2021 Preakness Stakes
{{short description|146th running Preakness Stakes}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox horse race
| name = 146th Preakness Stakes
| class = Grade I stakes race
| horse race = Preakness Stakes
| image = 2021_Preakness_Stakes_logo.svg
| caption = "The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown"
"The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans"
| location = Pimlico Race Course
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
| date = {{Start date|2021|5|15}}
| distance = {{convert|1+3/16|mi|furlong m|abbr=on}}
| winning horse = Rombauer
| winning time = 1:53.62
| final odds = 11.80
| winning jockey = Flavien Prat
| winning trainer = Michael W. McCarthy
| winning owner = John & Diane Fradkin
| surface = Dirt
| attendance = 10,000
| conditions = Fast
| previous = 2020
| next = 2022
}}
The 2021 Preakness Stakes was the 146th Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of {{frac|1|3|16}} miles (1.9 km). The race is one leg of the American Triple Crown and is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes is traditionally held on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The 2021 Preakness took place on May 15 with an actual start time of 6:54 p.m. EDT, with television coverage by NBC. The race was won by Rombauer.{{cite web|last=Hoppert|first=Melissa|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/sports/horse-racing/rombauer-wins-preakness-stakes.html|title=Rombauer wins the Preakness Stakes.|work=The New York Times|url-access=limited|date=May 15, 2021|accessdate=May 15, 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.paulickreport.com/news/triple-crown/rombauer_wins_146th_preakness/ |title=Rombauer Upsets 146th Preakness With Powerful Stretch Run |first=Ray |last=Paulick |website=paulickreport.com |date=May 15, 2021 |accessdate=May 15, 2021}}
Background
Due to effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition was run outside of its normal May schedule, contested as the final leg of the Triple Crown on October 3, without spectators.{{Cite news |title=Preakness to be run without fans as Maryland continues to cope with coronavirus pandemic |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/bs-sp-preakness-no-fans-20200902-nsneb4tazvd3jhwcfa6hsubdym-story.html |date=September 2, 2020 |website=The Baltimore Sun |first=Childs |last=Walker |access-date=September 2, 2020}} In late March 2021, organizers announced that attendance at the 2021 Preakness would be limited to 10,000.{{cite news |url=https://www.drf.com/news/preakness-attendance-limited-10000 |title=Preakness attendance limited to 10,000 |first=Matt |last=Hegarty |website=Daily Racing Form |date=March 23, 2021 |accessdate=May 2, 2021}} The 2021 Triple Crown races returned to their traditional sequence and schedule, with Medina Spirit winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby on May 1.{{cite web |title=$1,000 Medina Spirit Gives Baffert A Record Seventh Set Of Roses; Velazquez Rides Oaks-Derby Double |url=https://www.paulickreport.com/news/triple-crown/1000-medina-spirit-gives-baffert-a-record-seventh-set-of-roses-velazquez-rides-oaks-derby-double/ |website=Paulick Report |access-date=2 May 2021 |language=en |date=1 May 2021}}
Field
Soon after the Derby, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed that Medina Spirit would be entered in the Preakness.{{cite news |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/bs-sp-preakness-field-essential-quality-concert-tour-20210504-tfjywf37ardhng7j7mo3sq5tk4-story.html |title=Concert Tour in, Essential Quality out as field for May 15 Preakness takes shape |first=Childs |last=Walker |website=The Baltimore Sun |url-access=limited |date=May 4, 2021 |accessdate=May 4, 2021}} However, it was later announced that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid, following the Derby, and stands to be disqualified if the split sample confirms the positive. Pimlico agreed to accept the entry of Medina Spirit on the condition that he undergo blood testing, monitoring, and a review of medical records prior to the Preakness; conditions that Medina Spirit met successfully.{{cite news |url=https://abc7chicago.com/sports/preakness-2021-medina-spirit-cleared-to-run-in-semi-normal-horse-race/10638884/ |title=Medina Spirit passes drug tests, cleared to run in Preakness that's back to semi-normal |first=Stephen |last=Whyno |agency=AP |website=WLS-TV |date=May 15, 2021 |accessdate=May 15, 2021 |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515143118/https://abc7chicago.com/sports/preakness-2021-medina-spirit-cleared-to-run-in-semi-normal-horse-race/10638884/ |url-status=dead }}
In the first week of May, trainer Brad Cox stated that Mandaloun, who had finished second in the Derby and stood to be declared the winner upon a disqualification of Medina Spirit, would bypass the Preakness. Essential Quality, who had been the favorite in the Derby before finishing fourth, was also ruled out of the Preakness. In their absence, the main rival to Medina Spirit was expected to be his stablemate, Concert Tour, who had won two stakes races but finished third in his most recent start in the Arkansas Derby. Midnight Bourbon was expected to be the third betting choice based on his sixth-place finish in the Derby, second-place finish in the Louisiana Derby and win in the Lecomte Stakes.{{cite web |last1=Inabinett |first1=Mark |title=Preakness Stakes: Meet the contenders, watch them run |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2021/05/preakness-stakes-2021-meet-the-contenders-and-watch-them-run.html |website=al.com |access-date=12 May 2021 |language=en |date=10 May 2021}}
The post-position draw was held on May 11.{{cite news |url=https://www.wbaltv.com/article/preakness-guide-2021/36191674# |title=Preakness primer: Everything you need to know for 2021 |first=Greg |last=Ng |website=WBAL-TV |date=April 22, 2021 |accessdate=May 4, 2021}} At the time the race was run, the top betting favorites were Medina Spirit, Midnight Bourbon, and Concert Tour in that order.
