Baltimore: Plan Trip | Hotels | Flights | City Guide | Preakness tickets
Stuck between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, the Preakness often is the forgotten leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
That won't be the case this year, one year after Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's catastrophic breakdown in the front stretch. His subsequent six-hour surgery and eight-month ordeal included an outpouring of support few had seen for a horse and ended with Barbaro being euthanized Jan. 29.
Few will remember Bernardini won the 2006 Preakness, but no one will forget Barbaro.
In an e-mail on what would have been Barbaro's fourth birthday last month, jockey Edgar Prado, who rode Barbaro last year, wrote, "Barbaro showed us the will to live against all odds.
"He left us a ray of hope, and now it's up to us to make sure his legacy and message continues to go on and on."
When more than 100,000 descend May 19 on Pimlico Race Course (5201 Park Heights Ave., Web site) to see if Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense can continue his journey to The Triple Crown, Barbaro will be everywhere.
The Maryland Jockey Club changed the name of the Sir Barton Stakes (named after the first Triple Crown winner) to the Barbaro Stakes. The 1-1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds will be contested on the Preakness undercard.
The Barbaro Memorial Fund (Web site) was established by an anonymous donation to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., where Barbaro was treated, to help aid large animals. Fan sites still see an outpouring of sympathy. His death has sparked debate over implementing artificial track surfaces.
Still, the Preakness Stakes (Web site) remains one of America's oldest traditions started as the Dinner Party Stakes in 1870 and won by the horse Preakness and has become increasingly popular to attend. Last year's record crowd of 118,402 was the seventh in eight years to top 100,000, and attendance has grown steadily over the last three years.
Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun will try to spoil Street Sense's bid for The Triple Crown.
Street Sense trainer Carl Nafzger was second with Unbridled, the Kentucky Derby winner, in the 1990 Preakness.
"We may have to do something different here if we are going to spoil his Triple Crown," said Larry Jones, trainer of Hard Spun. "I like Carl a lot, but I don't intend for him to have The Triple Crown."
While not as big as the infield party at the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness infield is considered to be wilder with a mostly college-age crowd. Thus, you get the appropriate official beer sponsor of the Preakness infield Dos Equis (two horses).
Infield tickets retail for $45 through Ticketmaster. (Or consult StubHub!) On Preakness Day, infield tickets may be purchased at Pimlico for $60.
While the Derby has Oaks Day, the Preakness has Black-Eyed Susan Day (Web site) on May 18 with the 83rd running of the race for 3-year-old fillies.
The black-eyed Susan is the official Maryland state flower and a floral blanket of the same goes to the Preakness winner. (The official drink recipe can be found online.)
Fans can take a guided tour of the stable area May 16-18 during Sunrise at Old Hilltop and watch the contenders during their morning workouts. Tours are free and run from 6-9 a.m.
In the Crab Derby (Web site), local celebrities race crabs to the finish, with the winner receiving $500 to be donated to the charity of his choice. This year's event will be at noon May 17.
'Twas the Night Before Preakness is a free outdoor concert May 18 from 6-9 p.m. at Harbor East (Web site), which begins on South Caroline Street and continues west to the water's edge. The north border is Fleet Street, and the boundary on the south is Lancaster Street and the promenade around the Inner Harbor.
Buckwheat Zydeco will perform, preceded by Baltimore's own Junkyard Saints. The concert will culminate with a fireworks show over the harbor.
Beyond the Preakness events, Baltimore offers much in the way of food and fun.
The Baltimore Orioles will be playing the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium (2400 East Capitol St. S.E., Washington, D.C., Web site) at 7:05 p.m. May 18-19 and 1:35 p.m. Sunday. What a perfect way to cap off your Preakness weekend. (Buy tickets.)
If you can't make it to D.C., Baltimore's Pickles Pub (520 Washington Blvd., Web site) near Camden Yards is a great spot to watch the game.
The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum and Sports Legends at Camden Yards (Web site) feature exhibits and memorabilia from Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Jr. to Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, a Baltimore native.
Sports Legends is located in Camden Station at the gateway to Oriole Park at Camden Yards (301 W. Camden St.) and honors famous Baltimore athletes, while three blocks west the Ruth museum (216 Emory St.) is a tribute to the Sultan of Swat.
The U.S. Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame ( 113 W. University Parkway, Web site) features equipment, sculptures, memorabilia and artifacts dedicated to what is considered America's oldest sport. Meanwhile, M&T Bank Stadium (1101 Russell St., Web site) is hosting NCAA Men's Division I and II Lacrosse Championships May 26-28. (Buy tickets)
Spend any time in Baltimore and you're likely to head to the Inner Harbor Promenade (bordered by Lombard and Gay streets, Key highway, and Greene and Pace streets), which offers myriad shops, restaurants and exhibits. For lunch, try the original ESPN Zone (601 E. Pratt St., Web site).
The National Aquarium (501 E. Pratt St., Web site) and the Maryland Science Center (601 Light St., Web site) are two of the Inner Harbor's highlights.
The National Aquarium features open ocean tanks. Visitors (safe in a circular tube) are surrounded by sharks. At the Maryland Science Center, visitors can learn about dinosaurs, fossils, the solar system, their bodies and much more.
When it comes to food, Baltimore offers terrific options, led of course by crab cakes, steamed crabs, whole crabs, crab cobbler, crab apples and … well, you get the point.
Several of the best spots are tucked in nooks and crannies of the city's older neighborhoods, many of which have undergone a renaissance in the last couple of decades.
Obrycki's (1727 E. Pratt St., Web site) has some of the city's best blue claw crabs.
If you're looking for a specific beer, Max's Taphouse (737 S. Broadway, Web site) in Fells Point (east of the Inner Harbor) is hard to beat. Max's also hosts the American Craft Beer Festival from May 14-20, with more than 60 beers available.
Also in Fells Point, try the Green Turtle Sports Bar & Grille (722 S. Broadway, Web site). If you didn't get your fill during the Preakness or maybe if you overdid it, the Green Turtle's Sunday Brunch features unlimited Bloody Marys and mimosas.
Other good spots for nightlife include the Canton (adjacent to Fells Point) and Federal Hill (south of the Inner Harbor) areas. Take a cab or water taxi to the Fells Point/Canton areas.
In Little Italy (east of the Inner Harbor), you will find many dining options with Boccacio (925 Eastern Ave., Web site) consistently rated as serving some of the city's best Italian food.
If you still aren't full, sit back, sip on your Black-eyed Susan and dab your eyes when they sing "Maryland, My Maryland" during the parade to the starting gate at the Preakness which certainly won't be forgotten any time soon, courtesy of Barbaro.
Tony Guadagnoli, a free-lance writer from western Washington, contends Secretariat remains one of America's greatest sports heroes.