With the Preakness Stakes just around the corner, the racing world is gearing up for another spectacle. As the second leg of the Triple Crown, it’s sure to be one of the season’s biggest highlights—packed with drama, tradition, and serious betting chances. Here’s what to expect this year at Pimlico Race Course, when it runs and how to follow the race. 

What Is the Preakness Stakes Horse Race? 

The Preakness is one of the oldest stakes races in American horse racing—it dates back to 1873, and has been steadily held at Pimlico Race Course since 1909. It’s popularly called “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” thanks to the blanket of Maryland’s state flower draped over the winner. The winning horse also receives a bouquet of flowers—Viking proms, carefully dyed to resemble the iconic yellow petals with black centres, since Black-Eyed Susans don’t bloom until June.  

The race sits right in the middle of the Triple Crown, just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. Compared to the Derby and Belmont, the Preakness is shorter—1 3/16 miles—making it more of a speed test and favouring fast starters.   

If you’re planning to back a horse, check out legal betting sites offering odds, promos, and live wagers on the Preakness—just make sure you place your bets before the gates fly open. 

When Is the Preakness in 2025

The 150th Preakness Stakes is set for Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. With a confirmed $2 million purse, this year’s race will feature some of the top 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the country, even though the Triple Crown dream is off the table following Sovereignty’s withdrawal. 

Post time is scheduled for 7:01 p.m. ET. The TV coverage starts at 2:00 p.m. on CNBC, before switching over to NBC at 4:00 p.m. ET. If you prefer streaming, you can catch the race live on Peacock and the NBC Sports app, or listen via NBC Sports Radio and SiriusXM channel 85. 

Beyond the track, Wyclef Jean and T-Pain are set to perform at Pimlico, for even more star power to an already packed day of racing.  

Who’s in the Competition for Preakness 2025

With Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty officially ruled out, hopes of a Triple Crown winner have been dashed for 2025. Adding to the shake-up, Rodriguez, another early favorite trained by Bob Baffert, will also miss the race due to a lingering foot bruise—an issue that kept him out of the Derby as well. 

That leaves American Promise as the lone Derby runner expected to take the gate at Pimlico. As the final lineup nears completion, here’s a look at the contenders set to run in this year’s 150th Preakness Stakes:  

Post	Horse	Odds
1	Goal Oriented (Flavien Prat)	6-1
2	Journalism (Umberto Rispoli)	8-5
3	American Promise (Nik Juarez)	15-1
4	Heart of Honor (Saffie Osborne)	12-1
5	Pay Billy (Raul Mena)	20-1
6	River Thames (Irad Ortiz Jr.)	9-2
7	Sandman (John Velazquez)	4-1
8	Clever Again (Jose Ortiz)	5-1
9	Gosger (Luis Saez)	20-1

How to Bet on the Preakness 

There’s no shortage of options when betting on the Preakness: 

• Win: Bet on the horse you think will come in first.  

• Place: Your pick needs to finish either first or second for you to cash in. 

• Show: As long as your horse finishes in the top three, your bet pays out. 

• Exacta: You must correctly guess which two horses will finish first and second, in that exact order. 

• Trifecta: Predict the top three finishers in the correct sequence. 

• Superfecta: Choose the first four horses to cross the line in the exact order.  

Win, place, and show are great for straightforward picks, while exactas and trifectas are long shots, but the rewards can be massive. 

Smart bettors should study jockey-trainer combos, track conditions, and post positions before locking in their picks. Legal wagering is available in most states through licensed sportsbooks and dedicated horse racing betting sites, many of which offer Preakness-specific promos and expert insights. 

Looking Ahead at the 150th Preakness

From Secretariat’s 1973 comeback to American Pharoah’s 2015 run to history, the Preakness has delivered defining moments in horse racing. 

We’ve also seen wild upsets, foggy finishes, and horses rising from obscurity to national headlines. For this year, the Triple Crown is off the table—but the 150th running still carries weight. With pride, prestige, and a $2 million purse on the line, the Preakness remains a proving ground for greatness and a must-watch event on the racing calendar.