First Look: 7 graded stakes set Preakness week 2026 table
Horse Racing Nation • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 Preakness Stakes and supporting graded stakes are being held at Laurel Park due to renovations at Pimlico, offering a rich slate of races for horseplayers over two days.
- Steve Asmussen's Braken Poppa aims for a fifth consecutive win in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan, facing strong competition including Saffie Joseph Jr.'s My Miss Mo, who posted an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.
- Linda Rice's Yo Daddy, fresh off a career-best 95 Beyer figure, is the favorite in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, while Peach Tie leads contenders in the Miss Preakness after a strong record at Laurel.
- Saturday's key races include the Dinner Party (G3) on turf featuring Shug McGaughey's Fort Washington, and the Maryland Sprint (G3), where Slam Notion seeks to add to his previous sprint stakes victories.
- Other notable races include the Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares at Laurel, with Ribaltagaia as the favorite, and the Louisville (G3) at Churchill Downs, highlighted by Burnham Square's dominant recent win at Keeneland.