Being the oldest racetrack in the nation, save Saratoga, Pimlico will dust off its ancient grounds, polish the silver, and once again host the eye of the nation and the best 3-year olds currently in training.
Once again, too, the naysayers and East/West bias holders will spit out their theories and reinforce the mythology about the tight turns Pimlico seems to have. They'll take a stand against Justify, the favorite, and pontificate till their ears turn red. Probably, Justify will romp easily and prove that the Belmont is the true test of a 3-year-old champion. We've seen this so many times that it's predictable.
Still, with the strong undercard, the buzz in the air and the thousands all decked out for a special day, it'll be fun all day. I say this all right now because you have to say it a few days before the race to have any credibility. Yet, there are so many variables in horse racing, the cliches that "anything can happen" and "that's why they run the race," will put in an appearance or two as well.
I recall a trip to Baltimore that saw me find my way to Pimlico about 20 years ago. It was a week before the Preakness and I'd come to Baltimore to attend a conference on teacher research. The organization that sent me urged me to arrive a couple of days before the conference so I could see a bit of Baltimore. I walked the inner harbor, cracked some crab with a few colleagues and then one bright Thursday morning, figured out how I might get out to Pimlico on public transit.
A very gregarious homeless person tutored me in how the light rail system worked. Tickets were dispensed by a machine that only dispensed Susan B. Anthony dollar coins. Having only a $20. bill, I now had a round trip ticket to the station nearest to Pimlico and about 12 dollar coins to spare. I gave a few Susans to my "guide," who much to my relief accurately told me what station to exit and exited the train himself, before my stop.
I was to catch a bus to Pimlico from the railway station, but nobody knew which number bus.
Problem easily solved when I just followed 3 elderly gentlemen who were discussing the Racing Form spread out in front of them at the bus stop. Within minutes, I was at Pimlico.
Like many historical sites, it seemed smaller than it appeared in pictures and photos. I recall Mt. Rushmore did too.
But there is a quality about a racetrack that holds true any place you go. They are usually laid out similarly, so you have the phenomena of feeling at home almost instantly. I fund the saddling paddock, the clubhouse, the bet/cash windows, and the obvious places for restrooms and where the programs and Racing Forms are sold. I like to watch races from various locations, so at a venue I'm exploring for the first time, I am constantly moving. Each race is a separate puzzle with a cast of characters both human and equine.
My day at Pimlico was fun but not really one of the more memorable ones I've had at a track for the first time. Nevertheless, when Justify steps on the historical dirt of Pimlico and the band strikes "Maryland My Maryland," I'll remember Pimlico, and toast the Preakness winner and Susan B. Anthony simultaneously.
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