How Long Is the Preakness Stakes? (How Many Miles and How Much Time Will It Take in 2026?)

The 2026 Preakness Stakes happens on the third Saturday in May – May 17 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. Though it traditionally happens at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Pimlico is under construction. The middle jewel of the Triple Crown is expected to be back at its Pimlico home in 2027, but this year it takes a detour to the other Maryland track.

As much excitement as there is leading into the Preakness, it takes the winning horse less than two minutes to get from the gate to the wire. Read on to learn more about how long the Preakness is and the winning times.

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How Many Miles Is the Preakness Stakes?

The traditional official distance of the Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles, or 9 ½ furlongs.

The Preakness has been 1 3⁄16 miles dating back to 1925, though it originally started out as 1 1/2 miles back in 1873. It has been run at seven different distances over the course of its history, as short as a mile and as long as 1 ½ miles.

The Preakness Stakes is the shortest of the three Triple Crown races. It's a similar distance as the Kentucky Derby (1 ¼ miles; 10 furlongs) but noticeably shorter than the traditional Belmont Stakes distance (1 ½ miles; 12 furlongs). It’s also shorter than this year’s Belmont distance of 1 ¼ miles – the third leg of the Triple Crown will be contested one last time at Saratoga in 2026, while Belmont Park construction finishes.

Even though the second leg of the Triple Crown will be run at Laurel and not Pimlico this year, the race conditions are still familiar: 1 3⁄16 miles on the dirt, open to the best three-year-old horses in the sport.

How Long Is a Furlong?

A furlong is 1/8 of a mile. That comes out to 220 yards (or 660 feet).

The furlong was once the standard measure for agricultural fields: deriving from the phrase “furrow length,” it was the distance a typical team of oxen could plow without stopping. Now, furlongs are used almost exclusively in regard to horse racing in the United States.

How Much Time Will the Preakness Take?

The Preakness is half a furlong shorter than the Kentucky Derby, and typically takes just a little less than two minutes.

Triple Crown winner Secretariat set the 9.5-furlong distance record at 1 minute 53 seconds (1:53) in 1973. Last year, even-money winner Journalism completed the race in 1:55.47.

How Long Is the Track at the Preakness Stakes?

The Preakness will be run at Laurel Park in 2026 because its historic home, Pimlico Race Course, is being renovated. The Laurel Park dirt course is one mile and 600 feet around, with a one-mile chute to the second finish line and a 7 ½-furlong chute to the first finish line. 1 3/16 miles will be a two-turn trip, a little more than a lap around the dirt track.

What are the Preakness best bets and picks for 2026?

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.