Preakness 150: Pair of Berths at Stake This Weekend for Preakness 150

By David Joseph —-

Pair of Berths at Stake This Weekend for Preakness 150

BALTIMORE – Nine Triple Crown-nominated horses will be vying this weekend for an automatic berth in the 150th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.

Ten 3-year-olds are entered in Saturday’s 44th running of the $150,000 Federico Tesio at Laurel Park, a 1 1/8-mile test that includes five Triple Crown nominees – Surfside Moon, Studlydoright, Sacred Thunder, Pay Billy and Just a Fair Shake.

Meanwhile, seven more sophomores are set to line up in the seventh renewal of the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Saturday at Oaklawn Park, also at 1 1/8 miles. Among the group are Triple Crown-nominated Hymn, Caldera, Tiz Secure and Pretty Capable.

Both two-turn races earn Triple Crown-nominated connections automatic entry into the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. Horses may supplement to the $2 million Preakness for a fee of $150,000.

Named for the noted Italian breeder, owner and trainer whose homebreds Nearco and Ribot dominate Thoroughbred bloodlines around the world, the Tesio is offering the Preakness incentive for a 10th straight year. A total of 23 Tesio winners have gone on to run in the Preakness, the most recent being Perform in 2023. Maryland-bred Deputed Testamony, in 1983, is the lone horse to sweep both races.

Surfside Moon broke his maiden on the Delaware Park turf last August and exits a runner-up finish behind Captain Cook in the 1 1/8-mile Withers Feb. 1 at Aqueduct. Just a Fair Shake was third in an off-the-turf edition of the Laurel Futurity last fall and went six months before racing again, winning an optional claiming allowance March 25 at Laurel.

Pay Billy, Sacred Thunder and Studlydoright are all stakes winners. Pay Billy, second by a nose in Laurel’s one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 22, came back to win the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms March 22. Runner-up that day, Sacred Thunder has placed in four other stakes and won the six-furlong James F. Lewis III in November at Laurel.

Studlydoright graduated on debut last spring at Laurel then won the Tremont and was second in the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga in successive starts. He has gone winless in four starts since winning last fall’s one-mile Nashua at Aqueduct, most recently running fifth in the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby March 15.

Debuting in 2019 as the Oaklawn Invitational and run as the Oaklawn Stakes from 2020-2022 before being renamed, the Bathhouse Row has seen three of its six winners go on to the Preakness – Red Route One, fourth in 2023; Mr. Big News, seventh in 2020; and Laughing Fox, fifth in 2019.

Hymn adds blinkers after finishing second in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance March 14 at Oaklawn Park, where he beat older horses in his Feb. 8 unveiling sprinting six furlongs. Caldera also defeated elders when breaking his maiden Jan. 17 at Oaklawn, subsequently finishing second in the Sunland Derby and eighth in the Louisiana Derby (G2) for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a seven-time Preakness winner including Seize the Grey in 2024.

Tiz Secure was a 4 ¾-length maiden winner at first asking going six furlongs Feb. 22 at Santa Anita, then ran fourth in the one-mile Pasadena on turf March 9 in his stakes debut. His trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, owns a record eight Preakness victories, most recently with National Treasure in 2023. Pretty Capable broke his maiden on his fourth try, going 1 1/16 miles March 12 at Fair Grounds.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks, training centers and premier events including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and 1/ST TV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information email david.joseph@GulfstreamPark.com and visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.