off topic of the race, but in looking for news of the race, many articles popped up discussing the Preakness could move to another race track.
They mentioned how Pimlico is an old track, needs renovations, is geographically hemmed in, and is adjacent to some bad neighborhoods.
I recall this was discussed quite a bit at the time of the Freddie Gray incident, and at that time, some black community leaders lamented that the community there gets very little benefit from the Preakness. Since it’s in a bad area, people come right in, leave after the race, and don’t stick around the area; don’t contribute to the local businesses in the area.
Time will tell on that. Does it make sense to renovate an aging race track, on a smaller than ideal geographic footprint, in a bad neighborhood?
.........no but Maryland politicians are so corrupt that the taxpayers will probably find themselves on the hook for renovations to Pimlico/a new Pimlico. It has fewer than ten race days a year and is in a very bad area.