Preakness to be run Sunday, May 23
Black-Eyed Susan on Saturday, May 22
NBC Sports extends media rights partnership
ANNAPOLIS, MD — At a press conference in Annapolis today, Governor Wes Moore, The Maryland Jockey Club, and NBC Sports announced several updates to the 2027 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the historic Triple Crown, a term coined in 1930.
The 152nd Preakness Stakes will be run at Pimlico Race Course on Sunday, May 23, eight days after the traditional third Saturday in May date. To enhance the weeklong festivities in Baltimore, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes card, usually held on Friday, Preakness Eve, will be moved to Saturday, May 22. The Preakness Stakes program, the highlight of the special racing weekend, will conclude the festival on Sunday.
“Moving the Preakness to the fourth weekend in May is a historic announcement,” said Bill Knauf, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. “We believe the Preakness and the entire Triple Crown series are positioned for growth and great success. This extra week between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness opens the Preakness to potential participants who use modern training methods.”
Knauf continued. “Our focus is to preserve the tradition of horses running back in the Preakness and to enhance participation in the Triple Crown races. We acknowledge the great history of the traditional Triple Crown spacing between races, but recognize that change must always be examined. This is common in all professional sports. Now is the time for the Preakness. We are going to build a championship weekend in Baltimore, with the Black-Eyed Susan now on Saturday. In most years, this new date falls on Memorial Day weekend, and we believe this creates tremendous excitement for our local economy and businesses. Baltimore will become the place to be on Memorial Day weekends, as the spotlight of the racing world descends on Pimlico.”
The Maryland Jockey Club has renewed its media rights agreement with NBC Sports for the Preakness, ensuring the race will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The Maryland Jockey Club, founded in 1743, is the oldest sports association in the United States
“We have successfully secured the future of Preakness here in the state of Maryland for decades to come; and I am delighted that the Maryland Jockey Club has renewed its media partnership with NBC and Peacock as we enter this exciting new era,” said Gov. Moore.
“The continuation of this relationship and the new schedule ensures optimal and accessible coverage for everyone from horse racing experts to casual fans, as our administration continues making historic investments and leveraging the iconic race as a cornerstone of Maryland’s history, culture and economy.”
The ongoing partnership between NBC Sports and the Maryland Jockey Club, established in 2001, will make NBC the longest-standing broadcaster of the Preakness Stakes.
“We are excited to continue our relationship as the media home of the Preakness Stakes, and look forward to an enhanced schedule, showcasing Maryland’s best races on both Saturday and Sunday,” said Jon Miller, President, Acquisitions & Partnerships, NBC Sports. “This extension is a testament to the strength of the relationship between the Maryland Jockey Club and NBC Sports and underscores our commitment to horse racing.”
The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Preakness Stakes, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and extensive Preakness weekend programming, all presented on NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN.
Inaugurated in 1873, the Preakness is not only one of America’s great sporting events and part of the prestigious Triple Crown series of races but also an iconic cultural tradition in Maryland and among racing fans worldwide.
“Bringing the Derby winner to the Preakness is unlike anything else in racing,” said trainer Graham Motion. “I was lucky enough to experience it with Animal Kingdom. The energy is incredible, and it feels like the whole crowd is behind you. It’s a moment every trainer dreams of.”
In a Monday post on X, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said, “The greatest achievement in racing will always be winning the Triple Crown – The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The Triple Crown has sustained our sport for more than 150 years, and it will continue to do so for another 150 years or more if we appreciate and care for it. The Preakness is integral to racing’s history, present, and future, and I hope nothing detracts from its significance.”