The Preakness Stakes is an American

thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

held on

Armed Forces Day Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 October, ...

which is also the third Saturday in May each year at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. It is a

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

race run over a distance of 9.5

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...

s () on dirt. Colts and

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

s carry ;

fillies A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

. It is the second jewel of the

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Tri ...

, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

. First run in 1873, the Preakness Stakes was named by a former Maryland governor after the colt who won the first Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico. The race has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a

blanket A blanket is a swath of soft cloth large enough either to cover or to enfold most of the user's body and thick enough to keep the body warm by trapping radiant body heat that otherwise would be lost through convection. Etymology The term ...

of Maryland's state flower is placed across the withers of the winning colt or filly. Attendance at the Preakness Stakes ranks second in North America among equestrian events, surpassed only by the Kentucky Derby.

History

Two years before the Kentucky Derby was run for the first time, Pimlico introduced its new stakes race for three-year-olds, the Preakness, during its first-ever spring race meet in 1873. Then

Maryland governor The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...

Oden Bowie Oden Bowie (November 10, 1826December 4, 1894), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 34th Governor of the State of Maryland in the United States from 1869 to 1872. Childhood He was born in 1826 at Fairview Plantation in Coll ...

named the then mile and one-half (2.41 km) race in honor of the colt

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

from Milton Holbrook Sanford's

Preakness Stud Preakness Stud was the Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation established by Medway, Massachusetts businessman Milton H. Sanford in the Preakness section of Wayne, New Jersey at what today is the corner of Valley Road and Preakness Av ...

, Wayne Township,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, who won the Dinner Party Stakes on the day Pimlico opened (October 25, 1870). The New Jersey name was said to have come from the Native American name ''Pra-qua-les'' ("

Quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...

Woods") for the area. After Preakness won the Dinner Party Stakes, his jockey, Billy Hayward, untied a silk bag of gold coins that hung from a wire stretched across the track from the judges' stand. This was the supposed way that the "wire" at the finish line was introduced and how the awarding of "purse" money came to be. In reality, the term "purse", meaning prize money, had been in use for well over a century. SirBarton-Johnny Loftus-1919Preakness

The first Preakness, held on May 27, 1873, drew seven starters. John Chamberlain's three-year-old, Survivor, collected the $2,050 winning purse by galloping home easily by 10

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Interna ...

s. This was the largest margin of victory until 2004, when

Smarty Jones Smarty Jones (February 28, 2001) is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and came second in the Belmont Stakes. Background Born at Fairthorne Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the horse was n ...

won by 11 1/2 lengths. In 1890,

Morris Park Racecourse Morris Park Racecourse was an American Thoroughbred horse race, thoroughbred horse racing facility from 1889 to 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1895 and later developed as the neighb ...

in the

Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state, state of New York (state), New York. It is south of Westchester County, New York, Westchester County; north and east of the ...

hosted the Preakness Stakes. This race was run under handicap conditions, and the age restriction was lifted. The race was won by a five-year-old horse named Montague. After 1890, there was no race run for three years.Sowers, Richard B. ''The Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont: A Comprehensive History'' For the 15 years from 1894 through 1908, the race was held at

Gravesend Race Track Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend in Brooklyn, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility that opened in 1886 and closed in 1910. The track was built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club with the backing of Philip and Michael Dwyer, two wealthy raci ...

on Coney Island, New York. In 1909 it returned to Pimlico. Seven editions of the Preakness Stakes have been run under handicap conditions, in which more accomplished or favored horses are assigned to carry heavier weight. It was first run under these conditions in 1890 and again in the years 1910–1915. During these years, the race was known as the Preakness Handicap. In March 2009 Magna Entertainment Corp., which owns Pimlico, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy thus throwing open the possibility the Stakes could move again. On April 13, 2009, the Maryland Legislature approved a plan to buy the Stakes and the Pimlico course if Magna Entertainment cannot find a buyer. Attendance at the Preakness Stakes ranks second in North America and usually surpasses the attendance of all other stakes races including the

, the

Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, ...

and the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday ...

. The attendance of the Preakness Stakes typically only trails the Kentucky Derby, for more information see American thoroughbred racing top attended events. In February 2017, the Maryland Stadium Authority released the first phase of a study saying that Pimlico needed $250 million in renovations. As of May of that year, no one showed interest in financing the work.

