Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike to skip Preakness, depriving Triple Crown race of its usual dramatic buildup

Rich Strike, the 80-1 long shot who thrilled the racing world with his late charge to victory in the Kentucky Derby, will skip the Preakness, owner Rick Dawson said Thursday. Rich Strike’s absence will rob the Baltimore race of its customary tension, with no Triple Crown narrative at stake and no debate over the historic underdog’s chances to do it again. Ratings on NBC plummeted 29% in 2019, when none of the top three Derby finishers ran in the Preakness.