Preakness Weekend
PREAKNESS WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES
McCarthy hoping for “clean break” for Journalism
Journalism, beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, is giving trainer Michael McCarthy positive signs he’ll run big — if he avoids trouble.
Maryland racing stakeholders nervously eye the future
The starting gate issues that plagued Pimlico’s opening weekend felt eerily symbolic to some Maryland racing stakeholders.
Preakness 2025 contenders
| HORSE | OWNER | TRAINER | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Billy | RKTN Racing LLC | Michael Gorham | Earned automatic spot via win in the Federico Tesio Stakes and is expected to run in Baltimore |
| American Promise | BC Stables LLC | D. Wayne Lukas | Virginia Derby winner made a middle move to near-even terms with the leader after six furlongs in the Kentucky Derby before fading to 16th; his trainer loves the Preakness |
| River Thames | Winstar Farm LLC et. al. | Todd Pletcher | Connex skipped the Derby despite having the points to go; second in the Fountain of Youth and third in the Blue Grass |
| Heart of Honor | Jim and Claire Limited | Jamie Osborne | British-bred Honor A. P. colt has been second in four of six starts, including last out when runner-up to Admire Daytona in the UAE Derby; that runner finished last in Louisville |
| Journalism | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners et. al. | Michael McCarthy | Beaten favorite when runner-up in the Kentucky Derby hasn't put a foot wrong yet; connections on the fence in Derby aftermath |
| Rodriguez | SF Racing et. al. | Bob Baffert | WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION; The Wood Memorial winner was scratched from the Kentucky Derby in the week before with a foot bruise |
| Clever Again | Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC et. al. | Steve Asmussen | Lightly raced sort didn't debut until April but won the one-mile Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn with ease last out |
| Gosger | Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables LLC | Brendan Walsh | Nyquist colt was an easy winner of the Lexington for his second win in three career outings |
| Goal Oriented | SF Racing et. al. | Bob Baffert | Undefeated (2-for-2) Not This Time colt, a $425,000 yearling, won an allowance on the Kentucky Derby undercard |
| Sandman | DJ Stable and others | Mark Casse | Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby |
Preakness: Nik Juarez back home, spying new heights
Jockey Nik Juarez is back home to see his old retired horse, eat some crabcakes, visit with family and friends — oh, and ride in the Preakness.
VIDEO: Playing the Black-Eyed Susan day late Pick 5
Our handicappers dig into Friday’s late Pick 5, featuring the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the Pimlico Special in an all-stakes sequence.
How the Preakness will develop
Our analyst digs into Saturday’s Preakness Stakes: how the race will develop, who benefits (or not), and how that will affect the outcome.
Greg Compton – and his fillies – hoping for first graded wins
Trainer Greg Compton will send out a pair of fillies Friday at Pimlico as both he and they seek their first graded stakes wins.
Preakness: Gosger carrying hopes of… well, Gosger
Former Major League journeyman Jim Gosger knows who he’s rooting for in the Preakness: the horse that bears his name.
Pimlico: From Preakness pearls to everyday whirls
Passions and more have burned at Pimlico since its grand opening on Oct. 25, 1870. Racetrackers past and present remember.
Kentucky Derby Top Five
| Finish | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mystik Dan | Ken McPeek | Brian Hernandez, Jr. |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | Chad Brown | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 3 | Forever Young | Yoshito Yahagi | Ryusei Sakai |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | Brad Cox | Flavien Prat |
| 5 | T O Password | Daisuke Takayanagi | Kazushi Kimura |
PREAKNESS WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES
High Paf hopes to step up in Miss Preakness
Undefeated Maryland-based High Paf looks to step up in a testy renewal of the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Friday at Pimlico.
Pyrenees seeks to defend Pimlico Special title
Pyrenees was up late to win the 2024 Pimlico Special, kicking off a big year for trainer Cherie DeVaux, and will seek to defend that title Friday.
Preakness 2025: Horse by horse analysis
In this year’s Preakness Stakes horse-by-horse… all the facts and figs on each Preakness runner, including race videos!
Preakness: 20 years on, Afleet Alex and Scrappy T forever connected
Twenty years ago, Afleet Alex and Scrappy T almost collided in a near-accident that no one who experienced it will forget. Their humans remember…
Journalism installed as Preakness favorite
Journalism, beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s 150th Preakness Stakes.
Preakness: John Velazquez to ride Sandman
With his Derby rider headed elsewhere, Sandman will partner with John Velazquez in Saturday’s 150th running of the Preakness Stakes.
Preakness: McCarthy “very pleased” with Journalism
Trainer Michael McCarthy recent flew from his California base to Churchill Downs to see Preakness entrant Journalism and said he is “very pleased.”
Lukas “enjoying every minute” of Preakness 150
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a Preakness lover through and through, is back at age 89 with Virginia Derby winner American Promise.
Evenly matched field set for G2 Black-Eyed Susan
A field of nine will contest Friday’s Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico, and it’s a wide-open group that could be a linemaker’s nightmare.
