I just returned from attending the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. There is something special about “big race days” and others must feel the same way as a record crowd of more than 140,000 people were in attendance! In addition to the Grade 1 $1,500,000 Preakness Stakes, Pimlico offered seven other stakes races, including the Grade 3 $100,000 Maryland Sprint, Grade 3 $150,000 Gallorette and Grade 2 $250,000 Longines Dixie.
The Dixie Stakes was first run in 1870. It is Pimlico’s oldest stakes race (older than the Preakness Stakes) and the eighth oldest stakes race in the United States. We were extremely excited to run Catapult, one of our horses (Woodford Racing) in the Dixie Stakes. As guests of The Maryland Jockey Club we were seated in the Preakness Village. The Preakness Village was reserved for owners and trainers of horses entered in the Dixie Stakes and Preakness Stakes. Over the course of the afternoon we had a chance to talk with various owners and trainers of horses in the Preakness Stakes (Always Dreaming, Classic Empire and Cloud Computing) which was a lot of fun. In addition, our trainer (Chad Brown) won the Preakness for Klaravich Stables with Cloud Computing!
While Catapult ran fourth in the ten horse Dixie Stakes field, it didn’t diminish our experience. Where else can you see great racing, listen to Sam Hunt in concert in the infield, observe a B2 Stealth Bomber fly overhead and watch a dozen Army Paratroopers nail their landing on the turf course!
As we headed out of Pimlico Race Course, the familiar red and white colors of Klaravich Stables were being painted on the weather vane above the cupola in the infield, a Preakness tradition. While there will be no Triple Crown Winner this year, both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes were great for thoroughbred racing!
