The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the second leg of the prestigious Triple Crown series, coming two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes

. The race covers a distance of 1 and 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs) on a dirt track. It is open to three-year-old colts, geldings, and fillies, with different weight assignments for each category. The Preakness Stakes has been run since 1873 and is named after the colt Preakness, who won the first Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico

. The event is a major sporting occasion, ranking second in attendance among North American equestrian events, surpassed only by the Kentucky Derby. It is also known as "the Run for the Black-Eyed Susans," with the winning horse draped in a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans, Maryland's state flower

. The Preakness Stakes is steeped in tradition and has been the site of historic moments in horse racing, including legendary winners like Secretariat and American Pharoah, the latter becoming the 12th Triple Crown winner in 2015

. In summary, the Preakness Stakes is a historic and highly regarded horse race that plays a central role in American thoroughbred racing as the middle jewel of the Triple Crown