Pimlico Race Course

The preakness experience was wonderful. The reserved parking cost $70 and its 12 minutes away in grass and mud. The facilities are so old. Bathrooms are ancient. Food options are very limited and no healthy or gluten free options in the grand stand.

150th Preakness at Pimlico Race Course was a great event. The course is beautiful and definitely worth taking a day to visit with your family friends or even as I did solo, it was still a memorable experience.

I truly enjoyed myself at Black Eyed Susan Day. The atmosphere was great. They help you learn how to place bets, collect wins and the networking among successful and likeminded people are endless. The food and drink menus depend on what sections you're in from okay to delicious, so don't cheat yourself by being cheap you're paying for the experience. It was an awesome event. I definitely recommend to go if you've never been.

Greate day at the pimlico races yesterday. We took a fabulous tour about the history of Pimlico. Thanks April! Lots of walking throughout the buildings and grounds.

Such a amazing historic place. I can't wait for the new place but sad the old one is closing.

2024: it is always a good time at Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness. Rain or shine this event is one of my faves in Maryland. Can't wait for next year's 150th Preakness...it should be epic. Pilmico I know you are aging but please hold it together for next year. Thanks team

Pimlico Race Course carries the grit and tradition of the Preakness Stakes in a way that feels authentic and historic. Home of the Preakness since 1873, Pimlico has a more old-school, intimate feel compared to Churchill Downs. On race day, the energy builds quickly, and you can feel the importance of the second jewel of the Triple Crown. The venue has shown its age in places, but that’s also part of its character. Improvements and redevelopment plans are exciting for the future of this historic track. The Preakness atmosphere is electric — passionate racing fans, strong competition, and the weight of Triple Crown history in every stride. For anyone following the legacy of champions like Secretariat and American Pharoah, Pimlico remains an essential stop. For fellow racing history fans, I’ve also shared rare 1973 Secretariat owner footage on my utube channel.

We went on Friday which is known as black-eyed Susan Day. We arrived at sunrise and took the behind the scenes tour. We were able to see all the horses running in the Preakness. It was a great experience and would encourage everyone to do this atleast once.

Gonna miss the old track. Historic. My first time to visit. Knew the old track was going to be torn down. Wanted to walk through the halls of history.

We attended the 2023 Preakness infield event. There's lots of walking to access the entertainment area. The headliner was Bruno Mars. His performance was phenomenal. The performances started at 11 am and we opted to go later in the evening for the headliner performance. Next year will will definitely get there earlier. Parking and all of the traffic was well managed but cumbersome. We chose to park in a public parking garage and Ubered over. This worked really well.

This was my first time attending Preakness and I will be back for years to come. I was lucky enough to find a great parking spot that was close to the entrance. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful)I didn't know which way to go lol). The food vendors were great and I was lucky to find a table to eat. I would recommend wearing a comfortable shoe if you're infield as there's dirt and grass. The way the stage was set up you could t see it from the food/table area but there was plenty of room near the stage. Betting was super easy as you could do it on your phone. If you chose that option be aware that you cannot cash out the money you put on there for several days.

Enjoyed a day at the races for Black Eyed Susan Day. Pimlico needs a makeover. Badly. The neighborhood is typical old Baltimore. Preakness, the center jewel of the triple crown, is smack dab in the middle of boarded up row homes and garbage piled up in the alleys. The parking lots at Pimlico had lots of security staff, as did the event entrances. Somehow my party of three was invited to walk right in without any bag search even though I was ready for inspection. This did not make me feel special. It made me question my safety and the safety of everyone attending this heavily trafficked event. This is not the fault of Pimlico or Preakness, but vetting security agencies should probably be a top priority for major events like this. Be careful inside the Grandstand building! Watch your step. I mean that. Literally, watch your step! Imagine your feet are tires rolling down a road full of potholes. There are literally potholes inside and you will trip into one. The buildings need upgrades, including new flooring. I'd love to see community investment in the Pimlico area of Baltimore. It really could benefit from a revitalization. It's an awesome neighborhood and people should be able to feel pride that the Preakness is run here.

