Laurel Park gets its moment in the spotlight for a one-time, scaled-down Preakness
This year's Preakness Stakes, moved to Laurel Park during PImlico's renovation, will have a fraction of the crowds and little of the boisterous spirit of a typical Preakness, but locals and fans of Laurel Park are excited for the chance to showcase the track one last time.
Laurel Park will host a scaled-down version of the Preakness Stakes Saturday while Pimlico, the traditional home of the second leg of Triple Crown, is being rebuilt. (Photo by John Rydell/Maryland Matters) Ron Sargent is thrilled that his hometown of Laurel will finally get the chance to host the Preakness Stakes this weekend, the second jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. As a kid, Sargent used to walk his own horses to Laurel Park for exercise.
For the past 50 years, he’s owned Outback Leather, not far from the track on Main Street, where he makes custom saddles for racehorses and is often called on to make last-minute repairs for jockeys. So hosting the Preakness at Laurel Park, while Pimlico undergoes a $400 million renovation, is kind of a big deal. But Sargent is also a realist.
He knows that Saturday’s 151st Preakness at Laurel Park will look nothing like the wild spectacle at Pimlico, with crowds often exceeding 120,000. Thousands jammed the infield, creating an often raucous atmosphere with live bands performing all day long. The Laurel Park crowd will be limited to 4,800.
No live music, and no fans or corporate tents will be allowed in the infield, most of which sits in a floodplain and is considered protected wetlands. “It’s going to be a more intimate atmosphere,” said Dan Illman, director of communications for the Maryland Jockey Club. “People are going to be able to get up close and personal with the horses.
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