Who Won The 2022 Preakness Stakes? Final Results, What's Next

BALTIMORE, MD — Early Voting claimed the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday by winning the 2022 Preakness Stakes.

The nine-horse, $165 million race was held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Early Voting, who came into the race at 5-1 odds, held a large lead down the final stretch and won the race in 1 minute, 54.54 seconds.

Epicenter, who was the favorite after finishing second at the Kentucky Derby, made a charge up the rail to finish second. But jockey Jose Ortiz guided Early Voting inside before the finish line well ahead of Epicenter, who was also second in the Derby. Creative Minister rounded out the podium in third.

Here's a look at the final results of Saturday's race:

• 1st: Early Voting
• 2nd: Epicenter
• 3rd: Creative Minister
• 4th: Secret Oath
• 5th: Skippylongstocking
• 6th: Simplification
• 7th: Armagnac
• 8th: Happy Jack
• 9th: Fenwick

Despite the victory, it's possible Early Voting won't run in the Belmont Stakes, owner Seth Klarman said in a postrace interview on NBC. Klarman said the 1.5-mile race might not be what's best for the young horse and added that decision would be up to trainer Chad Brown.

"He's gotten better every single race, and we're hoping to see more of that," Klarman said.

Klarman said there were plenty of good races in the summer he and his team would look at entering Early Voting.

Despite Early Voting's win, he won't go on to become a Triple Crown winner this year.

Earlier this month, the owner of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike announced the horse would not race in the Preakness. Rich Strike, at 80-1, was the biggest long shot to win the Derby in more than a century.

Over the past 10 years, only 14 horses have run all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Medina Spirit ran last year after testing positive at the Derby for a substance not allowed on race day and was eventually disqualified. In 2020, the races happened out of order with the Preakness last, and in 2018 neither disqualified winner Maximum Security nor elevated Country House went to Pimlico.

After Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, horse racing went without a Triple Crown winner until 2015, when American Pharaoh ended the 37-year drought. The next drought was much shorter as Justify repeated the feat in 2018.

Next up is the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes, the final and oldest leg of the Triple Crown. Held three weeks after Preakness, the race takes place June 11 in Elmont, New York. The 1.5-mile "Test of the Champion" is also known as the most challenging leg of the Triple Crown.

The Belmont Stakes will be broadcast on Fox Sports. For those hoping to attend the race in person, ticket information is available online.