Preakness Stakes

The Preakness is the second and shortest leg in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, some of the other horses that ran in the Derby, and often a few horses that did not start in the Derby. (The phrase "Triple Crown" was not coined until the 1930s.)

Two years before the Kentucky Derby was run for the first time, Pimlico introduced its new stakes race for three-year-olds, the Preakness, during its first-ever spring race meet in 1873. Governor Bowie had named the mile and one-half race in honor of Dinner Party Stakes-winner, Preakness.

The first Preakness drew seven starters; John Chamberlain's three-year-old, Survivor, galloped home easily by ten lengths--still the largest margin of victory in the Preakness--winning a purse of $2,050.

As soon as the Preakness winner has been declared official, a painter climbs a ladder to the top of a replica of the Old Clubhouse cupola. He applies the colors of the victorious owner's silks on the jockey and horse which are part of the weather vane atop the infield structure.

The practice started in 1909 at Pimlico when a horse and rider weather vane sat at the top of the old Members' Clubhouse, which was constructed when Pimlico opened in 1870. The Victorian building was destroyed by fire in June, 1966. A replica of the old building's cupola was built to stand in the Preakness winner's circle in the infield.

The Preakness Stakes has remained throughout history a true test of a horse's ability and class, a race where remarkable horses meet one another other in a great classic.

YEAR WINNER

1873 Survivor

1874 Culpepper

1875 Tom Ochiltree

1876 Shirley

1877 Cloverbrook

1878 Duke of Magenta

1879 Harold

1880 Grenada

1881 Saunterer

1882 Vanguard

1883 Jacobus

1884 Knight of Ellerslie

1885 Tecumseh

1886 The Bard

1887 Dunboyne

1888 Refund

1889 Buddhist

1890 Montague

1894 Assignee

1895 Belmar

1896 Margrave

1897 Paul Kauvar

1898 Sly Fox

1899 Half Time

1900 Hindus

1901 The Parader

1902 Old England

1903 Flocarline

1904 Bryn Mawr

1905 Cairngorm

1906 Whimsical

1907 Don Enrique

1908 Royal Tourist

1909 Effendi

1910 Layminster

1911 Watervale

1912 Colonel Holloway

1913 Buskin

1914 Holiday

1915 Rhine Maiden

1916 Damrosch

1917 Kalitan

1918 War Cloud; Jack Hare, Jr (tie)

1919 Sir Barton*

1920 Man o' War

1921 Broomspun

1922 Pillory

1923 Vigil

1924 Nellie Morse

1925 Coventry

1926 Display

1927 Bostonian

1928 Victorian

1929 Dr. Freeland

1930 Gallant Fox*

1931 Mate

1932 Burgoo King

1933 Head Play

1934 High Quest

1935 Omaha*

1936 Bold Venture

1937 War Admiral*

1938 Dauber

1939 Challedon

1940 Bimelech

1941 Whirlaway*

1942 Alsab

1943 Count Fleet*

1944 Pensive

1945 Polynesian

1946 Assault*

1947 Faultless

1948 Citation*

1949 Capot

1950 Hill Prince

1951 Bold

1952 Blue Man

1953 Native Dancer

1954 Hasty Road

1955 Nashua

1956 Fabius

1957 Bold Ruler

1958 Tim Tam

1959 Royal Orbit

1960 Bally Ache

1961 Carry Back

1962 Greek Money

1963 Candy Spots

1964 Northern Dancer

1965 Tom Rolfe

1966 Kauai King

1967 Damascus

1968 Forward Pass

1969 Majestic Prince

1970 Personality

1971 Canonero II

1972 Bee Bee Bee

1973 Secretariat*

1974 Little Current

1975 Master Derby

1976 Elocutionist

1977 Seattle Slew*

1978 Affirmed*

1979 Spectacular Bid

1980 Codex

1981 Pleasant Colony

1982 Aloma's Ruler

1983 Deputed Testamony

1984 Gate Dancer

1985 Tank's Prospect

1986 Snow Chief

1987 Alysheba

1988 Risen Star

1989 Sunday Silence

1990 Summer Squall

1991 Hansel

1992 Pine Bluff

1993 Prairie Bayou

1994 Tabasco Cat

1995 Timber Country

1996 Louis Quatorze

1997 Silver Charm

1998 Real Quiet

1999 Charismatic

2000 Red Bullet

2001 Point Given

2002 War Emblem

2003 Funny Cide

• Triple Crown Winner