American Pharoah enjoyed a cozy win in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, cruising along off the lead before storming ahead in the final turn to take the Run for the Roses. Now the Preakness Stakes is here, and jockey Victor Espinoza and trainer Bob Baffert will have a laser’s focus turned toward them all week until the gates swing open at Pimlico.
Preakness Stakes 2015 schedule: The second jewel of the Triple Crown is here
All eyes are on American Pharoah this week.
The Preakness runs at 1 3/16 miles, half a furlong shorter than the Kentucky Derby and 2 1/2 furlongs shorter than the Belmont Stakes, which will be run June 6. The shorter distance doesn’t necessarily signal problems for American Pharoah, whose surge to win the Kentucky Derby suggested he had all the gas he could need in the homestretch and that Espinoza could have turned it on sooner.
Baffert has been in this position before. Pharoah was his fourth Derby winner, and each of the previous three also won the Preakness: Silver Charm in 1997, 1998’s Real Quiet and War Emblem in 2002. Real Quiet notably suffered the slimmest loss in the Belmont Stakes, losing to Victory Gallop by all of four inches. Overall, Baffert has won five Preakness Stakes, including the three aforementioned Derby winners and also 2001’s Point Given and 2010’s Lookin at Lucky.
No horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed did so in 1978.
American Pharoah, along with several other Preakness contenders such as Firing Line and Dortmund, will remain at Churchill Downs until a Wednesday flight to Baltimore for the Preakness. Wednesday is also when the post position draw will take place, determining where the horses will start on Saturday and just how heavy a morning line favorite American Pharoah will likely be.
Friday’s racing at Pimlico will feature the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, a Grade II stakes for 3-year-old fillies that is considered the second leg of the Filly Triple Crown that coincides with the three Triple Crown races. Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria is expected to be among the Black-Eyed Susan entrants.
Wednesday, May 13: Preakness Stakes post position draw, 6 p.m. ET, HRTV
Friday, May 15: Black-Eyed Susan Stakes coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET (4:50 p.m. ET post time) on NBCSN
Saturday, May 16: Preakness Stakes coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and moves to NBC at 5 p.m. ET
Preakness Stakes post time: 6:18 p.m. ET
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