Laurel Park’s April 19 “Preakness Preview Day” handled more than $5.5 million – nearly twice the year’s previous best for the new incarnation of the Maryland Jockey Club.

The new TMJC announced handle of $5,536,944 on the day’s 12-race program, which included two “Win Today, See You in May” stakes, three turf stakes, and a hybrid onsite and online Handicapping Contest.

The handle mark compared favorably with recent Tesio days. Last year’s Tesio day handled under $2.9 million, while in 2023, it handled a bit over $3.9 million.

It also compared favorably with what’s come before in 2025. The previous high this year came Feb. 22, when Laurel handled just under $3 million. 

Yesterday’s $150,000 Federico Tesio, won by Pay Billy, offered a fees-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Preakness, the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, to be held at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, May 17.

The $150,000 Weber City Miss, won by Complexity Jane, offered a fees-paid guaranteed berth into the Grade 2, $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 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 on Saturday for an average of 8.8 starters per race. Comparatively, 72 horses started on the 11-race Federico Tesio card on 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.