'Preakness Preview Day' Stakes Get $25K Purse Increase

The new Maryland Jockey Club announced the stakes schedule for the 2025 winter-spring meet at Laurel Park, which will feature 25 stakes worth more than $2.6 million in total purses. The Laurel Park winter-spring meet will be the first presented by the new TMJC, a nonprofit entity under the auspices of the state's Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. The MTROA will take control of day-to-day racing in Maryland Jan. 1. The new TMJC has increased the purse of both the Federico Tesio Stakes and Weber City Miss Stakes by $25,000. Those races will be worth $150,000 each. The Weber City Miss and Federico Tesio are "Win Today, See You in May" events on a special "Preakness Preview Day" program to be run April 19. Any Triple Crown-nominated runner that wins the Federico Tesio will earn a spot in the starting gate for the 150th Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, to be run May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. The winner of the Weber City Miss receives an automatic berth in the May 16 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico. The meet's stakes action begins Jan. 18, a program headlined by the $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes for older sprinters at 6 1/2 furlongs and the $100,000 What a Summer Stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs. Two grade 3, $200,000 races at seven furlongs highlight a four-stakes program Feb. 15. The General George Stakes (G3) for 4-year-olds and upward was won last year by Maryland-bred Post Time, who went on to capture the Carter Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack as well as earn grade 1-placings in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar. The Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares was first contested in 1952 and has been won by champions such as Xtra Heat, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2015. "We look forward to building a new era in Maryland racing," said Bill Knauf, president and general manager of TMJC. "The General George and Barbara Fritchie are historically important races, and our Preakness Preview Day will be a showcase event for 3-year-olds." Laurel Park's stakes series for 3-year-old males offers a chance to gradually stretch out in distance. The $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at seven furlongs Jan. 25 is followed by the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes at a one-turn mile Feb. 22. The first two-turn race of the series is the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at 1 1/16 miles March 22, followed by the Federico Tesio at 1 1/8 miles April 19. The Laurel winter meet begins Jan. 17 and concludes March 30, with live racing conducted Friday through Sunday except for a one-week break March 14-16. First post time will be 12:25 p.m. ET. The spring meet at Laurel will run from April 4 through May 4, with live racing conducted Friday through Sunday. There will be no racing on April 20, Easter Sunday.