The Stronach Group Stronach Group, doing business as 1/ST, is an entertainment and real estate company in North America with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park, was only interested in moving the Preakness Stakes to Laurel Park unless someone else financed work on Pimlico. In October 2019, The Stronach Group reached an

agreement in principle In law, an agreement in principle is a stepping stone to a contract. Such agreements with regard to the principle are usually considered fair and equitable. Even if not all details are known, an ''agreement in principle'' may, for example, outline ...

with the city of Baltimore and groups representing Maryland horsemen that would permanently keep the Preakness at Pimlico. As part of the agreement, Pimlico's grandstand would be demolished and replaced with a smaller structure, and temporary seating would be added to handle the attendance during Preakness week. The Racing and Community Development Act, approved by the Maryland state legislature in May 2020, allows the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue $375 million in bonds for the renovation of both Stronach Group tracks. The 145th running of the Preakness Stakes was held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, a delay resulting from the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

outbreak earlier in the year, and setting the year's contest four weeks after the also-delayed Kentucky Derby. It was held without spectators for health reasons because of the outbreak.

Evolution of the Triple Crown series

The Preakness is the second leg in American thoroughbred racing's

series and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, some of the other horses that ran in the Derby, and often a few horses that did not start in the Derby. The Preakness is miles, or

furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in ho ...

(1.88 km), compared to the Kentucky Derby, which is miles / 10 furlongs (2 km). It is followed by the third leg, the

, which is miles / 12 furlongs (2.4 km). Since 1932, the order of Triple Crown races has the Kentucky Derby first, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. Prior to 1932, the Preakness was run before the Derby eleven times. On May 12, 1917, and again on May 13, 1922, the Preakness and the Derby were run on the same day. To date, the Preakness is run on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks before the

. Consequently, the race is run no earlier than May 15, and no later than May 21. One exception is 2020, as that race was run in early October due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

Traditions

Traditionally, just after the horses for the Preakness were called to the post, the audience was invited to sing the third verse of "

Maryland, My Maryland "Maryland, My Maryland" was the state song of the U.S. state of Maryland from 1939 until 2021. The song is set to the melody of "Lauriger Horatius" — the same tune "O Tannenbaum" was taken from. The lyrics are from a nine-stanza poem written by ...

", the official state song of

. For many years, the Baltimore Colts' Marching Band would lead the song from the infield; in later years, it was sung by the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

Glee Club A glee club in the United States is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs by trios or quartets. In the late 19th century it w ...

. Use of the song was discontinued as of the 2020 edition of the race—the song "which celebrates the Confederacy, is considered by some to be racist.” As soon as the Preakness winner has been declared official, a painter climbs a ladder to the top of a replica of the Old Clubhouse

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome. The word derives, via Italian, fro ...

. The colors of the victorious owner's silks are applied on the jockey and horse that are part of the

weather vane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...

atop the infield structure. The practice began in 1909 when a horse and rider weather vane sat atop the old Members' Clubhouse, which was constructed when Pimlico opened in 1870. The Victorian building was destroyed by fire in June 1966. A replica of the old building's cupola was built to stand in the Preakness winner's circle in the infield. A blanket of yellow flowers daubed with black lacquer to recreate the appearance of a black-eyed Susan is placed around the winning horse's neck at this time, and a replica of the

Woodlawn Vase The Woodlawn Vase is an American trophy given annually to the winning owner of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Overview of the trophy After the Preakness Stakes is run each year on the third Saturday of May, t ...

is given to the winning horse's owner. Should that horse have also won the Kentucky Derby, speculation and excitement immediately begin to mount as to whether that horse will go on to win the

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, often shortened to Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for Thoroughbreds, often restricted to three-year-olds. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplis ...

at the

in June.

