The Triple Crown Is Changing
Edition No. 5 · Tuesday, April 14, 2026 · 18 Days to Post
🏇 Derby Draft Is Live
Over on the ITM YouTube Channel, the annual Triple Crown Draft show is live. Michelle Yu is gunning for an unprecedented FOURTH win in a row. PTF, a non-consecutive three-time winner, is back to oppose her, along with ITM’s Nick Tammaro and new shooter Chris Fallica.
As promised, PTF has commissioned a bobblehead of Michelle to commemorate her achievement:
You can also find the full rules here.
📺 The Preakness Is (Finally) Moving
Sports Business Journal reported yesterday that the Preakness Stakes is likely shifting one week later on the calendar starting in 2027 — giving trainers three weeks between the Derby and the Preakness instead of the current two. The Derby’s first-Saturday-in-May slot stays put.
The spacing debate hit a tipping point last year when Sovereignty skipped the Preakness entirely. Bill Mott wanted no part of a two-week turnaround. The new Maryland Jockey Club, which takes over Pimlico operations in 2027, is driving the change — and it’s tied to a media rights negotiation that has NBC, Fox, Amazon, and Netflix all circling the Preakness broadcast.
Whether the Belmont also shifts back a week depends on who wins the rights. Fox, which already has the Belmont through NYRA, would push for three weeks between each leg. If someone else gets the Preakness, NYRA may hold firm. Sure feels like the timing here could be part of the negotiations themselves and you don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to see this coming – a world where NYRA says, “sure we’ll move the Belmont, as long as we get the rights to the Preakness.” But it all remains to be seen.
This isn’t hypothetical anymore. This is happening.
Randy Moss talked about exactly this issue a year ago on ITM — worth a re-watch: Randy on Triple Crown spacing
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🔄 Field Watch: Wallabee Gets Closer, Brown Still Deciding
Michael McCarthy told Steve Byk that Stark Contrast is more likely to target the American Turf on Derby Day than the Derby itself. “He may win on the first Saturday in May,” McCarthy said. “I don’t think it’ll be in the Kentucky Derby.” If that holds, it would open a spot for Chief Wallabee.
Meanwhile, Wallabee is adding blinkers and shipping to Churchill today. Mott told DRF that Wallabee seemed “slightly distracted” in the Florida Derby and worked in blinkers for the first time Saturday at Payson Park. David Aragona noted on social media that only four horses in a similar odds range have added blinkers in the Derby over the past 25 years — none of them won.
Chad Brown called Emerging Market “a definite” for the Derby but is still working through decisions on Ottinho and Iron Honor with their respective owners. He usually waits two weeks before breezing a horse back after a start — both ran last Saturday, and entries close April 25. Tight window.
🏁 Saturday: Sovereignty vs Journalism, Round 3
The Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday features the rematch we’ve been waiting for — Sovereignty and Journalism meeting for the third time, now as four-year-olds. Sovereignty won the Derby and the Belmont last year; Journalism took the Preakness and the Haskell.
How rare is this? Sara Elbadwi dug up the answer: the last time the Derby 1-2 finishers faced off again as four-year-olds with one of them winning was 1992 — Strike the Gold over Best Pal in the Pimlico Special.
I’ll also have an article about the race over on attheraces.com – I’d share a link but I have to write the darn thing first.
ICYMI: Derby OddsWatch
❓ Today’s Open Question
If the Preakness moves to three weeks after the Derby, does the Triple Crown become easier to win — or does the extra rest just guarantee a bigger field at every stop?
