Officials for the Stronach Group, which owns Pimlico Race Course, yesterday said that there have been "ongoing discussions about moving" the Preakness Stakes "from Saturday to Sunday in the near future, possibly as soon as next year," according to Don Markus of the Baltimore SUN. Stronach COO Tim Ritvo said that "more substantive talks will start" after this year's race, which takes place this Saturday. He added that it "will be up to members" of Stronach's BOD, as well as Maryland Jockey Club VP & GM Sal Sinatra and Racing Secretary Georganne Hale. Markus notes the Preakness "has been run on a Saturday continuously" since '31. Prior to that, it ran on "nearly every day but Sunday." Maryland Racing Commission member John McDaniel said that he "understands how traditionalists might balk at the idea." But he added, "We've got to redo the model and create a new opportunity. … Sunday is more of a family day and you might get younger people come out, like they do in Europe." Markus writes the decision ultimately "could come down" to what the broadcast rights-holder wants. Ritvo said that the current contract with NBC "ends after this year" (Baltimore SUN, 5/14).
TWO TURNTABLES AND A MICROPHONE: In Baltimore, Wesley Case writes Dutch music producer, DJ and radio personality Armin van Buuren is a "major draw for this year's Preakness." Despite "lacking mainstream name and face recognition in many mainstream circles, the Grammy-nominated van Buuren is a titan" of electronic dance music and "arguably the most authoritative voice of the popular subgenre trance." He "hopes to fit in 15 to 20 tracks" to his scheduled one-hour InfieldFest set on Saturday. Maryland Jockey Club consultant Karin De Francis, who helped book van Buuren, said that the DJ was chosen as a headliner "partially because last summer's EDM-centric Moonrise Festival at Pimlico went off without incident" (Baltimore SUN, 5/13).
