PREAKNESS 5K SET FOR SATURDAY, MAY 14
Entire Race Takes Place At Pimlico Race Course With Proceeds Benefitting The Maryland Affiliate Of Susan G. Komen For The Cure®
BALTIMORE, 04-18-11---The Maryland Jockey Club and sports marketing and event management company Corrigan Sports Enterprises, Inc. (CSE) announced today the return of the “Down the Stretch for SGK” Preakness 5k. The race will take place Saturday, May 14 at Pimlico Race Course with part of the proceeds benefitting the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
For the second consecutive year runners will be able to compete on the historic Pimlico dirt course, where champion thoroughbreds like Secretariat and Seabiscuit once ran, and finish in the legendary Infield. In 2010, nearly 600 runners took part with Steve Jacobs, from Linthicum, Md., taking overall top honors in an impressive time of 17:42. Sherry Stick of Eldersburg, Md. (19:36) was the female champion.
“What a fantastic way to kick off Preakness week,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas, who along with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake held the ribbon when Jacobs crossed the wire first last May. “We are honored to be working with the folks at Corrigan Sports, who run a first class operation. We invite everyone to grab their running shoes and join us as we unite to raise money for breast cancer research."
Pimlico has partnered with Komen Maryland for the return of The People’s Pink Party to raise funds to aid awareness and research for breast cancer on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 20. Highlights include the second annual Lady Legends For the Cure Race™, the inaugural Female Jockey Challenge and the welcoming of 87 breast cancer survivor guests for festivities with a special winners’ circle tribute. The Preakness eve card features seven stakes races, six for fillies and mares, headlined by the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. In addition, Pimlico and Komen will team up for a Health Fair and Fashion Show at Macy’s in the White Marsh Mall on Saturday, April 30. More information on The People’s Pink Party can be found at http://www.preakness.com/peoples-pink-party.
Pimlico and Komen Maryland are pleased to welcome back a special opportunity for an individual to serve as Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior, an official ambassador of the Preakness, representing the Maryland Jockey Club at official events. The contest to crown “Ms. Preakness Pink Warrior” honors those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer, and is open to breast cancer survivors and individuals who have made a difference in the lives of anyone fighting breast cancer. The winner will be chosen, in-part, through an on-line & interactive process featuring the contestants’ own stories. Visit http://www.preakness.com/preakness-tradition/mpreakness for details.
CSE is well known to both area runners and Preakness attendees. The company puts on the annual Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival, which attracts more than 22,000 runners from all over the world, and manages the popular professional volleyball tournament in the Infield at Preakness.
“Runners are constantly looking for a unique experience and have numerous races to choose from in the area,” CSE president Lee Corrigan said. “Nowhere in the country do runners get the opportunity to run on a Thoroughbred track and infield with the prestigious history of Pimlico. Above everything, we are flattered to contribute to the effort to raise money for such an amazing cause and to be selected by the Maryland Jockey Club to manage the event.”
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and it launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, the organization is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors.
Seventy-five percent of the funds raised from this event will go to the Komen Maryland Affiliate to use for community outreach programs in Maryland and twenty-five percent will be used for life-saving breast cancer research.
“Komen Maryland is thrilled to be the beneficiary of the “Down the Stretch for SGK” Preakness 5k again this year,” said Robin Prothro, executive director of Komen Maryland. “The course puts a fun and unique spin on the Preakness festivities and we are proud to partner with both the Maryland Jockey Club and Corrigan Sports to raise awareness for breast cancer.”
The 5k race will begin at 10 a.m. It will start on the parking lot at Belvedere and Park Heights Avenues and circle one mile around the Pimlico dirt course. The route will continue around the Pimlico perimeter before finishing in the infield. Here is a map of the entire course: http://www.corrigansports.com/Assets/corrigan+sports/2011+preakness+5k+course.pdf.
The registration fee is $35. Each finisher will choose between a logoed lawn blanket or performance shirt as his or her race premium. Runners will also receive a 10% discount on any regular infield admission ticket to the 2011 Preakness InfieldFEST, featuring Grammy winners Bruno Mars and Train the following Saturday.
The 136th running of the Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, takes place at Pimlico Saturday, May 21.
For registration information visit: http://www.corrigansports.com/Events/Preakness_5k.html.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Maryland Jockey Club, Mike Gathagan mgathagan@marylandracing.com 410-578-4461
Corrigan Sports Enterprises, Dave Gell dave@corrigansports.com 410-900-8380
Komen Maryland, Brittany Fowler bfowler@komenmd.org 410-938-8990
-mjc-
Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club
410-578-4461 (Pimlico)
301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)
240-876-7403 (Mobile)
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