There is no bigger day on Baltimore's calendar than tomorrow, when large crowds will descend upon Pimlico Race Course for the 133rd running of the Preakness Stakes. With a strong favorite, Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, whose trainer is a Hagerstown native and whose jockey is a veteran of Maryland tracks, the excitement at Old Hilltop should be running high.
These are difficult times for horse racing. Attendance at races, wagering, the number of racing days all have been in serious decline at tracks all over the country for years. Add to that the continuing questions about drug use and the high-profile breakdowns of Eight Belles at the Derby and Barbaro at the Preakness two years ago, and there's every reason to be pessimistic about the sport.
But as serious as these problems are, it's hard not to appreciate the allure of thoroughbred racing - at least on this magical day. From the stylish women's hats of the grandstand to the hedonism of the infield rabble, there is a much-apparent joie de vivre on display. Nor is there a shortage of dramatic story lines behind each entrant, thanks, in no small part, to the reliably colorful human personalities of the racing world.
