Gulfstream Starting Out Fast and Firm

As of 12:15 p.m., skies are clear at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and light rain continues to fall at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore where racing began at 10:30 a.m.

Gulfstream has a ten-race card with first post at 1:15 p.m.

We will have coverage of races at both tracks, notably the Preakness (Grade 1) at Pimlico, on the Latest Racing News section of our Web site and on this blog.

Gulfstream’s simulcasting includes the full Pimlico card.  Tampa Bay Downs does not have live racing today. It is open for simulcasts including Gulfstream and Pimlico.

The Preakness is the 13^th race on Pimlico’s 14-race card.  Scheduled post is 6:45 p.m.  There are seven other stakes races on the card.

Through three races, the dirt track is listed as sloppy and the turf course is listed as good.  No races have been moved off  the turf.

The Weather Channel forecast  is for the rain chance to fall to zero percent by 3:00 p.m.  But the rain chance will be up to 55 percent and higher in Baltimore between 5:00 p.m. an 7:00 p.m.

Gulfstream is starting the card with fast and firm conditions.  But thunderstorms are forecast from 2:00 p.m. onward, with a peak of 100 percent at 4:00 p.m.

--Jim Freer