Big Guns Converge on 'Old Hilltop' For Final Preakness Run at Historic Facility

Baltimore, MD–It was very evident that something big is looming following a simple stroll around the Pimlico backstretch Wednesday morning. Despite the intermittent rain and the resulting soggy conditions following several days of drenching downpours, several fan tours could be seen milling about, getting a behind-the-scenes look of many of Saturday's GI Preakness Stakes participants.

While most trainers can outmaneuver Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas physically these days, few will beat him and his horses to the racetrack in the mornings. Outfitted with his brand-spanking new rain gear, an on-the-fly purchase courtesy of wife Laurie, The Coach's stakes team–led by Preakness contender American Promise (Justify)–were among the first to appear at 6 a.m. Early Preakness favorite Journalism (Curlin), runner-up behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, and European invader Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) followed about an hour later. 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), coming off a front-running triumph in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer on the Derby undercard, in addition to GI Arkansas Derby winner Sandman (Tapit), were also among those who went out for some light work on a dreary morning.

On-hand to watch Derby seventh Sandman go about his daily business, West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley and internet influencer Griffin Johnson were among the colt's partnership members to make an appearance mid-week.

“It's been a whirlwind in a nutshell, getting with Sandman,” said Johnson, who owns a share of Sandman. “When you own a piece of a horse, you never know what you're going to get. That's part of the fun, right? Obviously, Sandman has been a fantastic horse with a supreme amount of talent, and he has taken me on arguably the best journey that I could ever experience. I'm really just glad to be here. I'm soaking it in. Most importantly, I'm trying to share that dream with everyone I can and be authentic and experiential as I can.”

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who previously won the second jewel of the Triple Crown with War of Will (War Front) in 2019 and finished a head second with Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) in 2017, pulled double duty Wednesday, cooling out the grey himself following his morning exertions.

Sandman and Mark Casse | C Bossinakis

“I'm trying to get in shape for Saratoga,” Casse quipped when Lukas, seated in his usual spot by his barn office door, attempted to offer the services of his own staff to assist with the task.

With the Derby winner's connections having opted to miss what they consider to be a quick turnaround in the Preakness, much of the hubbub Wednesday morning revolved around Michael McCarthy and Journalism. Engulfed by the media Wednesday morning, McCarthy, who in his first attempt won the Preakness with Rombauer (Twirling Candy) in 2021, showed some signs of nervous anticipation of things to come, while his GI Santa Anita Derby-winning charge looked the picture of health and controlled energy that one might hope to see in a 3-year-old returning off a big race two weeks ago.

“He's a wonderful athlete. He's got the looks and size,” McCarthy said. “He's got the mechanics of a very good horse. His resume speaks for itself. He's a special, special talent.”

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Somewhat bittersweet, Saturday will mark the final running of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown at 'Old Hilltop' before it is demolished to make way for a modern building that is scheduled for completion in time for the 2027 Preakness. Laurel Park will host next year's 151st Preakness.

While very few will argue that it is time for the original facility to the go the way of the dodo, there remains a warm affection for a plant that will have seen 150 renewals of the Classic race, including 13 Triple Crown winners, by the time the doors close for the final time this season.

“Of course, everyone complains about the current building, that's one of the things everyone likes to do when they come here,” said longtime Gulfstream on-air personality Ron Nicoletti, who has also served as part of the on-air team covering the Preakness week races for much of the past decade. “I cursed along with everyone else when I had to walk up 16 flights of stairs because the elevator doesn't work or you have to take the outside elevator [temporary lift] that feels like a carnival ride. But when you get up there, everyone is great and I find the people that work here and that are based here are all very welcoming. I just have very good memories here. It feels like home to me. Racetracks like this are few and far in between. Gulfstream was redone. Belmont is being redone, and there is no more Arlington Park. This one feels like when I was a kid, with rickety stairs and all. I really wanted to be here for this last year. You get goose bumps when you realize that this will be the last time the Preakness will be run here. I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

In stark contrast, while most agree that it is time to draw the curtains on Pimlico, the same cannot be said about the considerable debate swirling around calls to increase the time between each leg of the Triple Crown.

