It's Preakness Week here in Baltimore, our celebration of the second leg of horse-racing's Triple Crown. At the Preakness, there's always a huge sense of anticipation - can the winner of the Kentucky Derby win the second race and be a possible contender for a Triple Crown? By the time the Belmont Stakes rolls around in three weeks, much, if not all of that anticipation is gone, because there has not been a Triple Crown winner since 1978, when Affirmed won.
There were three Triple Crown winners in the 1970's, Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed. Prior to that, the last Triple Crown was in 1948! Only 46 horses have won two legs of the three races, and of those, 16 have won in Kentucky and Baltimore, only to be beaten at Belmont. 
This year is the 134th running of the Preakness, which is named after a horse, who may have gotten its name from the Native American word for quail woods.
This year's race should be very interesting with Rachel Alexandra, the winner of the Oaks, which is held the day before the Kentucky Derby, and Mine That Bird, the Derby winner, competing head to head. Post positions are being pulled this afternoon. Calvin Borel has said that he will ride Rachel Alexander on Saturday. Stay tuned!
This year's race should be very interesting with Rachel Alexandra, the winner of the Oaks, which is held the day before the Kentucky Derby, and Mine That Bird, the Derby winner, competing head to head. Post positions are being pulled this afternoon. Calvin Borel has said that he will ride Rachel Alexander on Saturday. Stay tuned!
Now that's a clubhouse!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to following the race!
ReplyDeleteTally Ho!!
Leslie
excited for the drama of the preakness! Hope it doesn't leave Pimlico!
ReplyDeleteps the flowers in our photo are viburnum!
ReplyDeleteFirstly, this is a marvelous post, as you know I am very partial to animals and kind of okay with horse racing (kind of)... so, a big hello to Connor of the last post and thank you for the Preakness notes, can't wait!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite race of the year. I'll be searching for you on the telly.
ReplyDeleteI've got my hat picked out!!
ReplyDeleteA dream of mine to attend all three of the most famous races in the world. I actually would choose the Preakness, over the Kentucky Derby if I had to choose one.
ReplyDeleteSome good friends of ours won the Preakness in 1990. What an absolute thrill to see them in the winner's circle!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an elegant race! Hope you keep us posted with the details!
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