scored on Sanctuary City ($15.40) in the seventh at Belmont and then hit it big with Kanderel coming from behind in the stretch to take the fifth at Santa Anita, and paying $31.40. Two more 7-2 shots “sealed the deal.”

As a teenager, Chris got interested in harness racing first, going to the Roosevelt Raceway on Long Island with his father before gravitating to Thoroughbreds. He credits Noel Michaels' book on tournament play and the contests and seminars that Michaels and Steve Phillips organized at Nassau OTB that were “instrumental” in Chris's improvement as a contest player.

Phil Hoedebeck of Wichita Falls, Texas, is now a 10-time NHC qualifier. He finished 20th in 2012 and 58th last year, cashing for $11,110. Last Sunday, Phil hit four of his last five races, including Runaway Rumor ($21.60) at Belmont and, like Olsson, bagged Kanderel ($31.40) at Santa Anita. Phil started playing the races in the Southwest at Remington Park, Blue Ribbon Downs and Louisiana Downs. He also owns a few claiming horses with friends, and races them at Will Rogers Downs and Lone Star Park.

Click here for the full NHC Leaderboard

Click here for upcoming NHC qualifiers

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Australia: Eduardo To Hit Top Gear In ‘Queensland Winter Carnival’

Eduardo, the world's third-highest ranked racehorse, is the headline act this Friday night in Australia, as the “Queensland Winter Carnival” hits top gear at Doomben Racecourse. Eduardo will line up in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 over six furlongs which will be broadcast live on TVG and available to stream on the new Sky Racing World App (First Post: 9:38 p.m. ET / 6:38 p.m. PT).

Just as America's best eastern stables head south to Florida for the winter, Australia's focus shifts to its northeastern state of Queensland during the Southern Hemisphere winter. In fact, Florida and Queensland share the moniker “Sunshine State.” Queensland's capital, Brisbane, is Australia's third-largest city and my hometown. Its two racetracks, Doomben and Eagle Farm, are across the street from each other and will hold a Group One race six of the next seven weeks.

This Friday night, the G1 Doomben 10,000 is the seventh on a nine-race card. The six furlong weight-for-age event features late-blooming sprint star Eduardo (7-5 favorite). While always hinting at top-level ability, Eduardo was sporadically raced through his 6-year-old season, winning 4 of 13 starts. Since transferring to trainer Joe Pride, the gelding's 7-year-old season has yielded a pair of G2 victories and a G1 triumph from seven outings. His performances during the recent Sydney Autumn Carnival – which included breaking Randwick's five furlong track record in the G1 Galaxy – earned Eduardo his lofty ranking from the International Federation of Racing Authorities. Eduardo hasn't raced for five weeks, but Pride kept him ticking over with a trial (training race) win last Friday in Sydney, before embarking on the 580-mile van ride north to Brisbane.

Eduardo's opposition will include an enormously popular horse named The Harrovian (17-1), who has compiled an astonishing 16:14-2-0 record in Queensland since the beginning of 2019. Most of The Harrovian's exploits have been at lesser quality tracks in the far north of the state, but he won a pair of listed stakes races in Brisbane to cap an 11-race win streak that endeared him to fans statewide. While Eduardo and The Harrovian are both 7-year-old geldings, connections of two prospective stallions would love to notch a G1 win to enhance the commercial value of Wild Ruler (7-2) and Splintex (8-1). Wild Ruler, the lone 3-year-old, is coming off a G2 win during the Sydney Autumn Carnival, while 4-year-old Splintex is a last-start G3 Sydney winner.

The latter's trainer, Mark Newnham, would have been elated after drawing the rail, having earlier stated that “It doesn't matter if it's a Group One or a maiden, post positions going six furlongs at Doomben are vital … one to eight would be ideal.”

Godolphin's chances took a hit when their $5 million earner Trekking (6-1) drew gate 10.

Post positions weren't always as significant in six furlong races at Doomben. Apart from the Melbourne Cup, Flemington Racecourse is famous for its straight six furlong course. Modern-day racing fans – even in Brisbane – would be largely unaware that Doomben once had a “Straight Six” course. The Doomben 10,000 was inaugurated in 1933 as the Doomben Newmarket, and its first nine runnings were down the straight course. In 1942, the land was taken by eminent domain to become part of the neighboring Brisbane Airport. The race's name was changed in 1946 to reflect its purse money (in British pounds), which made the Doomben 10,000 the richest sprint race in Australia. That amount would be currently equivalent to US $590,000; the 2021 Doomben 10,000 field will compete for a purse of US $780,000.

