- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,253,867
- Reaction score
- 59
The future of horse racing's Triple Crown is in flux after the creation of a new system to determine the top 3-year-old racehorses that includes the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, but not the Preakness Stakes.
Churchill Downs, Inc. and the New York Racing Association announced an agreement on Monday, Aug. 3 to form a six-race series that will debut in 2027, raising more questions about whether the Triple Crown will remain horse racing's biggest achievement moving forward.
The Thoroughbred Championship Series begins with the 2027 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on its traditional first Saturday in May and will then feature the Belmont Stakes five weeks later on June 5, according to a joint press release from both organizations. Those classic Triple Crown races will then be followed by the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in July, the Grade-II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York in late July or early August and the Grade-I Travers Stakes at Saratoga in late August. The series will conclude with a championship race at Churchill Downs in September.
All races held at Churchill Downs will be broadcast by NBC, and FOX will hold the broadcasting rights for races held at NYRA properties.
TRIPLE CROWN 2026: Golden Tempo follows Derby win with Belmont triumph
The Preakness Stakes has traditionally been the second race of horse racing's Triple Crown, and held in between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore. But it was noticeably absent from Monday's agreement, leading to questions about its spot on the horse racing calendar.
A spokesperson for the Maryland Jockey Club, which oversees the day-to-day operations at Pimlico, declined to comment when reached by USA TODAY Sports on Aug. 3.
“The Thoroughbred Championship Series will extend the excitement of the sport across a five-month season,” Churchill Downs, Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement. “The Kentucky Derby introduces millions of fans to a new generation of Thoroughbred stars each year, and this series gives those fans a reason to stay engaged with the sport's biggest stars throughout the season. By connecting these premier events through one championship, we're creating a season-long storyline that benefits the future of Thoroughbred racing.”
Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company that owns the Kentucky Derby, previously announced in April it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual rights to the Preakness Stakes for $85 million, beginning with the 2027 edition of the race.
The proposed acquisition occurred on the heels of a report that the Preakness Stakes could shift dates, as multiple networks and streaming entities potentially wanted the rights to broadcast the second leg of the Triple Crown. The NBC contract for the Preakness Stakes expired after the 2026 race in June.
But Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced on July 30 that the state had exercised its right of first refusal and matched the $85 million offer made by Churchill Downs, Inc. for the Preakness intellectual property rights. Moore's administration wrote in its press release this was "a strategic move" in hopes of "enhancing its status as a premier event in the Triple Crown."
“The Preakness Stakes is a cornerstone of Maryland's history, culture, and economy – so our administration is dedicated to preserving our state as a key power player in the Triple Crown for generations to come,” Moore said in a statement. “With this final acquisition we are not only leveraging the Preakness’s iconic status and uplifting our horse racing industry, we are revitalizing the communities that directly benefit from the economic opportunities of the race.”
But the Thoroughbred Championship Series is set to leave the Preakness behind, with a new points system designed to encourage the nation's best 3-year-old horses to compete more frequently against one another. There will also be a $5-million prize pool awarded based on the final standings, in addition to purse money from individual races.
Three of the past Kentucky Derby winners, including Golden Tempo in 2025, have skipped the Preakness due to the evolution of training methods and horse safety concerns in recent years. There were two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and three weeks between the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes during the 2026 horse racing calendar.
The uncertainty surrounding the Preakness Stakes led to an immediate divergence of opinions throughout the sport.
Legendary horse trainer Bob Baffert came out in support of the Thoroughbred Championship Series, but pushed back on the notion that the Triple Crown and Preakness Stakes be marginalized or eliminated as part of this new agreement.
"The greatest achievement in racing will always be winning the Triple Crown - The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes," Baffert wrote on social media. "The Triple Crown has sustained our sport for more than 150 years, and it will continue to do so for another 150 or more, if we appreciate it and care for it. The Preakness is integral to racing’s history, present, and future, and I hope nothing detracts from its significance. If I have the right horse, I’ll continue to run in Baltimore every May, as well as in The Thoroughbred Series."
Prominent horse owner Mike Repole, an outspoken critic of the pre-existing Triple Crown schedule, hailed the move as a positive step forward for the industry.
"I applaud @ChurchillDowns and @TheNYRA for working together in the best interests of the sport and for recognizing that evolution requires innovation, real change and the courage to do things differently," Repole wrote on social media in reaction to the announcement.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New horse racing series leaves Preakness out, raises Triple Crown doubt
Continue reading...