Winning the race

In 1917, the first

was awarded to the Preakness winner, who was not allowed to keep it. Eventually, a half-size reproduction of the trophy was given to winners to keep permanently. The original trophy is kept at the

Baltimore Museum of Art The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is an art museum that was founded in 1914. The BMA's collection of 95,000 objects encompasses more than 1,000 works by Henri Matisse anchored by the Cone Collection of ...

and brought to the race each year under guard, for the winner's presentation ceremony. In 1940, it was proposed to drape the winning horse in a garland of the Maryland State flower, ''

Rudbeckia hirta ''Rudbeckia hirta'', commonly called black-eyed Susan, is a North American flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Eastern and Central North America and naturalized in the Western part of the continent as well as in China. It has now b ...

'', commonly called black-eyed Susans. This posed a problem, as the race is run nearly two months before the flowers come into bloom in late June or July. At first, yellow Viking daisies were painted to resemble black-eyed Susans. Painted flowers have been discontinued since the first decade of the current millennium and viking poms, a member of the chrysanthemum family, are now used. Although the Preakness is sometimes referred to as "the race for the black-eyed Susans", no black-eyed Susan is ever used. In 1918, 26 horses entered the race, and it was run in two divisions, providing for two winners that year. Currently, the race is limited to 14 horses. In 1948, the Preakness was televised for the first time by

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

. The Preakness has been run at seven different distances: * miles (2.41 km) : 1873–1888, 1890 * miles (2.01 km) : 1889 * miles (1.71 km) : 1894–1900, 1908 *1 mile 70 yards (1.67 km) : 1901–1907 *1 mile (1.61 km) : 1909, 1910 * miles (1.81 km) : 1911–1924 * miles (1.91 km) : 1925–present

Purse money

At its inauguration in 1873, the Preakness carried a value of $1,000. The first major increase occurred in 1919 when the race had a $25,000 value. It climbed to $100,000 in 1946 and in 1959 was raised to $150,000. Subsequent increases occurred from 1979 to 1989, when the purse rose four times from $200,000 to $500,000, before going to $1 million in 1997. On December 12, 2013, the Maryland Jockey Club announced for the 2014 running of the Preakness, the purse would be increased from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000.

InfieldFest

The race has had something of a party atmosphere in the past, especially in the infield, which is general admission.Elbow Room in the Infield
''New York Times'', May 16, 2009 The course had a " bring your own booze" policy until 2009, formerly including kegs of beer but in the 2000s restricted to all the beer cans a person could carry in a cooler. However, despite crowds in excess of 100,000, the BYOB policy was canceled in 2009 after videos of intoxicated people running along the tops of lines of portable toilets while being pelted by beer cans reached a large audience."At Preakness, Not Everybody's Idea of Fun"
''New York Times'', May 17, 2011Mihoces, Gar

''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'', May 16, 2011. Retrieved on May 18, 2011. In 2009, with the alcohol ban, race attendance dropped to 77,850 after topping 100,000 for eight consecutive years. In 2010, and the Maryland Jockey Club responded with a new event called "InfieldFest" with performances by musical acts, the "Mug Club", which included an infield ticket and an unlimited-refill beer mug, and a mascot named "

Kegasus Kegasus was the mascot for the infield party for the 2011 Preakness Stakes, portrayed by a human in a centaur costume. Dubbed "Lord of the InfieldFest", Kegasus borrowed his name from Pegasus and keg. Unlike Pegasus, Kegasus was not a winged hors ...

", a play on

keg A keg is a small barrel. Wooden kegs made by a cooper were used to transport nails, gunpowder, and a variety of liquids. A keg is normally now constructed of stainless steel, although aluminium can be used if it is coated with plastic on th ...

and pegasus (though actually a

centaur A centaur ( ; grc, κένταυρος, kéntauros; ), or occasionally hippocentaur, is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse. Centaurs are thought of in many Greek myths as being ...

). The much-derided Kegasus was retired in 2013. In 2010, ticket sales had recovered to 95,760 and have since stayed high. Aside from InfieldFest, the race is known for its fancy hats and official cocktail, the Black-eyed Susan, made with

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

, St-Germain liqueur and pineapple, lime and orange juices.

Records

Speed record: * miles (1.91 km) – 1:53 –

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...

(1973)

, the 1973 winner (and ultimately Triple Crown winner) was originally credited with a running time of 1:55. Two ''

Daily Racing Form The ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) (referred to as the ''Racing Form'' or "Form" and sometimes "telegraph" or "telly") is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of raceh ...

