America's Best Racing (ABR) announced March 20 that its fourth annual Pre-Preakness Party will be held Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be the beneficiary of a silent auction at the event.
The party, sponsored for a third consecutive year by Sagamore Racing, was held for the first time in 2014. It has become the unofficial kickoff event for racing fans during Preakness week. In past years, connections of Preakness runners, local jockeys and various other personalities have attended the event.
A charity silent auction benefitting TAA will feature an array of racing items, including a Silver Charm halter provided by Old Friends Farm in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the legendary horse's triumph in the 1997 Preakness Stakes.
Tickets for the event, which begins immediately following the post-position draw for the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes, are on sale on Eventbrite for $10. The cost of admission includes one drink, light bar snacks and entry into a drawing for a door prize of two (2) passes to the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at Pimlico Race Course.
Sagamore Racing, owned by Kevin A. Plank, the founder, chairman of the board and CEO of Under Armour, has been a supporter of ABR efforts since the fan-development initiative was created in 2012. The farm has previously hosted Preakness week events that provided ABR guests with a behind-the-scenes look at the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.
"Sagamore Racing is both proud and extremely excited that ABR has chosen the TAA as our event beneficiary," said Hunter Rankin, President of Sagamore Racing. "Because of its innovative approach, ABR brings a new audience to the sport. That audience, along with all fans of the Thoroughbred industry, need to be aware of the great work the TAA performs every day."
Based in Lexington, Ky., the nonprofit TAA accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds.
"The TAA has thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the partnership we've had with Sagamore Racing, America's Best Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club," said Stacie Clark Rogers, the TAA's operations consultant. "Preakness week is a great time to celebrate the magnificent horses who've brought us so much joy over the years by making sure that we're providing for those who've moved onto productive lives away from the racetrack."