Outside of Friday night's four Group races, great interest surrounds the return to action of Love Tap in Race 3. In the span of four races last year, the 3-year-old son of Tapit went from a debut win at an obscure “country” track to a G3 victory at Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse. An injury in January sidelined Love Tap from the Sydney Autumn Carnival, but the gray gelding is now set to appear for the first time since his only defeat, when well fancied in his Group One debut seven months ago.

The Doomben card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 9:38 p.m. ET / 6:38 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Rosehill, Kembla Grange and Gold Coast. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Wrona's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Wrona also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

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Pimlico Offers Wagering Smorgasbord For Black-Eyed Susan, Preakness Programs

A weekend of world-class racing and entertainment is set to get under way with spectacular back-to-back 14-race programs at Pimlico Race Course highlighted by Friday's 97^th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Saturday's 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Preakness Weekend – the richest and most visible on the Maryland racing calendar which this year features 16 stakes, 10 graded, worth $3.25 million in purses over the two-day span – returns to its traditional spot in mid-May after being pushed back to early October 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, the latest in its history.

Black-Eyed Susan Day gets under way at 11:30 a.m. and will have six stakes, four graded, worth $1 million in purses anchored by the prestigious 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies that has produced seven Hall of Famers and four other divisional champions including one Preakness winner (Nellie Morse, 1924) since first run as the Pimlico Oaks in 1919.

The Black-Eyed Susan is carded as Race 13 with a scheduled post time of 5:47 p.m. EST. Among its supporting stakes are the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles; $150,000 Allaire du Pont for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles; and $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Advance wagering for the entire Preakness Day program will be available on Friday's Black-Eyed Susan Day. There will also be a special double wager linking the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness, with a $1 minimum bet.

The Early Pick 5 begins in Race 2 (12:01 p.m.) while the Late Pick 5 covers Races 9-13 and includes the $100,000 The Very One, Miss Preakness, $100,000 Hilltop, Pimlico Special and Black-Eyed Susan.

Saturday's Preakness Day begins at 10:30 a.m. ET with the $100,000 Sir Barton for 3-year-olds leading off a lineup of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.25 million in purses. The Preakness, mid-point for 11 of the 13 Triple Crown winners including its two most recent in American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), was won in historic fashion last fall by Swiss Skydiver, just the sixth filly to accomplish the feat in a race that dates back to 1873.

Post time for the Preakness, carded as Race 13, is scheduled for 6:47 p.m.

Other graded-stakes on the Preakness Day program are the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) for 3-year-olds and up and $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for females 3 and older, both 1 1/16 miles on grass; $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs; $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3), a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up; and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabian horses.

The Early Pick 5 begins in Race 2 (11:05 a.m.) while the Late Pick 5 spans Races 9-13 and includes the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat, $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Maryland Sprint, Dinner Party and Preakness.

Irad Ortiz Jr., winner of the past three Eclipse Awards as North America's champion jockey, has 15 mounts over Preakness Weekend including 14 of the 15 Thoroughbred stakes. He is named on stakes winner The Grass Is Blue in the Black-Eyed Susan and Jan. 16 Lecomte (G3) winner Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness.

Mike Maker will look to claim the top prize of $50,000 for a second straight year in the Maryland Jockey Club's Preakness Weekend stakes bonus program. Maker entered eight horses in six different stakes, including Army Wife in the Black-Eyed Susan and the pair of Last Judgment and Treasure Trove in the Pimlico Special.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the top prize winner in 2017 and 2018, entered horses in 10 stakes, led by Midnight Bourbon in the Preakness. Reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox has horses entered in five stakes, among them is Adventuring in the Black-Eyed Susan.

A total of $100,000 in bonus money is available to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness Weekend. The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and fifth through last (one).

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,000 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth.

Preakness LIVE, a wholly reimagined entertainment experience featuring legendary DJ and 2021 NAACP Image Awards Entertainer of the Year D-Nice, Grammy Award-winning rapper 2 Chainz and 2020 breakout rapper Jack Harlow, will be part of the Preakness Day festivities.

Excerpts of Preakness LIVE performances will be shown on NBC during the live race day broadcast from 5-7 p.m. EST and live on D-Nice's #ClubQuarantine Instagram, which will also live stream the Preakness 146 JockeyCam, a thrilling 'second screen experience' that will give fans at home a real-time view of what it is like to be a jockey riding in the Preakness Stakes.

With standardized COVID-19 protocols in place, Preakness 146 weekend will host 10,000 fans for a socially distant entertainment event. Preakness LIVE will offer socially distanced pods for groups of eight to provide a unique and private concert viewing environment for concertgoers. To amplify the experience, food, drinks, merchandise and more will be accessible via mobile phone ordering and served directly to guests in their seated pods along with contactless wagering via the 1/ST BET app.

Tickets for Preakness LIVE can be purchased online at www.preakness.com

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