Preakness Stakes Wagering at Pimlico Race Course May 17, 2008

The Preakness Stakes falls on the third Saturday of May each year (May 17th this year) and is raced at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It's the second leg race in the Triple Crown and one of the biggest in horse betting.

The first Preakness Stakes was run in 1873 and won by 11-1 long shot Survivor. The race is a classic 1 3/16 mile (1.91 km) thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds; Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies 121 lb (55 kg).

The winner of the inaugural race was Milton Stanford's Preakness (out of a seven horse field). By 1873 Pimlico introduced another stakes race for three year olds, Baltimore, Maryland Gov. decided to name the race after the first winner at Pimlico. Thus the Preakness Stakes were born.

The biggest long shot to ever win the Preakness is Master Derby in 1975 who paid $48.05 on a $2 bet. It took twenty-six years for a favorite, Smarty Jones; to win the Preakness in 2004 before him was favorite Spectacular Bid in 1979.

The Preakness has hosted some of the greatest horses in modern thoroughbred history including Affirmed (1978), Seattle Slew (1977), Secretariat (1973), Tim Tam (1958), Citation (1948), Assault (1946), Count Fleet (1943), Whirlaway (1941), War Admiral (1937), Omaha (1935), Gallant Fox (1930), Man O' War (1920), Sir Barton (1919), and more.

In the 2007 Preakness Stakes Curlin just got in ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in the final stride and won the Preakness Stakes by a nose, ending Street Sense's chance of winning the 2007 Triple Crown. This year it's a horse called Big Brown making the push for the 2008 Preakness Stakes and Triple Crown. Check out the odds for this, and every big horse race, in the BetUS Racebook.

Preakness News and Betting Information