With the Breeders’ Cup behind us, the Triple Crown 2027 conversation starts now. Hughes, for example, stamped himself as the early Kentucky Derby favorite at Keeneland on October 30. Meanwhile, the calendar for next spring looks unlike anything we have seen before.
For one thing, the Preakness moves to a Sunday for the first time. On top of that, the Belmont Stakes goes home to a rebuilt Belmont Park. Also, a brand new series from Churchill Downs and NYRA could change how trainers plan their spring. So here is our first look at Triple Crown 2027: the dates, the venues, the history and the horses worth tracking.
Triple Crown 2027 Dates and Venues
First of all, the 153rd Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks comes the day before, on Friday, April 30. As always, the Derby goes at 1 1/4 miles on dirt with a maximum field of 20.
Next up, the 152nd Preakness Stakes runs on Sunday, May 23, 2027. It also returns to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore after a year at Laurel Park. The Maryland Jockey Club confirmed the date in August, while NBC keeps the broadcast through 2032.
Finally, the 159th Belmont Stakes runs on Saturday, June 5, 2027. So the race goes back to Belmont Park after three straight years at Saratoga. NYRA has also confirmed a return to the classic 1 1/2 miles, up from the 1 1/4 miles used upstate.
For quick reference, our table below lays out all three legs side by side.
| Race | Date | Venue | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby (153rd) | Saturday, May 1, 2027 | Churchill Downs, Louisville | 1 1/4 miles, dirt |
| Preakness Stakes (152nd) | Sunday, May 23, 2027 | Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore | 1 3/16 miles, dirt |
| Belmont Stakes (159th) | Saturday, June 5, 2027 | Belmont Park, Elmont, NY | 1 1/2 miles, dirt |
Churchill Downs races are only available to MyWinners bettors in Connecticut, online and in venue.
Why the 2027 Triple Crown Calendar Looks Different
For decades, the Preakness came two weeks after the Derby, and trainers built their whole spring around that quick turnaround from Louisville to Baltimore. Next year, it comes three weeks after instead. According to the Maryland Jockey Club, the extra week opens the race to horses trained with modern, longer gaps between starts.
However, that change squeezes the back end. As a result, the Belmont now falls just 13 days after the Preakness. Any horse chasing Triple Crown 2027 faces a five week campaign with the tightest turnaround at the end, right before the longest race.
There is a bigger story behind it too. In August, Churchill Downs and NYRA launched the Thoroughbred Championship Series for 3-year-olds, starting in 2027. In fact, it links six races: the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, the Matt Winn, the Jim Dandy, the Travers and a September championship race at Churchill. On top of that, a $5 million bonus pool pays out on final standings.
Still, the Preakness is missing from that list. Earlier, Churchill Downs announced a deal in April 2026 to buy the Preakness rights for $85 million. Maryland then used its right of first refusal, matched the offer and closed the purchase in late July.
For bettors, the practical point matters most. Some Derby horses may now target the Belmont via the series and skip Baltimore. By contrast, others may love the three week gap. In short, expect a very different Preakness field. Maybe a bigger one.
Belmont Park Returns for Triple Crown 2027
Meanwhile, the rebuilt Belmont Park reopened on a limited basis on September 18, 2026. The project replaced the old grandstand with a smaller, modern building. It also added a synthetic track for winter racing next to the main dirt oval, known as Big Sandy, and two turf courses.
On top of that, Belmont hosts the Breeders’ Cup in the fall of 2027. As a result, the Belmont Stakes will be the first major test of the new plant in front of a big crowd.
A Short History of the Triple Crown
Only 13 horses have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the same year, and any Triple Crown 2027 hopeful joins a very short list. Sir Barton led the way in 1919, so the list spans more than a century. Justify was the last in 2018, and Bob Baffert trained him and American Pharoah, the 2015 winner.
Still, the gaps tell the story. After Citation in 1948, the sport waited 25 years for Secretariat. Then Seattle Slew and Affirmed came back to back in 1977 and 1978. After that, the drought lasted 37 years. Then American Pharoah broke through in 2015, and Justify followed only three years later for the same barn, which tells you how quickly the right horse can make the impossible look routine.
In addition, the Derby to Preakness double has gone missing lately. In 2026, the Derby winner failed to win the Preakness for the eighth straight year. Since Justify, no Derby winner has completed that second step. Not one.
Below, our second table lists all 13 winners and the jockeys who rode them.
| Year | Winner and Jockey |
|---|---|
| 1919 | Sir Barton, ridden by Johnny Loftus |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox, ridden by Earl Sande |
| 1935 | Omaha, ridden by Willie Saunders |
| 1937 | War Admiral, ridden by Charley Kurtsinger |
| 1941 | Whirlaway, ridden by Eddie Arcaro |
| 1943 | Count Fleet, ridden by Johnny Longden |
| 1946 | Assault, ridden by Warren Mehrtens |
| 1948 | Citation, also ridden by Eddie Arcaro |
| 1973 | Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew, ridden by Jean Cruguet |
| 1978 | Affirmed, ridden by Steve Cauthen |
| 2015 | American Pharoah, ridden by Victor Espinoza |
| 2018 | Justify, ridden by Mike Smith |
How the 2026 Triple Crown Played Out
Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2026, for trainer Cherie DeVaux. Because of that win, DeVaux became the first woman to train a Derby winner. Afterward, his team skipped the Preakness rather than run back in two weeks.
