It was only a few years ago the prospect of Pimlico being razed and either rebuilt or flat out shuttered was a distinct possibility, but this year’s 148th running of the Preakness Stakes came with the new hope that a new wave of refurbishment might breathe new life into the historic structure that saw its first horse race in 1870.
This year’s edition arrived with growing excitement for another Triple Crown contender in Mage and the seal of approval from 1/ST Racing CEO Aidan Butler that the preferred course of action moving forward was to make Old Hilltop the predominant year-round racing facility, with an uncertain future for Laurel Park Racecourse.
While the Triple Crown buzz ended with Mage’s third-place finish Saturday, many of the 65,000 fans who attended the weekend’s festivities held on through a late afternoon downpour. The storm arrived shortly after National Treasure’s win, but the music lovers remained to enjoy the Bruno Mars concert that capped events at the track in the Park Heights section of Baltimore.
