The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of the Triple Crown and one of the most exciting events in the horse-racing calendar. Held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, the “Race for Black-Eyed Susans” regularly draws fans from across the country.
The first Preakness took place in 1873, joining the Belmont Stakes (which started in 1867). The inaugural Kentucky Derby was held in 1875, completing the trifecta.
The Preakness is the shortest race of the three, with horses running 1 3/16 miles on Baltimore’s famous dirt track. The Kentucky Derby has the next shortest race track (1 1/4 miles) while the Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three races (1 1/2 miles).
For all the hoopla regarding the Triple Crown, only 13 horses have claimed all three races in a calendar year, with the last one to accomplish the feat being Justify in 2018. Shock Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not participate in this year’s iteration of the Preakness Stakes.
Below is a list of the most recent Preakness Stakes champions, all of the Triple Crown winners, and other longshot and record-winning horses at Pimlico Race Course.
Recent Preakness Stakes Champions
Here are some of the most recent winners of the Preakness Stakes:
- 2024: Seize the Grey, 1:56.82
- 2023: National Treasure, 1:55.12
- 2022: Early Voting, 1:54.54
- 2021: Rombauer, 1:53.62
- 2020: Swiss Skydiver, 1:53.28
- 2019: War of Will, 1:54.34
- 2018: Justify, 1:55.93
- 2017: Cloud Computing, 1:55.98
- 2016: Exaggerator, 1:58.31
- 2015: American Pharoah, 1:58.46
- 2014: California Chrome, 1:54.84
- 2013: Oxbow, 1:57.54
- 2012: I’ll Have Another, 1:55.94
- 2011: Shackleford, 1:56.47
- 2010: Lookin At Lucky, 1:55.47
- 2009: Rachel Alexandra, 1:55.08
- 2008: Big Brown, 1:54.86
- 2007: Curlin, 1:53.46
- 2006: Bernardini, 1:54.65
- 2005: Afleet Alex, 1:55.04
- 2004: Smarty Jones, 1:55.59
- 2003: Funny Cide, 1:55.61
- 2002: War Emblem, 1:56.40
- 2001: Point Given, 1:55.40
- 2000: Red Bullet, 1:56.00
Triple Crown Winners
Here are the horses that have won all three races in a single calendar year:
- 2018: Justify – Mike Smith
- 2015: American Pharoah – Victor Espinoza
- 1978: Affirmed – Steve Cauthen
- 1977: Seattle Slew – Jean Cruguet
- 1973: Secretariat – Ron Turcotte
- 1948: Citation – Eddie Arcaro
- 1946: Assault – Warren Mehrtens
- 1943: Count Fleet – Johnny Longden
- 1941: Whirlaway – Eddie Arcaro
- 1937: War Admiral – Charles Kurtsinger
- 1935: Omaha – Willie “Smokey” Saunders
- 1930: Gallant Fox – Earl Sande
- 1919: Sir Barton – Johnny Loftus
Preakness Stakes Records
Some notable records set during the Preakness Stakes include:
- Fastest time: 1:53.00 – Secretariat (1973)
- Largest margin of victory: 11 1/2 lengths – Smarty Jones (2004)
- Most wins by a jockey: 6 – Eddie Arcaro (1938, 1941, 1945, 1948, 1952), Bill Hartack (1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1969)
- Most wins by a trainer: 7 – Bob Baffert (1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, 2018), R. Wyndham Walden (1875, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1888)
- Longest odds to win: 23 to 1 – Master Derby (1975)
Historical Winners
Here is a list of some of the most historic Preakness Stakes winners:
- 1873: Survivor, 2:43.00
- 1874: Culpepper, 2:56.50
- 1875: Tom Ochiltree, 2:43.50
- 1876: Shirley, 2:44.80
- 1877: Cloverbrook, 2:45.50
- 1878: Duke of Magenta, 2:41.80
- 1879: Harold, 2:40.50
- 1880: Grenada, 2:40.50
- 1881: Saunterer, 2:40.50
- 1882: Vanguard, 2:44.50
- 1883: Jacobus, 2:42.50
- 1884: Knight of Ellerslie, 2:39.50
- 1885: Tecumseh, 2:49.50
- 1886: The Bard, 2:45.00
- 1887: Dunboyne, 2:39.50
- 1888: Refund, 2:49.00
- 1889: Buddhist, 2:17.50
- 1890: Montague, 2:36.75
- 1894: Assignee, 1:49.25
- 1895: Belmar, 1:50.50
- 1896: Margrave, 1:51.30
