66
PREAKNESS STAKES
Where?
Pimlico Race Course
5201 Park Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215
When?
Third weekend in May.
Significance:
While the first race in horse racing’s Triple Crown has intrigue and the third leg has drama, the Preakness Stakes is a rare opportunity to see both rematches from the Kentucky Derby and previews of the Belmont Stakes. The Preakness, the shortest of the three races, is an American Grade 1 stakes thoroughbred horse race lasting 1 3/16 miles. Every year, race fans crowd the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, to see the best colts, fillies, and geldings. Fans expect to see the winner of the Kentucky Derby attempt to make it two races in a row toward the three needed for the Triple Crown.
Predating the Kentucky Derby by two years, the Preakness launched a stakes race for three-year-olds in 1873. Then-Maryland Governor Oden Bowie officially named the race after a colt from the Preakness Stables in Preakness, Wayne Township, New Jersey. The famed race is also known as “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans,” a moniker derived from the official state flower of Maryland formed into a horseshoe. The winner proudly wears the odd-shaped bouquet of black-eyed Susans.
Who attends?
Racing fans and those that can’t miss a good party.
How to get there?
From the South of Baltimore, take 95 North to 695 West (a.k.a. Baltimore Beltway). Take Exit 18 East, Lochearn (Liberty Road). Left at Northern Parkway. Right on Park Heights Avenue. Left on Hayward Avenue and proceed straight into the track.
From the North of Baltimore, take 95 South to 695 West (Baltimore Beltway). Take exit 83 South and follow to Northern Parkway West. Turn left on Park Heights Avenue. Left on Hayward Avenue. Follow signs to parking.
Tickets:
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.com Accommodations:
Henderson’s Wharf Hotel
1000 Fell Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (410) 522-7777
Fax: (410) 522-7087
Toll-Free: 1-800-522-2088
www.hendersonswharf.comNote: A unique and charming place to stay. This converted nineteenth-century brick tobacco warehouse is just a twenty-minute drive to Pimlico.
Hampton Inn Baltimore - Camden Yards
550 Washington Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone: (410) 685-5000
Fax: (410) 685-5002
Toll-Free:1-800-HAMPTON
www.hamptoninn.comNote: Excellent view of Camden Yards and a quick walk to the Inner Harbor area.
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 385-3000
Fax: (410) 895-1900
Toll-Free: 1-800-228-9290
www.marriott.comNote: Located on the edge of Baltimore’s historic Inner Harbor. Close to downtown.
Radisson Hotel at Cross Keys
5100 Falls Road
Baltimore, MD 21210
Phone: (410) 532-6900
Fax: (410) 532-2403
Toll-Free: 1-800-333-3333
www.radisson.comNote: A little over two miles from the track.
On-Site Hospitality:
Enjoy the Preakness in comfort and luxury. You can choose from various packages, including the Chalet Package, Corporate Tent Package, Turf Club Tent Package, Turfside Terrace, and Clubhouse Turn Reserved.
Terrace Dining: Overlooking the racetrack, you can enjoy four-star dining.
Hall of Fame Room: Attached to the Terrace Dining Room. This is a place with comfortable seating and a delicious buffet. Make your Black-Eyed Susan Day and/or Preakness Day a day (or days) to remember.
Sports Palace: Fifty-five televisions, including two 42-inch screens, show the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Day live racing and simulcast racing.
Travel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comDining:
Ambassador Dining Restaurant
Note: Known for great breakfasts and plentiful brunches.
The Prime Rib
1101 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 539-1804
Fax: (410) 837-0244
www.theprimerib.comNote: Romantic setting for the racing couple. Take your time and enjoy your prime rib in leisure.
Bop Brick Oven Pizza
Note: Child-friendly restaurant offering fun for the entire family.
Airport:
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Sports Travel Insider’s Edge:
Best way to watch the action:
A Turf Club Tent is the most affordable of the premium packages. Luxury on a smaller scale includes seating at Pimlico, views of the course, a private mutuel window, and an official souvenir program to commemorate the day.
Best place to get up close:
A premium price will get you a VIP view along the Preakness Village rail. Find seventy-nine of your closest friends to enjoy the day in a climate-controlled setting with a buffet and open bar. Bet at the private mutuel window and enjoy the entertainment.
Best travel tip:
Do not stray far from the Inner Harbor. Yes, it’s twenty minutes from the track, but it is the ultimate in Baltimore nightlife after a long day watching and perhaps wagering on the ponies.
Notable Quote:
“It’s a vital thing to have as far as the racing industry is concerned. Someone said having the Preakness is like having the Super Bowl in town every year. It’s like the Super Bowl every third weekend in May.”—MIKE HOPKINS, Executive Director of the Maryland Racing Commission
Relevant Websites: