Overview
- Maryland finalized an $85 million purchase of the Preakness and Black‑Eyed Susan intellectual property and announced on Wednesday that the 2027 Preakness will be run on Sunday, May 23.
- The state struck a new TV deal with NBC and Peacock that will broadcast the Preakness, the Black‑Eyed Susan and other Maryland cards through 2032.
- Churchill Downs Inc. and the New York Racing Association responded by unveiling a new six‑race Thoroughbred Championship Series starting in 2027 that includes the Kentucky Derby and Belmont but excludes the Preakness and offers a $5 million bonus pool.
- The new dates widen the Derby‑to‑Preakness gap to about three weeks while shortening the Preakness‑to‑Belmont gap to roughly 13 days because NYRA has kept the Belmont on Saturday, June 5, 2027, which raises questions about trainer decisions and horse recovery.
- State ownership of the Preakness shifts commercial and local economic control to Maryland and creates a bargaining point for future talks with Churchill Downs and NYRA over series inclusion, calendar alignment and the sport's revenue model.