The 147th Preakness Stakes is set to run on Saturday at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, but Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not feature.
The horse’s owner Rick Dawson said that while the race was tempting, it didn’t fit into their plans meaning there will be no winner of horse racing’s coveted Triple Crown this year, a feat that also includes the Belmont Stakes. In Rich Strike’s absence, nine horses will line up to compete for the prestigious prize and all contenders will take inspiration from a shock result in this year’s Derby. Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert will also miss the Preakness after missing this year’s Kentucky Derby. In February, he was suspended by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) for 90 days after Medina Spirit’s victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby was disqualified. The horse failed a drug test after crossing the finish line first at the Derby.
