When and Where to Watch the 2018 Preakness Stakes

Get ready! The 143rd running of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) is coming up on May 19th at Pimlico Racecourse, and we couldn’t be more excited to see if Kentucky Derby winner can prevail in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

In a perfect world, we would all travel to Baltimore to watch the race in person, but for those of us who can’t make the trip, NBC Sports will provide the next-best thing—4 ½ hours of live TV coverage, including several of the other major races being held at Pimlico on Saturday.

So why not make an event of it? Print out the past performances, check out our previews and picks for the races, and sign up for a BetAmerica account so you can follow along and wager on your favorites. Here are all the details you need to know about when and where to watch the Preakness Stakes....

Preakness Stakes Undercard Races

The action kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN and continues until 5:00 p.m., during which several of the stakes races leading up to the Preakness will be shown. While the order of races has not yet been finalized, the Gallorette Stakes (gr. III) for fillies and mares and the Sir Barton Stakes for three-year-olds could be among the races broadcast.

Preakness Stakes and Dixie Stakes

The main two-hour broadcast gets underway at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on NBC and is expected to include both the Preakness Stakes and the Dixie Stakes (gr. II), the 8.5-furlong turf event that traditionally precedes the second leg of the Triple Crown. Last year, the Dixie was won by future champion World Approval, so it’s definitely a race you won’t want to miss.

Will Justify keep his unbeaten record intact with another decisive victory in the Preakness, setting up a shot at the Triple Crown? Will the Derby runner-up Good Magic turn the tables? Or will a newcomer like Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) winner Quip steal the show? Be sure to tune in and find out!