Baltimore Holds 147th Preakness Stakes
This past Saturday May 21st, Baltimore held the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. The Preakness is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred horse racing, coming in between the Kentucky Derby and The Belmont Stakes. Over 60,000 avid racing fans gathered in Charm City to mark the occasion and wagered over 130 million dollars on the 14 races held that day. The Preakness Stakes was the 13th of those races and the horse Early Voting, owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, won the grand prize.
The star-studded affair included, among others, such VIP guests as Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, Rupaul’s Drag Race judge and OG Queer Eye host Carson Kressley, CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King and singing sensation Katherine McPhee who sang the National Anthem. Preakness-goers also enjoyed InfieldFest performances by the Grammy Award-winning duo The Chainsmokers, Grammy Award-winner Marshmello, and acclaimed DJ and Producer Frank Walker.
Despite the unseasonably high temperatures, fans came out in their “Preakness-best” to celebrate. Ladies were decked out in their best sun dresses with glamourous fascinators and hats that rivaled any royal wedding. Gentlemen were spotted in bowties and a nice mix of seersucker and linen suiting. Fans enjoyed tiered ticketing options including seating in the Grandstand, the Clubhouse, the Concourse, Luxury Suites and the Turfside Terrace which featured home stretch and finish line views. Guests were treated to a gastronomic experience, with culinary offerings by acclaimed celebrity chefs Tom Colicchio, Marcus Samuelsson, and Gail Simmons, as well as the curated Restaurant Row, featuring beloved Baltimore eateries such as Crust by Mack, Fishnet, Brookside Market, and others.
The event was hosted by 1/ST, a group of world-class sports-anchored digital, technology, entertainment, wagering, media, content and real estate development companies with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. Their app 1/ ST Bet was the betting tool of choice amongst fans that day and featured matched wagering up to a certain dollar amount and help with racing odds and statistics.
The Preakness Stakes was preceded by the 98th George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday May 20th. That race was won by Flurry Racing Stables’ Interstatedaydream, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux. This year event organizers tried something a bit different by holding the inaugural Preakness LIVE Culinary, Art & Music Festival in conjunction with the Black-Eyed Susan races. The festival was created in partnership with Kevin Liles, Chairman and CEO, 300 Entertainment and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Preakness LIVE featured performances by Grammy Award winning artists Ms. Lauryn Hill and LGBTQ+ community ally Megan Thee Stallion, NAACP Image Award winner D-Nice, and Baltimore-bred talent Brittney Spencer, Darin Atwater & the Soulful Symphony, plus a performance of The Star-Spangled Banner by WanMor, and the Morgan State Marching Band who wowed the crowd with their rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Master Blaster and called Rider’s Up in unison.
In addition to these performances, Preakness LIVE included culinary demonstrations by Colicchio, Samuelsson and Simmons, who were joined by local Baltimore chefs Saon Brice, Jasmine Norton and Keyia Yalcin. Besides that, a celebration of the vibrant Baltimore art scene was on display in Derrick Adam’s The Last Resort Garden pop-up located in the infield. There truly was something for everyone.
For more information, or to begin planning your trip for next year, visit www.preakness.com or @PreaknessStakes on social media.
