After more than 100 years at its longtime Baltimore home, the Preakness Stakes is officially heading to a new racetrack for the first time in more than a century.
The iconic Maryland horse race, which has been nicknamed “the second jewel of the Triple Crown,” will temporarily relocate from the Pimlico Race Course to Laurel Park for its 151st running on May 16, as massive redevelopment efforts continue at Pimlico.
The move marks the first time since 1909 that the prestigious race will not be held at Pimlico, which has served as the event’s primary home for the past 115 years.
It is not, however, the first time that the race has been relocated. Though it was established at Pimlico in 1873, when it was named after a horse that had claimed victory in the track’s inaugural race three years earlier, the Preakness moved to a new home in Westchester County after 16 years in Baltimore.
The race moved again in 1894, when it was held at a track in Brooklyn, where it remained until 1908, when its homecoming was finally announced. It returned to Pimlico in 1909, where it has been held ever since.
While the latest venue shift is temporary, the change represents one of the most dramatic shakeups in modern Triple Crown history.
Maryland officials previously approved a sweeping redevelopment plan aimed at modernizing Pimlico through a roughly $400 million renovation project. It includes demolishing the aging grandstand and rebuilding large portions of the historic racetrack.
As construction ramps up, Laurel Park, which is located roughly 30 miles south of Baltimore, will serve as the temporary home for the nationally televised race.
The relocation is also expected to shine a major spotlight on Anne Arundel County, with local officials anticipating a significant economic boost tied to tourism, hospitality, and entertainment surrounding race weekend.
“We’re really excited about the national attention that that will bring into our community,” Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Amy Gowan told WMAR2 News. “And to be able to really convert that and translate that into local and economic impact.”
The race itself remains one of the most prestigious events in U.S. horse racing.
The Preakness Stakes traditionally takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes, attracting some of the sport’s top 3-year-old thoroughbreds each year.
This year’s race, however, arrives amid significant transition for the sport overall.
Not only is the venue changing, but the future ownership structure of the Preakness brand is evolving as well.
Earlier this year, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced an $85 million agreement to acquire the intellectual property rights to both the Preakness Stakes and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes from 1/ST Racing.
The deal would effectively unite the first two legs of the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness—under the same corporate umbrella for the first time.
The temporary move to Laurel Park could also affect the racing itself.
Industry analysts have noted that Laurel’s track configuration differs significantly from Pimlico’s historic layout, potentially favoring horses and jockeys with more experience racing locally.
Despite the major venue shift, Maryland officials have repeatedly emphasized that the move is temporary, with plans for the Preakness to return to a newly rebuilt Pimlico in 2027.
Still, for longtime racing fans, the 2026 edition of the Preakness will mark the end of an era, and the beginning of a very different chapter for one of horse racing’s most storied traditions.
Kelsi Karruli is a senior celebrity reporter who joined Realtor.com in 2025. She writes about trends encompassing real estate and celebrity properties. She previously wrote for Daily Mail, True Urban Culture, and JMedia Corporation, where she specialized in covering celebrities, relationships, psychology, and gender issues. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Pace University, where she received the James Rose Award for excellence in journalism. When she isn’t updating readers on A-listers’ moves, she is spending time with her cat, Mary, and cheering on the Albanian soccer team.
