Where's Marty? Off to the races at Pimlico Race Track ahead of Preakness

Hi Everyone!

Right up top here is the website that will give you all you need to know about the behind-the-scenes tours of Pimllico this Preakness week - Sunrise at Old Hilltop.

This is such an interesting thing to do and you will never look at horse racing the same again, I guarantee. 

And today, we were able to take you, viewers, right to the Starting Gate that will be used for the Preakness. 

Folks, this is the actual game ball.

It weighs 18 tons and is handmade.

It is a series of gates that close and are held together by electromagnetic locks. 

When the flow of electricity is interrupted the spring-loaded gates fling open and the race is on. 

The bell you hear is the current being cut off. 

Here is the "three hold" as it is referred to where Derby winner Mage will start. 

Two side-by-side gates, one opened the other race ready, and the starter's button. 

The small red light shows current flowing about to get interrupted by pressing the button.

And when those gates slam, and I mean SLAM open, the sound is quite loud.

AND THEY'RE OFF! 

Those horses have to be trained not to fear the gate or the loading process. 

Some never get the hang of it. 

And shoutout to the men, and women, who as assistant starters get the horses in, then stand inside "the hole" with them to steady 1,100 pounds of racehorse and 110 pounds of jockey. 

It is a highly-skilled job and one that can get dangerous quickly. 

It is parts of the track like this that you never see unless on a behind-the-scenes tour! 

Again I HIGHLY recommend "Sunrise at Old Hilltop." 

And this year there is a special treat. 

On the 50th anniversary of the GREAT Secretariat winning the Triple Crown, this beautiful 3,800-pound statue was commissioned. 

It has traveled to Churchill Downs for the Derby. Now, it is here and will go to the Belmont Stakes before going to its final stop in Virginia. 

Look at the size of this sculpture compared to those looking. 

Look at the detail. As a fan of racing, car and horse, I got a bit emotional looking up at him, and jockey Ron Turcotte. Those blue and white "silks" are now legendary too.

And all this is free for those going behind the scenes at Old Hilltop!

Marty B!