Pimlico Race Course
Preakness in May 2022 | |
| Location | 5201 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Owned by | Maryland Jockey Club (Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority) |
| Date opened | 1870 |
| Screened on | NBC (Preakness Stakes) |
| Course type | Flat |
| Notable races | Preakness Stakes (G1) Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) Dinner Party Stakes (G3) Pimlico Special (G3) James W. Murphy Stakes |
| Live racing handle | $181,000,000 (2014) |
| Attendance | 351,146 (2014) |
| Official website | |
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Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London. The racetrack is nicknamed "Old Hilltop" after a small rise in the infield that became a favorite gathering place for thoroughbred trainers and race enthusiasts.
Pimlico was owned by the Stronach Group from 2011 until 2024, when ownership transferred to the state-run Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). Pimlico closed for renovations in September 2024, with all of Pimlico's racing dates except for the 2025 Preakness Stakes transferred to Laurel Park until the project is completed.