The Triple Crown calendar might be getting a long-overdue shake-up—but will it be enough to save the tradition? Maryland officials are reportedly considering moving the Preakness Stakes from two weeks after the Kentucky Derby to three, marking the first major shift in the storied schedule since 1969. While the change aims to give elite thoroughbreds more recovery time, many in the sport are already saying it falls short.

For the sixth time in eight years, the Preakness will run without a Triple Crown contender. Golden Tempo, this year's Kentucky Derby winner, joins a growing list of champions skipping the second leg of the series. That's a troubling trend for a sport built on the dream of a Triple Crown sweep—something only American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018) have achieved in recent memory, ending a 37-year drought.

Under the current setup, the Derby runs the first Saturday in May, followed by the Preakness two weeks later, and the Belmont Stakes on the first Saturday in June. That's a five-week gauntlet that modern thoroughbreds—bred for speed and endurance but raced far less frequently than their predecessors—struggle to handle. Top trainers routinely give their horses a month or more between races, making the tight Triple Crown window feel almost impossible.

"It's not enough, no," said trainer Brad Cox, whose horses have dominated the sport in recent years. "A lot of the trainers that have the success at the top level with these 3-year-olds would tell you that you would like more than three weeks."

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown echoed that sentiment: "It's pretty obvious that the horses benefit from more time in between races. They run a lot less than they used to over the course of time, when you study the history."

Moving the Preakness back by just one week might help, but many believe a more dramatic overhaul is needed. Anything beyond that, however, would require coordination among multiple states, racetracks, and media partners—a massive logistical lift that could take years to execute.

For now, the conversation is gaining momentum. Whether it leads to real change—or just another adjustment that still leaves the Triple Crown feeling out of reach—remains to be seen. One thing is clear: the sport's biggest stars are voting with their feet, and the calendar may need to catch up.