After the announcement Tuesday that the connections of Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty have opted to skip the Preakness Stakes on May 17, spoiling any slim chance of a Triple Crown sweep this year, hard questions are being asked about U.S. racing’s centerpiece series.

There will be no Triple Crown winner this year after Soverignty's trainer, Bill Mott, told Preakness Stakes officials he will not run at Pimlico Race Course.

Justify was the last Triple Crown winner, completing the rare feat for trainer Bob Baffert in 2018. American Pharoah became the first colt to capture the Triple Crown in 37 years when he won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes for Baffert in 2015.