Bet on Pimlico Racetrack Odds

Pimlico Race Course, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of America’s oldest and most storied racetracks. Nicknamed “Old Hilltop,” it opened in 1870, second only to Saratoga in age, and is best known as the home of the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown. The venue is currently closed for a full, state-funded rebuild: the 2026 Preakness was run at nearby Laurel Park, and racing is expected to return to a modernized Pimlico in 2027. Its rich tradition and passionate Mid-Atlantic fanbase keep “Old Hilltop” a centerpiece of U.S. Thoroughbred racing.

Pimlico Track Details

Status: Closed for redevelopment. Maryland’s roughly $400 million project is rebuilding the venue from the ground up, with racing set to return in 2027.
Historic configuration: A one-mile dirt oval with a turf course on the inside, the layout that hosted the Preakness for generations.
What’s next: A rebuilt grandstand and modern facilities, with the site moving toward year-round racing after decades operating largely as a Preakness-week venue.

Pimlico Featured Races & Events

Preakness Stakes (G1): The second leg of the Triple Crown, run at 1 3/16 miles two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. During the rebuild, the Preakness has been staged at Laurel Park.
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2): The signature race for 3-year-old fillies on Preakness weekend, run alongside the Preakness at its interim Laurel home.
Pimlico Special (historic): The route stakes that hosted racing’s legendary 1938 Seabiscuit–War Admiral match race.
Notable champions: Man o’ War, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, American Pharoah, Justify and countless other greats have competed on this ground.

Pimlico Horses & Race Types

Pimlico hosts Thoroughbred flat racing.
Distances: From quick sprints to classic route distances.
Divisions: Juveniles, 3-year-olds, handicaps, and older stakes runners.

Pimlico History & Legacy

Founded: 1870, among the oldest active racetracks in the United States.
The nickname: “Old Hilltop” comes from a small rise in the infield where fans once gathered to watch the action up close; the hill was leveled in 1938, but the name stuck.
Milestones: Home of the Preakness since 1873, with the middle jewel sealed here by generations of champions.

Pimlico Odds & Betting

While Pimlico is being rebuilt, you can still bet the races that made it famous, and its Mid-Atlantic neighbors, at BetUS:

Preakness week traditionally drives Pimlico’s peak betting interest, with deep exotic pools on the Triple Crown trail. Follow the road there with Kentucky Derby odds and Belmont Stakes odds.
Prefer live regional action nearby? Check Parx Racing odds, Monmouth Park odds, and Delaware Park odds.
Bet types: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, and multi-race wagers (Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6) — available via online racebooks at BetUS.

Pimlico Records & Stats

Preakness Stakes record time: 1:53.00 (Secretariat, 1973 — recognized as the official record by the Maryland Racing Commission in 2012).
Largest Preakness winning margin: 11½ lengths (Smarty Jones, 2004).
Purse highlights: The Preakness is one of the richest 3-year-old races in North America outside the Kentucky Derby.

Pimlico FAQs

What is the biggest race at Pimlico?

The Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, run at 1 3/16 miles. It’s the race that put Old Hilltop on the map and draws the track’s biggest crowds and betting handle. During redevelopment, the Preakness has been contested at Laurel Park, with a return to Pimlico planned for 2027.

Where can I find Pimlico betting odds?

Pimlico is closed for a full rebuild, so live Pimlico cards are on pause. You can still bet Preakness and Triple Crown odds at BetUS, along with live Mid-Atlantic tracks like Parx Racing, Monmouth Park, and Delaware Park. When racing returns to a rebuilt Pimlico in 2027, its odds will be back in the BetUS racebook.

What distance is the Preakness Stakes?

The Preakness is run at 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs), the distance it has been contested at since 1925, making it the shortest of the three Triple Crown races.

Which famous horses have won the Preakness?

The winners’ list includes Triple Crown champions Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, American Pharoah and Justify, plus early greats like Man o’ War and War Admiral who helped define Pimlico. Secretariat’s 1973 run remains the record at 1:53.00.

How can I bet on Pimlico online?

Sign up at BetUS to wager on the Preakness and the full Triple Crown trail, plus nearby tracks running live now such as Parx Racing, Monmouth Park and Delaware Park. You’ll get Win, Place, Show and exotics like exactas, trifectas and multi-race tickets in one racebook, ready for when Pimlico racing returns.

The nickname comes from a small hill that once sat in the infield, where trainers and fans gathered to watch the horses up close. The rise was leveled in 1938 to improve sightlines, but the affectionate name has stuck for more than a century.