The Preakness Stakes of 2020

With the Belmont Stakes being run first this year, due to the pandemic, and only at 1 1/8 miles instead of 1 1/2  miles, the Triple Crown is just plain strange.  The Kentucky Derby, usually run the first Saturday in May was run on the first Saturday in September, and the Preakness (which is usually run 2 weeks after the Derby, with the Belmont following the Preakness in 3 weeks time) will be run this Saturday, 4 weeks after the Derby.  Confusing, ain't it? 

   Anyway, the Preakness Stakes will be run on 3 October, with a post time of 5:36 pm EDT.  Strangely enough, the Preakness will be run at Pimlico Racecourse, outside of Baltimore, Maryland, as usual.  There was a lot of debate as to whether the race would be run at Old Hilltop, which will be specially opened for 3 days only (October 1 through 3) or at Laurel, which is normally open at this time.

   The race will be run at the usual distance of 1 and 3/16 miles, a half-furlong shorter than the Derby, the colts will carry 126 pounds, and the filly will carry 121 pounds..  The guaranteed purse is $1.5 million.   Tiz The Law, who won the shortened Belmont in June and finished second in the Kentucky Derby, is skipping the Preakness.  The owners and trainer decide that they "wanted a fresh horse" for the Breeders Cup races that will take place 5 weeks after the Preakness.

   There are 11 entries in the Preakness this year, ten colts and one filly.  Nine of the entries were bred in Kentucky, with Thousand Words bred in Florida and Ny Times bred in (surprise!) New York.  The filly, Swiss Skydiver, is a chestnut, Ny Traffic is a gray/roan, and the other nine are bays.  Four of the colts ran in the Derby four weeks ago: Authentic won the race, Mr. Big News was third, Max Player was fifth, and Ny Traffic finished eighth out of a field of 15.  

   Here are the entries in post position order, followed by their sires and dams, and the morning-line betting odds:

1.    Excession          Union Rags - Draw It     30 to 1

2.    Mr. Big News    Giant's Causeway - Unappeased (IRE)     12 to 1

3.    Art Collector      Bernardini - Distorted Legacy     5 to 2

4.    Swiss Skydiver   Daredevil - Expo Gold     6 to 1   ** she carries 5 pounds less than the colts

5.    Thousand Words  Pioneerof the Nile - Pomeroy's Pistol     6 to 1

6.    Jesus' Team         Tapiture - Golden Memories      30 to 1

7.    Ny Traffic           Cross Traffic - Mamie Reilly      15 to 1

8.    Max Player         Honor Code - Fools in Love      15 to 1

9.    Authentic            Into Mischief - Flawless       9 to 5

10.  Pneumatic           Uncle Mo - Teardrop    20 to 1

11.  Liveyourbeastlife   Ghostzapper - Ellie's Moment      30 to 1 

Swiss Skydiver, the girl running against the boys

in the Preakness (below, at left, winning the Fantasy)