However, starting in 2009 the Maryland Jockey Club decided to try to tone things down in order to attract more bettors and less drunks; the recent phenomenon of the "Running of the Urinals", made famous worldwide via YouTube, may have embarassed the track's reputation and forced this action. Gone are the days when fans can bring in their own coolers full of beer; now no drinks, alcoholic or not, can be brought into the track, including water. Food in coolers smaller than 28x15x17" can still be brought in, along with beach blankets, suntan lotion, cellular phones, cameras (up to 35mm), camcorders, binoculars and lightweight plastic lawn chairs. The Preakness InfieldFEST will feature a rock concert along with a pro beach volleyball tournament and an interactive section. 16oz beers will be available for sale for $3.50.
Anyone can get in on race day, but only in the infield at $60 ($50 in advance) per person, as standing room in the grandstand is much smaller than at Churchill and access is limited to advance sales only. Remember that the Preakness horses saddle on the turf course, so you need a seat to see them as grandstand access only gets you in the building and not on the apron while the infield has no view of that area. If you order by early January, you are pretty much assured of getting a reserved seat somewhere. Some of the best seats are in the Turfside Terrace which is just inside the turf course giving a great view of the saddling and the race plus a tent overhead for only $250. If you missed the deadline to order tickets from the track, there are always tickets available from the ticket brokers for up to ten times face value. Scalpers will also be outside trying to unload tickets, but beware of fakes and watch out for the police.
Parking is even more of a problem here than at the Derby as the track is right in the middle of a less than savory residential part of town. It is best to buy from the track and park in their lots as they are safer, but space is quite limited and runs from $30 to $125 for the day. You have to order in January to get any of these. If you don't get the track parking, you can park in the local residents' yards for around $25. Probably you will be safe because of all the people in the area that day, but I wouldn't recommend it. An alternative is to park at one of the light rail stations around town and take the train in to the track as a shuttle bus runs all day from the closest station. Traffic is also a big problem because of the residential nature of the area. There just aren't enough streets to handle all the cars so there are a lot of street changes for the big day to one way to help with the traffic flow.
Hotels are not as big a problem as with the Derby since Baltimore is much larger than Louisville. Rates are not usually raised for that weekend and most hotels have no minimum stays, so you won't be stuck with a huge hotel bill like at the Derby. However, there are no hotels or motels remotely close to the track with at least a 15 minute drive in good traffic from the closest, and then you are stuck with the parking problem again. Staying somewhere right on the northern or western parts of I-695 will probably make your drive to the track a bit easier, especially more so than staying downtown. If you plan ahead and make sure to purchase parking in advance and leave early to beat the worst of the traffic, you should be able to get to the track without too many headaches.
If you really want to attend a Triple Crown race in person, the Preakness is not a bad choice. Tickets are easier to get and the crowd in the building is controlled so you won't have as much trouble getting around, although you will still have a long wait to place a wager. Whether you plan to attend in person, at your local track, or watch on television, good luck with your wagers and enjoy the Preakness.
How it all began
Trying to pick a winner
Being there in person
