Being a native Marylander, and a horse nut from way back, Preakness Day is a big deal. The end of the world would not happen on such a day. Animal Kingdom got beaten by a bigger chestnut with a big blaze, Shackleford. The mounted commentator for NBC didn't give him much of chance because she said he was "washed out". What he was, was soaking wet on an 80 degree humid Maryland day with no breeze, and he was ready to run. So there's no Triple Crown winner. The world didn't end. Nobody came up lame. Preakness Day is a good day.
Maryland racing isn't what it used to be. Racing and its related industries, breeding, sales, agriculture used to be the number one industry in the state. We finally got casino gambling passed which will help a little, but maybe it's too late. West Virginia and Delaware have been siphoning off this revenue for years. Horse race gambling is a considered vice, it's not like slot machines. There's time between races. That doesn't comport well in this instant gratification age. Hopefully we can keep as many of the full time horse related jobs from disappearing. [estimated to be about 28K positions, most of them lower paying]
On a brighter note, which should be observed by all 544, Congress and SCOTUS, is that a racing steward recused himself because his son, a trainer, had a horse in the race. Nobody asked. Nobody questioned his ethics. He just did it.