PREAKNESS! The Preakness is the pivotal jewel in horse racing’s ultimate series, the Triple Crown. The race that has shaped the legacies of champion horses such as Seabiscuit, is a 1 3/16 miles course for three-year old colts, geldings and fillies. The 151st running of the Preakness Stakes will take place at Laurel Park in 2026. The Preakness will return to the newly reconstructed Pimlico Race Course in 2027. Black-Eyed Susan Day Fast fillies from[...]
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World-class Thoroughbred racing featuring the Preakness Stakes, middle jewel of the Triple Crown and the mid-Atlantic's largest single-day sporting event.
Maryland's rich equestrian heritage evokes a variety of traditions Maryland gallops into full stride with a rich equestrian culture on display. The most visible tradition might be the Preakness Stakes, but horse enthusiasts can enjoy a wide variety of events and activities year-round. Maryland has now identified four major sites in the MARYLAND HORSE PARK SYSTEM. The four sites are: the Fair Hill Special Events Zone in Elkton, home of the MARS Maryland 5 Star[...]
The use of horses principally fell into two categories—their horsepower was needed for work, and for war; or for enjoyment in all types of sporting events, mostly racing. Horses pulled fire engines, and one named Goliath, a giant Percheron, was celebrated as the “hero” of the Great Baltimore Fire in 1904. Baltimore started its Mounted Police Unit in 1888, considered the oldest in the country. Arabbers, who are street vendors selling fruit and vegetables and[...]
ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 29, 2020) – Today Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed October as Maryland Horse Month, recognizing the abundant historic, recreational, therapeutic, and economic contributions made by the state’s horse industry. Additionally, 2020 will be the first year that all of Maryland’s premiere equestrian sporting events, including the Preakness Stakes, are held in the same month due to scheduling changes in response to COVID-19. “Maryland has historically led the nation in creating and growing innovative[...]
The early hotspots for colonial horse sports, including racing and foxchasing, were in Southern Maryland, Annapolis and the Eastern Shore areas of the state. But this began to change in the 1700s as settlers migrated north and west and the commercial scene shifted to Baltimore City. The first major Baltimore County horse farm was established in what is now Towson at Hampton Mansion, where Charles Carnan Ridgeley bred and raised Thoroughbreds in the late 1700s[...]
What’s New, What’s Next & What May Come in Maryland 2026 & Beyond MARCH 2026 | Subject to Change SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARIES/ EVENTS 2026 Maryland Fleet Week & Air Show Baltimore / America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration – Celebrating the sesquicentennial of the founding of the U.S., which will occur July 4, 2026. Baltimore will be celebrating with Tall Ships, Military Fleet, Air Show & Fireworks in the harbor, June 25-July 1, 2026. The Maryland event will[...]