BALTIMORE — Maryland’s oldest tradition — the Preakness Stakes — will be at Pimlico Race Course this spring for the final time before a massive construction project brings much-needed improvements to the track and the community.

Preakness 150, marking the 150th year of the second leg of the Triple Crown, will have a week-long festival, a celebration, of the iconic horse race, which will be held on May 17, 2025.

“We want to transform quite literally how the city, how the state celebrates and supports Preakness, not just for 150, frankly for generations to come,” said Christian Johansson, chairman of Stella May Contracting.

The festival will be a reimagined celebration of the iconic Preakness Stakes. Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore said she got the idea after seeing how Louisville celebrated the Kentucky Derby.

“I walked away very inspired like the state of Maryland could do something of our own, and honestly we could do it better,” Dawn Moore said.

The new festival will feature cultural events, arts activities and other programming at prominent locations across the state, made possible through public and private stakeholder partnerships.

Maryland’s equine industry accounts for 25% of the state’s agricultural base, roughly 28,000 jobs, and $3 billion in total economic impact. 

The goal of the festival is to extend that impact into tourism and hospitality, and local small businesses.

“A future where Baltimore is growing, thriving and leading, and the work isn’t just important, but the work is necessary,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

Pimlico renovations

Pimlico Race Course is getting ready to undergo a full renovation in 2026. Recent infrastructural issues at the race course brought the need for stadium improvements to the forefront.

The Maryland Stadium Authority was authorized to finance up to $400 million in state bonds for the rebuild, design, and construction of Pimlico. 

The planned development includes a new clubhouse, stables for approximately 700 horses, event space, and a hotel to be constructed by a private partner. The plan also calls for structured parking and workforce housing in the Park Heights neighborhood, according to the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. 

“It was held in Northwest Baltimore, but it was very clear it wasn’t for Northwest Baltimore,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who grew up in Park Heights. “Bringing the surrounding communities into the fold, we’ve begun to change that narrative.”

A separate training facility would be developed with a capacity for about 650 horses, maintaining the current combined stabling capacity of 1,400 horses, which is currently split between Laurel Park and Pimlico.

The redevelopment is expected to create significant economic benefits for Baltimore and the community hosting the training center. Officials project 140 to 160 racing days annually at Pimlico, and the facility will include a 1,000-seat event space and a new hotel.

The Preakness Stakes will relocate to Laurel Park in 2026 while the new facility is built.