2015 Preakness: TV Coverage, NBC Live Stream and Purse Payout Info
The Preakness may not inspire the same images of prestige and grandeur as the Kentucky Derby, but it occupies the best spot of the entire horse racing calendar.
There is guaranteed interest and drama at the Preakness every year, and the 2015 edition will be no different. Since it is the next Triple Crown race after the Derby, dreams and storylines of potential horse racing history naturally follow. So do the subsequent viewers.
Everyone’s hopes are pinned on American Pharoah this year after he stormed from behind at Churchill Downs as the favorite to take home the dramatic title. Not since Affirmed’s famous 1978 run has a horse won the Triple Crown, but an American Pharoah victory at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course would bring the elusive feat into focus once again.
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The question now is who can possibly challenge the reigning Derby champion. Here is a look at the schedule and the broadcast information before digging into a couple of potential contenders who could ruin the Triple Crown party.
2015 Preakness
Date: Saturday, May 16
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET (post time will be approximately 6:18 p.m. ET, per the event’s website)
Purse: $1.5 million total (per the event’s website)
Purse Payouts: Preakness purse payouts courtesy of TheTripleCrown.com.
| First | $900,000 (60%) |
| Second | $300,000 (20%) |
| Third | $165,000 (11%) |
| Fourth | $90,000 (6%) |
| Fifth | $45,000 (3%) |
Potential American Pharoah Challengers
Firing Line
Firing Line has been a model of consistency throughout his early career and tallied five straight first- or second-place finishes leading up to the Kentucky Derby. In case there was any question whether that was a fluke or not, he overtook Dortmund in the stretch run at Churchill Downs but ultimately fell just short of American Pharoah.
The Kentucky Derby runner-up has not won a Preakness since Prairie Bayou in 1993, but Firing Line is fast enough to end that streak. Throw in experienced jockey Gary Stevens, who won the Preakness in 2013, 2001 and 1997, and Firing Line is a legitimate threat to end American Pharoah's Triple Crown dreams.
It's not just the speed or the fact that Firing Line knows nothing but first or second place that makes him a threat.
He drew the outside gate at No. 8 and could charge from that lane near the finish while American Pharoah battles with traffic on the inside from the No. 1 gate. Remember, American Pharoah took advantage of an outside position at Churchill Downs while Dortmund and Firing Line battled for the lead near the inside.
The Associated Press suggested that the gate and Firing Line's overall freshness could come into play Saturday (via SI.com): "That's one potential advantage for Firing Line. Another is that this will be only his second race since March 22. American Pharaoh ran in the Arkansas Derby on April 11 and Dortmund captured the Santa Anita Derby on April 4."
Don't be surprised if Firing Line parlays his second-place finish at Churchill Downs into a title at Pimlico.
Dortmund
The Kentucky Derby was somewhat billed as a battle between American Pharoah and Dortmund, and there is no reason to expect American Pharoah's biggest challenger to fade away before the Triple Crown’s second leg.
Dortmund never lost before that trip to Churchill Downs, although his third-place finish was impressive in its own right. Dortmund jumped out to the initial lead and battled Firing Line throughout the stretch run, but American Pharoah’s push on the outside was ultimately too much to overcome.
Dortmund was a perfect 6-0 to start his career and counted victories at the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) and the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on his resume. The Santa Anita Derby win came in front-running fashion, which is interesting heading into the Preakness.
Again, Pimlico is shorter than Churchill Downs, and Dortmund was one of the horses American Pharoah caught from behind. Another quick start at the Preakness could be the formula for victory for Dortmund, especially with Martin Garcia as his jockey. Garcia won the 2010 Preakness with Lookin at Lucky and will not be intimidated by the moment.
Dortmund’s trainer is Bob Baffert, who also trains American Pharoah. Interestingly, Baffert has never lost a Preakness with a Kentucky Derby winner (Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem in 2002) and could do the same with American Pharoah if Dortmund doesn’t interfere with those plans.
Baffert discussed both of his dominant horses, per Jennie Ress of the Courier-Journal in Louisville:
"They looked great. I was happy with them. They haven't regressed any.
Pharoah, he's still floating over the ground, looked like he was really into it. We just let them pick up their gallop a little bit the last half and they went really well. Dortmund was getting really aggressive with Dana (Barnes). But they looked good. They were traveling really well over it. They look like energy-wise they still have it. You can tell by their brightness and the way they carry themselves to the track.
"
It would certainly be an ironic twist if Baffert lost his impressive streak at the Preakness with Derby winners because another one of his horses took home the crown.
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