2020 Preakness Stakes Announced for Oct. 3 After Being Rescheduled Amid COVID-19

Pimlico Race Course officials announced Saturday that the 2020 Preakness Stakes has officially been rescheduled for Oct. 3, according to WDRB's Eric Crawford.

The Preakness was originally scheduled for May 16, but it had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was previously announced that the Kentucky Derby has been rescheduled for Sept. 5, meaning it may now be possible to run the 2020 Triple Crown in order during the fall.

A few tracks have held events with no fans in attendance during the COVID-19 outbreak, and racing returned to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday with opening day of the Spring/Summer Meet.

Per Pimlico.com, InfieldFest will not be held in conjunction with the 145th Preakness, although it hasn't yet been announced if any fans will be permitted to attend the race. No announcement has been made regarding Black Eyed Susan Day either.

On Saturday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that tracks can begin racing without spectators on June 1. That means a new date for the 2020 Belmont Stakes may be forthcoming as well.

The Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown, and it is run annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Last year, War of Will won the Preakness Stakes after Triple Crown winner Justify won it in 2018.

There will be about one month in between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but the gap in between the Preakness and Belmont Stakes may need to be shorter since running the Belmont in New York in November would be risky because of the possibility of snow.

Had the Preakness not run, it would have been the first time since 1893 that the storied race was canceled.