The Preakness Stakes will be run later than usual in 2027 as officials try to attract more Kentucky Derby runners to the second race of the Triple Crown.
The 152nd running will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2027, eight days later than its traditional position on the third Saturday in May.
The change gives horses 22 days to recover after the Kentucky Derby instead of the usual two-week break. Maryland racing officials hope that will make it easier for the Derby winner and other leading horses to continue to Baltimore rather than wait for the Belmont Stakes.
What Is the New Preakness Date?
The 2027 Triple Crown dates are:
Kentucky Derby: Saturday, May 1
Preakness Stakes: Sunday, May 23
Belmont Stakes: Saturday, June 5
The gap between the Derby and Preakness will increase from 14 days to 22 days. However, there will then be only 13 days between the Preakness and Belmont.
The total period between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes will still be five weeks. The schedule is not getting longer. The rest time is simply being moved, with a longer break after the Derby and a shorter one before the Belmont.
Why Has the Preakness Date Changed?
The traditional two-week gap has become less suitable for the way many top horses are trained today.
Leading three-year-olds now tend to have more time between races. Trainers are often cautious about asking a horse to compete again so soon after the Kentucky Derby.
The Derby can be a hard race, with a large field, plenty of early pressure and a busy first turn. Horses may also need time to recover from the build-up, travel and demands of the race itself.
In recent years, some Derby winners have skipped the Preakness and waited for the Belmont instead. That gives them five weeks between races rather than two.
This has caused concern for Preakness officials. The race receives far more attention when the Derby winner arrives in Baltimore with the Triple Crown still possible.
Without the Derby winner, part of the story is lost before the race even begins.
Maryland Jockey Club president Bill Knauf said the extra week would better suit current training methods and could help keep more Derby runners involved in the Triple Crown.
Will More Derby Winners Run?
That is the main reason for the change.
A Kentucky Derby winner running in the Preakness gives the race a clear focus. Fans want to see whether the horse can win the first two legs and earn a chance to complete the Triple Crown in the Belmont.
The extra eight days should give trainers more time to assess how their horses have recovered and return them to regular training before making a final decision.
The new date may not attract every Derby winner, but it removes one of the main reasons for missing the race.
Trainer Graham Motion, who sent Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom to finish second in the 2011 Preakness, welcomed the attempt to strengthen the race.
Does the Change Make the Triple Crown Easier?
Not necessarily.
The new schedule makes the move from the Derby to the Preakness easier, but it makes the next step harder.
A horse that wins both races will have just 13 days before the Belmont Stakes. That is one day less than the old gap between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
The hardest turnaround will now come at the end of the Triple Crown rather than at the start.
Some trainers may be happy to run in the Preakness after a 22-day break but may then decide that the Belmont comes too quickly. Others may feel that a chance to win the Triple Crown is too important to pass up.
The full effect of the change will only become clear during the 2027 season.
Why Is the Race Moving to Sunday?
The Preakness will also move from Saturday to Sunday for the first time.
The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes card, usually held on Friday, will move to Saturday, May 22. The Preakness will then close the two-day meeting on Sunday.
It is a clear break with tradition, but officials believe the race needs to change if it is to keep attracting the best three-year-olds.
A Key Test in 2027
The Preakness is expected to return to Pimlico Race Course in 2027 after the 2026 running takes place at Laurel Park during redevelopment work.
That return will add interest, but the main question will be whether the new date improves the field.
If the Kentucky Derby winner and several other Derby runners travel to Baltimore, the move will be viewed as a success.
If the best horses still miss the race, the debate over the Triple Crown schedule will continue.
The 2027 Preakness will be the first real test of whether a later date can protect the race and restore its appeal to modern trainers.
