Saturday’s $2 million Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park is overflowing with early speed. Horses who prefer to race on or near the lead comprise the vast majority of the field contesting the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.
The 151st Preakness Stakes May 16 at Laurel Park drew a full field of 3-year-0lds attempting to make history for their connections in the Triple Crown series. Fourteen accomplished jockeys will head to the starting gate Saturday evening, including two riders making their Preakness debuts and five that have Preakness wins on their résumés. Let’s meet them:
There may not be a Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies, but at least there’s the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes to complement this weekend’s Preakness. Contested at Laurel Park in 2026, the Black-Eyed Susan will provide an opportunity for 3-year-old fillies who missed the Kentucky Oaks to pick up Grade 2 stakes laurels.
Much more often than not, horses fail to live up to the regal names bestowed upon them. Maiden claiming races are filled with horses that have a "King" or "Queen" in their name. But if a horse ever justified its moniker, few did it as magnificently as Majestic Prince.
Given a name that exuded class, Majestic Prince was indeed equine royalty during a short but spectacular 10-race career that saw him come heart-breakingly close to a Triple Crown sweep in 1969.
