Limited tickets available for 151st Preakness Stakes after temporary venue change
Tickets are now on sale for the 151st Preakness Stakes, but due to a temporary venue change, attendance will be significantly limited this year.
The Preakness Stakes typically draws around 140,000 people at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. However, because this year's race will be held at the much smaller Laurel Park venue, the crowd is expected to shrink to fewer than 5,000 attendees.
The Preakness has long been known as "The People's Race and The People's Party."
"It's hard to say it's not the crown jewel," said Terry Chapman, a longtime Preakness fan. "It gives you exactly what the state is about."
This year, far fewer fans will be able to take part.
The Preakness 151 will be run on Saturday, May 16. You can find ticket information here.
Limited tickets
Pimlico Race Course is undergoing a major redevelopment and will be closed for construction. As a result, Laurel Park will host the race this year while Pimlico is rebuilt.
With a capacity of under 5,000, limited weekend ticket packages are now on sale. Of those, 1,000 tickets are general admission, priced at $285.
"That keeps the fans from actually being able to participate in an event that is Maryland-generated," Chapman said.
Infield tickets — traditionally popular among younger racegoers — will not be available this year.
"I think the younger crowd would probably go to the infield situation," said Keara Schultz of Baltimore. "So this probably limits people who don't have the money to go."
The most expensive Turfside Terrace seats are selling for about $1,700.
The future of Pimlico
The Preakness Stakes is expected to return to Pimlico in 2027 once redevelopment is complete.
The renovation will make Pimlico the permanent home of Maryland thoroughbred racing and will allow the facility to host more than 100 racing days each year.
Fans say they hope the event will once again reflect the large-scale celebration they've come to know and love.
"If they want to keep it from being commercialized and something that the fans here in Maryland can afford to go to," Chapman said.
"I think it's a really good cultural thing that we have here," Schultz said. "So I hope they can bring that back."
