It’s almost time for the Preakness Stakes for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Nyquist, winner of the Kentucky Derby, has a grand chance of winning the Preakness as the odds-on favorite. Before we get all too excited, we need to find out where to watch the week’s events. There’s plenty to look out for from the Preakness Stakes draw to the Black-Eyed Susan Day to the Preakness itself.
Read on as we give you everything you need to know heading into this week’s events. For more on the Preakness, check out our complete race preview as well as our horse and jockey analysis.
The draw for the Preakness Stakes will be on Wednesday, May 18 at 5:00 PM ET. Those curious on the starting posts of the horses can tune in to Daily Racing Form’s website DRF.com . The website won’t be exclusively for the Preakness draw. Visitors could check out entries, workouts, results, news and plenty more. The site basically has everything you need to know when talking about horse racing handicapping.
Friday, May 20 – Black-Eyed Susan Day
Here’s a quick history about Black-Eyed Susan Day. It is one of Pimlico’s oldest stakes races. It was first run at Pimlico in 1919 as the Pimlico Oaks before the name was changed in 1952 to complement the Preakness. It also then acknowledged the Maryland state flower.
The race is of one mile and one-eighth lengths for three-year-old fillies. It’s traditionally run the day before the Preakness. The race was first graded in 1973 and became a Grade II race starting 1976. It’s has been long recognized as the middle jewel of the traditional filly Triple Crown between the Kentucky Oaks Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Acorn Stakes at Belmont park.
Horseracing enthusiasts wanting some action on Black-Eyed Susan Day can tune in on NBCSN via network television. Coverage starts 3 PM and ends at 5 PM Eastern. Those with no access to their television sets can watch the race through online streaming via NBC Sports Live Extra.
Saturday, May 21 – Preakness Stakes Day
It’s time for the main event on Saturday. After the big Kentucky Derby comes the second jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday. The Preakness Stakes won’t be the only race that day, though. The Preakness undercard races will run from 2:30 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET. They will be televised on NBCSN with online streaming at NBC Sports Live Extra. The Preakness prerace coverage will follow immediately from 5:00 PM ET to 6:30 PM ET also on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra.
Then comes the main event—the Preakness itself. The second jewel of the Triple Crown will be available through NBC from 6:30 PM ET to 7:15 PM ET. Live streaming will also be available online through the aforementioned NBC Sports Live Extra.
Watching at Pimlico Race Course
There are a variety of packages for those looking to watch the Preakness Stakes in person.
Pimlico Race Course is offering plenty of packages through premium seating. There’s the Preakness Village Chalet Package which offers world-class privileges. It accommodates up to 80 persons with the chalet richly appointed with a climate-controlled interior for comfort. There’s also exterior seating under covered porch from a prominent position at the Rail to enjoy the races.
There are more premium seating arrangements that could be made such as the Chalet package, the Corporate Tent Package to the Alibi Breakfast, where trainers, owners and jockeys interact with the public. A $60 ticket includes Alibi Breakfast in the Terrace Dining Room, VIP Parking and reserved seating at the Private Sports Palace for the Live Race Day and a commemorative Black-Eyed Susan glass.
For those who are just interested in watching the races, the Black-Eyed Susan Day and the Preakness, a two-day seating package may be availed. Seats on the Grandstand Upper Box are available for a price of $259 for two-day seating. The cheapest tickets available would be for the Concourse Apron Box sections 29 to 102 for $180 for two-day seating.
Grand Upper Box tickets are available for each of the events at $46 for the Black-Eyed Susan Day only and $133 for Preakness Day only. Concourse Reserved seating are already sold out but Apron Box sections 29 to 102 still have plenty of tickets available. Sections 29 to 83 cost $40 for Black-Eyed Susan Day Only and $150 for Preakness Day Only. Sections 85 to 102 are available for $130 for Preakness Day Only.
General Admission tickets to Budweiser InfieldFest are available for $85 until race day. On Preakness Day, the price for General Admission tickets cost $95. General Admission for Preakness Day cost $30, and will allow guests to be admitted inside the Grandstand or Clubhouse facility. This does not include seating. Black-Eyed Susan General Admission costs $20.
Now that you know where to watch the Preakness, it’s time to create a betting account and spice up the festivities this coming weekend.
