The Preakness Stakes is a Grade 1 race over nine and a half furlongs on dirt which is held at Pimlico Racecourse in May each year. It follows the Kentucky Derby as the second leg of the American Triple Crown with the concluding Belmont Stakes to be staged three weeks later
The Preakness Stakes is a Grade 1 race over nine and a half furlongs on dirt which is held at Pimlico Racecourse in May each year. In 2019 the race is on May 18. It follows the Kentucky Derby as the second leg of the American Triple Crown with the concluding Belmont Stakes to be staged three weeks later
The race dates back to 1873 and is commonly known as “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” because of the blanket of flowers which are placed around the winner’s neck after the race. Only the Kentucky Derby attracts a bigger crowd.
Pimlico Race Course is in Baltimore, Maryland. It was named by English settlers in the 1660’s in honour of Olde Ben Pimlico’s Tavern in London. The racetrack officially opened in 1870 when a colt named Preakness won the Dinner Party Stakes. The big race was named after him and remains the highlight of the racing year in Baltimore.
The racecourse is also famous for the match race in which Seabiscuit beat War Admiral. It happened in the Pimlico Special in November 1938 in front of 43,000 spectators. That race is over the Preakness distance and Farma Way holds the track record for his Pimlico Special victory in 1991.
Pimlico has survived the 1904 Great Fire of Baltimore, the anti-gambling movement of 1910 and the Great Depression of the 1930’s. The Preakness Stakes attracted a record attendance of over 121,000 in 2007. This was the highest attendance at a sporting event in the history of Maryland.
The race tracks at Pimlico and Laurel Park were sold to MI Development in 2010 and put into joint-ownership Penn National as operators of the Maryland Jockey Club. The following year, The Stronach Group took control of the both tracks when MI Development bought out Penn National Gaming’s minority stake. The racecourse has a one-mile oval dirt track surrounding a seven-furlong turf oval.
Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming heads a list of ten runners for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. Todd Pletcher’s colt was always handily placed before powering clear in sloppy conditions to beat Lookin At Lee by two and three-quarter lengths. He can be a little headstrong but is a worthy favourite as he chases the second leg of the Triple Crown.
The runner-up started at 33-1 odds that day but the eye-catcher was fourth-placed Classic Empire. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner was knocked sideways leaving the starting gate and was always up against it from then on. He made rapid headway into the straight but was never close enough to land a blow.
Trainer Mark Casse reported the horse to have returned with an eye injury but he has delighted connections with a speedy recovery. He has over eight lengths to make up on Always Dreaming but should finish a lot closer this time. Gunnevara and Hence finished seventh and eleventh respectively and also line-up again this weekend.
Always Dreaming has been priced up at around even money but is unlikely to have things all his own way at Pimlico. Classic Empire can sit much closer to the pace in this smaller field and looks good each-way value at 5-1.
Preakness Stakes 20/05/2017
1 point each-way Classic Empire @5-1
Classic Empire Finished 2
Expectations are high for the unbeaten Justify as he lines up for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
The colt did not see a racecourse until mid-February this year but is now odds-on favourite to add the Preakness to his Kentucky Derby victory.
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No horse had won the Kentucky Derby without having raced as a juvenile since 1882. Justify smashed the so-called “curse of Apollo” when taking up the running with half a mile to travel and going on to win convincingly.
That was an impressive display for such an inexperienced colt and he is difficult to oppose in the Preakness.
He overcame sloppy conditions and a large field at Churchill Downs but is reported to have taken the race well.
Good Magic, Bravazo and Lone Sailor finished second, sixth and seventh in the Kentucky Derby and re-oppose in the Preakness.
The runner-up won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and has two and a half lengths to find on the winner. He should confirm the form with those that finished behind him.
The place money can go to outsider Tenfold who was having only his third race when finishing fifth in the Arkansas Derby.
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Baltimore has a long history as an important seaport. Fort McHenry sits at the mouth of the Inner Harbour and is known as the birthplace of the American national anthem.
During the War of 1812, Fort McHenry defended the Baltimore harbour and stopped the British advancing into the city. It was the valiant defence of the fort which proved the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to compose “The Star Spangled Banner”.
Fort McHenry is open all year round and the harbour’s attractions include the warship the USS Constellation and the National Aquarium, home to more than 17,000 creatures and over 750 different species.
The Aquarium houses a number of exhibits including a multiple-story Atlantic Coral Reef, an open ocean shark tank, and Australia: Wild Extremes.