'' clockers, however, had timed Secretariat's Preakness in 1:53 , which would be a new stakes record. A hearing was held over the time discrepancy, where a video replay showed Secretariat reached the wire faster than Canonero II, the then-current record holder, but instead of giving Secretariat the record, the Maryland Jockey Club decided to split the difference and make its official time that of Pimlico's clocker, who had timed the race in 1:54 . The matter was finally resolved in June 2012, when a meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission unanimously ruled to change Secretariat's final time to 1:53 based on testimony and analysis of the race replays. Consequently, Secretariat holds the current official record for all three Triple Crown races. Margin of Victory: * 11½ lengths –

(2004) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

: * 6 –

Eddie Arcaro George Edward Arcaro (February 19, 1916 – November 14, 1997), was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who won more American classic races than any other jockey in history and is the only rider to have won the U.S. Tripl ...

(1941, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1957) Most wins by a trainer: * 7 –

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakn ...

(1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, 2018) * 7 –

R. Wyndham Walden Robert Wyndham Walden (August 2, 1844 – April 28, 1905) was one of the most successful American trainers in thoroughbred horse racing during the last quarter of the 19th century. He was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame ...

(1875, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1888) Most wins by an owner: * 7 – Calumet Farm (1941, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1958, 1968, 2013) (also the leading breeder with 7)

Fillies in the Preakness

Six

have won the Preakness: * 2020 –

Swiss Skydiver Swiss Skydiver (foaled March 10, 2017) is a retired American champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Preakness Stakes, only the sixth filly to win the second leg of the Triple Crown. She also won the 2020 Santa Anita Oaks, 2020 Alabama ...

* 2009 –

Rachel Alexandra Rachel () was a Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob's two wives, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Rachel's father was Laban. Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. Her aun ...

* 1924 –

Nellie Morse Nellie Morse (1921–1941) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the fourth filly to win the Preakness Stakes. After her retirement from racing, she became a successful and influential broodmare. Background Her sire was Lu ...

* 1915 – Rhine Maiden * 1906 – Whimsical * 1903 – Flocarline

Winners of The Preakness Stakes since 1873

winners are in bold. *Notes: :Timed to second 1873 to 1899, to second 1900 to 2002, to 0.01 second since 2003. :All winners have been three years old, except Montague in 1890 who was five years old. A † designates a filly.
§ D. Wayne Lukas swept the 1995 Triple Crown with two different horses.

Sire lines

* the

Darley Arabian The Darley Arabian (foaled c. 1700) was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock. The other two founders were the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, ...

(1700c) sire line (all branched through the Eclipse (1764) line) produced 128 Stakes winners (119 colts, 3 geldings, 6 fillies), including all winners from 1938 to present. The main branches of this sire line are: ** the

King Fergus King Fergus (1775–1801) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He won several races, but achieved greater success as a sire. He was British Champion sire in 1797 and his progeny included St Leger Stakes winner Hambletonian, who was only def ...

(1775) branch (all branched through the

Voltigeur The Voltigeurs were French military skirmish units created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon I. They replaced the second company of fusiliers in each existing infantry battalion. Etymology ''Voltigeurs'' ( ɔltiʒœʀ English: "acrobats") were named ...

(1847) line), produced 13 winners. His sire line continued primarily through his son Vedette (1854) with 12 winners, due primarily to his son

Galopin Galopin (1872–1899) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from June 1874 until October 1875 he ran nine times and won eight races. He was one of the best British two-year-olds of 1874, winning his fir ...

(1872) with 9 winners (exclusively through

St. Simon Simon the Zealot (, ) or Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Canaanean (, ; grc-gre, Σίμων ὁ Κανανίτης; cop, ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲓ-ⲕⲁⲛⲁⲛⲉⲟⲥ; syc, ܫܡܥܘܢ ܩܢܢܝܐ) was one of the most obscure among the apostl ...

(1881), most recently

Pleasant Colony Pleasant Colony (May 4, 1978 – December 31, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was named the 1981 American Champion Three-Year-Old. Background A big, gangly horse stan ...

in 1981).Pleasant Colony Pedigree
/ref> ** the

Potoooooooo Potoooooooo or variations of Pot-8-Os (1773 – November 1800) was an 18th-century thoroughbred racehorse who won over 30 races and defeated some of the greatest racehorses of his time. He went on to be an important sire, whose leading runners i ...

