The new Maryland Jockey Club set a handle record of $5,536,944 the April 19 "Preakness Preview Day" program at Laurel Park.
The 12-race card featured five stakes, including two "Win Today, See You in May" events and a hybrid on-site and online handicapping contest.
The $150,000 Federico Tesio, won by Pay Billy, offered a fees-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, to be held at Pimlico Race Course May 17.
The $150,000 Weber City Miss, won by Complexity Jane, offered a fees-paid guaranteed berth into the $300,000 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico on Preakness Eve.
Three other $100,000 stakes were also on the program, the first stakes races contested on turf in Maryland in 2025.
There were 105 entrants Saturday for an average of 8.8 starters per race. Comparatively, 72 horses started on the 11-race Federico Tesio card April 20, 2024, an average of 6.5 runners per race. That card handled $2,889,322, for an average handle of $262,666 per race.
This year's "Preakness Preview Day" card averaged $461,412 per race.
