Maryland is wondering what comes next after the Preakness Stakes was left out of a new six-race thoroughbred championship series.
Gov. Wes Moore is set to hold a press conference Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. on the future of horse racing in the state.
There has been a lot of talk about the future of the Preakness this week. It is the second race in the Triple Crown, and it typically comes after the Kentucky Derby and before the Belmont Stakes. But earlier this week, Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association announced the creation of a new six race thoroughbred championship competition that starts with the Kentucky Derby, jumps to the Belmont Stakes and creates four additional races. That schedule does not mention Preakness at all — which has put the future of the race and the Triple Crown into question.
Let’s be clear: Not only is the Triple Crown going to continue, there is no Triple Crown without Preakness. And if you want to win the Triple Crown, we’ll see you in Baltimore next year.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
The state of Maryland just recently bought the intellectual property rights to Preakness and is renovating the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, where the race is held.
Speaking earlier this week, Moore said Maryland will fight for the future of its premier horse race.
“Let’s be clear: Not only is the Triple Crown going to continue, there is no Triple Crown without Preakness,” Moore said. “And if you want to win the Triple Crown, we’ll see you in Baltimore next year.”
Horse racing is a big economic driver in the state, said Mike Pons, whose family has been in the Maryland horse racing industry for more than a hundred years as breeders, trainers and owners. He said he’s anxious to hear what the governor has to say about the future of the sport because it is important to the local economy.
“The Maryland horse industry is a $2 billion a year industry. Somewhere around 20,000 people either work directly for it or indirectly for this game. So it’s a vital industry,” Pons said. “It’s a heritage sport. In Maryland, we’ve got the Chesapeake Bay and we have the horses.
The Triple Crown is a big deal — horses that win all three races become legends. But in recent years, some owners have pulled their horses from the Preakness because they say there isn’t enough recovery time following the Kentucky Derby.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Maryland Jockey Club said a date for the Preakness next year has not yet been announced and declined comment on the championship series of races in Kentucky and New York, the Associated Press reported.
There has been some talk about potentially pushing Preakness back to allow the horses to rest so they can run all three races.
Could something like that happen? Will Preakness be added to race schedule announced by Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association? There are lots of questions out there — we just don’t have the answers yet. We hope to learn more after the governor speaks at 12:15 p.m.