An overdue review of Pimlico during a decade spent volunteering for Preakness with St Brigid's in Baltimore. Say what you will about the historic track and somewhat aged facilities, there is nothing like the energy, sounds, and sights at Pimlico for Preakness. The grounds and track are breathtaking and magnificent. Then there is the majesty of the horses, the glamour, all the history, and so many celebrities dressed to the nines. The best seat for the race is at track level at the finish line, and that is where my miraculous church and Fr Joe had asked me to stand. I was there on behalf of the church to serve as a hospitality host and help people find their seats. I would have paid to do it - but patrons who were on waiting lists for those seats for decades paid me to seat them, and I was able to return that money back to the parish. It was always an early morning wake up call to get to the church bus those Saturday mornings on Preakness race day and it didn't end until the bus returned near dusk; but so many found memories and friends made during those years...wouldn't trade it for anything - a priceless experience and track indeed.

It's located in the hood.However, I find it entertaining and enjoyable.Typical sports venue high prices.I was there for the Preakness (2023).Horse racing and the Wire,you can't beat it!

Enjoyed the Preakness. But we looked for our reserved seats for over an hour. Not one employee could tell us where our seats were. I got angry. My brorher found them by accident otherwise I might have missed the race.

If you are a die hard horse jockey, then you might like the joint. If you want to go to the track to get a beer, hotdog or sausage on a bun with mustard and relish. Forget about it. On the biggest race day of the year in Baltimore, the Preakness had no mustard or relish to compliment the hotdogs! WTF? Not impressive Baltimore.

I took a trip to Pimlico during their annual Beer and Bourbon Festival and really enjoyed my visit! The check in process for the event was seamless and we were off to taste away and watch the races. There were a good amount of beers for tasting and the crowd brought good energy when the racing happened.. The only reason I don't have a full five stars is because none of the good stands took credit card (make sure you have cash!) and my friend and I couldn't even understand the instructions on how to read the race book.. Maybe once someone explains it to me I'll be back to actually bet on the races!

I attended my first horse race at Pimlico Race Course in late April 2013. My friends and I purchased a livingsocial deal to do unlimited wine tasting and watch the horse race at the Pimlico Race Course. For $20, it was totally worth it. It was really fun to sit out in the sun and watch the horse races and then drink as much wine as we wanted, to our heart's content. There were so many excellent wines to choose from - fruity wines, port wines, chalky wines, strong wines, bitter wines, etc,, from vineyards all over Maryland. It was such a fun day with fun people. I would highly recommend checking out Pimlico Race Course when there's another livingsocial wine event going on.

I had a rough experience here. I came for a weekend long music festival. I'm not sure who's to "blame" for some of the issues, but the venue is certainly somewhat at fault for having been a giant mud pit. Maybe don't host events that aren't optimal for the space? Other than the one paved path, the entire area was a mud pit about 4 inches deep. It was gross and made the event, overall, fairly miserable.

I'm not much into horse racing but wanted to see this place because of the historic value. There wasn't a race going on so my visit was restricted to the betting area (I didn't bet) and seeing the racetrack. The betting area was clean and functional. The track looked well kept. There were lots of Preakness signs around despite the race being several weeks ago. The neighborhood however was among the scariest I've seen, and I've spent a lot of time in Baltimore. Run down and full of shady people, I was shaking as I drove to and from the track. I seriously question the safety of the guests if the Preakness remains here. Such a shame.

Love this track and the hospitality. Lots of charm and nostalgia. The facility needs some upgrades and I hope that happens. However the vintage feel is fabulous. The paddock is indoors which I think is unique. I've been in most areas for Preakness. The terrace dining is very nice as is the sports palace if you want a seat and good food for the day. The clubhouse and grandstand outdoor seats are fun but not all are covered. People bring coolers and food like a picnic! The infield suites are done well with couches and lounges, open bar and excellent food options. Very impressive but you have to walk out there and it's a haul. The Preakness is magical. The dining is stellar and the views amazing. The staff does a lovely job. An American iconic sports facility!

Went there for Moonrise festival 2017 and 2018. Pretty great! Tight security, pleasant staff, awesome lineup.

