It’s a Triple Crown first.
For the first time in the century-plus-old history of the horseracing series – which features the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes – there will be a race held on a Sunday next year.
The Preakness Stakes, typically held on the third Saturday in May, is moving to the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, per Maryland governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club.
They announced the change Wednesday, hoping to bring a top field back to the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The shift is largely in response to the recent increase in trainers not running their horses in Preakness just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby.
No horses participated in both the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby. in 2025.
“We believe the Preakness and the entire Triple Crown series are positioned for growth and great success,” Maryland Jockey Club CEO Bill Knauf said, via the AP.
“This extra week between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness opens the Preakness to potential participants who use modern training methods.”
Over the last five years, only 13 of the 95 horses that participated in the Kentucky Derby also partook in the Preakness Stakes.
Due to the lack of Derby horses in the Preakness field recently, enthusiasm for the event has dwindled.
Despite this change, there may be another conflict set to arise in 2027, as the Belmont Stakes will happen just 13 days after the Preakness Stakes.
After being held at Laurel Park in 2026, the 2027 Preakness Stakes will return to a partially open Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
