The Preakness is the second and shortest leg in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, some of the other horses that ran in the Derby, and often a few horses that did not start in the Derby. (The phrase "Triple Crown" was not coined until the 1930s.)
Two years before the Kentucky Derby was run for the first time, Pimlico introduced its new stakes race for three-year-olds, the Preakness, during its first-ever spring race meet in 1873. Governor Bowie had named the mile and one-half race in honor of Dinner Party Stakes-winner, Preakness.
The first Preakness drew seven starters; John Chamberlain's three-year-old, Survivor, galloped home easily by ten lengths--still the largest margin of victory in the Preakness--winning a purse of $2,050.
As soon as the Preakness winner has been declared official, a painter climbs a ladder to the top of a replica of the Old Clubhouse cupola. He applies the colors of the victorious owner's silks on the jockey and horse which are part of the weather vane atop the infield structure.
The practice started in 1909 at Pimlico when a horse and rider weather vane sat at the top of the old Members' Clubhouse, which was constructed when Pimlico opened in 1870. The Victorian building was destroyed by fire in June, 1966. A replica of the old building's cupola was built to stand in the Preakness winner's circle in the infield.
The Preakness Stakes has remained throughout history a true test of a horse's ability and class, a race where remarkable horses meet one another other in a great classic.
YEAR WINNER
1873 Survivor
1874 Culpepper
1875 Tom Ochiltree
1876 Shirley
1877 Cloverbrook
1878 Duke of Magenta
1879 Harold
1880 Grenada
1881 Saunterer
1882 Vanguard
1883 Jacobus
1884 Knight of Ellerslie
1885 Tecumseh
1886 The Bard
1887 Dunboyne
1888 Refund
1889 Buddhist
1890 Montague
1894 Assignee
1895 Belmar
1896 Margrave
1897 Paul Kauvar
1898 Sly Fox
1899 Half Time
1900 Hindus
1901 The Parader
1902 Old England
1903 Flocarline
1904 Bryn Mawr
1905 Cairngorm
1906 Whimsical
1907 Don Enrique
1908 Royal Tourist
1909 Effendi
1910 Layminster
1911 Watervale
1912 Colonel Holloway
1913 Buskin
1914 Holiday
1915 Rhine Maiden
1916 Damrosch
1917 Kalitan
1918 War Cloud; Jack Hare, Jr (tie)
1919 Sir Barton*
1920 Man o' War
1921 Broomspun
1922 Pillory
1923 Vigil
1924 Nellie Morse
1925 Coventry
1926 Display
1927 Bostonian
1928 Victorian
1929 Dr. Freeland
1930 Gallant Fox*
1931 Mate
1932 Burgoo King
1933 Head Play
1934 High Quest
1935 Omaha*
1936 Bold Venture
1937 War Admiral*
1938 Dauber
1939 Challedon
1940 Bimelech
1941 Whirlaway*
1942 Alsab
1943 Count Fleet*
1944 Pensive
1945 Polynesian
1946 Assault*
1947 Faultless
1948 Citation*
1949 Capot
1950 Hill Prince
1951 Bold
1952 Blue Man
1953 Native Dancer
1954 Hasty Road
1955 Nashua
1956 Fabius
1957 Bold Ruler
1958 Tim Tam
1959 Royal Orbit
1960 Bally Ache
1961 Carry Back
1962 Greek Money
1963 Candy Spots
1964 Northern Dancer
1965 Tom Rolfe
1966 Kauai King
1967 Damascus
1968 Forward Pass
1969 Majestic Prince
1970 Personality
1971 Canonero II
1972 Bee Bee Bee
1973 Secretariat*
1974 Little Current
1975 Master Derby
1976 Elocutionist
1977 Seattle Slew*
1978 Affirmed*
1979 Spectacular Bid
1980 Codex
1981 Pleasant Colony
1982 Aloma's Ruler
1983 Deputed Testamony
1984 Gate Dancer
1985 Tank's Prospect
1986 Snow Chief
1987 Alysheba
1988 Risen Star
1989 Sunday Silence
1990 Summer Squall
1991 Hansel
1992 Pine Bluff
1993 Prairie Bayou
1994 Tabasco Cat
1995 Timber Country
1996 Louis Quatorze
1997 Silver Charm
1998 Real Quiet
1999 Charismatic
2000 Red Bullet
2001 Point Given
2002 War Emblem
2003 Funny Cide