A fan at Pimlico looks at the program on Preakness day in 2019. (Penelope P. Miller/America s Best Racing)
For a race that has 146 years of history behind it, the Preakness Stakes is an incredibly modern even. Half elite day of horse racing, half festival, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown (comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes) has evolved into a destination event for sports and music fans across the country.
If you’re new to the Preakness Stakes, we have the answers to your most important questions about Baltimore’s biggest party.
WHO: Elite 3-year-old Thoroughbreds … male and female
April 28th, 2021
by
Byron KingContent provided by
BloodHorse
Jim McIngvale plans to place a substantial, seven-figure bet on the 2021 Kentucky Derby. (Anne Eberhardt Keogh/BloodHorse)
If Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale gets his wish, many people will be sleeping comfortably the evening of May 1 – himself included.
The horse owner and Houston furniture magnate said April 28 he intends to bet between $2 million and $4 million on the favorite in Saturday s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs. His wager is insurance to cover a promotion his Gallery Furniture stores offer that calls for those buying a mattress valued at $3,000 or higher to receive their purchase for free if the Derby favorite wins.
About: Roadrunner Racing is a partnership headed by Greg Helm, a former advertising executive and current vice president of Desert Classic Charities. Patrick O’Neill is a 26-year-old Brown graduate and vice president for sales and strategic partnerships at Founder Sport Group. O’Neill, along with Brown University frat brothers and football teammates Eric Armagost, Dan Giovaccini, Reiley Higgins, and Alex Quoyeser, comprise Boat Racing. William Strauss was co-founder and CEO of Proflowers, an online floral boutique, and currently sits on the board of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. A resident of Del Mar, Calif., Strauss has found the winner’s circle as an owner with horses including The Pamplemousse, Turbulent Descent, and Mizdirection.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche after winning the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World aboard 72.25-1 longshot Bourbonic April 3 at Aqueduct. (Eclipse Sportswire)
Tom Pedulla is interviewing prominent owners, trainers, and jockeys for America’s Best Racing as they travel the Road to the 147th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Kendrick Carmouche, one of the few prominent African-American jockeys in the country, is featured this week. The native of Vinton, La., began his career in 2000. He is 37 years old and a member of the Hall of Fame at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. He owns more than 3,300 victories and now rides year-round on the New York circuit.
Champion Essential Quality, left, edged Highly Motivated, right, to win the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes April 3 at Keeneland in what was the fastest race in the final stages on the 2021 Kentucky Derby trail. (Coady Photography)
It’s that time of year again! Spring has arrived, the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is just 2 1/2 weeks away, and we’re ready to dig into some deep data to find the next winner of the run for the roses.
The Kentucky Derby is a handicapping challenge unlike any other. It’s the only race in North America where bettors must choose between 20 lightly-raced 3-year-old Thoroughbreds traveling 1 1/4 miles, a distance few (if any) have tackled in the past.