The "Preakness Stakes" is held annually every third Saturday in May and dates back to 1873. It's held at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, the second oldest track in the country. (Saratoga is the oldest.) Following the race, the winner is draped with a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans, the official state flower of Maryland designated in 1918. The Black-eyed Susan was chosen because of its thirteen petals, and is also yellow and black, the official colors of the State of Maryland.

The "official" drink of the Preakness is also called the "Black-Eyed Susan." Try as they may, the Black-Eyed Susans, both the flowers and drinks, lack the true "tradition" when compared to the Kentucky Derby's Mint Julep and Blanket of Roses.</ref>http://www.preakness.com/tradition</ref>

The first floral blanket was awarded in 1940. But there was a problem. The wild Black-Eyed Susans don't bloom until the end of May or in June so the designers of the floral arrangement faced a dilemma. They had to get a flower-double. They chose Viking daisies and at first used black shoe polish to color the center of the flower, then used black lacquer. In recent years, black-centered mums developed by a Brazilian horticulturist are used.http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/food-beverage-products-alcoholics/12457107-1.html

The official drink of the Preakness, the "Black-Eyed Susan" didn't have its beginnings until 1973. Brian Handleman, an employee of Pimlico since 1956, was approached to concoct a drink that would be served in collectible 100th anniversary glasses. These were similar to the familiar Kentucky Derby Julep glasses, but again lacking the tradition. Handleman and his staff came up with a mixture of orange juice, pineapple juice, vodka, rum, and Triple Sec, served over ice, and garnished with a wedge of lime. The drink was a big hit. However, as the drink grew in popularity and was gaining status as the "official" drink of the Preakness, a new recipe was needed to facilitate making them. Originally, the bartenders made each drink individually, but with the increased demand, this was no longer feasible, so an easier way had to be found. The lime and Triple Sec was replaced with Peach Schnapps in the 1980's. Then in the 1990's, Early Times Bourbon became a corporate sponsor of the race. The drink needed to have whiskey, instead of vodka or rum. So the recipe was changed again. Today's official recipe calls for "Early Times Kentucky Whiskey." Vodka has been added again, and the recipe calls for "42 Below Vodka,"http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/article.asp?t=1&m=1&c=32&s=546&ai=70081

The Official Recipe

• 3/4 oz of 42 Below Vodka
• 1 1/4 oz of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey
• 3 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
• 2 oz Orange Juice
• Garnish with and Orange Slice, Cherry, and a Stirrerhttp://www.preakness.com/blackEyedSusan

Since there really isn't one particular recipe for a Black-Eyed Susan, some bartenders prefer the original recipe with Vodka, Rum, and Triple Sec.

Alternate Recipe that is more reminiscent of the original recipe:

Black-eyed Susan

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce rum
• 3/4 ounce Triple Sec (an orange flavored liqueur)
• Lime wedge
• Pineapple juice
• Orange juice

Combine the vodka, rum, and Triple Sec over ice, and add equal amounts of pineapple and orange juice. Garnish with the lime wedge.http://www.nickers.com/black-eyed-susan-recipe.htm

If you're hosting a Preakness party, you can make the Black-Eyed Susans the night before and store in a container in the refrigerator. Depending on how many people you've invited, you'll need to calculate the amounts of each beverage you'll need.

A fifth of alcohol, (1/5 of a gallon), contains approximately 25.4 oz.

For the Offical Recipe using whiskey and vodka, a fifth of whiskey will yield approximately twenty 1 1/4oz shots. A fifth of vodka will yield approximately thirty-four 3/4 oz shots. For each bottle of whiskey you use, add 2/3 of a bottle of vodka.

For the recipe using vodka, rum, and Triple Sec, You'll be using the same amounts of vodka and rum and 3/4 the amount of Triple Sec.

Prior to your guests' arrival, you can add ice to a punch bowl, and pour in the Black Eyed Susan mixture and decorate the punch bowl with lime wedges. Or you can use any other container, provide a cooler full of ice, a stack of glasses, lime wedges on the side, and everyone is on their own.

You have your Black-Eyed Susans ready. Now the only thing left to do is pour yourself and your guests a drink over ice. Put on the TV, watch the race, and cheer for your favorite horse. As an added Baltimore touch, have some Maryland crabcakes as well!