Jockeys will have to be on top of their game mentally for this year's Preakness Stakes (G1) as the move to Laurel Park will see a different configuration for this year's Maryland classic.
The biggest difference will be at a critical point in the race as once Preakness horses enter the stretch, the finish line will come up faster at Laurel than it does at traditional Preakness home Pimlico Race Course. The stretch run to the finish of this year's race will be 1,089 feet, which is 63 feet shorter than the classic's stretch run at Pimlico. That's a 5.5% shorter stretch run than Pimlico.
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