The Maryland Jockey Club and Corrigan Sports Enterprises announced April 20 the creation of the Preakness 5k to benefit the Maryland affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For the first time, on May 8, participants will be able to run on the historic Pimlico course.
Komen Maryland was founded more than 17 years ago and provides 75% of the funds raised at the Race for the Cure each year to fund local programs for Maryland women and families affected by breast cancer. The remaining 25% of funding supports national research to find the cures for breast cancer.
"The Preakness 5K kicks off our inaugural partnership with Komen for the Cure, which we will celebrate at The People’s Pink Party on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 14,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas in a release. "We are honored to be working with the folks at Corrigan Sports, who run a first-class operation and are respected as preeminent race organizers in Baltimore. For the first time ever, race participants will actually circle the world famous dirt track at Pimlico, which will welcome the finest 3-year-old Thoroughbreds the following week at the 135th Preakness Stakes.”
The 5k course will start and circle one mile around the Pimlico course. The route will continue with a tour of the quiet Mt. Washington neighborhoods before finishing at Pimlico in the infield.
“Runners are constantly looking for a novel race experience,” said CSE president Lee Corrigan. “Getting to run in the same hoof prints of great horses such as Secretariat and Rachel Alexandra over the same Pimlico course where so much Preakness history has been made will be incredible.”
The registration fee is $35. Each finisher will receive a logoed lawn blanket. Runners will also receive a 10% discount on any regular infield admission ticket to the Preakness Stakes InfieldFEST, featuring O.A.R. and Zac Brown Band May 15.