Preakness Draws Record, Peaceful Crowd

Attendance at the Preakness Stakes set a record high and there was only one arrest.

According to a Maryland Jockey Club spokesman, the attendance at Pimlico Race Course for the 137th running of the race was a record 121,304.

But problems with fan behavior that has marred previous events was kept to a minimum.

Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that as of about 7:30 p.m., there had been no arrests and only six or seven ejections from the track. One person was arrested for disorderly behavior.

 "It was a very, very pleasant and classy experience," Guglielmi said.

Prior to a 2009 ban on outside alcohol being brought into the infield, the race had been gaining a reputation for drunken debauchery that was getting out of hand.  

With the addition of national music acts including Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa to the Infield Fest, organizers were hoping to draw crowds that rivaled the 2008 Preakness, which yielded about 112,000 attendees.

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