Pimlico Race Course stands as a monument to American racing history, with its weathered grandstand having hosted 149 Preakness Stakes, the second race of the Triple Crown that has drawn attention for nearly a century and a half. While the Kentucky Derby is the Run for the Roses and pageantry, and Belmont the Test of Champions, the Preakness, the Run for the Black Eyed Susans, has often provided compelling theater in the Triple Crown series.
Pimlico: The Track That Time Nearly Forgot
Pimlico is the second oldest racetrack in the United States, Pimlico. Maryland Governor Oden Bowie attended a dinner party following the Saratoga (the oldest track) meet where he and fellow racing enthusiasts conceived a new stakes race. The mayor committed to building a racetrack in Maryland. “Old Hilltop” was born, as what would become the Preakness.
The name “Pimlico” comes from an English settlement remembered for its hospitality to travelers. General John Ellicott designed Pimlico. October 25, 1870, the gates opened for their inaugural races. A colt by the name of ‘Preakness’ won the Dinner Party Stakes. It eponymously became the famed second leg of the Triple Crown.
“Pimlico represents one of the few remaining connections to the formative era of American thoroughbred racing. Its configuration and character have influenced breeding selections for generations”, as stated by famed historian Dr. Steven Roman. (Roman, Dosage and the American Thoroughbred, 2018).
The Preakness Stakes: Evolution of a Classic
The very first Preakness Stakes was in 1873. “Survivor’ won by an astounding 10 lengths. This record held strong up until Smarty Jones’s 11 ½ margin in 2004.
The race has been cancelled or moved several times. It was moved to Morris Park in 1890, cancelled in 1891, 1892, and 1893, then moved again to Gravesend Track for the 1894 running where it stayed until finally returning to Pimlico in 1909.
The Preakness distance has varied throughout history:
- 1½ miles (1873-1888, 1890)
- 1¼ miles (1889)
- 1 1/16 miles (1894-1900, 1908)
- 1 mile 70 yards (1901-1907)
- 1⅛ miles (1911-1924)
- 1 3/16 miles (1925-present)
The Preakness, shortest of the Triple Crown competitions, remains at 1 3/16 miles against The Kentucky Derby’s 1¼ miles and the Belmont Stakes imposing 1½ mile challenge.
The Black-Eyed Susan: Symbols and Traditions
Like the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness winner receives a blanket of flowers. For the Preakness, it is Maryland’s state flower. The flowers are reportedly Viking Poms as the Preakness is run prior to the natural blooming of the flowers.
The Woodlawn Vase is the most valuable trophy in American sports. Created by Tiffany & Co. it is estimated to exceed $4,000,000 today. The winners received a replica while the original trophy can be seen at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
The Preakness is a testament to the great history of horse racing in Maryland.
Pimlico's Architecture: Racing's Grand Old Lady
Like most storied tracks, Pimlico offers its own personal architecture. The Victorian clubhouse and cupola topped entrance to the member’s section offers incredible views of the track. Even after many renovations over the years, it is still very recognizable to fans.
The Old Grandstand stood until 2017 when worries over its structural support forced the closure. This cost the track almost 20% of total capacity. Maryland Stadium Authority estimated the restoration would cost around $400 million. The track shutdown for all racing activity with the exception of the 2025 Preakness.
Racing architect Michael Dickinson noted in a 2020 interview with Blood-Horse magazine: “Pimlico’s configuration, with its sweeping turns and relatively short stretch, created a unique tactical challenge that generations of jockeys have had to master. Its design has influenced American track building for 150 years.”
Historic Moments:
The Preakness has produced some of racing’s most indelible moments:
- 1938: WAR ADMIRAL’s triumph.
- 1973: SECRETARIAT setting a record that stands today finishing in 1:53.
- 1989: “SUNDAY SILENCE–EASY GOER“, arguably one of the greatest Preakness stretch runs with Sunday Silence winning by a nose.
- 2007: RACHEL ALEXANDRA defeated Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, she was the first filly since 1924 to win.
- 2015: AMERICAN PHAROAH’s victory through a torrential downpour two-thirds of his way to breaking 37-year Triple Crown drought.
Affirmed’s jockey Steve Cauthen reflected in his autobiography, “The stretch duel at Pimlico tested both colts’ courage in ways their other meetings couldn’t. The tight turns and shorter stretch meant tactical decisions had to be perfect.”
Statistical Significance
The Preakness historically has had the favorite win 52% of the time. This is significantly higher than the Derby (35%) or Belmont (42%).
Some key Preakness records:
- Fastest time: 1:53 flat (Secretariat, 1973)
- Most wins by a jockey: 7 (Eddie Arcaro)
- Most wins by a trainer: 8 (R. Wyndham Walden)
- Largest margin of victory: 11½ lengths (SMARTY JONES, 2004)
- Longest shot to win: 23-1 (Master Derby, 1975)
Conclusion: The Future of a Racing Institution
As racing and tracks advance through technological growth, Pimlico, as well as the Preakness, carries the burden of modernization. The current plans would be the most ambitious since the initial building of the track.
The Preakness Stakes offers its own unique challenges, from dramatic changes of the east coast seasonal weather, the shorter race, straightaways, and unique turns. Pimlico stands out as a different kind of challenge than either Churchill Downs or that of Belmont.
Purists and casual fans alike, the Preakness and Pimlico embodies the storied traditions and nostalgia of American horse racing.
Sources: Maryland Jockey Club Archives, National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, The Blood-Horse Magazine historical archives, American Racing Manual (1946-2020 editions), and personal interviews with racing historians.