Churchill Downs, Inc. and the New York Racing Association announced an agreement on Monday, Aug. 3 to form a six-race series that will debut in 2027, raising more questions about whether the Triple Crown will remain horse racing's biggest achievement moving forward.
The Thoroughbred Championship Series begins with the 2027 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on its traditional first Saturday in May and will then feature the Belmont Stakes five weeks later on June 5, according to a joint press release from both organizations. Those classic Triple Crown races will then be followed by the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in July, the Grade-II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York in late July or early August and the Grade-I Travers Stakes at Saratoga in late August. The series will conclude with a championship race at Churchill Downs in September.
All races held at Churchill Downs will be broadcast by NBC, and FOX will hold the broadcasting rights for races held at NYRA properties.
TRIPLE CROWN 2026: Golden Tempo follows Derby win with Belmont triumph
The Preakness Stakes has traditionally been the second race of horse racing's Triple Crown, and held in between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore. But it was noticeably absent from Monday's agreement, leading to questions about its spot on the horse racing calendar.
A spokesperson for the Maryland Jockey Club, which oversees the day-to-day operations at Pimlico, declined to comment when reached by USA TODAY Sports on Aug. 3.
“The Thoroughbred Championship Series will extend the excitement of the sport across a five-month season,” Churchill Downs, Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement. “The Kentucky Derby introduces millions of fans to a new generation of Thoroughbred stars each year, and this series gives those fans a reason to stay engaged with the sport's biggest stars throughout the season. By connecting these premier events through one championship, we're creating a season-long storyline that benefits the future of Thoroughbred racing.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore involved with Preakness Stakes future
Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company that owns the Kentucky Derby, previously announced in April it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual rights to the Preakness Stakes for $85 million, beginning with the 2027 edition of the race.
The proposed acquisition occurred on the heels of a report that the Preakness Stakes could shift dates, as multiple networks and streaming entities potentially wanted the rights to broadcast the second leg of the Triple Crown. The NBC contract for the Preakness Stakes expired after the 2026 race in June.
But Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced on July 30 that the state had exercised its right of first refusal and matched the $85 million offer made by Churchill Downs, Inc. for the Preakness intellectual property rights. Moore's administration wrote in its press release this was "a strategic move" in hopes of "enhancing its status as a premier event in the Triple Crown."
“The Preakness Stakes is a cornerstone of Maryland's history, culture, and economy – so our administration is dedicated to preserving our state as a key power player in the Triple Crown for generations to come,” Moore said in a statement. “With this final acquisition we are not only leveraging the Preakness’s iconic status and uplifting our horse racing industry, we are revitalizing the communities that directly benefit from the economic opportunities of the race.”
But the Thoroughbred Championship Series is set to leave the Preakness behind, with a new points system designed to encourage the nation's best 3-year-old horses to compete more frequently against one another. There will also be a $5-million prize pool awarded based on the final standings, in addition to purse money from individual races.
Three of the past Kentucky Derby winners, including Golden Tempo in 2025, have skipped the Preakness due to the evolution of training methods and horse safety concerns in recent years. There were two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and three weeks between the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes during the 2026 horse racing calendar.
Bob Baffert, Mike Repole react to Triple Crown future
The uncertainty surrounding the Preakness Stakes led to an immediate divergence of opinions throughout the sport.
Legendary horse trainer Bob Baffert came out in support of the Thoroughbred Championship Series, but pushed back on the notion that the Triple Crown and Preakness Stakes be marginalized or eliminated as part of this new agreement.
"The greatest achievement in racing will always be winning the Triple Crown - The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes," Baffert wrote on social media. "The Triple Crown has sustained our sport for more than 150 years, and it will continue to do so for another 150 or more, if we appreciate it and care for it. The Preakness is integral to racing’s history, present, and future, and I hope nothing detracts from its significance. If I have the right horse, I’ll continue to run in Baltimore every May, as well as in The Thoroughbred Series."
Prominent horse owner Mike Repole, an outspoken critic of the pre-existing Triple Crown schedule, hailed the move as a positive step forward for the industry.
"I applaud @ChurchillDowns and @TheNYRA for working together in the best interests of the sport and for recognizing that evolution requires innovation, real change and the courage to do things differently," Repole wrote on social media in reaction to the announcement.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New horse racing series leaves Preakness out, raises Triple Crown doubt
Continue reading...
