Charles John “Chick” Lang Jr. came by his involvement in horse racing naturally: his grandfather and father both played prominent roles in the sport, making the younger Lang’s lifetime investment in the sport inevitable. But this Chick took it to a new level: he played a multitude of roles during his time on the track, including the one he is most famous for as the man who made the Preakness Stakes what it is today.
The $2 million Preakness Stakes May 16 is shaping up to feature a competitive group of contenders for the 1 3/16-mile classic race, even without Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Golden Tempo participating in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The Preakness has been won by some of the
When Canonero II won the 1971 Kentucky Derby, he generated a rather modest return for a $2 win ticket.
Yet that $19.40 winning ticket on the "Caracas Cannonball" had nothing to do with the Venezuelan shipper’s merits and everything to do with his inclusion in a gargantuan six-horse mutuel field.
Based on his form and a star-crossed trip to the United States, Canonero probably would have been dismissed at 100-1 odds in the 97th Kentucky Derby. Maybe even 200-1, but nothing even remotely close to his 8-1 odds.
The opening leg of the 2026 Triple Crown delivered an unforgettable finish and a historic moment as 23-1 longshot Golden Tempo surged to victory in the closing strides of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, making trainer Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Derby winner.
