Preakness Stakes scheduled to run in October; tickets on sale

Maryland governor Larry Hogan announced at the end of NBC’s rebroadcast of the 2015 Preakness Stakes on Saturday that the race’s 2020 edition will run Oct. 3.

“Under normal circumstances, I would be standing at Pimlico with (Belinda Stronach, chairman and president of The Stronach Group), presenting the Woodlawn trophy to the winner of the 145th Preakness Stakes,” the Republican governor Hogan said. “But as we all know, these are not ordinary circumstances.

“However, I am proud to make this announcement on behalf of the state, the Maryland Jockey Club and Maryland’s historic racing industry that Preakness 145 will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Oct. 3. We look forward to celebrating with you soon.”

An hour before the NBC announcement, the Preakness Stakes' website had already been updated Saturday afternoon with tickets on sale for the traditional middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown series.

The new date, first leaked earlier this month when a Baltimore TV station reported NBC had reserved time to air it, positions Pimlico's signature race four weeks after the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby.

“We all wish we could have been together today to celebrate the Preakness, but we stayed home and stayed safe and now we can look forward to Preakness 145 on Oct. 3,” Stronach said in a news release. “I would like to thank Governor Hogan and all of the state and local leaders along with our industry stakeholders, racetrack communities and partners, including our broadcast partner NBC Sports, for the ongoing support and commitment to racing in Maryland.”

A date for the Belmont Stakes isn't yet known, but on Saturday a positive development arrived in that regard when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said racing could resume spectator-free beginning June 1.

Churchill Downs and Pimlico are aiming to run their classics with an on-track audience. Early speculation pointed to a Belmont Stakes potentially running in late June amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

First run in 1873, the Preakness is the second-oldest of the three Triple Crown races, predating the Derby by two years. The Belmont had run before the Preakness 11 times until 1931, when the current traditional order of Triple Crown races was established. The five-week spacing between them was put in place in 1969.