There are few things in horse racing as steeped in tradition and history as the Triple Crown. Initially identified as the Triple Crown in the 1930s, it would take two more decades before it would officially be recognized as such. And since then, the series would remain fundamentally unchanged, most notably in regard to its timing on the calendar and the five-week spacing between the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and GI Belmont Stakes.

While the purists believe the current spacing through the series should remain just the way it is, others have begun to espouse some of the benefits in spreading the Classics out to four weeks between each leg.

Standing solidly on 'Team Tradition' is Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who believes the quick turnaround between the three Classics is achievable with the right horse.

“I am not so sure that horses are so physically different now,” said Lukas when asked about whether present-day Thoroughbreds are bred to handle the five-week schedule anymore. “I think it's the training and the mentality with what you're doing with them that has changed. Baffert and I have won 15 [Preakness Stakes] between us. Our horses both generally get into the race. And, a couple of weeks out, our horses will have fast works. If you throw that out to some of the young trainers, they will think that's too fast [between races]. We lean on them. But our record speaks for itself. The whole secret in this game is learning how to read the horse. It's knowing when to back off or when to push ahead.”

And despite the vast spread in age between the horsemen, Michael McCarthy agrees with the 89-year-old legend in keeping the current five-week schedule intact.

Michael McCarthy | C Bossinakis

“I may be a bit of a traditionalist, but I think the three races in five weeks is good,” opined McCarthy. “It takes a special horse to get to these races. It takes a special horse to run in them, let alone win all three of them.”

“Our first Triple Crown starter was Rombauer. I thought to myself, 'that was awfully easy',” he quipped. “Obviously, it's not. There is a lot of luck involved. The daily operation is every day, but there are several variables that are out of your hands. But I like it the way it is.”

Offering a completely different take on the issue is another Hall of Famer, Mark Casse, who picks up the mantle for 'Team Evolution'.

“If you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have had a different answer,” he said. “After analyzing it, I think right now our sport is headed in the right direction. To make the Preakness and Belmont better, I think we need to separate them some. I wouldn't have said that. But you have horsemen like Bill Mott, who is one of the greatest of all time, in addition to guys like Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher, they are not comfortable with the two weeks. And we need those guys. We need those horses to run.”

Drawing on a situation that has appeared to have worked in drawing the best horses to the biggest races, Casse pointed to a track that he has supported heavily over the years.

“At Woodbine, they used to have the Woodbine Oaks two weeks before the [Queen's] King's Plate, and the horses wouldn't come back for the Plate. But when they moved it to a month out, now they come back and run [in the first jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown]. So, if you pushed up the Kentucky Oaks two weeks, and now it's a month out from the Preakness, they might come back and run there. Or maybe run in the Black-Eyed Susan. That can open the door to a Triple Tiara. And if there was a bonus there, that might provide added incentive.”

He continued, “This issue is not going away. In the 1940s, there weren't all these drug regulations and hoops that we need to jump through today. This is a different day and age. This is not 1940, this is 2025. If you stand still, you get run over. We have some momentum right now and we can take action and do something about it.”

Pointing to those who argue that the Triple Crown is meant to be hard and that many feel that adding more time between races would make it 'easier' to achieve the triple, Casse was pragmatic.

“Change is already here. We have the Belmont running at Saratoga [at 10 furlongs] and next year the Preakness will be at Laurel,” he said. “It's supposed to be tough. That's 100% right. But if you space them to a month between races, now you get the best horses. And it's still tough.”

While unity in racing often proves to be a difficult thing to achieve, Casse argues that it is possible with the proper motivation.

“Everybody has to get together,” he said. “I saw it with everyone coming together for the decoupling issue in Florida. It was nice. So, we can do it. We have to keep doing that.”