If you have never set foot on the grounds before, the things you’ve heard about Pimlico Race Course are probably bad. The malfunctioning toilets on Preakness day. The tired, outdated mid-century decor. And the feeling there’s a backlog of maintenance that’s been overlooked for far too long.

For horse racing fans, “Old Hilltop” is still a sacred place. Seabiscuit outdueled War Admiral at Pimlico, Secretariat romped home in a record 1 minute and 53 seconds and American Pharoah cruised over a sloppy track in route to breaking a 37-year Triple Crown drought. The echoes of history — thoroughbreds have been raced at this site almost every year since 1870 — are enough to distract from the signs of decay.

For anyone who has never been to the track, there’s no better time than the lead-up to the 150th Preakness Stakes, the last racing day before the state-owned facility is slated for a date with the wrecking ball. A new, more modern facility is expected to open in time for the 2027 running of the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown.

Which is to say there’s not much time left. Here’s a first-timer’s guide for those hoping to explore this cavernous place ingrained in Maryland’s long legacy of horse racing.

A look at the calendar

Turn off Park Heights Avenue onto Hayward Avenue and you’ll arrive at a vast expanse of free parking on regular race days. Admission is free, too! A pricey trip to the ballpark this is not.

On this year’s truncated calendar, there is Friday, Saturday (when Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is hosting a kickoff event for the National Thoroughbred League, with tickets to special event areas starting at $20), Sunday (Mother’s Day brunch options are available at an additional cost), and Thursday, May 15.

There are also three “dark days” (May 12-14) when the track is open for simulcast wagering and is free to roam.

Getting into Black-Eyed Susan Day on Friday, May 16 will require a ticket ranging from $101-$456, and access to Preakness the following day will cost between $96-$3,078.

Where to explore

Enter through the clubhouse entrance. But first, look up.

There’s a golden bas relief on the southern wall depicting three horses mid-stride. This is a depiction of “The Great Race,” an 1877 contest between Parole, Ten Broeck and Tom Ochiltree that was so highly anticipated that the U.S. House of Representatives adjourned so members could travel to Baltimore to watch.

Once inside, buy a racing program from a vendor at the base of the stairs to handicap the competition if there’s live racing.

Head up to the second floor, where you’ll find the Hall of Fame Racing Museum of art and artifacts, including the weather vane from the original Victorian clubhouse that was destroyed in a 1966 fire, and the Hall of Fame Room with portraits of famous jockeys hung on the walls.

Use the stairs or elevator to get to the third floor to see a display on the Pimlico Special, one of the most storied stakes races behind the Preakness. The name may not sound familiar, but you’ve probably seen it represented on the big screen: Seabiscuit and War Admiral’s climactic 1938 match race in the film “Seabiscuit” was staged as the second running of the Pimlico Special.

Just outside the Sports Palace Dining Room is a display honoring many of the winners of the race inaugurated by Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. (yes, those Vanderbilts).

Next, head back down to the first floor and cross over to the paddock, the area where horses are saddled before heading out to compete. It’s small, especially compared to the recently completed $200 million paddock at Churchill Downs. And that means it’s intimate. Observers can grab a good spot on the railing to watch the competitors come by. Are their ears pricked forward? Are they well-behaved? Those are all things to consider for a potential wager, and there are ample betting windows throughout the complex.

Walk into the grandstand and immediately head for the glass doors to the outside. On a typical race day, it’s easy to walk right up to the outer rail to watch the field come thundering by.

Across the dirt and turf ovals is the famed cupola, a recreation of the one destroyed in the fire. This is the spot where the winner of Preakness is presented a replica of the Woodlawn Vase while the original — said to be the most expensive trophy in American sports with a replacement value estimated at $4 million — stands guard. An artist is hoisted up to paint a weather vane of a horse and rider sitting at the top of the cupola. The colors of the winning jockey’s silks and winning horse’s coat are quickly added as a new layer, one of the enduring traditions of the race.

OK, it’s time to head back inside to take an escalator ride up to one of the coolest spots at the facility, the second-floor home of seven large-scale murals painted in the 1970s by famed local artist Raoul Middleman, a longtime teacher at the Maryland Institute College of Arts. The works depict the convivial carnival of a packed day at the track, with horses, jockeys, trainers, railbirds and others all seemingly pressed up against each other in a festival-like atmosphere. It’s worth taking the time to soak it all in.

From there, you’ll want to ride the escalator up to the top of the grandstand, which offers sweeping views of the track and a vista of the city.

Last, head back to the first floor of the grandstand and continue walking away from the paddock, down a ramp and to the concourse of the Old Grandstand. A 2017 study by the Maryland Stadium Authority said components of the open-air timber and steel structure are believed to date to the 1890s. Sadly, the area was condemned for safety reasons ahead of 2019’s Preakness, and is not open for further exploration now.

Still, visitors can walk out onto the apron to view this incredible structure and imagine all that’s transpired from this vantage point over the last 131 years.

Official tours

Pimlico is hosting a historical tour of the racetrack on Saturday and Sunday, granting access to some of the places mentioned in this article as well as the Derby winner’s stall in the Stakes Barn, the winner’s circle and the press box. Tickets ($40 plus a $6 fee) are sold out for Sunday, though there is still availability for Saturday’s tour at 11 a.m. A Champagne toast and commemorative 150th Preakness glass are included.

Between May 13-16, there’s the 20-minute Sunrise Tour at the track offering an up-close look as Preakness contenders complete their morning workouts. Tours run continuously from 6-9 a.m.