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The Preakness Stakes on Saturday was rescheduled for Oct. 3, making it the second Triple Crown race to get a new date.

The Kentucky Derby was previously rescheduled for Sept. 5, so now only the Belmont Stakes has yet to determine a new race day.

The Preakness was initially supposed to be held Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. But the race was postponed on April 3 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now the outlook is brighter with a new date picked out.

“Under normal circumstances, I would be standing at Pimlico … presenting the Woodlawn Trophy to the winner of the 145th Preakness Stakes,” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced. “But as we all know these are not ordinary circumstances.

“However, I am proud to make this announcement on behalf of the state, the Maryland Jockey Club and Maryland’s historic racing industry that Preakness 145 will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Oct. 3.”

Pimlico is currently being used as a drive-through testing site for COVID-19.

Preakness officials are hopeful the race will still be the second of the three Triple Crown races, but that won’t be formally known until the Belmont Stakes selects a new date.

The Belmont was originally scheduled for June 6 before being postponed.

On Saturday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said horse racing without fans can begin in the state on June. 1.

“NYRA and the New York racing community are thankful for Governor Cuomo’s steady leadership throughout this public health crisis and we applaud his decision to authorize the resumption of horse racing, without fans, beginning on June 1,” said Dave O’Rourke, president and CEO of the New York Racing Association.

The spring/summer meet at Belmont Park, located on Long Island, was scheduled to begin April 24. The meet was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, which hit Long Island particularly hard, with more than 135,000 cases.

O’Rourke didn’t offer any possibilities for when the Belmont Stakes would be held.

“NYRA has developed a comprehensive safety plan that builds on our experience of operating training safely and responsibly during the pandemic, and includes extensive protocols to keep our community safe,” he said.

“With this safety plan in place, NYRA will announce race dates and a corresponding stakes schedule for the 2020 spring/summer meet at Belmont Park in the very near future.”

Racing is set to begin on July 16 at historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. No alterations to the schedule have been announced.

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)