How to watch the Preakness Stakes 2023: live stream the horse racing online or on TV

Jose Ortiz and other jockeys racing at the Preakness Stakes 2022
(Image credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, takes place on Saturday, May 20. After Mage won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, a win would give him a shot at history as the latest horse to achieve the incredible feat of winning all three premiere summer races at the Belmont.

This is the 148th iteration of the Preakness Stakes, but also the 150th anniversary of the regular horse race, after it was first run in 1873.

If you're a racing fan, whether it's to bet on the proceedings or just appreciate the pageantry, here's how to watch the Preakness Stakes from wherever you are.

How to watch the Preakness Stakes in the US

In the US, the Preakness Stakes race is airing on NBC, with the network starting its coverage at 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PT. Pre-race coverage will be on CNBC for three and a half hours prior.

If you have cable, you can use this to watch the coverage, but if not, many live TV streaming services offer the channels including YouTube TV, Sling TV, FuboTV and Hulu with Live TV.

If you don't want to pay lots of money for a live TV streaming service though, you can use Peacock to stream the race. This costs $4.99 for ad-enabled or $9.99 for ad-free watching.

How to watch the Preakness Stakes everywhere else

Unfortunately for international horse racing fans, the Preakness Stakes generally only get aired by US channels. If you're away from home, though, there is a way to watch: a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your major sporting events like the Preakness Stakes or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is ExpressVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

ExpressVPN
$12.95 at expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to watch what you want from anywhere you want to watch it. 

It's straightforward and easy to use, has great security, is available on loads of streaming devices and, best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out 100% risk-free.

What you need to know about the Preakness Stakes

Which horses and jockeys are racing in the Preakness Stakes 2023?

There are eight racers:

  • National Treasure — John R. Velazquez
  • Chase The Chaos — Sheldon Russell
  • Mage — Javier Castellano
  • Coffeewithchris — Jamie Rodriguez
  • Red Route One — Joel Rosario
  • Perform —Feargal Lynch
  • Blazing Sevens — Irad Ortiz Jr.
  • First Mission — Luis Saez

Where does the Preakness Stakes take place?

The Preakness Stakes takes place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The race is 1 and 3/16ths of a mile long, which is 9.5 furlongs, and the race records generally stand just shy of two minutes.

What is the reward for the Preakness Stakes?

The current purse for the Preakness Stakes 2023 is $1,500,000. Other than reductions during Covid in 2020 and 2021, this is the figure that's been offered since 2014.


Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.