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Originally Posted by dilanesp
Since someone mentioned it, I should mention that Maryland's various legal theories for forcing Stronach to hold the Preakness in Maryland are highly dubious. There's really no precedent for allowing a government to use eminent domain to appropriate a trademark, and substantial free speech arguments for allowing a trademark owner to use the label as it wishes. Moreover even if Maryland could keep the trademark, they couldn't stop Stronach from running a 9 1/2 furlong race on the third Saturday in May which fulfilled contractual obligations to Churchill and NYRA.
In short, Stronach, not Maryland, almost can run it where he wishes to. Maryland's threats are a bluff.
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This is 100% true.
The Stronarch Group has insisted for years there is NO WAY to RENOVATE Pimlico. It would have to be torn down. Then you're totally landlocked in redevelopment. What Stronarch has shown at Gulfstream and Santa Anita is they want mix use. Laurel gives them that option.
I think the Preakness moving to Laurel is inevitable. They'll have to do a ton of renovations but it still a lot easier than rebuilding Pimlico.
Pimlico is really in a tough spot. Even if Stronarch rebuilds it which they won't because they've refused to do it you'd still need to run the race somewhere temporarily . Your only two options are Laurel or Belmont. Belmont actually hosted the Preakness during World War II. Stronarch obviously would prefer it at Laurel a track they own.
The wildcard is Gulfstream. They could run it there.
But I'd say there's a strong possibility the 2026 Preakness isn't at Pimlico.
