Official Cocktail of the Preakness Stakes

First held in 1873, the Preakness Stakes is an annual horse race held every year on the third Saturday in the month of May. The race itself is an American Grade I flat thoroughbred horse race that is hosted by the Pimlico Race Course, which is 1 3/16's miles long, in Batlimore, Maryland. The Preakness is the second leg of the horce racing Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby, held on the first Saturday of May, is the second leg and the Belmont Stakes, held on the first Saturday of June, is the third and final leg. In hopes of winning the Triple Crown, the winning horse from the Kentucky Derby almost always races in the Preakness.

The Preakness Stakes was named by a past Maryland Governor after the name of the colt who won the Dinner Party Stakes on the day the Pimlico Race Course opened in 1870. The annual attendance is ranked second in North America behind the Kentucky Derby. The winners trophy, the Woodland Vase, a Tiffany & Co. creation circa 1860, is one of the most fantastic in sport, and one of the priciest—a recent appraisal has it topping $4 million. Winners now take home a replica while the original is displayed at the Old Clubhouse on race day and spends the rest of the time at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

At the close of the race, once the winner has been declared official, a painter climbs to the top of the Old Clubhouse cupola to paint the number and colors of the winner's silk on the horse and jockey weathervane, a tradition that began in 1909.

As in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, the winning horse of the Preakness is draped with a blanket of flowers. Somewhat strangely, this blanket is made with Viking daisies "altered" to resemble black-eyed Susans, the state flower of Maryland. These marauders in women's clothing pass well enough, despite the lacquered center to make the "black eye."

The official drink of the Preakness, the Black-Eyed Susan is a nod to the host state, but unlike the Derby stalwart, the mint julep, it is somewhat of a shape-shifter, with changing ingredients depending on the liquor sponsor; there has been a jump between bourbon and vodka for some time. This year, as with last, the official cocktail has a duo of liquor sponsors: Finlandia Vodka and St. Germain Liqueur, utilizing a true citrus punch for the base.

Black-Eyed Susan, the 140th Running (2015)

1 1/2 oz. Finlandia vodka
1/2 oz. St. Germain liqueur
2 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 oz. lime juice
3/4 oz. orange juice

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all ingredients and shake vigorously. Pour into a high ball glass and garnish with an orange slice.

Black-Eyed Susan, Version 2013

1 1/2 oz. Finlandia vodka
1/2 oz. St. Germain liqueur
1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. raspberry juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Half stalk of lemongrass
Sage leaf

In a cocktail shaker, muddle lemongrass stalk; add vodka, St. Germain, lemon and raspberry juice, simple syrup and fill with ice. Shake until frothy, strain over highball glass fill with ice; garnish with sage leaf.