The Run For The Black-Eyed Susan’s is this weekend and one you won’t want to miss. Viewership and betting was up for the KY Derby and the Preakness is predicted to have a large television audience and handle as well. Live attendance is capped at ten thousand. Here’s the info you need to know now.
Unbridled Honor went from last to second in the Lexington Stakes. He will race in the 146th Preakness Stakes. 
Unbridled Honor went from last to second in the Lexington Stakes. He will race in the 146th Preakness Stakes.
The Grade I Preakness was inaugurated in 1873. It is raced annually, usually. The Preakness is at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland this year, as most years historically. The race is 1 and 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs) on dirt. The purse is $1 million dollars. The winning horse is draped in a flower blanket that looks like black-eyed Susan’s, the state flower. The winning connections get a miniature version of the Woodlawn Vase trophy. The contenders are 3 year-old thoroughbreds. Traditional food includes crab cakes and the drink is the Black-Eyed Susan. The race is lucky 13 on a card of 14 at Pimlico on Saturday. The Preakness will post at 6:47 PM ET. NBCSN will televise the undercard from 2 to 5 PM ET. NBC will broadcast the races from 5 PM until 7 PM ET.
Rombauer finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes. He will race in the 2021 Preakness. 
Rombauer finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes. He will race in the 2021 Preakness. 
Rombauer finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes. He will race in the 2021 Preakness.
The field of ten is as follows by post position/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/and morning- line odds/finish in the KY Derby:
- Ram/Ricardo Santana, Jr./D. Wayne Lukas/Christina Baker and William L. Mack/30-1/not in the KY Derby
- Keepmeinmind/David Cohen/Robertino Diodoro/Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith and Spendthrift Farm,LLC./15-1/7th place
- Medina Spirit/John Velazquez/Bob Baffert/Zedan Racing Stables/9-5/1st place
- Crowded Trade/Javier Castellano/Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables, Inc./10-1/not in the KY Derby
- Midnight Bourbon/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Steven Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC./5-1/6th place
- Rombauer/Flavien Prat/Michael McCarthy, John and Diane Fradkin/12-1/not in the KY Derby
- France Go de Ina/Joel Rosario/Hideyuki Mori/Yuji Inaida/20-1/not in the KY Derby
- Unbridled Honor/Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher/Whisper Hill Farm, LLC./15-1/not in the KY Derby
- Risk Taking/Jose Ortiz/Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables, Inc./15-1/not in the KY Derby
- Concert Tour/Mike Smith/Bob Baffert/Gary and Mary West/5-2/not in the KY Derby
Keepmeinmind, racing in the Bluegrass Stakes, will compete in the 146th Preakness Stakes. 
Keepmeinmind, racing in the Bluegrass Stakes, will compete in the 146th Preakness Stakes. 
Keepmeinmind, racing in the Bluegrass Stakes, will compete in the 146th Preakness Stakes.
The information provided above should give you a nice peek into the Preakness but if you crave more detail, and why not, keep reading as we take an in depth look at the contenders including thoroughbred by name (state of breeding) sire – dam: (career starts: wins-2nds-3rd place finishes) and more.
Ram (KY) American Pharoah – Miner’s Secret: (9:2-1-0) is a ridgling who raced in an allowance at Churchill Downs on KY Derby Day. He has raced at 3 KY tracks and four times at Oaklawn. Ram was never on The Road To The Kentucky Derby. This is his first trip to Maryland. Sire, American Pharoah, won the Preakness on his Triple Crown winning streak. Ram’s trainer, Lukas, is my favorite trainer. He has won the Preakness six times before. Ram’s other connections have no prior Preakness wins.
Keepmeinmind (KY) Laoban – Inclination: (7:1-2-1) finished seventh in the KY Derby. He got Derby points in three of his races. He was second in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and first in the Kentucky Jockey Club all at age two. His two Derby prep races at age three did not lead to wins or points, finishing sixth and fifth. Keepmeinmind has previously only raced in KY and Oaklawn as well. His connections have not won the Preakness before.
Medina Spirit (FL) Prontonico – Mongolian Changa: (6:3-3-0) won the KY Derby! He had been raced at two tracks in California, prior. He broke his maiden in his first race at Los Alamitos. He picked up KY Derby points in four races, all at Santa Anita. He was second in the Sham, first in the Robert B. Lewis, second in the San Felipe and second in the Santa Anita Derby. His trainer, Baffert, is tied for the most Preakness wins with seven. Medina Spirit’s other connections have yet to win the Preakness.
Crowded Trade (KY) More Than Ready – Maude S: (3:1-1-1) is a colt that had earned points in two KY Derby prep races. With all of his career starts at Aqueduct he was second in the Gotham Stakes and third in the Wood Memorial after breaking his maiden at first asking. He did not enter in the KY Derby despite that he had earned the invitation. All of his connections have had Preakness wins. Jockey, Castellano, has won twice. The team: jockey, Castellano, trainer, Brown and owner, Klaravich, have won once before, as the same team in 2017.
Midnight Bourbon (KY) Tiznow – Catch the Moon: (8:2-2-3) finished sixth in the KY Derby. He earned his first KY Derby points at Churchill Downs, second in the Iroquois. He gathered those points in a total of five races. He was third in the Champagne, first in the Lecomte, third in the Risen Star and second in the Louisiana Derby. Trainer, Asmussen, has won the Preakness twice. This is a jockey change for Midnight Bourbon.
Rombauer (KY) Twirling Candy – Cashmere: (6:2-1-1) performed well in KY Derby prep races but did not accept his invitation. He has earned points finishing second in the American Pharoah, first in the El Camino Real Derby, and third in the Blue Grass. His connections have not won the Preakness before.
France Go de Ina (KY) Will Take Charge – Dreamy Blues: (4:2-0-0) is making his first start in America. He raced a two tracks in Japan for three starts and his last entry was in Dubai. He finished sixth in the UAE Derby. While his connections have not won the Preakness, his dam sire, Curlin, won in 2007!
Unbridled Honor (KY) Honor Code – Silvery Starlet: (5:1-1-0) is a pretty gray colt. He did not race in the KY Derby but he did have prep points from two of his races. He was fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby in Florida. Unbridled Honor was second in the Lexington Stakes, at my home track, Keeneland! His connections do not have any Preakness wins, as of now.
Risk Taking (KY) Medaglia d’ Oro – Run A Risk: (5:2-0-0) comes to Maryland from New York racing. He did not make the cut for the KY Derby. He got points with a first place finish in the Withers but then he finished disappointingly, with a seventh place in the Wood Memorial. He shares the trainer/owner combo, Brown/Klaravich with Crowded Trade.
Concert Tour (KY) Street Sense – Purse Strings: (4:3-0-1) had the points to race in the KY Derby but was not entered. He got those points winning the Rebel Stakes and finishing third in the Arkansas Derby, both at Oaklawn. He had previously won both his starts at Santa Anita. Jockey, Smith, has won the Preakness twice. Concert Tour shares his winning trainer, Baffert, with Medina Spirit. That jockey/trainer combo has won the Preakness together in 2018.
Please, make time this weekend to enjoy the fine racing at Pimlico. Take a peek Friday too. On 5/14/21, the fillies face off in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at 5:44 PM ET. I hope you are enjoying Thoroughbred U. Let your friends know where you got your race day information from. Thank you.
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