(1773) branch produced 114 winners (all branched through the Waxy (1790) line), including all winners from 1982 to present. The primary branch of this sire line is through Whalebone (1807), which has produced 113 winners. In turn, the primary branch continues through

Sir Hercules Sir Hercules (1826–1855) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, and was later a successful sire. Pedigree Sir Hercules was by the great sire Whalebone, winner of The Derby, out of Peri (1822) by Wanderer. Peri was bred to Whalebone at th ...

(1826), which has produced 95 winners (including all winners since 1984), and then the Birdcatcher (1833) branch which produced 89 winners. From Birdcatcher, the branch of The Baron (1842) has produced 83 winners (exclusively through the Stockwell (1849) line). Birdcatcher's grandson

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

(1870) sired

Bend Or Bend Or (1877–1903) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1880 Epsom Derby. His regular jockey Fred Archer, winner of thirteen consecutive British jockey titles, said Bend Or was probably the greatest horse he had ever ridden. No ...

(1877), whose sire line accounts for 75 winners. The main branch of the Bend Or sire line continued through his son

Bona Vista Bona Vista (1889–1909) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he won the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs. As a three-year-old he won the Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket Biennial Stakes, before winning th ...

(1889) with 61 winners, nearly exclusively through the

Phalaris Phalaris ( el, Φάλαρις) was the tyrant of Akragas (now Agrigento) in Sicily, from approximately 570 to 554 BC. History Phalaris was renowned for his excessive cruelty. Among his alleged atrocities is cannibalism: he was said to have e ...

(1913) line with 60 winners, which has dominated in the last several decades (including all winners from 1984 to present) through the following sons: ***the Fairway (1925) branch (1 winner, most recently

Bally Ache Bally Ache (February 3, 1957 – October 28, 1960) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Preakness Stakes in 1960 but died later that year. In her book ''American Classic Pedigrees (1914–2002)'', author Avalyn Hunter wrote that Ba ...

in 1960); ***the

Pharamond Pharamond, also spelled Faramund, is a legendary early king of the Franks, first referred to in the anonymous 8th-century ''Liber Historiae Francorum'', which depicts him as the first king of the Franks. Historical sources and scholarship Pharam ...

(1925) branch (5 winners, most recently

Silver Charm Silver Charm (foaled February 22, 1994) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and 1998 Dubai World Cup (all of which he is the oldest surviving winner). He stood at stud in both Amer ...

in 1997); ***the

Sickle A sickle, bagging hook, reaping-hook or grasshook is a single-handed agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting Succulent plant, succulent forage chiefly for feed ...

(1924) branch, which has produced all winners from 2021 to present (25 winners exclusively through Polynesian (1942) with his win in the

1945 Preakness Stakes 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which Nuclear weapon, nuclear weapons Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have been used in combat. Events Below, ...

, continued exclusively through his son Native Dancer (1950) with his win in the 1953 Preakness Stakes, continued primarily through his son

Raise a Native Raise a Native (April 18, 1961 – July 28, 1988) was an undefeated Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorse that was named 1963 champion two-year-old colt in the Turf and Sport Digest poll and was the highest rated juvenile in the Experimental Free ...

(1961) with 21 winners, down through

Mr Prospector Mr. Prospector (January 28, 1970 – June 1, 1999) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who became an outstanding breeding stallion and notable sire of sires. A sprinter whose career was cut short by repeated injuries, he won seven of his 14 starts, i ...

(1970) with 18 winners through 9 different sons: Tank’s Prospect, with his win in the 1985 Preakness Stakes, and 8 other sons through their progeny, with his son

Fappiano Fappiano (May 19, 1977 – September 3, 1990) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse whose most important win was the 1981 Metropolitan Handicap. When retired to stud, he became a major sire whose offspring included Kentucky Derby winner Unbridle ...

(1977) accounting for 5 winners (most recently

Early Voting Early voting, also called advance polling or pre-poll voting, is a convenience voting process by which voters in a public election can vote before a scheduled election day. Early voting can take place remotely, such as via postal voting, or in ...

