Horse Racing History: the Preakness Stakes

Between 1939 and 2013, only four fillies have run in the Preakness: Genuine Risk (2nd, 1980), Winning Colours (3rd, 1988); Excellent Meeting (pulled up, 1999); and Rachel Alexandra, who won in 2009. In 2014, the surprise entry of Ria Antonia made it five female runners in the past 75 years; she finished last. The largest entry of fillies in the Preakness was four, in 1905, 1906 and 1909. Since 1921, there has never been more than one. Fillies have won both the first two jewels in the same year only once. Regret and Rhine Maiden won the Derby and Preakness respectively in 1915. The only other fillies to win the Preakness were Nellie Morse, 1924; Whimsical, 1906; Flocarline, 1903; and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. When Whimsical won, another filly named Content ran second, the only time the girls have finished one-two.

The most traumatic Preakness was in 2006, when Derby winner Barbaro shattered a hind leg shortly after the start. The accident led to his death the following year after exhaustive efforts to save his life failed.

When Canonero II won the Derby in 1971, people thought it was a fluke. Canonero proved he was the real deal, blazing through the Preakness to win in a record 1:54.

In 1973, Secretariat won the second jewel on his way to a record-breaking Triple Crown, but the official timer malfunctioned and recorded his time as 1:55. This was later adjusted to 1:54.2, even though he was clocked in a record 1:53.2 by Daily Racing Form clockers. That time was later matched by Tank’s Prospect (1985) and Louis Quatorze (1996). Following a hearing by the Maryland Jockey Club in 2012, Secretariat's official time was adjusted to 1:53 based on video analysis of the race and testimony by witnesses and clockers who timed him that day. That record still stands.

In 2005, Afleet Alex nearly gave his backers a heart attack when he was interfered with while making his stretch run. Alex stumbled, went to his knees, somehow got up with jockey Jeremy Rose still on board, and rallied to win.

Master Derby is the longest shot to win, going off at 23-1 in 1975 to defeat favourite Foolish Pleasure. The longest margin of victory is 11-1/2 lengths recorded by Smarty Jones in 2004.

Only nine Preakness winners have sired Preakness winners. The most recent was Summer Squall, whose son Charismatic won in 1999. The last gelding to win was Funny Cide in 2003.

The largest number of runners in the Preakness was 18 in 1928, with the winner being Victorian, but the race has been restricted to a maximum of 14 starters for several years now. The fewest number was just two, which occurred in 1883 (won by Jacobus over Parnell), 1884, (Knight of Ellerslie defeating Welcher) and 1889 (Buddist over Japhet).

As of 2014, the winningest owner is Calumet Farm with eight Preakness wins between 1941 and 2013, of which seven were homebred horses. Among active trainers, D. Wayne Lukas has the most wins with six and Bob Baffert has five. Most wins by a current jockey is three by Gary Stephens.

While the names of many Preakness winners faded with time, some went on to fame. Aside from the 11 winners of the Triple Crown, other notable Preakness champions include Curlin, Sunday Silence, Spectacular Bid, Northern Dancer, Damascus, Bold Ruler, Nashua, Native Dancer and perhaps the greatest runner of them all, the mighty Man O'War.