The 151st Preakness Stakes runs Saturday at 7:01 p.m. ET from Laurel Park, marking the first time the "middle jewel" of the Triple Crown leaves Pimlico Race Course during renovations. The $2 million race features a full 14-horse field, but Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo will skip the event, opting for the Belmont Stakes instead.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux's decision continues a recent trend of Derby champions bypassing the Preakness, raising questions about the five-week Triple Crown schedule established in 1969. Only three horses—Ocelli, Robusta, and Incredibolt—will attempt the two-week turnaround from the Derby. Historical precedent shows all 13 Triple Crown winners captured the Preakness within two weeks of their Derby victory.

Taj Mahal leads the field as the 5-1 morning line favorite, undefeated in three starts at Laurel Park. Trainer Brittany Russell seeks to become the first female trainer to win the Preakness, just two weeks after DeVaux made history as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. The race returns to Pimlico in 2027 when renovations conclude.

With Churchill Downs Inc. acquiring Preakness intellectual property rights, scheduling debates will intensify. The current five-week Triple Crown format may face pressure as modern thoroughbreds race less frequently than predecessors. All three races expect to resume traditional distances and venues once renovations complete in 2027.