Maryland's most important racing property is getting a new look as the state prepares to bring the Preakness Stakes back to Baltimore. Governor Wes Moore, the Maryland Stadium Authority and The Maryland Jockey Club unveiled new visual identities Monday for Pimlico Race Course, the Preakness and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, presenting the redesign as the public face of a broader restructuring of Maryland racing. The governor's official release said the Preakness is scheduled to return to Pimlico in May 2027.
The marks draw on three instantly recognizable Maryland images: the state flag, Pimlico's weathervane and cupola, and the black-eyed Susan. That choice is more than cosmetic. Pimlico has spent 2026 in transition, with the Preakness temporarily staged at Laurel Park while the Baltimore facility undergoes redevelopment. The new identities are intended to keep the historic names connected during that interruption and to establish a common visual language for the rebuilt venue and its signature weekend.
CTP, a design firm with Breeders' Cup experience, led a creative process that lasted nearly 10 months. Officials said the effort sought input from state and city leaders, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Maryland Jockey Club staff and board members, and Park Heights community advocates. That community component matters because the Pimlico project is being sold not simply as a racetrack replacement, but as a long-term economic and civic investment in northwest Baltimore.
“These logos capture everything we love about Maryland racing,” Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Bill Knauf said in the state's release. He added that the designs were meant to honor the traditions behind Pimlico and the Preakness while reflecting the sport's future in Maryland. The Maryland Stadium Authority's Craig Thompson likewise said the identities place Maryland and Park Heights at the center of the brands.
The timing reflects a series of consequential moves away from the design studio. Maryland purchased the Preakness intellectual-property rights in June, preventing the historic race from leaving the state, and The Maryland Jockey Club renewed its NBC Sports agreement in August. The 2027 Preakness is set for Sunday, May 23—eight days later than its traditional placement—with the Black-Eyed Susan scheduled for Saturday, May 22. The shift gives the Preakness three weeks after the Kentucky Derby rather than the customary two, a meaningful change for owners deciding whether a Derby horse should continue toward Baltimore.
There will still be an unfinished feel when the race returns. Reporting on the Maryland Jockey Club's plans indicates that the rebuilt Pimlico will not be complete for the 2027 Preakness, which is expected to use temporary seating for roughly 20,000 spectators. The long-term blueprint is considerably more ambitious: Maryland has authorized $400 million in bonds for the redevelopment, while Laurel Park is slated to become a permanent training center and Pimlico the state's year-round racing and entertainment hub.
That is the real test behind the new branding. Pimlico currently hosts roughly 15 racing days annually; the rebuilt facility is projected to handle more than 100, support over 500 jobs and anchor a broader Maryland racing program. The logos cannot settle questions about construction, scheduling or horsemen's economics, but they make the state's intent unmistakable: the Preakness is not merely returning to Pimlico for a nostalgic encore. It is being positioned as the centerpiece of a new Maryland racing era.