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...

)); ***the

Pharos The Lighthouse of Alexandria, sometimes called the Pharos of Alexandria (; Ancient Greek: ὁ Φάρος τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, contemporary Koine ), was a lighthouse built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, during the re ...

(1920) branch (29 winners all branched through the

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

(1935) line, through his sons Royal Charger (1942),

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

(1954), and Nasrullah (1940)). The Royal Charger branch produced 5 winners (most recently

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

), the Nasrullah branch produced 11 winners primarily due to his son Bold Ruler (1954) with 10 winners (most recently

California Chrome California Chrome (foaled February 18, 2011) is a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who won the 2014 Kentucky Derby, 2014 Preakness Stakes, Preakness Stakes, and 2016 Dubai World Cup. He was the 2014 and 2016 American Hor ...

in 2014), while the Nearctic branch produced 13 winners, exclusively through his son

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred who, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He then became one of the most successful sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canad ...

(1961) with his win in the 1964 Preakness Stakes, and direct male progeny of 12 winners, most recently

War of Will ''War of Will'' is the second studio album by American extreme metal band Battlecross. Produced at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, FL, the work was released on July 9, 2013 via Metal Blade Records peaking at No. 2 on Heatseekers Albums durin ...

in 2019, with his son

Storm Bird Storm Bird (19 April 1978 – 3 December 2004) was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the outstanding European two-year-old of 1980, when he was unbeaten in five races, including the Anglesey Stakes, Natio ...

(1978) accounting for 5 winners (most recently Justify in 2018). *** Special notes: **** An offshoot of the Whalebone (1807) branch, the

Camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...

(1822) branch (14 winners exclusively through the Touchstone (1831) line), produced 1983 Preakness Stakes winner Deputed Testimony through his grandson Newminster's (1848) branch. Since then, each winner of the Preakness Stakes has gone through Whalebone's more frequent sire line branch of Sir Herecules (1826). The Newminster branch is the more common of the two branches derived through Camel with 8 winners. Newminster's brother

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

(1841) produced 6 winners (exclusively through the

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

(1898) line with 6 winners), most recently

Carry Back Carry Back (April 16, 1958 – March 24, 1983) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1961 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was named the 1961 Champion Three-Year-Old. He won 21 of his 61 races, including the Metro ...

in 1961.Carry Back Pedigree
/ref> **** The Sir Hercules (1826) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Birdcatcher (1833), and the secondary branch of

Faugh-a-Ballagh Faugh-a-Ballagh (foaled 1841 in Ireland) was a Thoroughbred racehorse. A brother to Birdcatcher, Faugh-a-Ballagh was sold to E. J. Erwin in 1842. He ran once as a two-year-old at the Doncaster's Champagne Stakes, finishing third to The Cure an ...

(1841) which produced 6 winners (exclusively through the Leamington (1853) line), most recently 1901 Preakness Stakes winner

The Parader The Parader (1898 – August 1902) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1901 Preakness Stakes and finishing second in the Belmont Stakes. Background The Parader was a bay horse bred by the Belle Meade Stud of ...

.The Parader Pedigree
/ref> **** The Birdcatcher (1833) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of The Baron (1842), and the secondary branch of

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

(1857) which produced 6 winners (exclusively through the Sterling (1868) line), most recently 1946 Preakness Stakes winner Assault. **** The Bend Or (1877) branch produced two main lines: the primary branch of Bona Vista (1889), and the secondary branch of

Ormonde Ormonde is a surname occurring in Portugal (mainly Azores), Brazil, England, and United States. It may refer to: People * Ann Ormonde (born 1935), an Irish politician * James Ormond or Ormonde (c. 1418–1497), the illegitimate son of John Butl ...

(1883) which produced 10 winners (primarily through the

Teddy Teddy is an English language given name, usually a hypocorism of Edward or Theodore. It may refer to: People Nickname * Teddy Atlas (born 1956), boxing trainer and fight commentator * Teddy Bourne (born 1948), British Olympic epee fencer * Tedd ...

(1913) line with 8 winners), most recently 1967 Preakness Stakes winner

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

.Damascus Pedigree
/ref> * the

Byerley Turk The Byerley Turk (c. 1680 – c. 1703), also spelled Byerly Turk, was the earliest of three stallions that were the founders of the modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock (the other two are the Godolphin Arabian and the Darley Arabian).Ahnert ...

