$100,000 bonus offered for trainers during Preakness weekend

The Maryland Jockey Club is offering bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend on May 17 and 18, at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The weekend races include 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $4.4 million in purses. 

The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second is worth $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes, led by the 149th running of the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, May 18.

Trainers must have a minimum of five starts to qualify for the bonus.

Other graded events on Preakness Day are the $500,000 Dinner Party (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles and $100,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and older at 1 1/16 miles, each on turf, and the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, both at six furlongs; and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for older Arabian horses on the main track. The UAE President Cup is not part of the bonus.

Preakness Eve, May 17, will be highlighted by the 100th running of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles and two supporting graded-stakes – the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles and $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs.

 The Black-Eyed Susan undercard also includes the $100,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt as well as the $100,000 Hilltop for 3-year-old fillies going one mile and $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting five furlongs, both on the turf.

 Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen has been the leading Preakness weekend stakes trainer four times in its first seven years, earning the top bonus in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Brad Cox (2019), Mike Maker (2020) and Maryland-based Graham Motion (2023) have also won the top prize.

 There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth.

Trainers must have a minimum of three starts to qualify for the bonus.