Racing

Live racing returns to historic Pimlico Race Course Thursday for the opening of its 11-day Preakness Meet, highlighted by the 149th running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, Saturday, May 18.

Horsemen will be offered $7.5 million in bonus opportunities as well as qualifiers for international races at Newmarket and Deauville come Preakness Day May 18 at legendary Pimlico Race Course.

It is a marriage of convenience, in the best sense of that word. Trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. are partners in peaceful coexistence.

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and the other connections of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan greeted the media May 5 at Churchill Downs, a day after the colt's memorable nose victory there.

Trainer Kenny McPeek is undecided on whether Mystik Dan will run in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1). If he runs, he could possibly be the lone Derby starter in the gate.

Jantar Mantar, Japan's top 2-year-old colt of 2023, defeated Ascoli Piceno, the top 2-year-old filly of 2023, in the May 5 NHK Mile Cup with the aid of a cutback in distance and some racing luck.

Tom Pedulla writes of five key takeaways from Kentucky Derby weekend.

A hot topic following the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) concerns a rough stretch run, specifically, the repeat bumping between drifting-in runner-up Sierra Leone and Japanese invader and third-place Forever Young.

Led by Peacock, the "Run for the Roses" posted NBC Sports' largest streaming audience for a horse racing event with an Average Minute Audience of 714,000 viewers—nearly doubling last year (371,000).

Three weeks and a day ago, second-season sire The Autumn Sun didn't have a group 1 winner to his name and, for some, the wait was becoming tense. Now they seem to be dropping like leaves from a tree around this time of year.