It worked. Five weeks later, Golden Tempo closed from well back to win the Belmont at Saratoga under Jose Ortiz. He held off Commandment, while Renegade, the beaten favorite, ran third. As a result, DeVaux became the first female trainer to win two Triple Crown races.
Meanwhile, Napoleon Solo won the Preakness at Laurel Park for trainer Chad Summers. Then Paco Lopez rode him to a 1 1/4 length win over Iron Honor. No horse ran in all three legs last year. For this reason, that pattern could easily repeat in Triple Crown 2027 with the new spacing.
Early Contenders for the 2027 Kentucky Derby
It is November, so treat every name here as a starting point. Still, a few colts have already shown real class, and two of them look a cut above the rest of the crop heading into the winter. So here is the early Triple Crown 2027 shortlist, and our third table sums up the key facts.
| Horse | Trainer | Sire | Best Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughes | Bob Baffert | Into Mischief | Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), 1st | 5 for 5 |
| U.S.S. Valor | Shug McGaughey | War of Will | Champagne Stakes (G1), 1st | 2 wins from 3 starts |
| American History | Todd Pletcher | Constitution | Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), 2nd | Multiple wins |
| Salahudin | Bob Baffert | Uncle Mo | Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), 3rd | Multiple wins |
Records as of November 4, 2026.
Hughes
Hughes is the one to beat. He is unbeaten in five starts and owns the strongest form in the crop. In fact, he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland by 2 1/4 lengths under Flavien Prat. He went off the 4/5 favorite and then stopped the clock in 1:42.27 for 1 1/16 miles.
Bob Baffert trains this son of Into Mischief, and the win gave Baffert a record seventh Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. As a result, Hughes now leads the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 40 points. After the race, Baffert called him a really superior 2-year-old who came along slowly.
Even so, one historical note is worth flagging. Only two Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners have gone on to win the Derby: Street Sense and Nyquist. So the race is a great guide to talent, but the double remains rare.
U.S.S. Valor
U.S.S. Valor took the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by 6 1/2 lengths on October 3. Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey trains this son of War of Will for Team Valor, and the colt has two wins from three starts. He skipped the Breeders’ Cup, and McGaughey plans to rest him before Florida preps this winter.
Bettors love him too. In fact, he closed as the top individual choice in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, just ahead of Hughes. That pool closed before the Juvenile, though, so it never priced in Hughes’ Keeneland win.
American History
Next comes American History, who ran second in the Juvenile for Todd Pletcher. He chased Hughes home and kept on gamely, which hints that more distance will suit. Also, as a son of Constitution, he brings the kind of pedigree that should handle 1 1/4 miles in May.
Salahudin
Salahudin gives Baffert a second strong card to play. He finished third in the Juvenile, so he sits close behind the top two on form. This son of Uncle Mo should improve with time, and Baffert has a long record of bringing his second string forward in the spring.
Emphatic for the Kentucky Oaks
On the filly side, Emphatic won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to stay unbeaten in four starts. Brendan Walsh trains her and also won the 2023 Kentucky Oaks with Pretty Mischievous. Right now, she sits atop the early Oaks lists.
What to Watch on the Road to Triple Crown 2027
First, follow the points. Only the top 20 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard get a Derby gate, and the big prep races carry the most points. A horse can look brilliant in January and still miss the field. It happens every year.
Next, watch where the winter favorites go. U.S.S. Valor heads to Florida, while Baffert usually runs his top colts in California. When those two worlds meet in Louisville, form lines from different circuits finally connect.
Third, think about stamina. Early. The Belmont returns to 1 1/2 miles, so it rewards horses with stout pedigrees. For example, pay close attention to sires like Curlin and Constitution, since their runners tend to stay. Speed sires can win the Derby but often fade late in June.
Also, track the trainers’ plans after the Derby. After all, the three week Preakness gap and the new series give connections real choices. Some may now run in Baltimore, while others point straight to Belmont Park. Either way, those choices will shape every exotic bet in May and June, from Derby trifectas built around the top two to Belmont exactas where a fresh horse beats a tired one.
Lastly, remember the Triple Crown 2027 futures calendar. Before then, Churchill Downs runs Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager from November 26 to 29, alongside the Sire Future Wager. Further pools follow in January, February, March and April.
Bet the Road to Triple Crown 2027 With MyWinners
We will cover every major prep from now until June, from the winter stakes in Florida and California to the final points races in April. Later, expect full previews for the Derby, the Preakness at Pimlico and the Belmont at its new home. Keep in mind that Churchill Downs races, including the Kentucky Derby, are only available to MyWinners bettors in Connecticut, online and in venue. Meanwhile, the Preakness and Belmont are open to all MyWinners customers 18+.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
Image by Diana Robinson. Licensed under CC-by-2.0.
