Tom Chuckas on Preakness/TC Spacing

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Here is the last bit that I have: in 1957, the Belmont was 28 days after the Preakness (which was two weeks after the Derby, which didn't stop Bold Ruler from running in a Pimlico allowance race five days before the Preakness), so maybe 1958 was the first year of the current spacing.

Without looking back at the winners before Whirlaway, I'd say that Secretariat was the first Triple Crown winner to run on the current schedule.

With all of this historical reporting, I am starting to feel like DrugS.

Enjoy the Preakness.

(DRF's "Champions" is a great instant tool for a question like Dunbar's.)

Thanks for doing the research! I would have guessed that the current spacing was in place for Citation and Whirlaway. Did either of them have a race in between the Preakness and the Belmont?

--Dunbar