The Preakness, and by extension the entire thoroughbred racing Triple Crown, has officially been put on notice: adapt or die.
The decision Wednesday by the human connections to Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to bypass the second leg of the Triple Crown was another blow to an archaic calendar that contests the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in a five-week span. This is now two consecutive Derby winners who haven’t even bothered to run in the Preakness, following Sovereignty last year. It’s also the third healthy scratch in the last five years, with 81–1 long shot Rich Strike bypassing Baltimore as well.
