Springtime and the Preakness, what a great time to play. . .

“O! The month of May, the merry month of May,
So frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green!”
— Thomas Dekker

Hooray, hooray the month of May, when the warm rays of the national spotlight shine on horse racing. Even the most ephemeral of sports fans has heard of the Kentucky Derby and can follow the trail to the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. We are in the Triple Crown season. Fair weather followers may not remember the dates, but they know the celebration of the Thoroughbred kicks off in earnest in May, and there are fancy hats and mint juleps involved.
Big events, we love’em. Schedules are planned around those dates, friends are invited to get together and seats and tables are reserved. Afterwards we have lots of souvenirs and memorable experiences. Think back to that time in your life when you called that old pal and said, “Remember when Secretariat won the Preakness, he passed the whole field on the first turn. We had the best time and I still have the winning ticket!” These special days are always a tribute to top athletes at their most competitive. They are festive and joyful, and you want to be there if for no other reason than to say you were there. As a fan, or better yet as a participant, you are a witness to a record set or broken, to unique achievements – to history.

In May the grass is green and plentiful, the foals are glossy and playful, and the 3-year-old Thoroughbreds are lean and competitive. The crop of young horses has sorted itself out so that you can follow their progress and select your favorite. In this business the choice of a favorite is not often capricious. It’s time to watch with interest, gather all the information that you can, but also listen to the siren song of the bloodlines or, if you are a bettin’ man, long odds. Breeders are rooting for value – springtime success will make your investments appreciate (or you appreciate your investments). Stud farms will bathe in the reflected glory of their stallion’s accomplishment, and mare owners know that victory will enhance her pedigree for years to come.

The times are changing, no status quo here, and the Preakness will be a special gift this year – because it is still ours. This year’s renewal will give the horse industry in Maryland a chance to take a deep breath, to revisit old friends. It is time to reminisce, to put the cares aside for this one day, and just celebrate. It will be a time to commemorate the past and acknowledge what history has made, but also to look ahead and make plans for the future. This Preakness comes with a profound legacy, a valuable opportunity and a mighty lesson.