Preakness Winners: The Horses Who Conquered Pimlico

The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of the Triple Crown. The race is historically held at Pimlico two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, on the third Saturday of May. That places it three weeks before the Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

The 2026 Preakness Stakes will be a little different than the rest – it will be run for the first time at Laurel Park. The distance will be the same, its classic 1 3/16-mile trip, but the site will be moved 30 miles south-southwest to Laurel, Maryland, while Pimlico Race Course is under construction. No matter what, it remains one of the most eagerly-awaited events of the horse racing year, and the winning horse earns a place in history.

Before looking ahead to the 2026 running of the Preakness, let’s take a moment to remember the horses who have won the second Triple Crown race over the years.

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Preakness Stakes History and Notable Winners

The history of the Preakness Stakes dates back to 1873, two years before the advent of the Kentucky Derby. It got its name from the horse who won the first edition of the Dinner Party Stakes, a race name for the event which inspired the building of Pimlico. It will be run for the 150th time in 2025, as the race was not run in 1891, 1892, or 1893.

Thirteen winners of the Preakness Stakes have gone on to become a Triple Crown winner: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).

Six fillies have won the Preakness Stakes: Flocarline (1903), Whimsical (1906), Rhine Maien (1915), Nellie Morse (1924), Rachel Alexandra (2009), and Swiss Skydiver (2020).

List of Preakness Stakes Winners

These are the horses who have won the Preakness Stakes, including the years they won it, their jockeys, their trainers, and their owners.

Here's a link to the full 2025 Preakness Stakes -- Preakness Stakes 2025 (FULL RACE) | NBC Sports

Sandman, who closed from last and stayed out of trouble on the outside, got home third, another 2 ¼ lengths back, four lengths clear of a weakening Goal Oriented. Heart of Honor, River Thames, Pay Billy, American Promise, and Clever Again followed them across the wire.

Journalism was trainer Michael McCarthy’s second starter in the Preakness Stakes, after only Rombauer in 2021. Journalism’s victory ran McCarthy’s record to two-for-two, since Rombauer upset the likes of Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit. It was a winning first Preakness ride for Rispoli.

Preakness Stakes 2025 Winner Journalism in the Belmont Stakes

After winning the Preakness, McCarthy pointed Journalism to the Belmont Stakes, which was being run at Saratoga due to continuing construction at Belmont Park. Journalism was the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races in 2025.

Despite bobbling early, Journalism stalked the early pace set by Rodriguez. He reeled in that foe in upper stretch, but he wasn’t home free – Sovereignty was coming to his outside. In the end, Belmont Stakes day looked a lot like Kentucky Derby day: Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza were the first three horses across the wire on the first Saturday in May, and they were once again the first three finishers – in that order – on that June day at Saratoga.

Journalism After the Triple Crown

Journalism returned the next month at Monmouth Park for the Haskell (G1), cutting back to 1 ⅛ miles after the more demanding 1 ¼-mile trip of the Saratoga editions of the Belmont. He settled toward the rear early, letting long shots Bracket Buster and Kentucky Outlaw join Goal Oriented on the pace. Though Gosger was a bit more forwardly place and got the first run on the leaders, the end was a repeat of the Preakness: Journalism made his run and caught Gosger by the same margin, half a length.

Journalism stayed home in Southern California for his next race, the 1 ¼-mile Pacific Classic (G1) – but stepped up to the new challenge of facing older company for the first time. He was sent off the 2-5 favorite despite that challenge – and although he made a good closing run, the older Fierceness was both more forwardly placed and in sharp form. Fierceness was clear by the time he hit the quarter pole, and Journalism could only chase, finishing second by 3 ¼ lengths.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic was Journalism’s final race of his sophomore season. Journalism was the fourth choice in a tightly clustered top of the market on the tote board, and that’s exactly where he ended up in the end. Settled toward the rear of midpack, he got the jump on Sierra Leone and was close to eventual winner Forever Young with a quarter of a mile to go, but flattened late to finish fourth, 3 ¾ lengths behind the winner.

Journalism as a Four-Year-Old

Journalism remained in training and returned to the races as a four-year-old. He has raced once so far in 2026, in a blockbuster edition of the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 18, where he lined up against Sovereignty as well as 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio. More forward than usual, he spent much of the race disputing the pace with Sovereignty. In the end, that set up nicely for White Abarrio, who was taken back to a stalking spot and finished best, scoring by two lengths over Sovereignty. Journalism checked in third, another 1 ¼ lengths back.

McCarthy has not yet committed Journalism to a next race, though according to a report from the Daily Racing Form, he is under consideration to cut back in distance and contest the Met Mile (G1) on June 6 at Saratoga. As of May 2, he was back on the worktab at Santa Anita.

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