Preakness Stakes: Everything about Triple Crown’s middle gem

On Saturday, the 147th Preakness Stakes will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on what is projected to be the hottest day of the year in the city.

Fortunately, the post time of 7:01 p.m. ET is not the hottest part of the day, but it will still be hot.

The temperature is expected to be 91 degrees at the start of the event. This will be a few degrees cooler than the day’s peak temperature, which is expected to hit 94 degrees, which is 18 degrees over usual.

Because of the intense heat, acclimatization may be a problem. People are more affected by heat early in the season because their bodies aren’t adapted to it yet, according to an international news weather team.

Rich Strike, the Kentucky Derby winner, will not run in Saturday’s event.

The horse’s owner, Rick Dawson, stated that while the race was appealing, it did not fit into their plans, indicating that there will be no Triple Crown winner this year, which includes the Belmont Stakes.

In the absence of Rich Strike, nine horses will line up to fight for the prestigious prize, with all contenders taking inspiration from this year’s Derby unexpected result.

After missing the Kentucky Derby, Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert will also skip the Preakness.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) punished him for 90 days in February after Medina Spirit’s victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby was invalidated.

After winning the Derby and reaching the finish line first, the horse failed a drug test.

Baffert appealed the KHRC’s judgment, but his application for emergency relief was refused by the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 1. His ban began on April 4th.

Due to Maryland’s “reciprocity” law, the famed trainer will be unable to compete in the Preakness.