ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland board approved a $14.3 million contract on Wednesday to begin the demolition and rebuilding of Baltimore’s storied but antiquated Pimlico Race Course, home to the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.

The vote by the three-member Board of Public Works, which includes Gov. Wes Moore, was made 10 days before the 150th Preakness Stakes, which is scheduled for May 17. It will be the last time the annual horse race will be held with the existing structures in place before the track is rebuilt on the same site. The demolition will begin shortly after this year’s race.

“There cannot be a better time to announce the beginning of a transformation that will allow Pimlico to become a year-round hub for economic activity within the Park Heights community,” Moore said of the Baltimore neighborhood and longtime home of the race.

Under the plan, the Preakness will take place in Laurel Park, located just southwest of Baltimore, in 2026 while the new facility is built, before returning to Pimlico in time for the 2027 race.

Craig Thompson, the chair of the Maryland Stadium Authority which is overseeing the design of the new track, said the plan is to make Pimlico the home of Maryland thoroughbred racing. The track will go from hosting about 15 races a year to well over 100, Thompson said.

“This is more than just about a racetrack, as historic and important as it is,” Thompson said. “This is about bringing hundreds of millions of dollars in state investments to Park Heights.”

Thompson also shared a preview of the design plans. They include a new clubhouse with architecture inspired by the Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimore’s Druid Hill park and the original Pimlico Clubhouse, which included a colonnade and rooftop balconies, Thompson said.

Last year, the board approved a deal to transfer ownership of Pimlico from The Stronach Group to the State of Maryland in order to ensure the Preakness remains in Baltimore.

The state has been wrestling with what to do to restore the old racetrack for decades. Aptly nicknamed Old Hilltop, the track opened in 1870. It’s where Man o’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat and many others pranced to the winner’s circle.

But its age has long been a concern. In 2019, the Maryland Jockey Club closed off nearly 7,000 grandstand seats, citing the “safety and security of all guests and employees.”

The horse racing industry and other equine industries have been a cornerstone of Maryland agriculture, as well as an integral part of preserving green space.

ATLANTA — The Cincinnati Reds placed third baseman Noelvi Marte on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain Wednesday.

Marte was scratched minutes before the first pitch of the Atlanta Braves‘ 2-1 win over the Reds in 10 innings Tuesday night. He was reported to have left side discomfort, and the oblique injury was disclosed Wednesday.

Marte is hitting .294 with three homers, 17 RBIs and four stolen bases.

The Reds placed another third baseman, Jeimer Candelario, on the injured list on April 30 with a lumbar spine strain. Santiago Espinal was the fill-in starter for Marte on Tuesday night.

The Reds recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Triple-A Louisville before Wednesday night’s game against the Braves.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras intends to continue playing through a fractured finger that the team believes he first suffered last season.

An X-ray revealed the fracture on his left middle finger, his catching hand, which had grown so painful the team ordered the scan.

Contreras plans to play with a splint on the finger while catching and hitting, according to MLB.com.

Coming off his second All-Star season, Contreras is batting .242 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 35 games. Contreras hit .281 last year and .289 in 2023. The pain is worse when he’s batting, according to MLB.com.

Contreras, 27, was not in the lineup for Wednesday’s matinee against the Houston Astros, getting the day off after catching the previous two games of the series.