Entire Race Takes Place At Pimlico Race Course With Proceeds Benefitting The Maryland Affiliate Of Susan G. Komen For The Cure®

BALTIMORE, 04-24-12---The Maryland Jockey Club and sports marketing and event management company Corrigan Sports Enterprises, Inc. (CSE) announced today the return of the “Down the Stretch for SGK” Preakness 5k. The race will take place Saturday, May 12 at Pimlico Race Course with part of the proceeds benefitting the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

For the third consecutive year runners will be able to compete on the historic Pimlico dirt course, where champion thoroughbreds like Secretariat and Seabiscuit once ran, and finish in the legendary Infield. In 2011, 784 runners took part with Nick Gehlsen, from Timonium, Md., taking overall top honors in an impressive time of 17:27. Sherry Stick of Eldersburg, Md. (20:04) successfully defended her 2010 female crown.

“What a fantastic way to kick off Preakness week,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas. “The sight of nearly 800 runners beginning last year’s race through the starting gate was something to see. We also got great feedback from runners who loved hearing their names called by track announcer Dave Rodman while running on the track."

CSE is well known to both area runners and Preakness attendees. The company puts on the annual Baltimore Marathon, which attracts more than 25,000 runners from all over the world, and also arranged the participation of World Champions and reigning Olympic Gold medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in this year’s National Volleyball League tournament at Preakness InfieldFest. It will be the only event the U.S. Olympians will play domestically prior to the 2012 games in London.

“Nothing says Maryland like the famed track at Pimlico and local runners are clamoring for the opportunity to literally be called to the gates and get sand in their running shoes,” CSE president Lee Corrigan said. “It is certainly a unique way to get the Infield party off to a running start.”

Pimlico has partnered with Komen Maryland for the return of The People’s Pink Party to raise funds to aid awareness and research for breast cancer on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 18. Seventy-five percent of the net funds raised from this event will go to the Komen Maryland Affiliate to use for community outreach programs in Maryland and twenty-five percent will be used for life-saving breast cancer research.

Pimlico and Komen Maryland are pleased to welcome back a special opportunity for an individual to serve as Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior, an official ambassador of the Preakness, representing the Maryland Jockey Club at official events. The contest to crown “Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior” honors those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer, and is open to breast cancer survivors and individuals who have made a difference in the lives of anyone fighting breast cancer. The winner will be chosen, in-part, through an on-line & interactive process featuring the contestants’ own stories. Visit https://www.preakness.com/preakness-tradition/mpreakness for details.

“Komen Maryland is thrilled to once again partner with the Maryland Jockey Club for Black-Eyed Susan Day and all of the event leading up to it, including the “Down the Stretch for SGK” Preakness 5k,” said Robin Prothro, executive director of Komen Maryland. “This 5k is such a uniquely Maryland event and always so much fun for participating runners. Our partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club allows us to increase breast cancer awareness and spread our mission through a variety of special events throughout the week to a large audience and we are extremely appreciative of the opportunity.”

The 5k race will begin at 10:30 a.m. It will start on the parking lot at Belvedere and Park Heights Avenues and circle one mile around the Pimlico dirt course. The route will continue around the Pimlico  perimeter before finishing in the infield. Here is a map of the entire course: https://www.corrigansports.com/Assets/corrigan+sports/2011+preakness+5k+course.pdf

The registration fee is $35. Every runner will receive a beer stein adorned with the Preakness 5k Logo. Runners will also receive a 10% discount on any regular infield admission ticket to the 2012 Preakness InfieldFest, featuring headliners Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa the following Saturday. The discounted tickets need to be purchased through the Preakness Ticket Office.

The 137th running of the Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, takes place at Pimlico Saturday, May 19.

For registration information visit: https://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1019800  

MEDIA CONTACTS

Maryland Jockey Club, Mike Gathagan   mgathagan@marylandracing.com          410-578-4461 

Corrigan Sports Enterprises, Dave Gell  dave@corrigansports.com                     410-900-8380

Komen Maryland, Brittany Fowler          bfowler@komenmd.org                         410-938-8990