The 148th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1) will be supported by 15 stakes, eight graded, worth $2.1 million in purses May 19-20 at Pimlico Race Course.
The $300,000 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile feature for 3-year-old fillies, will headline six stakes on the Friday, May 19 card, one day before Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mage is expected to take another step along the Triple Crown trail in the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes on the Saturday, May 20 card with nine supporting stakes.
The Maryland Jockey Club is offering bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend. Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one). First place is worth $50,000.
The Black-Eyed Susan attracted 31 nominations, including Michael Lund Peterson's Faiza and Gold Standard Racing Stable LLC's Hoosier Philly. The Bob Baffert-trained Faiza is undefeated in five career starts, including a 6 ½-length triumph in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) in her most recent start April 8. Tom Amoss-trained Hoosier Philly, a daughter of Into Mischief, won her first three career starts, including the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs, prior to finishing third in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and fourth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Black Type Thoroughbreds, and partners' Sacred Wish, the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) runner-up, and Haymarket Farm LLC's Cats Inthe Timber, who most recently captured the Weber City Miss, a local Black-Eyed Susan 'Win & In' at Laurel Park; are also nominated.
The $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) and the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) will also be renewed on the May 19 program, along with the $100,000 The Very One, the $100,000 Hilltop and the $100,000 Allaire Dupont Distaff.
The Pimlico Special, a 1 3/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, drew 30 nominations, including Grade 1 winner Doppelganger. Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert Masterson, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm LLC, Doppelganger has won three races in a row, including the April 8 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct. Arindel's Clapton, winner of the Ghostzapper (G3) at Gulfstream Park last time out; and Twin Creeks Racing Stable LLC's Law Professor, runner-up in the 2022 Woodward (G1) who most recently won the Excelsior at Aqueduct; are also nominated.
The Miss Preakness, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, collected 31 nominations, including Flurry Racing Stables LLC and Hoffman Family Racing LLC's Key of Life, a Brad Cox-trained daughter of Mo Town who captured the Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland April 16.
The The Very One, a five-furlong turf dash for fillies and mares attracted 38 nominations. The Hilltop, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies drew 49 nominations. The Allaire Dupont Distaff, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for fillies and mares collected 22 nominations.
Four graded stakes will be renewed on the Preakness Day undercard, including the $200,000 Dinner Party (G3), the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3), $100,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) and the $100,000 Gallorette (G3), along with the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, the $100,000 James W. Murphy, the $100,000 Sir Barton, the $100,000 Skipat Stakes, and the $100,000 UAE President Cup,
The Dinner Party, a 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up, received 37 nominations, including the Graham Motion-trained trio of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Speaking Scout, the 2023 Hollywood Derby (G1) winner who finished third in this year's Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream; Madaket Stables LLC's Easter, a French import who is coming off an allowance win at Aqueduct in his 2023 debut; and Team Valor et al's Hurricane Dream, a multiple group-placed French import who is coming off a sharp allowance score at Keeneland in his second U.S. start.
The Chick Lang, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, drew 40 nominations, including Lea Farms LLC's Super Chow, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Lord Nelson trained by Jorge Delgado, who saddled Lightening Larry for a victory in last year's Chick Lang. Super Chow has won six of eight career starts, including the Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park last time out.
The Maryland Sprint Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up, received 36 nominations, including Lea Farms LLC's Lightening Larry, the Jorge Delgado-trained winner of last year's Chick Lang (G3).
The Gallorette, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares on turf, drew 38 nominations, including a Chad Brown-trained trio: Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group LLC, Louis Lazzinnaro and Michael Caruso's Eminent Victor, a multiple graded stakes-placed daughter of Mr. Z.; Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb and Michael Kisber's Chili Flag, a French import who finished second in a Gulfstream allowance in her U.S. debut; and Peter Brant's Arina, a Group 3 winner who finished third in an allowance race at Aqueduct last time out. Motion nominated five to the Gallorette.
The Jim McKay Turf Sprint, a five-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up, received 42 nominations. The James W. Murphy Stakes, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, attracted 48 nominations. The Sir Barton sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to Benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, received 34 nominations. The Skipat, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, collected 30 nominations. The UAE President Cup, a Group 1 Arabian race for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, has nine nominations.
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