Back in 1873, the very first Preakness Stakes was held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. In that race, there were 7 horses competing, and Survivor was not the favorite. But he still won by about 10 lengths. From that moment, Pimlico slowly turned into the heart of the Preakness, and over time, the event grew into one of the biggest stages in American horse racing. But now in 2026, the 151st running of the race will not be held at Pimlico for the first time since 1909, and there is a $400 million reason behind that.

The race will instead take place on May 16 at Laurel Park, about 30 miles south of Baltimore. Interestingly, this change brings a very different atmosphere to a race long known for its massive crowds and packed scenes at Pimlico. As attendance is capped at around 4,800 people only. So why such a big change?

The answer lies in a massive $400 million reconstruction project at Pimlico Race Course. The changes include a fully redesigned track layout with the old surface being rebuilt at a new angle, along with new facilities like a modern clubhouse and upgraded training barns. There will also be a flexible event space designed for year-round community use, plus major underground improvements such as tunnels and utility systems that the old structure could no longer support. The redevelopment is all set to be concluded early next year, meaning the race will once again return to Pimlico in 2027.

At the same time, even with the venue change, preparations are already underway at Laurel Park. Crews are setting up tents and preparing the grounds while regular racing continues at the track. The aim is to keep the race weekend feeling alive, even in a different setting.

“This is a historic race,” said Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST Racing. “It’s been around for 151 years, and now it’s here at Laurel Park for the very first time. The excitement is already building.”

“The capacity of 4,800 that has been set for Preakness 151 reflects our commitment to an elevated guest experience befitting of this heritage brand and the world-class racing program synonymous with 1/ST,” the company wrote as the usual 100,000-strong crowds of Pimlico will be forced to miss out on the event.

At its core, nothing about the race itself has changed. It is still run over one and three-sixteenths miles and remains the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. While this year breaks from tradition, the expectation is that the Preakness will return to Pimlico in 2027 once construction progresses further.

But the question now is: how different is the racetrack at Laurel compared to Pimlico?

Why does the same distance in the Preakness feel different at two Maryland tracks?

Now at Laurel Park, it’s a different story! Laurel features a wider track at 95 feet and a more flexible layout. Though Preakness is a distance of 1 3/16 miles, which is not normally raced there, the Preakness starting layout is modified to accommodate the track design. However, there’s one thing that differs, and that’s the stretch. The last run to the finish at Laurel is a little shorter, approximately 1,089 feet, because the race is run to the first of the two finish lines. That will affect how the end happens.

Looking back, Pimlico has long been the permanent home of the race, but it has not always been that way! But has Preakness ever left Baltimore before? Well, yes!

In 1890, it was moved to Morris Park in New York due to financial issues. And even though it was not held at all from 1891 to 1893. Then, from 1894 to 1908, it was run at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island. After that, it returned to Pimlico Race Course in 1909 and stayed there for more than a century, through wars, economic changes, and even the pandemic. That is why this 2026 move feels so unusual.