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Why the 2026 Preakness is not at Pimlico but at Laurel Park
TL;DR
The 2026 Preakness Stakes will be held at Laurel Park instead of Pimlico for the first time in 116 years due to renovations. Belmont Stakes will also be run at Saratoga as its track is being rebuilt.
Key points
- 2026 Preakness Stakes will be at Laurel Park
- Pimlico Race Course is under renovation
- Belmont Stakes will be run at Saratoga
- Preakness has not been held outside Pimlico for 116 years
- Future of Triple Crown race scheduling is uncertain
Mentioned in this story
Pimlico Race CourseLaurel ParkSaratogaNYRA
Preakness StakesBelmont Stakes
The Triple Crown is the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. For years, the trifecta of races has been synonymous with Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park.
Not anymore. On May 9, 2026, the streak of Preakness Stakes being held at Pimlico will end after 116 years. The facility is being rebuilt and this year's race will take place at Laurel Park, another Maryland track. To add to the oddities, the Belmont will once again be run at Saratoga as the Long Island track continues to be rebuilt.
No one will have to worry if there will be an asterisk if a horse were to win the Triple Crown in races at Churchill, Laurel and Saratoga. For the third time in five years, the Derby winner is skipping the middle jewel. Hard to blame Golden Tempo's connection when all of 4,800 will be in attendance on Saturday. That's the number the crowd has been capped at.
Belmont will be ready later this year, in plenty of time for next year's Triple Crown. Pimlico is under construction and the plan is for it to be set, too, for the 2027 Preakness. What shape those races will take remains in flux. Will the Preakness move to three weeks after the Kentucky Derby, as has been suggested? Will the NYRA play ball and back up the Belmont a week? Those politics will play out later.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, 14 horses will enter the starting gate for the 1 3/16 miles Preakness. Three ran in the Kentucky Derby: Incredibolt, Orcelli and Robusta. They finished sixth, third and 14th, respectively in the Run for the Roses.
There have been horses who went on to win the Triple Crown that have won at Laurel Park. Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, and Affirmed all won the Laurel Futurity, a stake for 2-year-olds, the year before they went on to make racing history.
The historic run will be temporary for Laurel Park. Once Pimlico is back up and running, Laurel is expected to be converted to a fulltime training facility. If Maryland horse racing can navigate the political issues that have threatened that possibility.
Q&A
Why is the 2026 Preakness Stakes not being held at Pimlico?
The 2026 Preakness Stakes is not at Pimlico because the facility is undergoing renovations.
Where will the Preakness Stakes take place in 2026?
The Preakness Stakes will take place at Laurel Park in 2026.
What changes are happening to the Triple Crown races in 2026?
In 2026, the Preakness will be at Laurel Park, and the Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga due to ongoing renovations at both Pimlico and Belmont Park.
