Organizers for the Preakness Stakes announced on Wednesday that this year's final race of the Triple Crown will be held without fans. The announcement from the The Maryland Jockey Club and Stronach Group, which owns and manages Pimlico Race Course, officially means that fans will not be in attendance for any of the three major races in American horse racing.
The Preakness, which takes in Baltimore, was originally scheduled for a May 16 race date before the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the country. In response, the race was rescheduled for Oct. 3, making it the final Triple Crown race of 2020.
"While we had hoped to be able to welcome fans as we have for the past 145 years, the health and safety of our guests, horsemen, riders, team members and the community at large is, and will always be, our top priority," Belinda Stronach said in a statement, per the AP.
The Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby were also both rescheduled from their original dates. Belmont took place June 20 in New York and the race at Churchill Downs was moved to Sept.5. The lack of fans hasn't diminished the intrigue in this year's Triple Crown, as history could still be made, even without supporters in attendance to witness it. After winning in Belmont, Tiz the Law is currently the heavy favorite at the Kentucky Derby.
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Should Tiz the Law win that race, he'll have a chance at being the first horse to win the Triple Crown in Baltimore at the Preakness Stakes about a month later.
