Preakness Stakes Betting

Preakness Stakes betting began in the spring of 1873 at Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Preakness Stakes was founded by then-Maryland governor Oden Bowie. The horse race had seven entries, with Survivor galloping to an easy ten length victory, the largest in Preakness stakes betting history. In 1890 the Preakness was run at Morris Park in New York, and in 1891, 1892, and 1893 it wasn’t run at all. From 1894 to 1908 the Preakness was held at the Gravesend racetrack in Brooklyn, New York.

The Preakness did not return to its Pimlico Race Course home until 1909. Ever since the 1909 Preakness, won by Effendi, the Preakness has been held at Pimlico every year. In 1918, 26 horses were entered as Preakness betting choices, forcing the race to be run in two divisions. The next year Sir Barton became the first Triple Crown winner in horseracing.

The winner of the Preakness receives the Woodlawn Vase, one of the richest trophies in sports, created by Tiffany in 1860 and valued at well over $1 million. The Preakness Stakes betting winner also gets a blanket of "black-eyed Susans," Maryland’s state flower for winning. Since black-eyed Susans aren’t in bloom at that time of the year, the blanket is actually made of daisies dyed to look like the real thing for the Preakness.

The Preakness has been run at several different distances. It was 1 1/2 miles from 1873 through 1888 and in 1890 while in 1889 it went to 1 1/4. The Preakness horse racing distance then went to 1 1/16 miles from 1894 through 1900 and in 1908. From 1901 through 1907 the distance was 1 mile and 70 yards. The distance for the Preakness was only 1 mile in 1909 and 1910 and 1 1/8 miles from 1911 through 1924. The present Preakness Stakes distance of 1 3/16 miles was established in 1925.

The song of the Preakness Stakes is "Maryland, My Maryland." The Kentucky Derby has the blanket of roses while the Preakness Stakes has the blanket of black-eyed susans. Another Preakness tradition has a painter climbing a ladder to the top of a replica of the Old Clubhouse cupola. He applies the colors of the victorious owner’s silks on the jockey and horse which are part of the weather vane at the top of the infield structure.

Another race on the Preakness Stakes betting card is the Barbaro Stakes. It was previously known as the Sir Barton Stakes but the Maryland Jockey Club changed the name of the race last year to the Barbaro Stakes. Barbaro was the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner and extremely popular race horse when an injury during the Preakness eventually cost him his life so the naming of the race is a tribute to him.

Preakness Stakes betting is not as popular as Kentucky Derby betting but it does have its place. Preakness Stakes horse betting will almost always have the Kentucky Derby winner as the horse racing betting favorite. Betting on the Preakness Stakes gives you a chance to make money if the Derby winner does not win the Preakness.

Many people that look at horse wagering love to bet on Triple Crown races. Betting the Preakness plays a major role in that decision. SBG Global offers horse racing betting tips for all of the Triple Crown betting races, including the Preakness. Online horse racing betting players look at the Preakness as a race for the favorite and that is usually the case.

The 132nd Preakness Stakes on May 19th may see another favorite do well as Street Sense seems to be the logical choice. Those that look at Preakness betting also have an eye on the Belmont Stakes as horse racing experts always get excited about a possible Triple Crown.

Here is a look at each of the Preakness Stakes winners and their jockeys.

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