The 2024 Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, with a post time estimated at 6:50 p.m. ET. Held at the iconic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, this annual event is a highlight of the horse racing calendar.

The Preakness Stakes, being the second leg of the Triple Crown, frequently features horses that have recently competed in the Kentucky Derby, which is held two weeks earlier. This year's Preakness will showcase Mystik Dan, the first-place winner of the Derby, alongside other Derby contenders such as Catching Freedom and Just Steel.

While the anticipation around Preakness builds, the event itself doesn't last very long. Here's everything you need to know about the length of Preakness Stakes.

How Many Miles Is the Preakness Stakes?

The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course is officially measured at 9.5 furlongs, or 1 3⁄16 miles.

The race has been this distance since 1925, although it originally started out as 1 1/2 miles when it began all the way back in 1873.

Of the Triple Crown races, the Belmont Stakes is the longest at 1 1/2 miles (12 furlongs). The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs), followed by the Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs).

How Long Is a Furlong?

A furlong is 1/8 of a mile, which works out to be 220 yards or 660 feet.

It's a relatively old form of measurement that was once a standard measure around agricultural fields but is now used almost exclusively in horse racing in the United States.

How Much Time Will Preakness Take?

Like most horse races of a similar distance, the Preakness Stakes typically lasts around two minutes. The record for the current distance of 9.5 furlongs was 1:53, set by Triple Crown winner Secretariat in 1973. For context, 2023 winner National Treasure finished the race in 1:55.12.

It's also worth noting that the race isn't officially over until the final horse crosses the finish line, which often happens a few seconds after the winner.

How Long Is the Track at the Preakness Stakes?

The oval dirt track at Pimlico measures one mile. Since the race itself is 1 3/16 miles, that means contenders on May 18th will run a little more than one lap around the track.

New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet up to $500 on any race at any track & get it back in Racing Bonus if it doesn’t win! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for more horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ and reside in CO, IL, IN, KY, LA (permitted parishes only), MD, MA, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY. Offer valid on first win wager. Verified FD Racing account required. Select Races Only. Refund issued in non-withdrawable Racing site credit that expires 7 days after receipt. See terms at racing.fanduel.com. Offer not available in AZ, CT, IA, KS, NC, NJ, TN, or VT. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, KY, MI, OH, PA, IL, VA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).