- 1897: Paul Kauvar, 1:51.30
- 1898: Sly Fox, 1:49.80
- 1899: Half Time, 1:47.00
- 1900: Hindus, 1:48.40
- 1901: The Parader, 1:47.20
- 1902: Old England, 1:45.80
- 1903: Flocarline, 1:44.80
- 1904: Bryn Mawr, 1:44.20
- 1905: Cairngorm, 1:45.80
- 1906: Whimsical, 1:45.00
- 1907: Don Enrique, 1:45.40
- 1908: Royal Tourist, 1:46.40
- 1909: Effendi, 1:39.80
- 1910: Layminster, 1:40.60
- 1911: Watervale, 1:51.00
- 1912: Colonel Holloway, 1:56.60
- 1913: Buskin, 1:53.40
- 1914: Holiday, 1:53.80
- 1915: Rhine Maiden, 1:58.00
- 1916: Damrosch, 1:54.80
- 1917: Kalitan, 1:54.40
- 1918: Jack Hare Jr., 1:53.40
- 1919: War Cloud, 1:53.60
- 1920: Man o’ War, 1:51.60
- 1921: Broomspun, 1:54.20
- 1922: Pillory, 1:51.60
- 1923: Vigil, 1:53.60
- 1924: Nellie Morse, 1:57.20
- 1925: Coventry, 1:59.00
- 1926: Display, 1:59.80
- 1927: Bostonian, 2:01.60
- 1928: Victorian, 2:00.20
- 1929: Dr. Freeland, 2:01.60
- 1930: Gallant Fox, 2:00.60
- 1931: Mate, 1:59.00
- 1932: Burgoo King, 1:59.80
- 1933: Head Play, 2:02.00
- 1934: High Quest, 1:58.20
- 1935: Omaha, 1:58.40
- 1936: Bold Venture, 1:59.00
- 1937: War Admiral, 1:58.40
- 1938: Dauber, 1:59.80
- 1939: Challedon, 1:59.80
- 1940: Bimelech, 1:58.60
- 1941: Whirlaway, 1:58.80
- 1942: Alsab, 1:57.00
- 1943: Count Fleet, 1:57.40
- 1944: Pensive, 1:59.20
- 1945: Polynesian, 1:58.80
- 1946: Assault, 2:01.40
- 1947: Faultless, 1:59.00
- 1948: Citation, 2:02.40
- 1949: Capot, 1:56.00
- 1950: Hill Prince, 1:59.20
- 1951: Bold, 1:56.40
- 1952: Blue Man, 1:57.40
- 1953: Native Dancer, 1:57.80
- 1954: Hasty Road, 1:57.40
- 1955: Nashua, 1:54.60
- 1956: Fabius, 1:58.40
- 1957: Bold Ruler, 1:56.20
- 1958: Tim Tam, 1:57.20
- 1959: Royal Orbit, 1:57.00
- 1960: Bally Ache, 1:57.60
- 1961: Carry Back, 1:57.60
- 1962: Greek Money, 1:56.20
- 1963: Candy Spots, 1:56.20
- 1964: Northern Dancer, 1:56.80
- 1965: Tom Rolfe, 1:56.20
- 1966: Kauai King, 1:55.40
- 1967: Damascus, 1:55.20
- 1968: Forward Pass, 1:56.80
- 1969: Majestic Prince, 1:55.60
- 1970: Personality, 1:56.20
- 1971: Canonero II, 1:54.00
- 1972: Bee Bee Bee, 1:55.60
- 1973: Secretariat, 1:53.00
- 1974: Little Current, 1:54.60
- 1975: Master Derby, 1:56.40
- 1976: Elocutionist, 1:55.00
- 1977: Seattle Slew, 1:54.40
- 1978: Affirmed, 1:54.40
- 1979: Spectacular Bid, 1:54.20
- 1980: Codex, 1:54.20
- 1981: Pleasant Colony, 1:54.60
- 1982: Aloma’s Ruler, 1:55.40
- 1983: Deputed Testamony, 1:55.40
- 1984: Gate Dancer, 1:53.60
- 1985: Tank’s Prospect, 1:53.40
- 1986: Snow Chief, 1:54.80
- 1987: Alysheba, 1:55.80
- 1988: Risen Star, 1:56.20
- 1989: Sunday Silence, 1:53.80
- 1990: Summer Squall, 1:53.60
- 1991: Hansel, 1:54.00
- 1992: Pine Bluff, 1:55.60
- 1993: Prairie Bayou, 1:56.60
- 1994: Tabasco Cat, 1:56.40
- 1995: Timber Country, 1:54.40
- 1996: Louis Quatorze, 1:53.40
- 1997: Silver Charm, 1:54.80
- 1998: Real Quiet, 1:54.60
- 1999: Charismatic, 1:55.20
- 2000: Red Bullet, 1:56.00
- 2001: Point Given, 1:55.40
- 2002: War Emblem, 1:56.40
- 2003: Funny Cide, 1:55.61
- 2004: Smarty Jones, 1:55.59
- 2005: Afleet Alex, 1:55.04
- 2006: Bernardini, 1:54.65
- 2007: Curlin, 1:53.46
- 2008: Big Brown, 1:54.86
- 2009: Rachel Alexandra, 1:55.08
- 2010: Lookin At Lucky, 1:55.47
- 2011: Shackleford, 1:56.47
- 2012: I’ll Have Another, 1:55.94
- 2013: Oxbow, 1:57.54
- 2014: California Chrome, 1:54.84
- 2015: American Pharoah, 1:58.46
- 2016: Exaggerator, 1:58.31
- 2017: Cloud Computing, 1:55.98
- 2018: Justify, 1:55.93
- 2019: War of Will, 1:54.34
- 2020: Swiss Skydiver, 1:53.28
- 2021: Rombauer, 1:53.62
- 2022: Early Voting, 1:54.54
- 2023: National Treasure, 1:55.12
- 2024: Seize the Grey, 1:56.82
- 2025: Journalism, 1:55.47
- 2026: Napoleon Solo, 1:58.69
Additional Information
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of the Triple Crown, you can explore the following topics:
