All articles tagged with #triple crown
Randy Moss contends NYRA and possibly Fox rushed a six-race Championship Series announcement to deflect blame for the Triple Crown’s decline onto the Preakness, as Maryland shifts the Preakness timing and NBC retains TV rights, underscoring ongoing rifts over the Triple Crown calendar and broadcast deals.
Maryland officials announced that the Preakness Stakes will be moved to 22 days after the Kentucky Derby in 2027, prompting reactions from the racing community as the Triple Crown schedule is reshaped.
NBC extends its multi-year deal with the Maryland Jockey Club to broadcast the Preakness on NBC/Peacock through 2032, moves the race to Sundays three weeks after the Derby and shifts the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes to Saturdays as part of a plan to build a championship weekend in Baltimore while Maryland retains IP rights and pursues Pimlico’s future upgrades.
The 152nd Preakness Stakes will be run on Sunday, May 23, 2027, moving from the traditional third Saturday to the fourth Sunday of May. To boost Derby participation, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 22 will precede the Preakness weekend, with the festival concluding on race day. The Belmont Stakes will follow 13 days after the Preakness that year, and NBC Sports will continue its long-running broadcast deal through 2032 as the MJC shifts to a not-for-profit model and retools its Triple Crown strategy to grow the series.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore asserts that there is no Triple Crown without the Preakness and pledges Maryland’s bid to keep the Preakness in Baltimore amid a new six-race series announced by Churchill Downs and NYRA that excludes Pimlico, signaling a push to own the race’s rights while remaining open to collaboration but not relinquishing control.
NBC has retained the Preakness Stakes rights for at least a year after a hard-fought bidding war with Fox, Netflix, and Amazon, keeping the second leg of the Triple Crown on NBC while Derby rights run through 2032 and Belmont rights through 2030.
The storied Triple Crown appears eclipsed by a new six-race Thoroughbred Championship Series announced by the NYRA and Churchill Downs, beginning with the Kentucky Derby and concluding with a September finale at Churchill Downs with a $5 million bonus; the Preakness is excluded, prompting trainers to shift focus to the new series and threatening to diminish the old crown’s relevance as the sport reorganizes its marquee 3-year-old calendar.
Churchill Downs Inc. and NYRA unveiled a six-race Thoroughbred Championship Series for 3-year-olds starting in 2027, pairing the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes with races at Churchill Downs and NYRA tracks (Matt Winn, Jim Dandy, Travers) to crown a season-long champion with a $5 million bonus for the top eight point-earners. Each event will offer at least $1 million in purses; horses must compete in four of the six races. The Preakness is excluded, and the finale at Churchill Downs will be in September; NBC and FOX will televise the races.
The Preakness Stakes was left out of the new six-race Thoroughbred Championship Series, which will include the other two Triple Crown races and launch in 2027 to crown an annual season-long champion in Thoroughbred racing.
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez entered the week leading MLB in home runs (34), on-base percentage (.431) and OPS (1.074), putting him on a historic pace to win both the traditional Triple Crown and the rarer Slash Triple Crown. He stands out in two-strike hitting and remains a powerful presence even with two strikes. Meanwhile, the Padres are treating late July like playoff prep ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, using quick hooks and bullpen pressure to chase a wild-card spot.
Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races as Golden Tempo edged to victory in the Belmont Stakes (after winning the Kentucky Derby), skipping the Preakness due to timing and health considerations; the win marks a historic milestone for DeVaux and a notable achievement for women in horse racing, with the Saratoga Springs trainer celebrated in a race that featured a championship-driven late bid.
Golden Tempo, with Jose Ortiz, won the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga in 2:03.49, holding off Commandment and becoming the 13th horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, though the Preakness was skipped; trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train a Derby winner.
Nine 3-year-olds will contest the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 5, 2026, in a New York rematch of the Derby’s top two finishers after Derby winner Golden Tempo skipped the Preakness. Renegade is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, with Vitruvian Man, Powershift, Chief Wallabee, Ottinho, Growth Equity, Commandment and Emerging Market also in the field. The race is shortened to 1 1/4 miles due to Saratoga’s track configuration. Notable connections include Irad Ortiz Jr. on Renegade, Jose Ortiz on Golden Tempo, John Velazquez on Commandment, Junior Alvarado on Chief Wallabee, and trainerst Todd Pletcher and Cherie DeVaux among others. Belmont Park’s return to Belmont Park in 2027 after redevelopment is also noted.
FOX is upgrading its Belmont Stakes broadcast with ARRI cameras and a drone, offering a multi-format presentation that blends straightforward play-by-play with an entertainment-focused feed for casual fans, plus exclusive interviews (e.g., Dylan Davis and Cherie DeVaux). Coverage runs 3–7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, with FS1/FS2 from 10:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., as FOX evolves its Belmont production and the race ends its Saratoga run to move to a new Belmont Park in 2027, reflecting ongoing shifts in Triple Crown broadcasting amid rising viewership.
Fourteen horses compete in the 2026 Preakness at Laurel Park—the largest field in 15 years—with Iron Honor the 9-2 morning-line favorite. The Derby winner Golden Tempo is not in the race, and notable contenders include Taj Mahal (trained by Brittany Russell) and Chip Honcho. Post positions and morning-line odds are set ahead of an approximate 7:01 p.m. ET start, with top jockeys Flavien Prat, Jose Ortiz and Tyler Gaffalione aboard various contenders. The race marks a temporary relocation from Pimlico while renovations proceed.