Preakness distance presents unique challenge at Laurel Park

When it comes to two-turn races on the main track at Laurel Park, there is not a lot of data to go on.

The Pimlico Special Stakes on Friday was just the second 1 3/16-mile race there in 20 years and the first time any of the Preakness jockeys rode that distance.

Flavien Prat earned the gate-to-wire win aboard Navajao Warrior, and he will be aboard morning line favorite Iron Honor in the Preakness, though the Eclipse Award-winning jockey does not expect a similar set up.

"I don't think [the Preakness pace] will be like this," Prat said. "We'll probably have to work a little harder than today if we want the lead, but we don't have to have the lead. I feel the time was decent; the track is on the slow and tiring side for sure, and these were decent fractions."

Navajo Warrior's final time of 1:56.61 on a track rated as fast was the fastest of six races at the Preakness distance since Laurel widened its main track in 2005.

In addition to Prat, Tyler Gaffalione (Ocelli), Jose Ortiz (Chip Honcho), and John Velazquez (Corona de Oro) all had Pimlico Special mounts, marking the first at that distance at Laurel for all four riders. The only other Preakness jockey with that experience is Sheldon Russell (Taj Mahal), who was fifth in the 2022 Bald Eagle Derby.

Russell has plenty of other experience at Laurel, however, having ridden in 295 two-turn races on the Laurel main track coming into Preakness week. After that, only Paco Lopez had more than two mounts while the aforemtnioned Gaffalione and Velazquez were making their two-turn debuts this week at Laurel, and four others (see chart below) will be doing so on Saturday.