(1680c) sire line produced 13 winners (10 colts, 3 geldings). The main branches of this sire (all branched through the Herod (1758) line) are: ** the

Highflyer Highflyer, highflier or high flyer may refer to: * Highflyer (horse), a British Thoroughbred racehorse * High flyer (fishing), a vertical floating pole used to locate fishing lines * HMS ''Highflyer'', various Royal Navy ships * Yamhill High Fly ...

(1774) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Montague in

1890 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa. ** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River. * January 2 ** The steamship ...

Montague
/ref> ** the

Florizel Florizel (1768–1791) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a bay son of Herod foaled in 1768. As a sire he produced 175 winners who won a total of 75,901 pounds. Offspring included Eager (winner of the 1791 Derby), Tartar (St. Leg ...

(1768) branch produced 6 winners (all branched through the Lexington (1850) line), most recently

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

in 1900Tom Ochiltree
/ref>Shirley
/ref>Cloverbrook
/ref>Duke of Magenta
/ref>Dunboyne
/ref>Hindus
/ref> ** the

Woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. ...

(1773) branch produced 6 winners (all branched through the

Buzzard Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey. ''Buteo'' species * Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'') * Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'') * Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') * Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') * Eastern ...

(1787) line). The main branches of this sire line are: ***the Castrel (1801) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Kalitan in 1917Kalitan
/ref> ***the Selim (1802) branch produced 5 winners (all branched through the

Vandal The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...

(1850) line). The main branches of this sire line are: **** Survivor (1870), winner of the 1873 Preakness StakesSurvivor
/ref> ****the

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

(1864) branch produced 4 winners ( 1882 Preakness Stakes winner

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

,Vanguard
/ref> and 3 winners branched through the Hindoo (1878) line), most recently Buskin in 1913Buddhist
/ref>Half Time
/ref>Buskin
/ref> * the Godolphin Arabian (1724c) sire line produced 7 winners (6 colts, 1 gelding). The main branches of this sire (all branched through the

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

(1858) line) are: **the

Attila Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...

(1871) branch produced 1 winner, most recently Tecumseh in 1885Tecumseh
/ref> **the

Spendthrift A spendthrift (also profligate or prodigal) is someone who is extravagant and recklessly wasteful with money, often to a point where the spending climbs well beyond his or her means. "Spendthrift" derives from an obsolete sense of the word "thrift" ...

(1876) branch produced 6 winners ( 1894 Preakness Stakes winner

Assignee An assignment is a legal term used in the context of the law of contract and of property. In both instances, assignment is the process e whereby a person, the ''assignor'', transfers rights or benefits to another, the ''assignee''.For the assig ...

(1891)Assignee
/ref> and 5 winners branched through the

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

(1893) line), including: *** Don Enrique (1904), winner of the

1907 Preakness Stakes Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Music ...

Don Enrique
/ref> *** the

Fair Play Fair play or Fairplay usually refers to sportsmanship. Fair play or Fairplay may also refer to: Media * ''Fair Play'' (1925 film), an American silent film * ''Fair Play'', a 1972 TV movie starring Paul Ford * ''Fair Play'' (2014 film), a Czech ...

(1905) branch produced 4 winners, most recently

War Admiral War Admiral (May 2, 1934 – October 30, 1959) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fourth winner of the American Triple Crown. He was also the 1937 Horse of the Year and well known as the rival of Seabiscuit in the 'Match ...

in 1937Man O War
/ref>Display
/ref>Head Play
/ref> ;Preakness Stakes winners with male-line descendants including other Preakness Stakes winners: * Polynesian ( 1945 winner) – 24 winners (23 colts, 1 gelding); most recently

