Topline
An official with the Preakness Stakes said Tuesday he was informed that Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty will not participate in the upcoming second leg of the Triple Crown, marking the seventh-straight year there will not be a Triple Crown winner.
Sovereignty jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates winning the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on May … More
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesKey Facts
Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST Racing, the lead operator of the Preakness, said in a statement that Sovereignty’s trainer, Bill Mott, informed him the horse would skip the Preakness to focus on the Belmont Stakes.
Mott at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday alluded to passing on the Preakness, telling reporters, “We want to do what’s best for the horse,” adding “you always think about a Triple Crown, and that’s not something we’re not going to think about.”
The Preakness is scheduled for May 17 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore while the Belmont Stakes is slated for June 7 at Belmont Park in New York.
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How Unusual Is It For Kentucky Derby Winners To Skip The Preakness?
The decision from Sovereignty’s trainers to forgo the Preakness and not chase the Triple Crown is relatively uncommon in modern times, but has increasingly been a choice made in recent years. Sovereignty will be the fourth Kentucky Derby winner out of the past seven to skip the Preakness, according to Horse Racing Nation, but only one Derby winner in the period between 1985 and 2019 did not take part in the Preakness (Grindstone in 1996). Historically, though, dozens of Kentucky Derby-winning horses dating back to the 1800s have not gone for the Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby, with one of the most common reasons being how demanding on horses the tight schedule of the Triple Crown races is. That reality is increasingly relevant for modern horses, some of which are usually not raced more than once a month, according to NPR.
How Many Horses Have Won The Triple Crown?
Just 13 horses have won the Triple Crown, which is achieved by winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Only two horses, Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015), have secured the distinction since 1978.
What To Watch For
Journalism and Baeza, who placed second and third at the Kentucky Derby, respectively, are not yet confirmed to be racing in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Sovereignty was initially an 8-5 favorite in the Preakness. Assuming he races, Journalism is the new favorite with 5-2 odds, according to CBS Sports.
Key Background
Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby one-and-a-half lengths ahead of Journalism. The race was the most-watched installment of the Kentucky Derby for NBC since 1989, with an average of 17.7 million viewers and a peak of 21.8 million viewers.
Further Reading
Skipping Preakness: There is long history with Derby winners (Horse Racing Nation)
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