Preakness 2020: Post Time, Lineup, Coronavirus Rules

Elizabeth Janney
Updated ·2 min read

BALTIMORE, MD — The 145th running of the Preakness Stakes will be this weekend. The race was originally slated for May 16 but it was postponed to Oct. 3 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jockeys riding Preakness weekend were required to get tested for the coronavirus at the city's drive-up coronavirus testing site, which is based at Pimlico Race Course in northeast Baltimore.

Here are the contenders for the Preakness Stakes and the odds:

  • Excession: 30-1

  • Mr. Big News: 12-1

  • Art Collector: 5-2

  • Swiss Skydiver: 6-1

  • Thousand Words: 6-1

  • Jesus' Team: 30-1

  • NY Traffic: 15-1

  • Max Player: 15-1

  • Authentic: 9-5

  • Pneumatic: 20-1

  • Liveyourbeastlife: 30-1

Authentic, who won the Kentucky Derby, is favored to win, 9-5. Trainer Bob Baffert is seeking his eighth Preakness win. He is also the trainer of Thousand Words.

The Preakness is the third jewel in the Triple Crown this year. Traditionally, it is the second race, but dates were shuffled because of the pandemic.

Started in 1873, the Preakness Stakes is normally the third Saturday in May — two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes.

Due to the coronavirus, the Kentucky Derby was held Sept. 5, and the Belmont Stakes was June 20. Both were held without fans.

In Maryland, up to 250 people are allowed at outdoor gatherings, based on the governor's executive order. However, those attending Preakness Saturday will include trainers, jockeys and people working on the race — not fans in the stands — WJZ reported.

Horses began arriving Tuesday. Out-of-state participants were told to self-isolate pending their coronavirus test results, which came in by Wednesday. On the grounds at Pimlico, all must wear face coverings and maintain physical distance from one another to prevent the spread of the virus. Authorities said they added more jockeys' quarters to allow for space.

"It doesn't feel like Preakness, but it will the day of," Baffert told the Maryland Jockey Club in a video before the race. "When that gate comes open, it's going to feel like Preakness. That's the way it is."

The Preakness will be broadcast live on NBC from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Post time is 5:36 p.m.

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This article originally appeared on the Baltimore Patch