How the ‘Preakness’ Got Its Name
See: https://www.breednet.com.au/news/22527/preakness-and-the-duke-of-fiend-ish-ness
Gratefully acknowledge Greg Tobin and ‘Breednet’ for this fascinating historical feature.
Featured Image: ‘Preaknest’ courtesy of ‘Breednet’ and Greg Tobin
The 148th running of the Preakness Stud will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday (Sunday morning) 21st. May 2023) our time).
It’s the middle leg of North America’s famous Triple Crown and Mage is favoured to follow up on his Kentucky Derby success two weeks ago. If he can manage the threepeat he’ll become the 14th horse to achieve the feat and the first since Coolmore’s Justify in 2018
But do we all know how the Preakness got its name?
You will get a point (but probably not an invite to Mastermind) by suggesting the Preakness is named after a horse, because it was and it is. Add a bonus point if you’re still around in 150 years to tell someone who the Winx Stakes is named after.
Anyway, the colt Preakness – circa 1867 – was owned by Milton Holbrook Sanford’s Preakness Stud in Preakness, New Jersey and he would win the Dinner Party Stakes on the opening program at Pimlico Race Course in 1870. A grateful Maryland governor would subsequently name the first Preakness Stakes in 1873 after the Dinner Party winner.