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The oval track at Pimlico Race Course will not be rotated or moved from its current alignment during the planned multi-million dollar renovation of the facility, saving the state more than $25 million, Al Tyler, vice president of the Capital Projects Development Group of the Maryland Stadium Authority, said at the group’s monthly meeting Tuesday.
Historians have supported keeping the current racing oval to maintain Pimlico’s longstanding tradition. The state supported the idea due to the considerable savings in construction time and costs.
The Pimlico upgrade is expected to cost $400 million, paid by state bonds, and will be ready to host the Preakness Stakes in May 2027. The Preakness will relocate to nearby Laurel Park in 2026 while the new facility is built. Demolition of the track and its adjoining structures is expected in June, shortly after the 150th Preakness Stakes is run on May 17, according to Tyler.
A new off-site training facility at Shamrock Farm in Woodbine is also expected to become the headquarters for Maryland thoroughbred racing by the end of 2027.
In May 2024, the state’s Board of Public Works approved an agreement transferring ownership of Pimlico Race Course from The Stronach Group to the State of Maryland, ensuring that Baltimore would be the permanent home of the Preakness and making Pimlico the year-round center for thoroughbred racing in the state.
The agreement also included the transfer of rights to the Preakness Stakes to the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority through a long-term licensing deal with The Stronach Group.
The Stronach Group will retain ownership of Laurel Park and can sell or redevelop the property for non-racing use. The state will lease Laurel Park racetrack for three years at a cost of one dollar per year.
On Jan. 1, a new nonprofit version of Maryland Jockey Club took over daily racing operations from Stronach, which in various iterations has run Pimlico and Laurel Park since 2002.
Racing has been trimmed this year to a 127-date calendar to work with Virginia’s Colonial Downs racetrack, where many Maryland-based horsemen might run while Laurel is on break in July and August.
In addition to the new track at Pimlico, a new hotel and event space are planned. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has invested $10 million to support housing, job training, workforce development and other community initiatives in Park Heights.
The Preakness has lost money in recent years as crowds have decreased from an average of more than 100,000 in the decade before the coronavirus pandemic to 63,423 last May.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced plans for a Preakness-themed festival from May 10-15 to attract more fans and boost revenue. The new festival will feature free and ticketed cultural events, arts activities, and other programming at prominent locations across the state.
Some festival activities include a Maryland Horse Farm Tour, the Governor’s Open Golf Tournament at Baltimore Country Club, a downtown concert and a fundraising gala in Annapolis to support community initiatives.
Sun reporter Childs Walker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