Churchill Downs this place is not, but it's still cool to place a few pennies on the ponies on a normal Saturday at the place where one of the Triple Crown races takes place. On a normal day, it's tough to tell the grandeur that this place has once a year. It looks like a race track that has had better days in a neighborhood that can say the same. Inside, however, it is nicer than most tracks I've been to. The grandstands are in good order and it's nice that they let people who would ordinarily have the cheap seats sit unrestricted in any (outside) box they want. There are shaded areas close to track level that makes the experience bearable. One thing I liked a lot about this track is it has a lot of races for fillies. The day we went had an entire half of the program devoted to the gals. They also pay out extra purses for Maryland horses. So it's both local and egalitarian. What's not to love? Well, there is one thing not to enjoy. On just an average race day, there is an admission fee of $5. That's an entire bet for me, Mr. Low Roller. And parking is not free. It's not like they draw huge crowds except one weekend a year so this blew my mind. I can't justify paying admission on a regular basis since, for me, horse racing is a nice day out and not a money stream so I can't say I would visit Pimlico often. But it is a nice option on the Baltimore/D.C. sports scene for sure.

I ended up having a very unique experience at my trip to Pimlico. I went for Black-Eyed Susan Day, specifically for the Infieldfest concert to see Counting Crows. I spent the majority of my time waiting by the stage for front and center spots for the concert but was able to do a little exploring of the grandstand. The property is huge and old. They had your standard ballpark, event center, arena food and beverage options. The concert set up was great. It was literally in the infield but the stage was very professionally set up. Sight lines were great, as were the acoustics. So on a day like Black-Eyed Susan Day there's a lot going on and the whole set up was really confusing. After the concert my husband and I somehow missed the shuttle back to our car. We wandered around trying to find out where to go and ended up at the front of the grandstand. We approached a group of people who looked like they worked there and asked how to get back. One of the gentleman went back inside the building to get keys to the golf chart so he could personally drive us back to our car. Well it turns out that he was the CEO/President of Pimlico. If that's not amazing customer service and generosity, I don't know what is! We easily could have been SOL left to fend for ourselves in an area of Baltimore that we heard isn't that great. Clearly a confusing set up in an old property with standard food doesn't warrant a 5 star review. However the act of kindness of the property's top dog can't go unnoticed or unappreciated. I can only hope that the track is run with such great consideration for its employees and horses.

Update: Now I've been to both 2006 and 2007 Vfests @ Pimlico. What I liked: - Pimlico was big enough that there was no noticeable sound bleeding among the stages, but small enough that there was maybe a 5-minute hike between stages, not bad. - Ticket prices seemed steep at first, but the sheer number of good bands made it a good deal. If you didn't want to pay full price, cheap black market tix were plentiful. Both years I saw tix being sold near the gate for half price! - It's not one of those festivals like Live 8 where each act did just 3 songs. Many of the bands and esp the headliners played decent full sets of an hour or more. - If you got bored with one band, you could just walk over to check out a different band. These choices were sometimes a double-edged sword (e.g. Beastie Boys vs. LCD Soundsystem, the Police vs. Modest Mouse). If you and your friends have different musical tastes, expect to just split up sometimes! What I didn't like: - I wish there were better public transport options from DC. - Portolets were plentiful but they got so nasty by the end of the day. Bring a pack of napkins, wet wipes and hand sanitizer! - Not nearly enough water fountains. They limit you to bringing in two water bottles so this was a big problem in the heat. - The food sold was edible but not great. It would've been nice to be allowed to bring our own food, like at the Hollywood Bowl. - Lots of drunk overheated people. Still, the music was worth the trouble.

Home of the preakness. This place is a perfect mess. I had mug and Vine tickets to the infield fest at the Preakness and it did not dissapoint. Private area with a tent, clean-ish bathrooms, unlimited wine, beer and water, right next to the track..what could be better. The infield itself is perfect for people watching. It's super muddy and filled with college kids who don't care too much for horses and just want to have a good time. I wish the lines for the beer were shorter. For the price you pay, and the amount of people there I think they need to include more beer stations. I'm glad I tried the infield once but will surely get regular tickets in the future.

Unfortunately Pamlico Race Course has seen better days and is a run down race track in a run down neighborhood, that attracts run down horses and jockeys that nobody has ever heard of. All you need to do is look at the average payouts of the pick 4 - 5 and 6's to understand this ain't no Belmont, Aqueduct, Gulfstream or Santa Anita to determine this track is as crooked as a dogs hind leg and should have been closed years ago. For those that are there for this years Preakness, watch your step in moving around the concourse and grandstand area, which is all uneven. Tear this place down!

