The Preakness Stakes is a classic 1 3/16 mile (1.91 km) thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, held on the third Saturday in May of each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies 121 lb (55 kg).

Like its preceding Triple Crown race, the Preakness Stakes have been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a horseshoe of black-eyed susans is traditionally placed around the winner's neck.

Two years before the Kentucky Derby was run for the first time, Pimlico introduced its new stakes race for three-year-olds, the Preakness, during its first-ever spring race meet in 1873. Governor Bowie had named the then mile and one-half (2.41 km) race in honor of Dinner Party Stakes-winner, Preakness, from the Preakness Stables, Wayne, New Jersey.

The first Preakness drew seven starters; John Chamberlain's three-year-old, Survivor, galloped home easily by ten lengths, the largest margin of victory until 2004, winning a purse of $2,050.

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Preakness Stakes History :

On a late summer evening dinner party in 1868 in Saratoga, an agreement among sportsmen to stage a special race became the foundation for the establishment of both the Pimlico Racetrack and the Preakness Stakes.

Governor Oden Bowie of Maryland, a horseman and racing entrepreneur, pledged to build a new racetrack for a proposed stake race to be run in the fall of 1870 for three-year old colts and fillies at two miles. John Hunter, a prominent citizen of New York, proposed that it be known as the Dinner Party Stakes in honor of the evening. The governor then
perked up the gathering by offering a purse of $15,000, a staggering sum in those days.

Thus, with Governor Bowie's help, the Maryland Jockey Club negotiated for the acreage known as Pimlico Racetrack that same year. The new course, engineered by Gen. John Elliott, opened on October 25, 1870 and the Dinner Party Stakes was run. It was won by the colt Preakness who beat among others, Governor Bowie’s fillie, My Maryland.

Nevertheless, Bowie had the satisfaction of putting Baltimore on the thoroughbred racing map with the Dinner Party Stakes and naming the eventual second jewel of the Triple Crown as the Preakness. The Dinner Party Stakes went on to become the Dixie Handicap (now known as the Early Times Dixie), the eighth oldest stakes in America, run annually at Pimlico Racetrack.

Pimlico Race Track Facts:

The Pimlico Race Track is home of the Preakness Stakes. It first opened its doors on October 25, 1870. Did you know that Pimlico Race Track is the second oldest racetrack in the nation? It is only second to the famous Saratoga Race Track. Saratoga opened just six years earlier, in 1864. The Pimlico Race Track has been serving up high quality horse racing action to Baltimoreans for well over a century now. The track has been home to countless races that featured legendary horses such Sir Barton, Cigar, Man o' War, Secretariat, Citation and Seabiscuit.

The Pimlico Race Track was a modest track that is constructed on 70 acres of land. Back in those days, the land was only $23,500. In fact, the entire racetrack was constructed for $25,000. Back in those days, this was a pretty hefty sum, still small compared to today's real estate prices. Soon after, the Pimlico Race Track became a staple in the world of horse racing. As it grew, the Pimlico Race Track developed its own nickname "Old Hilltop". The name came from a small rise in the infield, which was a favorite gathering point for trainers and horse racing fans alike. Today, the Pimlico Race Track operates on 140 acres of land, entirely in Baltimore and the Old Hilltop has been removed as it obstructed view of those in the stands.

The stable area at Pimlico Race Track can hold 800 horses plus tack, feed and it has sleeping rooms. The Main Grandstand can seat 5,691 horse racing fans, while the Old Grandstand can accommodate 5,926 more. The famous Clubhouse holds 1,269 attendees, the Sports Palace 160 and the Dining area holds 1,806 more. All in all, the capacity of the Pimlico Race Track is now at 14,852. Think that is a lot of horse racing fans? Well, the Pimlico Race Track also has additional seating for the Preakness Stakes, which raises its total capacity to 108,636 horse racing fans-that's a lot of attendees!

Preakness Stakes Betting at Pimlico Race Track

The Preakness Stakes horse betting has been a part of the horse racing since, the gates opened for its first race, all the way back in the year 1873. Three-year-old thoroughbreds have been making the journey to Maryland for the Preakness Stakes on the third Saturday in May annually ever since Survivor won the pot in the first race. The Preakness Stakes has seen prize money skyrocket as fast as the attendance in recent years.

Come bet on the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico racetrack and watch your favorite horse win at the Preakness. The second of the prestigious Triple Crown races, the 133rd Preakness Stakes will continue its legacy as one of the word's finest horse races. But the early odds are hard to come by, so stop horsing around and get your Preakness stakes horse betting lines at Gamblers Palace Racebook.

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