If home-field advantage applies to horse racing, a thoroughbred named Taj Mahal might have it.
The three-year-old horse has won all three of his previous races at Laurel Park. He’s also stabled there, and will be led out of his own stall to race in the 151st Preakness Stakes.
Tonight’s Preakness will be the first at the 115-year-old racetrack in Laurel, Maryland, and it will likely to be the last. The second leg of the Triple Crown is set to return to Pimlico next year, though construction at the Baltimore track will still be underway.
Laurel Park has been Taj Mahal’s trainer Brittany Russell’s home base for eight years. Her husband Sheldon is the jockey, and will compete in his fourth Preakness.
A victory tonight would make Brittany the first woman to train a Preakness winner.
Fellow trainer Cherie DeVaux similarly made history earlier this month at the Kentucky Derby.
DeVaux decided not to enter Golden Tempo in the Preakness, but three other Derby horses will be lined up at post time.
Where and when to watch: With a capacity of just 4,800 at Laurel Park, tickets are hard to come by this year.
The Preakness is set to air on NBC and Peacock, with post time scheduled for 7:01 p.m. EDT.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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