Advertisement

Pimlico mulls moving Preakness to Sunday

BALTIMORE, May 12 (UPI) -- The owners of Pimlico Race Course, site of the Preakness, the second leg of U.S. racing's Triple Crown, say they are considering moving the race to Sunday.

A move from Saturday afternoon to Sunday could raise the profile and the profits of Maryland's largest single sports event, an official with MI Developments, the owner of Pimlico, told the Thoroughbred Times Monday.

Advertisement

Mike Rogers cited the moving of the Florida Derby from Saturday to Sunday this year as part of a weekend package of racing at Gulfstream Park that raised the weekend revenue by 29 percent, The Baltimore Sun reported.

"It worked out well," Rogers said. "It's worth talking about for the Preakness, and we'll see what everyone says."

Maryland Racing Commission member John Franzone said he welcomes discussion of the idea.

"Stretching it over the whole weekend to make it a bigger event and more enjoyable, if they think that would help, we owe it to them to look at it," Franzone said. "It's worth running some numbers and getting feedback."

Latest Headlines