2022 Preakness Stakes: Everything you need to know about the middle jewel in the Triple Crown

By Ben Church, CNN

Updated 1115 GMT (1915 HKT) May 21, 2022

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not race in the Preakness Stakes.

(CNN)The 147th Preakness Stakes is set to run on Saturday at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far in the city.

Thankfully the post time of 7:01 p.m. ET will not be at the peak heat of the day, but it will still be plenty hot. Forecast temperature at the start of the race is 91 degrees. This will be a few degrees below the high temperature for the day which is forecast to reach 94 degrees — 18 degrees above normal.The extreme heat means acclimation could be an issue. Heat early in the season affects people more because their bodies aren't used to it yet, according to CNN's weather team.Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not feature in Saturday's race. The horse's owner Rick Dawson said that while the race was tempting, it didn't fit into their plans meaning there will be no winner of horse racing's coveted Triple Crown this year, a feat that also includes the Belmont Stakes.Read MoreIn Rich Strike's absence, nine horses will line up to compete for the prestigious prize and all contenders will take inspiration from a shock result in this year's Derby.Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert will also miss the Preakness after missing this year's Kentucky Derby.In February, he was suspended by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) for 90 days after Medina Spirit's victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby was disqualified. The horse failed a drug test after crossing the finish line first at the Derby.Baffert appealed the KHRC's decision, but the Kentucky Court of Appeals denied his motion for emergency relief on April 1.