Maryland Science Centre features two-story dinosaurs and interactive exhibits to entertain the kids along with the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park.
Maryland Science Centre attracts more than half a million visitors each year and has three floors of demonstrations including combustible reactions and a voyage through the human body.
The Davis Planetarium features programs allowing you to explore the sky and learn about space exploration. Learn how to identify stars and constellations with “The Sky Live!” presentation.
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On Aliceanna Street provides a relaxing stay on the Marriott Waterfront in the heart of Baltimore. Located in downtown’s Harbour East district, the hotel offers fine dining at Apropoe’s, an indoor swimming pool and easy access to the very best that Baltimore has to offer.
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Doubletree Hilton Pikesville Is located in the centre of the Northwest Baltimore business district. Baltimore Washington Airport is only 20 minutes away while it is only a five-minute walk to the MTA Metro station. The Baltimore Health and Tennis facility is attached to the hotel with complimentary access to a wide range of exercise equipment, weights and aerobic machines.
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Embassy Suites Hunts Valley Is less than 20 miles from Baltimore’s historic Inner Harbour and a little over half an hour from BWI Airport. The 223-suite hotel caters for your every need with separate living and bedroom areas and a free made-to-order breakfast served daily in the hotel’s open-air atrium.
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Hilton Baltimore Is situated next to BWI Airport with easy access to downtown Baltimore. There is a free shuttle service for exploring the local area or you can just relax at the energy-efficient hotel which is equipped with rooftop solar panels.
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There are plenty of dining options within Pimlico itself. The Maryland Jockey Club provides a splendid choice of food and beverages. Whether you require a simple hot dog and cold drink or a gourmet meal, there will be something suitable within one of the courses restaurants and bars.
The Terrace Dining Room overlooks the racecourse and offers four-star dining while the adjacent Hall of Fame Room is available for the larger gatherings.
Going beyond the race track, Judy’s Island Grill II in the suburbs of Maryland provides authentic Caribbean cuisine. You can dine in our have a carry out so why not try Judy’s Jerk Chicken, seasoned and marinated with Jamaican jerk seasonings and Judy’s special spices. It is all topped off with your choice of a spicy or mild jerk sauce.
Miss Shirley’s Roland Park in Cold Spring Lane offers Lunch Combos, a double play cup of soup or a salad with chopped spinach, field greens or Caesar. Alternatively, you could try a half-sandwich of blackened chicken salad, Nana’s grilled cheese or Park Place Powerhouse.
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For air travellers, Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is only 15 miles from the racecourse.
Pimlico Racecourse can be approached from the east via the Rogers Avenue Metro Station in Park Heights, Baltimore, or from the west by the Mount Washington Light Rail station in Mount Washington.
A shuttle is laid on by the Maryland Transit Administration between the racecourse and the light rail and metro stations. A regular Train service is available for Laurel Park from Baltimore and Washington D.C.
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The first Preakness took place in 1873 and resulted in a ten lengths win for a horse called Survivor. His winning distance was not surpassed until Smarty Jones won by 11 ½ lengths in 2004.
The race is the next objective for almost every winner of the Kentucky Derby as they pursue the illustrious Triple Crown. The fastest time was set in 1973 by Secretariat who clocked a remarkable 1 minute 53 seconds. He would go on to complete the Triple Crown with an incredible 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes, a performance still regarded by many as the most brilliant of all time.
Eddie Arcaro is the most successful jockey in the Preakness with six victories between 1941 and 1957. The leading trainer in the history of the Preakness is R. Wyndham Walden with seven winners in the 1870’s and 1880’s. The most successful trainers in modern times have been Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas.
Calumet Farm holds the record for most successful owner with seven victories while only five fillies have won the Preakness, the most recent being Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Her victory was even more remarkable for the fact that she overcame the widest barrier draw, the only horse to do so in the history of the Preakness.
Other notable winners include Seattle Slew (1977) who went on to become the tenth Triple Crown winner. Affirmed came through a series of hard-fought battles with Alydar to become the eleventh horse to win the Triple Crown in 1978. He was ridden in all three races by Steve Cauthen who was nicknamed “The Kentucky Kid”.
The long wait for a twelfth winner of the Triple Crown was finally ended in 2015 by American Pharoah. He provided Baffert with his sixth winner of the Preakness before joining the elite group of Triple Crown winners by capturing the Belmont.
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