(

)Native Dancer Pedigree
/ref>Kauai King Pedigree
/ref>Majestic Prince Pedigree
/ref>Little Current Pedigree
/ref>Affirmed Pedigree
/ref>Tanks Prospect Pedigree
/ref>Alysheba Pedigree
/ref>Hansel Pedigree
/ref>Timber Country Pedigree
/ref>Real Quiet Pedigree
/ref>Red Bullet Pedigree
/ref>Point Given Pedigree
/ref>War Emblem Pedigree
/ref>Funny Cide Pedigree
/ref>Smarty Jones Pedigree
/ref>Afleet Alex Pedigree
/ref>Curlin Pedigree
/ref>Lookin at Lucky Pedigree
/ref>I'll Have Another Pedigree
/ref>American Pharoah Pedigree
/ref>Exaggerator Pedigree
/ref>Cloud Computing Pedigree
/ref>Rombauer Pedigree
/ref>Early Voting Pedigree
/ref> * Native Dancer ( 1953 winner) – 23 winners (22 colts, 1 gelding); most recently Early Voting (2022) *

( 1964 winner) – 12 winners (11 colts, 1 filly); most recently

( 2019)Gate Dancer Pedigree
/ref>Summer Squall Pedigree
/ref>Pine Bluff Pedigree
/ref>Tabasco Cat Pedigree
/ref>Charismatic Pedigree
/ref>Charismatic Pedigree
/ref>Big Brown Pedigree
/ref>Rachel Alexandra Pedigree
/ref>Shackleford Pedigree
/ref>Oxbow Pedigree
/ref>Justify Pedigree
/ref>War of Will Pedigree
/ref> * Bold Ruler ( 1957 winner) – 7 colts; most recently

( 2014)Secretariat Pedigree
/ref>Master Derby Pedigree
/ref>Seattle Slew Pedigree
/ref>Spectacular Bid Pedigree
/ref>Risen Star Pedigree
/ref>Bernardini Pedigree
/ref>California Chrome Pedigree
/ref> *

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in ...

( 1977 winner) – 2 colts; most recently California Chrome (2014) *

Gallant Fox Gallant Fox (March 23, 1927 – November 13, 1954) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the second winner of the American Triple Crown. In a racing career which lasted from 1929 to 1930, Gallant Fox won 11 of his 17 races includ ...

( 1930 winner) – 1 colt; Omaha ( 1935)Omaha Pedigree
/ref> *

Man o' War Man o' War (March 29, 1917 – November 1, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time. Several sports publications, including ''The Blood-Horse'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ESPN, and t ...

( 1920 winner) – 1 colt;

( 1937)War Admiral Pedigree
/ref> *

Bold Venture ''Bold Venture'' was a syndicated radio series starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall that aired from 1951 to 1952. Morton Fine and David Friedkin scripted the taped series for Bogart's Santana Productions. Synopsis Salty seadog Slate S ...

( 1936 winner) – 1 colt; Assault ( 1946)Assault Pedigree
/ref> * Citation ( 1948 winner) – 1 colt;

Fabius In Roman mythology, Fabius was the son of Hercules and an unnamed mother. In "The Life of Fabius Maximus" from the '' Parallel Lives'' by Plutarch, Fabius, the first of his name, was the son of Hercules by a nymph or a woman native to the coun ...

( 1956)Fabius Pedigree
/ref> *

( 1973 winner) – 1 colt;

Risen Star Risen Star (March 25, 1985 – March 13, 1998) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in 1988. Background The dark bay colt was the son of the great Triple Crown winner Secretariat and out of ...

( 1988) * Summer Squall ( 1990 winner) – 1 colt; Charismatic ( 1999) *

Curlin Curlin (foaled March 25, 2004, in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the American Horse of the Year in both 2007 and 2008. He retired in 2008 as the highest North American money earner with over US$10.5 million accumu ...

( 2007 winner) – 1 colt;

Exaggerator Exaggerator ( foaled February 5, 2013) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 2016 Preakness Stakes. Racing as a two-year-old in 2015, he won three of his six starts including the Saratoga Special Stakes and the Delta Jac ...

( 2016)

References

External links

*
Among the people of Baltimore's Preakness StakesTen Things You Should Know About the Preakness at Hello Race Fans!The History of The Preakness Stakes
{{Baltimore 1873 establishments in Maryland Annual sporting events in the United States Flat horse races for three-year-olds Grade 1 stakes races in the United States Graded stakes races in the United States Horse races in Maryland Pimlico Race Course Recurring sporting events established in 1873 Sports competitions in Baltimore Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing