The 2021 Preakness Stakes was the 146th Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles (1.9 km). The race is one leg of the American Triple Crown and is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes is traditionally held on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The 2021 Preakness took place on May 15 with an actual start time of 6:54 p.m. EDT,[1] with television coverage by NBC. The race was won by Rombauer.[2][3]
| Preakness Stakes | |
| Grade I stakes race | |
 "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown" "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" | |
| Location | Pimlico Race Course Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Date | May 15, 2021 |
| Distance | 1+3⁄16 mi (9.5 furlongs; 1,900 m) |
| Winning horse | Rombauer |
| Winning time | 1:53.62 |
| Final odds | 11.80 |
| Jockey | Flavien Prat |
| Trainer | Michael W. McCarthy |
| Owner | John & Diane Fradkin |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 10,000 |
Background
editDue to effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition was run outside of its normal May schedule, contested as the final leg of the Triple Crown on October 3, without spectators.[4] In late March 2021, organizers announced that attendance at the 2021 Preakness would be limited to 10,000.[5] The 2021 Triple Crown races returned to their traditional sequence and schedule, with Medina Spirit winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby on May 1.[6]
Field
editSoon after the Derby, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed that Medina Spirit would be entered in the Preakness.[7] However, it was later announced that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid, following the Derby, and stands to be disqualified if the split sample confirms the positive. Pimlico agreed to accept the entry of Medina Spirit on the condition that he undergo blood testing, monitoring, and a review of medical records prior to the Preakness;[8] conditions that Medina Spirit met successfully.[9]
In the first week of May, trainer Brad Cox stated that Mandaloun, who had finished second in the Derby and stood to be declared the winner upon a disqualification of Medina Spirit, would bypass the Preakness. Essential Quality, who had been the favorite in the Derby before finishing fourth, was also ruled out of the Preakness.[7] In their absence, the main rival to Medina Spirit was expected to be his stablemate, Concert Tour, who had won two stakes races but finished third in his most recent start in the Arkansas Derby. Midnight Bourbon was expected to be the third betting choice based on his sixth-place finish in the Derby, second-place finish in the Louisiana Derby and win in the Lecomte Stakes.[10]
The post-position draw was held on May 11.[11] At the time the race was run, the top betting favorites were Medina Spirit, Midnight Bourbon, and Concert Tour in that order.[1]
At post time, Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit went off as co-betting favorites each at 5-2.[12]
Result
edit| Finish | Program Number |
Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Morning Line Odds[8] |
Final Odds |
Margin (Lengths)[13] |
Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Rombauer | Michael W. McCarthy | Flavien Prat | 12–1 | 11.80 | — | $1,000,000 |
| 2 | 5 | Midnight Bourbon | Steve Asmussen | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 5–1 | 3.10 | 3.6 | $600,000 |
| 3 | 3 | Medina Spirit | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez | 9–5 | 2.40 | 5.6 | $200,000 |
| 4 | 2 | Keepmeinmind | Robertino Diodoro | David Cohen | 15–1 | 14.50 | 9.7 | $110,000 |
| 5 | 4 | Crowded Trade | Chad Brown | Javier Castellano | 10–1 | 8.50 | 12.4 | $60,000 |
| 6 | 8 | Unbridled Honor | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 15–1 | 13.70 | 17.2 | $30,000 |
| 7 | 7 | France Go de Ina | Hideyuki Mori | Joel Rosario | 20–1 | 24.60 | 17.6 | |
| 8 | 9 | Risk Taking | Chad Brown | Jose Ortiz | 15–1 | 14.30 | 23.5 | |
| 9 | 10 | Concert Tour | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 5–2 | 3.70 | 34.2 | |
| 10 | 1 | Ram | D. Wayne Lukas | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 30–1 | 15.90 | 36.8 |
Source:[1]
Payout
edit| Pgm | Horse | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Rombauer | $25.60 | $10.00 | $5.20 |
| 5 | Midnight Bourbon | – | $4.60 | $3.00 |
| 3 | Medina Spirit | – | – | $2.80 |
- $1 Exacta (6–5) $49.30
- $1 Trifecta (6–5–3) $162.70
- $1 Superfecta (6–5–3–2) $1,025.50
- $1 Super High Five (6–5–3–2–4) $4,857.80
Source:[14]
Times: 1⁄4 mile – 0:23.77; 1⁄2 mile – 0:46.93; 3⁄4 mile – 1:10.97; mile – 1:34.78; final – 1:53.62.
Splits for each quarter-mile: (:23.77) (:23.16) (:24.04) (:23.81) (:18.84 for final 3⁄16)
References
edit- ^ a b c "Pimlico Race 13 Preakness Stakes". Equibase.com. May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Hoppert, Melissa (May 15, 2021). "Rombauer wins the Preakness Stakes". The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Paulick, Ray (May 15, 2021). "Rombauer Upsets 146th Preakness With Powerful Stretch Run". paulickreport.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Walker, Childs (September 2, 2020). "Preakness to be run without fans as Maryland continues to cope with coronavirus pandemic". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Hegarty, Matt (March 23, 2021). "Preakness attendance limited to 10,000". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ "$1,000 Medina Spirit Gives Baffert A Record Seventh Set Of Roses; Velazquez Rides Oaks-Derby Double". Paulick Report. May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ a b Walker, Childs (May 4, 2021). "Concert Tour in, Essential Quality out as field for May 15 Preakness takes shape". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ a b Frakes, Jason. "Preakness Stakes 2021: Medina Spirit draw No. 3 post, opens as 9-5 favorite". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Whyno, Stephen (May 15, 2021). "Medina Spirit passes drug tests, cleared to run in Preakness that's back to semi-normal". WLS-TV. AP. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Inabinett, Mark (May 10, 2021). "Preakness Stakes: Meet the contenders, watch them run". al.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Ng, Greg (April 22, 2021). "Preakness primer: Everything you need to know for 2021". WBAL-TV. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ Forde, Pat (May 15, 2021). "Cloud Over Baffert's Barn Continues to Linger After Loss". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ "PIMLICO 1847 Race 13". gmaxequine.com. Gmax Technology Ltd. May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
Lengths back
- ^ "Summary Results: Pimlico". horseracing.net/us. May 16, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
Race 13