Laurel, United States · UTC-4 ☆

Laurel is a city of about 30,000 people in Prince George’s County, Maryland, situated roughly halfway between Washington, DC and Baltimore on the I-95 corridor. It follows Eastern Time: America/New_York, UTC-5 in winter, UTC-4 during daylight saving. The United States observes DST from March to November, and the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of American horse racing’s Triple Crown, falls in May, squarely within EDT.

Laurel Park, the racecourse operated by 1/ST Racing (the Stronach Group), has been a staple of mid-Atlantic thoroughbred racing since 1911. The track is a one-mile dirt oval with a seven-furlong turf course inside it, and it runs a full calendar of racing from fall through spring. But in 2026, Laurel Park takes on a role it never expected: hosting the Preakness Stakes, which has been run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore since 1873.

the preakness moves south

The relocation of the Preakness to Laurel for 2026 is the result of Pimlico’s extensive renovation project, which is rebuilding the aging Baltimore facility. Pimlico’s deteriorating infrastructure had been a point of contention for decades, and the decision to renovate rather than abandon the historic site required temporarily moving the race. Laurel Park, about 20 miles south of Pimlico, was the logical choice.

The Preakness at Laurel Park will go to post in the late afternoon, typically around 6:45pm EDT, consistent with its traditional slot as the signature race on a full day card that begins in the early afternoon. The timing places the race in the golden hour of a Maryland May evening, with temperatures usually in the low 20s Celsius and long shadows across the infield.

For the Triple Crown narrative, the move changes nothing about timing. The Kentucky Derby runs on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Preakness follows two weeks later, whether at Pimlico or Laurel. The Belmont Stakes, traditionally three weeks after the Preakness, completes the series.

the mid-atlantic racing corridor

Laurel sits in a racing corridor that stretches from Delaware Park in the north to Colonial Downs in Virginia to the south. The mid-Atlantic circuit operates year-round, with Laurel Park running its main meet from October through April, and sharing dates with other regional tracks during the summer. This schedule is driven partly by climate and partly by competition for horse population with tracks in New York, Kentucky, and Florida.

The city itself is a Maryland suburb, shaped by its position between two major cities. Commuter rail connects Laurel to both Washington and Baltimore, and many residents work in one city while living in the relative affordability of the suburban corridor. The Preakness relocation brings temporary national attention to a city that is otherwise known primarily to racing fans and commuters.

eastern time and broadcast windows

The Preakness has historically been broadcast by NBC as part of a long afternoon of coverage, and the Eastern Time slot is advantageous for national viewership. A 6:45pm EDT post time means the race airs at 3:45pm on the West Coast, catching the widest possible American audience. The Triple Crown races are among the few sporting events that still draw massive one-time television audiences in an era of streaming fragmentation.

9am in Laurel is 2pm in London during Eastern Daylight Time. During winter, the gap widens to five hours.

Sources

• IANA Time Zone Database - America/New_York
• Laurel Park - 1/ST Racing
• The Preakness Stakes