Sixteen Fun Facts About the Preakness

Known as the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, but that hasn’t always been the case. Continue reading to learn when exactly the Preakness has been run in the past in addition to other interesting and off-the-wall facts about the shortest race in the Triple Crown series.

1. Pimlico opened its doors in 1870. The Maryland Jockey Club purchased the land that the track rests on for $23,500 and built the track for $25,000.

2. The first Preakness in 1873 drew a field of seven, a purse of $2,050, and had 12,000 fans in attendance. Saturday, we’re expected to see a larger field, a purse of $1.5 million, and more 120,000 fans cheering on the three-year-olds. Talk about solid investment growth.

3. For many of its early years, the place to see and be seen was the infield. Yep, that’s right. What is now home to the “cheap seats,” was once a prime area at the track. Originally, a small rise in the infield allowed for the ultimate sightlines around the track. The “Old Hilltop,” as it’s affectionately known, eventually was leveled to allow for simulcasting cameras to track the action. The spirit lives on with the Preakness week “Sunrise at the Old Hilltop” event. 
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