LAUREL, Md. — This weekend, Laurel Park will take its final bow on the grandest stage in horse racing. As it hosts the Preakness Stakes on Saturday before transitioning into a training facility, the historic track is writing the last chapter of a remarkable story that began more than a century ago.

When Laurel Park first opened its gates in 1911, it was always playing second fiddle to Pimlico, Maryland's crown jewel. But this underdog track had heart. In 1938, the legendary Seabiscuit trained here before his epic match race against War Admiral — a moment that still echoes through racing history.

The track's transformation from local also-ran to international stage began with an unlikely hero. Morris Schapiro, a Latvian immigrant who arrived in America with empty pockets in 1902, found his fortune in the ashes of the 1904 Baltimore fire. He salvaged bricks from the ruins, built a scrap-iron empire, and during Prohibition, cleverly kept his brewery running by producing "medicinal" beer and whiskey. By 1927, he was living in a mansion overlooking Druid Lake.

When Schapiro bought Laurel Park in 1950, he handed the reins to his son, John D. Schapiro. The younger Schapiro faced a challenge: Laurel didn't have a race that could compete with the Preakness. But he had a vision that would change everything.

Marketing experts suggested landing a marquee event. The track rebranded as Laurel Race Course, and John Schapiro placed a daring bet. What if they could attract Europe's finest thoroughbreds to Maryland?

In July 1952, a brief announcement in The Sun newspaper revealed Schapiro's plan: a turf race that fall, with $50,000 in prize money and a stunning 25-pound silver globe trophy symbolizing its international reach. By October, the headline read, "International Race at Laurel Puts State in World Spotlight."

From a flood-prone plot of land to the global stage of the Preakness, Laurel Park's journey is a testament to the power of a good bet — and the kind of story that makes horse racing unforgettable.