Laurel vs. Pimlico
The Preakness is contested at a distance of 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs). When held at Pimlico, over the mile-long dirt oval, the gate is placed 1,030 feet back from the finish line (3/16ths of a mile, plus a run-up distance of 40 feet). The track is famously narrow at just 70 feet wide, creating a tighter environment where horses must navigate a 1,327-foot final turn before a short 1,152-foot final stretch. This configuration often favors horses with tactical speed, as the shorter stretch and narrower turns provide less time to build the momentum needed to run down the leaders.
In contrast, the Kentucky Derby is a longer test of 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) held on the wider 80-foot Churchill Downs track with a 1,234.5-foot final stretch, allowing more time for closers to make their run.
So what’s the difference? The Preakness at Laurel will offer a distinct departure from the typical layout at Pimlico, utilizing Laurel’s 1 ⅛-mile (9 furlongs), 95-foot-wide dirt oval. The 1 3/16 mile distance is infrequently contested at Laurel; the last race held at that distance occurred on Aug. 6, 2022, in the Bald Eagle Derby, won by Vance Scholars (the run-up distance was 30 feet for that race).
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