Seems like a nice facility, though I don't have experience with other horse racing locales to compare it to. I feel like their parking situation needs a lot of work (very full of potholes), and the different entrances are hard to find and could be better labelled (especially the smaller ones). It would be nice if you could walk through the facility to access the VIP areas instead of walking around (I ended up walking at least 3/4 of the way around). Since you cannot, they need to do a much better job of educating folks at the different entrances as to the fastest way around, because being told to walk the wrong way around (and having no signage to determine for myself) is unacceptable for a venue where folks are often dressed up (goddamn high heels). I was here for Black-eyed Susan day, which was an interesting event. It's worth noting that the way the concert is setup, you won't hear it start unless you're in the infield, which surprised me. I'd go back for infieldfest if there were good bands playing again, but I wouldn't dress up and watching horse-racing just isn't for me lol.

Traveled here to see the Preakness Stakes and was certainly glad we did. Had seats in the Upper Grandstand Section 6 and was not disappointed. Comfortable seats, great legroom, and a super cast of thoroughbreds made for a great day. Would certainly return. My compliments to the staff and to Baltimore's Finest for their customer service and for getting us in and outh of there with our safety and comfort in mind. Cannot recall any major event I've been to that managed my entrance and exit as well as these folks did. Thank you!

So excited to be in Baltimore for this wonderful experience with The Race TRack! One of the best race courses in the world .

An Icon racetrack. Home of the Preakness on a gorgeous day before the Kentucky Derby. With terrific service in the terrace dining room overlooking the track. I won my first two bets and quit. How much better can it get? It can get better: $2 valet parking. Now THAT is cooooooool. PS: The place deserves 5 stars for it's icon status even though the place is very dated and needs a gigantic facelift. The Maryland Governor was here. I wanted to ask him why the State of Maryland won't pony up some money for this place?

Date: 05/17/2014 139th Preakness Day (08:00 am - 06:30 pm) Our first Preakness, and my friends and I got $80.00 Infieldfest General Admission with Mug Club tickets. Parking is $50, and because the event oversold parking permits, police officers were directing attendees to park on certain grass areas. Luckily, we found a parking garage down the road, and paid $30.00 instead of opting to pay $20~30 in someone's driveway and/or apartment complex. The people around the venue looked sketchy... Police officers at the venue do not know where the entrance is. We asked and ended up walking around the entire perimeter looking for the Infield entrance. For Infield entrance, enter via Preakness Way. The staff do not know what they are doing. We got in line for admission after advising them that we are Mug Club ticket holders. Guess what happened next. After waiting and reaching the front of the line, another staff member told us to go to the older side of the road! So, we had to go to a different line in order to have our IDs checked and to get wristbands. Finally, we got inside the venue, and asked additional staff for the location of the mugs. They don't know where the mugs were being distributed and kept driving us in circles! Overall experience... A lot of drunk people, mud everywhere, and you do not get to see any horses or races standing Infield. Here is what to bring: Blanket and tarp, otherwise expect to stand all day long Cash for food; ATM on premises Hand sanitizer for port-a-potty use Folding chairs if you want to park your butt in a seat Rain boots (or really old shoes) Sunglasses/sunscreen

For those looking to familiarize themselves with the work of Dante look no further! Pimlico Race Course is the physical embodiment of The Infero. They even included all 9 layers of hell! How Fun:) I've had the pleasure of attending The Preakness for the past few years, sitting in The Clubhouse Turn Reserved section. This area is made up of non-permanent grandstands that are built strictly for Preakness weekend. There's all you can drink wine and beer, horribly overpriced food in terrible long lines and in general, an amazing section to sit in if you want a "make your own fun" sort of atmosphere". However, that's not why you're reading this review. No, you're here for something much different. You want to know about the hole that is beautiful Pimlico Race Course. Well, good news! Each year I venture into the building itself so that hopefully you don't have to! Walking into the main entrance near the finish line you're greeted by incompetent staff who don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, (ironically they're working in one) which is always extremely helpful when you have literally know idea where you are going. After figuring out where you are it's extremely easy to sneak into the premium seats at the finish line that cost roughly $300 on Preakness day. This sneaking in experience is something I highly recommend to people who either "want to see how the other half live" or simply want to be as far away as humanly possibly from the "riffraff" and "gambling degenerates". So, now that you've seen the "good" stuff it's time to move further down the grandstand. The first thing you'll notice as you walk by the horrible food vendors is the beautiful decaying architecture from Pimlico's recent "renovations". The inherent disgustingness found within every racetrack is quite fascinating if I do say so myself. Your final stop will be right before you walk into Infield Fest (excuse me if I'm being presumptuous but I assume you're reading this before attending The Preakness for the first time as only a moron would ever go to this hell on earth any other day of the year) I highly suggest you stop by the "bathroom". This is hands down the dirtiest washroom that has ever had the privilege of having me piss in it and if you know me then you know that's a lot of other cans it, "beat out" Finally, you're going to go into the infield to see Infield Fest. Now I don't want to ruin anything for you so let me just close by saying this: After spending 5 minutes in the infield on Preakness day I cannot wait to see what the next generation of American leaders do to your country. ___ Thought I was done this review, turns out I'm not. Yelp! wants to know if this is a good place for kids. Well, because Baltimore defies logic the answer to this question is yes as I've seen 5 year old kids placing bets for their parents at Pimlico. Keep on keepin' on Baltimore!