At post time, Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit went off as co-betting favorites each at 5-2.{{cite web |last1=Forde |first1=Pat |title=Cloud Over Baffert's Barn Continues to Linger After Loss |url=https://www.si.com/horse-racing/2021/05/16/bob-baffert-preakness-stakes-pimlico-losses-medina-spirit-controversy |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=October 10, 2021 |date=May 15, 2021}}
Result
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
! scope="col" | Finish ! scope="col" | Program ! scope="col" | Horse ! scope="col" | Trainer ! scope="col" | Jockey ! scope="col" | Final ! scope="col" | Margin ! scope="col" | Winnings |
| align=center|1
|align=center|6 |{{sortname|Michael W.|McCarthy}} |{{sortname|Flavien|Prat}} |align=center|{{sort|12|12–1}} |align=center|11.80 |align=center|{{sort|0|—}} |align=right|$1,000,000 |
| align=center|2
|align=center|5 |Midnight Bourbon |{{sortname|Steve|Asmussen}} |{{sortname|Irad|Ortiz Jr.}} |align=center|{{sort|5|5–1}} |align=center|3.10 |align=center|3.6 |align=right|$600,000 |
| align=center|3
|align=center|3 |{{sortname|Bob|Baffert}} |{{sortname|John|Velazquez}} |align=center|{{sort|1.8|9–5}} |align=center|2.40 |align=center|5.6 |align=right|$200,000 |
| align=center|4
|align=center|2 |Keepmeinmind |Robertino Diodoro |align=center|{{sort|15|15–1}} |align=center|14.50 |align=center|9.7 |align=right|$110,000 |
| align=center|5
|align=center|4 |Crowded Trade |{{sortname|Chad|Brown|Chad C. Brown}} |{{sortname|Javier|Castellano}} |align=center|{{sort|10|10–1}} |align=center|8.50 |align=center|12.4 |align=right|$60,000 |
| align=center|6
|align=center|8 |Unbridled Honor |{{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}} |align=center|{{sort|15|15–1}} |align=center|13.70 |align=center|17.2 |align=right|$30,000 |
| align=center|7
|align=center|7 |France Go de Ina |Hideyuki Mori |{{sortname|Joel|Rosario}} |align=center|{{sort|20|20–1}} |align=center|24.60 |align=center|17.6 |{{sort|0|{{nbsp}}}} |
| align=center|8
|align=center|9 |Risk Taking |{{sortname|Chad|Brown|Chad C. Brown}} |{{sortname|Jose|Ortiz|Jose Ortiz (jockey)}} |align=center|{{sort|15|15–1}} |align=center|14.30 |align=center|23.5 |{{sort|0|{{nbsp}}}} |
| align=center|9
|align=center|10 |Concert Tour |{{sortname|Bob|Baffert}} |{{sortname|Mike|Smith|Mike E. Smith}} |align=center|{{sort|2.5|5–2}} |align=center|3.70 |align=center|34.2 |{{sort|0|{{nbsp}}}} |
| align=center|10
|align=center|1 |Ram |{{sortname|D. Wayne|Lukas}} |{{sortname|Ricardo|Santana Jr.}} |align=center|{{sort|30|30–1}} |align=center|15.90 |align=center|36.8 |{{sort|0|{{nbsp}}}} |
Payout
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Pgm | Horse | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align: center;" | 6
| Rombauer | style="text-align: right;" | $25.60 | style="text-align: right;" | $10.00 | style="text-align: right;" | $5.20 | ||||
| style="text-align: center;" | 5
| Midnight Bourbon | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: right;" | $4.60 | style="text-align: right;" | $3.00 | ||||
| style="text-align: center;" | 3
| Medina Spirit | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: right;" | $2.80 |
- $1 Exacta (6–5) $49.30
- $1 Trifecta (6–5–3) $162.70
- $1 Superfecta (6–5–3–2) $1,025.50
- $1 Super High Five (6–5–3–2–4) $4,857.80
Times: {{frac|1|4}} mile – 0:23.77; {{frac|1|2}} mile – 0:46.93; {{frac|3|4}} mile – 1:10.97; mile – 1:34.78; final – 1:53.62.
Splits for each quarter-mile: (:23.77) (:23.16) (:24.04) (:23.81) (:18.84 for final {{frac|3|16}})
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.preakness.com}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMSY5mDhPt8 Preakness Stakes 2021 (Full Race)] from NBC Sports via YouTube
{{Preakness Stakes}}
{{Thoroughbred Racing on NBC}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Preakness Stakes, 2021}}
Category:2021 in American sports
Category:May 2021 sports events in the United States
Category:Horse races in Maryland