Preakness kicks off in Laurel: What you need to know

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Published  May 15, 2026 12:28pm EDT
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • The 151st Preakness Stakes will be held at Laurel Park this weekend while Pimlico Race Course undergoes renovations.
    • Attendance will be much smaller than usual, with most tickets already sold out and no major road closures expected.
    • Special MARC train service and free parking options will be available for racegoers traveling from D.C. and Baltimore.

LAUREL, Md. - The 151st running of the Preakness Stakes will take place in Laurel, Maryland this weekend, marking a historic temporary move from its longtime home at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. 

The change comes as Pimlico undergoes a major redevelopment project, bringing the Triple Crown race to Anne Arundel County for the first time. 

What we know:

The Preakness Stakes will be held Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Laurel Park, with the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes taking place Friday, May 15.

The race was relocated due to ongoing renovations at Pimlico Race Course.

Laurel Park’s capacity is capped at about 4,800 to 5,000 attendees per day, far below the roughly 140,000 fans who typically attend the Preakness in Baltimore.

Almost all tickets for both race days are already sold out.

Local perspective:

This marks the first time the Preakness celebrations have been held in Anne Arundel County.

The venue change also means the race will take place at a much smaller facility. The Laurel Park site is expected to create a more scaled-back atmosphere compared to the massive crowds traditionally seen at Pimlico.

Getting There:

Anne Arundel County Police say they do not expect major traffic congestion because of the reduced attendance, though heavier-than-normal traffic is anticipated around Laurel Park.

Officers will be stationed along key roads, including:

  • MD-198
  • Whiskey Bottom Road
  • Brock Bridge Road

No road closures are expected.

The MARC Train will offer special service to Laurel Race Track from both Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Shuttles will transport riders between the station and Laurel Park on Friday and Saturday.

Parking will be free:

  • at Dorsey Station on Friday and Saturday
  • at Greenbelt Station on Saturday

The backstory:

The Preakness Stakes is the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown, held annually two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and before the Belmont Stakes.

This year, there will be no Triple Crown winner after Kentucky Derby champion Golden Tempo withdrew from the Preakness, extending the streak without a Triple Crown champion to eight years.

The Source: This story includes information from Anne Arundel County, MDOT and previous FOX 5 reporting. 

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