THE PREAKNESS STAKES
"THE MIDDLE JEWEL"

Date of Inception
Two years before the Kentucky Derby, Pimlico introduced its new three-year-old stakes race, the Preakness, in the Spring of 1873.

Black-eyed Susan
The black-eyed Susan is the Maryland state flower. It has yellow leaves and it is black in the middle. The arrangement for the Preakness winner consists of about 2000 blooms sewn on to a mesh of black rubber and decorated with a variety of greens.

The Middle Jewel of the TRIPLE CROWN
Preakness loyalists argue that this race is the most exciting of the three races.

Preakness
It all started with the Indians, a northern New Jersey band known as the Minisi. They called their area Pra-qua-les, meaning quail woods. After a series of spellings the name eventually evolved into Preakness. The name of the first stakes Pimlico winner in 1870 was Preakness

Pimlico Track
Pimlico opened in 1870. The Victorian building was destroyed by fire in June of 1966. A replica of the old building cupola was built to stand in the winner circle (located in the infield.) The Old Clubhouse stood for 96 years as a sentinel at the foot of the homestretch

The Woodlawn Vase
139 years old and annually presented to the Preakness winner, this trophy has a colorful history. In 1983, the silver was assessed for $1 million, easily the most valuable trophy in American sports. The Woodlawn Vase, created by Tiffany and Co., is 34 inches in height and weighs 20 pounds and 12 ounces

CONTACT US