We were super stoked to attend Preakness for the 2nd year. However, it's truly a disappointment to see the condition of the facility & grounds. Especially when you are spending approximately $300. minimum per couple to attend. Something really needs to be done about the restrooms to start. They were absolutely awful. Truth be told the entire place needs a complete overhaul. I'd almost rather use a port o potty. I can understand why there's been much discussion about moving The Preakness to Laurel or another location. Between the facility, grounds, & the neighborhood it's located in it leaves much to be desired for such a prestigious event. Aside from that the staff, fellow patrons, & race were great.

After riding horses for the majority of my life and living in the DC area for a good portion, I finally had the opportunity to go to the Preakness in 2014. Having not been before, I had a lot of questions regarding crowds, logistics, food, tickets, etc. and never really found an updated place with answers. Having attended the event successfully and cheaply, here is my advice: Transportation: As expected, the roads near the racetrack on Preakness day are a mess. To park near the racetrack, you need to buy a pass months in advance and fork over upwards of $100, and even then you waste lots of time on congested streets near the track. There's also the option of paying about $20-25 to park on someone's lawn near the track, but again, you'll spend a lot of time in traffic and then get jammed and double parked somewhere. The best way to deal with transportation is to take public transit. The MTA site did a fantastic job posting race day logistics on their website, and they offer shuttles from stops on both the light rail and subways lines. My group opted to park at a subway stop for free, pleasantly surprised to see that only a handful of people did this and there was almost no traffic. We paid $3.50 for a metro ticket, rode it one stop, and got off the train to board a shuttle bus. There were tons of employees helping people, lots of buses waiting, and clean, spacious shuttles. The drivers drove us to within a block of the racetrack, and were there waiting at the end of the race. Seriously the best way to spend almost no money, deal with zero traffic, and get into and out of the track quickly! I'll admit to being skeptical about how smoothly public transit would run, but I was very impressed! Atmosphere: The racetrack itself is really nothing special. While there's definitely a special buzz on Preakness day, the track itself has seen better days, and is a glorified gymnasium. There's basically two levels of completely open floor plans, with some outdated screens, betting windows, and vendors throughout. I bought a General Admission ticket for $25, and was a little disappointed to find out that you can only go to these inside areas. Attendants wouldn't let people near the glass to watch the races, so to actually see anything, you had to watch on a screen. While seated tickets are pricey, I think they're definitely worth the money if you want to see the races! Probably the best part of the track is the paddock area which is inside. It's a little hard to find, but was surprisingly uncrowded and gives you a really up close look at the horses and jockeys. The horses that "pony" the racehorses to the start gate are very friendly, and the riders are great about bringing them up to the crowd to pet and feed treats. While most of the horses for the Preakness are saddled on the turf, a few still came through, and it's definitely the closest you'll get to them at any point of the race! Plan to get a good spot a race in advance; it's a neat way to see the "behind the scenes" and even spot a couple celebrities (we saw Bob Costas). Food: The food is what you'd expect. Pizza, ice cream, crab cakes, and hot dogs. Everything was about $6-10, cash only. All types of alcohol available, particularly the famous Black Eyed Susans on Preakness Day. Long lines, and to emphasize again: cash only. Attire: I was surprised to see a full range of attire. Most people were dressy, with women in sundresses and hats, and men in suits, colored pants, and "country club" fashion. However, I also saw lots of people in jeans and more casual clothes, so the race definitely didn't have the vibe that the Derby can have. In the infield, people basically dressed for a music festival, and I saw lots of muddy and sunburned people exiting. Overall, it's something I'm glad I did once, but I'm not sure I'd do again. It definitely never seemed crowded which was nice, and the excitement of the big race was incredible. If I went back, I'd definitely pay the money to get a seat to see the races better!

