The Maryland Jockey Club is offering a $100,000 bonus to trainers that accumulate the most points by running a minimum of five horses in stakes races on Preakness weekend, May 19 and 20, at Pimlico Race Course.
The weekend point leader will earn $50,000, followed by $25,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth, $4,000 for fifth and $2,000 for sixth. Points are awarded on a 10-7-5-3 scale for finishing first through fourth, with one point earned for each starter in a stakes race.
The 142nd running of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (G1), the second leg of the Triple Crown, highlights a $3.7 million stakes schedule and is one of eight stakes, four graded, on a May 20 card that includes the $250,000 Longines Dixie (G2T), $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) and $150,000 Gallorette.
Other stakes on the day are the six-furlong Chick Lang, which had its purse doubled to $200,000 for 2017; the $100,000 LARC Sir Barton to benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance; $100,000 James W. Murphy and $100,000 The Very One.
The May 20 program features the $350,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3)