Now in the barn of Hall of Famer Steve Amsussen, Little Miss Curlin takes on the $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) May 15 at Laurel Park.
Previously trained by Patrick Devereux Jr., the 3-year-old daughter of Charlatan is 5-for-6 in her lifetime. In her last start April 2, she won an allowance optional claiming race by 2 3/4 lengths at Oaklawn Park. Little Miss Curlin broke her maiden Oct. 22 against state-bred company, and then won three consecutive Louisiana-bred restricted stakes races, all at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Her lone loss came in the open-company Dixie Belle Stakes, a race in which she finished fourth behind Mark Casse's French Friction. The Miss Preakness distance serves as an advantage to her, as four of her five wins have come at the 6-furlong distance. Owned by her breeders, Coteau Grove Farms, she will be looking to make her first start in graded stakes company a winning one.
In a field of seven, she will face Saffie Joseph Jr.'s Tessellate, who won the Sophomore Fillies Stakes in her last start March 29 at Tampa Bay Downs, as well as Chad Summers and Gold Square's Lights Out Leni, who will be making just her second start in the Miss Preakness. She broke her maiden going 6 1/2 furlongs April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Laurel Park, Friday, May 15, 2026, Race 8Entries: Miss Preakness S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Little Miss Curlin (LA) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Steven M. Asmussen 9/5 2 2Peach Tie (KY) Sheldon Russell 120 Brittany T. Russell 4/1 3 3Lights Out Leni (KY) Luis Saez 118 Chad Summers 5/2 4 4Getting Closer (KY) Jose Lezcano 118 Jack Sisterson 20/1 5 5Tessellate (FL) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 9/2 6 6Late Night Text (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 10/1 7 7Victory Music (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Michael J. Maker 8/1