This was my first time coming here and came to the preakness 2019 race. The valet parking was expensive but well worth it considering the traffic getting here. However for such a prestigious race day they could have at least had better rest rooms and security. We paid hundreds for our ticket and they should screen who has seats to the grandstand but they let any drunk moron who bought a 40 entrance ticket who made a scene in public.

Second time at Preakness! First time at Hall of Fame Restaurant. Wow! What an upgrade from Sports Palace Restaurant, when I was here two years ago. The food is 1st rate. The view is incredible - over looking the race track Pimlico! Definitely be back!

The day I went here there was horse races and an outdoor concert. I attended the outdoor concert. My rating of the establishment is as follows: +'s Pretty decent fairground food Porto potties were alright Prices of food and drink were reasonable Lots of space Clean outdoor area Staff was friendly and attentive The stage area was nice and it sounded good -'s This place is surrounded by a pretty sketchy area The building itself is disgusting The bathrooms were disgusting

I should technically be writing a review for Preakness, but whatever, almost the same thing. Just picture thousands of drunk college-age kids sporting an ungodly amount of coolers, kiddie pools and pretty much anything else that equals the word party, crammed into a field. A.K.A., awesome. I can't speak for the food or drinks offered on the in-field because we brought our own, I highly encourage the same thing. And please, think logically, don't bring Styrofoam coolers, they break or drunk people will do you a favor and break them for you. And if you think carrying a cooler for a long distance is too much, believe me, there are plenty of locals who are willing to share their stolen grocery store carts for $5 and help you out. Speaking of locals... make sure you have awesome directions and full tank of gas. You do NOT want to end lost here after dark, or even during the day for that matter. See you at Virgin Fest (sadly minus a cooler)

Old classic race track. Great place to enjoy a day of racing Really could use a face lift but still has that charm. Surrounding area is a little sketchy but hey it's Baltimore what do u expect. Sign up for a players card for free admission. Looking forward to going back for Preakness Day.

We were here for a day at the races and the Maryland Wine Producers festival. Most of the other reviews are (understandably) Preakness related, but if you come on a regular race day there is really very little to complain about. The windows were all well staffed and the cashiers were helpful in placing the bets, and the track is (as always) beautiful. The interior is starting to show it's age, but it's certainly not falling down or anything, and the bathrooms were (surprisingly) spotless.

Preakness 2016 was legendary, folks! From Fetty Wap and Chainsmokers, to a guy in an avocado suit punching someone, I witnessed it all. On a mild and wet Saturday, the mud was plentiful and the beer was flowing. The facility itself is old and needs a tune up, but Preakness was a blast.

We purchased Mug & Vine Club tickets in the infield at this year's Preakness. I was so excited to attend one of the triple crown races and was expecting an amazing day. I had read reviews about how crazy and drunken the infield is, but the Mug and Vine Club was advertised as a more exclusive location in the infield, so we ponied up the $155 for tickets. When we arrived, we were told that we would have to throw away our umbrellas - it was pouring rain and was expected to rain the remainder of the day. When we gained admission into the infield, it was an absolute mess. The mud was at least 4 inches deep at every turn. Once we got to the Mug and Vine Club, the mud was just as bad. Did the organizers not think to lay down some planks or tarps or something to prevent people from falling face-down in the mud? At least there was a tent with several tables and a few chairs. We were able to snag a table, but towards the middle of the day, it was straight up packed. The tickets supposedly included unlimited domestic and imported beer, wine, soda and water. There was Bud Light, Budweiser, and Barefoot Contessa wine. There was never any imported beer, despite all the signs around the premises saying it was included in the hosted bar. You could buy cocktails for $12, but when someone in my group ordered a black eyed susan, the official drink of the Preakness, the bartender said he didn't know how to make it and just threw a bunch of random liquors into a glass. As for the tent, there were several smaller TV's positioned throughout, but they weren't working for at least half the day! Staff didn't even bother to come check on the connections or even attempt to turn them on. Shout out to the random event-goer who took it upon himself to fix the TV's before the actual Preakness race. Then, as if the day couldn't get any worse, the bathroom trailers ran out of water and were locked up!!! They did fix the bathrooms, but they were quite the sight with mud and toilet paper smeared all over the walls and floors. At about 1:30 PM, the bar ran out of beer - it took them almost an hour to get more. Closer to the end of the day, they also ran out of water.... unbelievable. I was shocked at the lack of organization at this event, especially for such a well-known, annual race. Given the price, I expected way more out of the day. Would not recommend these club tickets to anyone. If I return, it won't be to the Mug & Vine Club.

