1989 Preakness Stakes top attended events for North America in 1989. Jim McKay of ABC Sports labeled it "the best race that I have ever witnessed" during the 1995 Preakness telecast. The stretch duel of the race itself was featured on ABC's "Wide World of Sports prelude claiming to be the ""thrill of victory"" for 12 years. It preceded the more memorable line ""and the agony of defeat"". The 114th Preakness Stakes Payout Schedule $2 Exacta: (8–2) paid $10.40 $2 Trifecta: (8-2–5) paid $66.00 1989 Preakness Stakes The 1989 Preakness Stakes was the 114th running of the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The
1973 Belmont Stakes a sloppy track. However, Knightly Dawn was scratched prior to race day. The horse's scratch also reduced the winner's share from $150,200 to $90,120. There was much speculation going into the Stakes over Secretariat's bid for the Triple Crown. Since 1948, when Citation achieved the feat, there had been six horses that had won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes before failing in the Belmont Stakes. When comparing Secretariat to those six horses' health and fitness before the Belmont Stakes, writer Bonifice felt Secretariat was in the best shape, almost as good as when he entered the Kentucky