Preakness Stakes wagering goes 1-3/16 mile from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on the third Saturday of May each year. Preakness wagering is the second race in America’s Triple Crown of horse racing. Preakness wagering is nicknamed “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” because the winning horse gets a bouquet of black-eyed susans placed around its neck.
Preakness Stakes wagering shows that the race is the shortest of the three Triple Crown races. It decided whether or not there will be a potential Triple Crown at stake in the Belmont Stakes. Preakness wagering was started in 1873 at Pimlico. The first Preakness wagering field had 7 starters and was won by Survivor by 10 lengths, the second largest margin of victory in Preakness history. The winner in Preakness wagering receives the Woodlawn Vase. The first time that Preakness wagering was on television was in 1948 when CBS broadcast the race. The Preakness Stakes wagering record for the fastest race is held by Tank’s Prospect and Louis Quartorze. The largest margin of victory in Preakness wagering history was in 2004 when Smarty Jones won by 11.5 lengths.
Preakness wagering history shows that Curlin won in 2007, upsetting Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense. Bernardini won in 2006 as Preakness Stakes wagering favorite Barbaro broke down. Afleet Alex won in Preakness wagering in 2005 with the Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo not getting much respect. The 2004 winner in Preakness Stakes wagering was Smarty Jones. Funny Cide won in Preakness Stakes wagering in 2003. War Emblem was a Preakness Stakes winner in 2002. Point Given was the 2001 Preakness Stakes winner while Red Bullet upset highly favored Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.
The purse for the Preakness continues to be one of the best in racing. Back in 1959 the purse was $150,000. Twenty years later it rose to $200,000. It rose again in 1983 to $250,000. Two years later it rose to $350,000. In 1989 the purse went up to a half million. The current purse of $1 million dollars came about in 1998. In addition to the purse money for the Preakness, if the Derby winner can win the Preakness, that horse would have a shot at the Triple Crown bonus money.