Everything you've read about the Preakness at Pimlico is correct - the good and the bad. Knowing that, the overall experience was everything I'd hoped for. Pros: - If you like to party, you have lots of options here. We spent less than 30 minutes on the infield but it might be just what others are looking for (more food options, live music, people watching) - Pimlico staff were amazing. Everyone was happy, helpful and professional. - Proximity to the action. From our Concourse seats we could move around quite a bit. We could see most of the races close up - You can (and should) bring your own food and water. Saves a bundle and you get what you want. The "regulars" seem to know the exact size of plastic tote (not bag that is referred to on the website). I wish we had known about the tote so that we could have brought food and water on ice like those around us did - Use public transportation. It's cheap and convenient, given the size of the crowd. The shuttles were full but not crazy. Light rail was half full at most. We were seriously considering a car service and it would have been a big, expensive mistake. Cons: - Outside of Pimlico security could not answer questions. They did not have a clue where the shuttles or taxis were. Basic info you need for a crowd. - The facility is old and run down. Not in a charming way but in a " will this floor collapse" way. Folding chairs were dirty and some were broken. How anyone walks in heels on the uneven, slick surfaces is beyond me. If you must wear heels, wear wedges. Flats are much better option. - The outdoor screens and boards are very small and impossible to read. Bring binoculars - We bought tickets through a 3rd party vendor because they were "sold out" in most sections in January. However, the day of the race and a few weeks before, we could have bought tickets direct and saved a bundle. So, the neighborhood is rough, very rough. The facility is in disrepair. Don't plan on security or parking staff having a clue. But Do go. Enjoy. Take the light rail or metro. Bring food. Have fun!

Great place to hold a festival, Moonrise Festival was hands down the best experience yet! The grounds are large, spacious, and well-maintained. My only complaint is that it's smack dab right in the middle of the hood!

Preakness weekend and there is nothing like it! Great bands, hats, dresses, bow ties, Horses! Not much more you can ask for. Oh wait yep you can ask for one more thing....a beautiful 80 degree day with no clouds in the sky! and we are blessed with it! Great day.

My first time here was for Beer and Bourbon festival. I was surprised how old the building was. The food was absolutely horrible lol. As my boyfriend and I ate the pizza, we laughed/cringed about how gross it was, but it got the job done. But otherwise, we had fun. I guess free drinks, handsome horses and good company beats crappy food

This place is shamefully!!! I have bee coming here for 47 years. The locks on the stalls are broke or none to be had. You have to hold the door closed so no one will attempt to open the door. This has been going on since 1991 when I first reported it. Also in the grandstand some lights are burned out or simply missing!!! It is very dim inside the grand stand. No life at all its a real shame.in addition short fields. Not what a gambler is looking for.where is the slot money to fix it up and maybe buy a few light bulbs and locks?

We went to Preakness this weekend, and it was one of the most disorganized events I have ever been to. They ran out of mugs for their mug club ticket holders. How can you run out? You know how many tickets you sold, right? They kept us waiting an hour to get a replacement mug. When we finally got a mug, the lines were ridiculously long to get beer. We probably did not get close to our money's worth. I hope they are able to plan this better in the future!

Great race track and a fun place. It def needs some updating on the inside but the outside is absolutely beautiful.

