This weekend would normally be the busiest of the year for the Mt. Washington Tavern. The North Baltimore bar and restaurant is known as a gathering spot for horse trainers, jockeys and racing fans who converge on the city each year for the Preakness Stakes.
But with this year's race postponed due to the novel coronavirus, the tavern won't be seeing its usual influx of traffic. Still, the eatery plans to mark what would have been Preakness weekend with soft-shell crabs and Black-eyed Susan cocktails to go. The drink, a mix of Sagamore Rye whiskey, Tito's vodka, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a splash of sour mix, is a tradition on race day. Diners can grab an individual drink for $7 or a quart tub of the cocktail for $25. The tavern is among several local businesses offering specials, themed meals and virtual events to mark what would have been one of Baltimore's biggest sporting weekends of the year. Organizers are still trying to pin down a new date for the race, the second jewel in horse racing's triple crown. A report last week suggested the Preakness had been rescheduled to Oct. 3, but the Stronach Group, the Canadian company that owns Pimlico Race Course, said no new date has been finalized.
