BALTIMORE -- Maryland Jockey Club officials are giving serious consideration to eventually moving the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, from Pimlico Race Course to what would be a refurbished Laurel Park and to holding the race on a Sunday for the first time.
Timothy Ritvo, chief operating officer of the Stronach Group, which operates Pimlico, said there is a "real good possibility" that the Preakness would be moved to Sunday as early as next year to increase business.
Sal Sinatra, vice president of the Stronach Group, said an extensive renovation of Laurel Park -- near Laurel, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington -- was being contemplated in anticipation of shifting the Preakness.
"This building is old," said Sinatra, who met with reporters midway through Saturday's racing card. "You can't just add suites. It's almost a rebuild here. Laurel is a pretty healthy building."
As he spoke, parts of the track were without running water. The problem was attributed to a broken pipe about 2 miles from the crowded facility.
The Preakness has been run continuously on a Saturday since 1931. It has been preceded by the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, the companion race for 3-year-old fillies. That race would shift to Saturday. The timing may be right because the contract with NBC to televise the Preakness is ending.
Ritvo noted that two of the major races of the summer, the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey, and the Pacific Classic, at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego, are contested on Sundays and generate large wagering handles.
According to Ritvo, the potential change of day is part of an ongoing discussion.
"We're obviously trying to drive revenue for ourselves, but we will talk to the horsemen and the breeders to make sure this is something they want to try together," he said.
Nerve of Verve
A 30-1 long shot in the morning line, Tale of Verve got virtually no love from the media or bettors leading up to the Preakness.
On Saturday, the bay colt proved to be better than every horse except American Pharoah.
Stuck in eighth place at the half-pole, Tale of Verve rallied to finish second ahead of Divining Rod.
"I think this validated what he is," trainer Dallas Stewartr said. "He's an improving horse."
Stewart said he felt so good about Tale of Verve's performance, he actually seemed eager to take on American Pharoah again in three weeks.
"Congratulations to the winner," he said. "We will see him at the Belmont."
Tale of Verve had only one win in seven career races, but there's certainly no embarrassment in finishing second in the Preakness.
"I had a perfect trip," jockey Joel Rosario said. "The farther we went, he kept picking it up."
Mis-Firing Line
Firing Line was supposed to give American Pharoah a run to the finish, but a poor start ended the colt's string of finishing first or second in every race.
The horse never got within shouting distance of the leaders and came in seventh in the field of eight.
"His second jump out, he stumbled badly," trainer Simon Callaghan said. "That took his momentum and then he never really got hold of the track. Nothing went right, with the rain coming."
Callaghan couldn't hide his disappointment, and neither could jockey Gary Stevens.
"We stumbled out of the gate, and that was our race today," Stevens said.
Callaghan said he was uncertain if he would enter Firing Line in the Belmont.
Attendance: 131,680
A record crowd of 131, 680 showed up on a day that began under a blue sky and ended with a torrent of rain.
The handle was $85.161 million, an increase of nearly $2 million from one year earlier, and there were no reported incidents in a city that has been overrun a few weeks earlier by rioting and looting.
"What a day for Baltimore," American Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert said. "They really needed this after all they've been through. I'm really happy for them. I love coming here."
Toilet boil
Rule No. 1 on a hot, humid afternoon: Hydrate relentlessly, generally with water. On Preakness day, the crowd quaffed rivers of beer, which became a major problem when many of Pimlico’s toilets lost water pressure and stopped working.
A Maryland Jockey Club spokesman said a pipe burst about 2 miles away from the track, and that “the city was working on it.”
But not nearly quickly enough for those desperately seeking a functioning restroom. By 3:30 p.m. Eastern, many elegantly attired women were waiting patiently to use a secondfloor ladies room. Hundreds of fans wandered outside looking for the port-o-potties behind the grandstand. They were thrilled to find them but winced at the long lines.
A good Samaritan told a distressed couple the location of a men’s room and a ladies room near the stakes barn. The grateful fellow said, “Thanks, man, you’re da bomb!” as they walked away swiftly.
Where's Pletcher?
Todd Pletcher, the winner of seven Eclipse Awards as the leading trainer in North America, was conspicuous in his absence from the Preakness. He did not have a starter for the fourth consecutive year.
Skipping the middle leg of the Triple Crown should leave Pletcher with a strong hand for the Belmont Stakes on June 6. His horses could include Materiality and Carpe Diem, who finished sixth and 10th in the Kentucky Derby, and Madefromlucky, the winner of the Peter Pan Stakes. Pletcher said he may add to that group.
Materiality, who was perfect through his first three races before he started poorly in the Derby, may be Pletcher's best hope.
"You always wonder what might have been if he broke a little better," Pletcher said. "He passed 11 horses in the last quarter of a mile, so that's encouraging."
Belmont Field
A number of starters who ran behind in the Kentucky Derby will look to redeem themselves when the 147th Belmont Stakes is held at Belmont Park. These include Keen Ice (seventh), Mubtaahij (eighth) and Frammento (11th).
Officials of the New York Racing Association said that about 90 percent of reserved seats and hospitality space had been sold out. Attendance will be capped at 90,000 to avoid some of the issues caused by massive crowds in the past.
Sports on 05/17/2015