Today we were fortunate to be able to take a Behind the Scenes Tour of Pimlico's Stables and Club House with Baltimore Heritage.org. Pimlico is a whirl wind of activity as they are getting ready for the 141st Preakness at Old Hilltop this Saturday, May 21, 2016. Our tour guides were April Smith and Donnie Miller -both a wealth of information. Pimlico opened in 1870 and is truly a Baltimore icon. Although a devastating fire destroyed the old clubhouse in 1966, the seven furlong track, stables for 1000 horses, and even the new grandstands at Pimlico today, still hold loads of Baltimore history and stories. Pimlico sits on approximately, 140 acres of land. Although it was drizzling rain for our entire tour, it was most interesting. We were able to see the stables, the Stakes Barn where the Preakness horses are housed, the Preakness horses exercising on the track, the Grandstand, the Club House dining room, Jockeys' locker room and lounge, the Paddock, the Budweiser Clydesdales horses, the Finish Line and the Winner's Circle. The infield was a wash of white tents. A former jockey took the time to explain what a jockey wears and why. We were surprised at how small the saddles were. Also, that a jockey might start off a race wearing as many as 7 goggles and peals them off as they get dirty. We were able to see the room where the jockeys dress - the colors are determined by the owners of each horse. We also visited with a farrier (who is an equine-foot-care specialist) who shoes horses. He showed us the tools that he uses and some of the horseshoes. Pimlico is a huge place. It was a fascinating tour.

I didn't see a single horse race but I still had a pretty good time at Preakness today! The place was pretty packed and the weather was horrible (it even rained on us for an hour or so), but the food and the drinks were pretty good! I had food from a BBQ stand that was selling pit beef, pulled pork, hamburgers, etc. and it definitely did the job. The people serving us were a bit grumpy though. I guess I would be too though if all my customers had been partaking in the Mug Club (free refillable beer) experience since 9 am!

A recent compliment has prompted me to update my review on Pimlico... well, it's really a review of the Virgin Fest. I forgot to mention how great Bloc Party's performance was. I really enjoyed the songs and the crowd was hyped. That was my first time listening to that band, and I started following their music after I saw the concert. However, I still did not get to really enjoy Foo Fighters, and occasionally get flashbacks from the moshpit. (Blink, blink)

So I'm gonna assume the Preakness is the biggest or one of the biggest events for this venue and after 142 years of putting on this even they still can't figure it out. I paid $120 for tickets and missed the odesza set because I stood in an unorganized, claustrophobic line or crowd of about literally 5 thousand people for TWO AND A HALF hours because they had THREE people scanning tickets for the general admission tickets. Also plan to where shoes that you'll have to throw away because the infield is literally the worst mud pit ever. And I regularly go to music festivals and I know mud. Just look it up on YouTube or Instagram and evidence is there. It also was a 40 minute wait to get water in a 10 person line. The level of incompetency was at a all time high. Basically to sum this up, the venue is unorganized, unkept, and way to expensive. I don't leave reviews really ever but this place earned my 1 review. I will NEVER come back.

I really need to go back and update this review then as this is only for my spending $150 for an infield ticket to the Black Eyed Susan day for the Preakness. However, though I didn't get to experience the inside of the club area or the everyday bleachers, I LOVED my experience. Not focusing on anything that was BES, but the track and the environment was great. I will be back for sure to experience the real thing.

I was at the 137th Preakness at "Pimlico Race Course" on 5/19/2012. I had been there before at the 2010 Preakness. I liked it so much in 2010 that I decided to come back. The staff is friendly and attentive which makes a day at the races a great pleasure. Just like in 2010, I also attended the Black Eyed Susan at "Pimlico" the day before. Much smaller crowds on that day but just as enjoyable. Plus you have all the sights and sounds of Baltimore to see.

I've been here in 2016 and 2017 for the Moonrise music festival, which I have reviewed separately. My experience at the Moonrise festival itself was excellent, but this facility needs some major work. The music festival was in the grassy area away from the horsetrack and bleachers, so the run-down nature of the horsetrack did not detract from the music festival. However, the horsetrack and bleachers from a distance looked very run-down and needing a lot of work. Paint was peeling and so forth. The parking area needs to be repaved. The asphalt is cracking and there is gravel everywhere. The amount of parking is adequate for the facility. The sidewalks are also cracked and need a lot of work. There was a place along the fence where somebody had separated the iron bars wide enough for somebody to get through, and there was a guy sitting there whose job it was to make sure nobody entered through the breach in the fence. The grass needs to be completely replanted and landscaping redone. Based on the reviews here, I think I would be reluctant to come to Preakness.