Horse racing is my passion, an obsessive passion. I've covered the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont and Breeder's Cups. I'd never been to the Preakness. This year I jumped at the opportunity to cover the 2006 Preakness so I ventured to "Old Hilltop" at last.

The Preakness is the race that tells us if this will be a Triple Crown year. We have been waiting 28 long years for the next Triple Crown winner.

I boarded a plane from Los Angeles to Baltimore in hopes of seeing Barbaro become the next Triple Crown winner. I was full of excitement and anticipation. It was my first Preakness and I wanted to write the second-part of a Triple Crown attempt and experience it fully.

The first thing I was struck with was the location of the track. It seemed to be plopped down right in the middle of a residential area. Not like the tracks in Southern California.

The next thing to catch me eye was the "shopping cart guys". Groups of young men pushing shopping carts to cash in on the hords of visitors for this record year. I spoke to one young man named Winston who told me he's been doing this for 5 years. He charges anyfrom $3 to $7 to haul race goers cooler and other party supplies to the track entrance. This is something that is unique to the Preakness.

Watching the crowd of rowdy young people headed to the track it was clear this is a big party event in Baltimore. One young man had already polished off half a bottle of Smirnoff and it was only 7:30 a.m.

I got brave and headed to the infield determined to have a the full Preakness experience. Going through the tunnel leading to the infield was a loud and raucous event. Everyone whooping and hollering, and one group of young men chanting what sounded like "Tit, tits, tits". Oh my, what have I gotten myself into, I thought. Bravely I walked on. The infield was party mania. Guys relieving themselves on the back of the Andy Gump port-a-potties, mosh pits, scantily dressed young women looking to get their flirt on, crushed beer cans littering the ground. The infield lived up to everything I'd heard about it.

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No Preakness experience is complete without at least sampling a Maryland Crab Cake. Let me tell you I don't eat seafood but I couldn't leave Baltimore without at least trying one. Much to my surprise I kind of liked it. Also not to missed was having a Black-Eyed Susan the official drink of the Preakness. It was quite delicious and very potent.

I got a big kick out of the Preakness inspired hats and attire. Men and women dressed in the colors of the Maryland state flower. Ladies sporting homemade hats decorated with Black-Eyed Susans, and men with ties featuring the flower.

I'm so glad to hear Barbaro is doing well and very interested to see if Bernardini is the "real thing" when he runs again. Now that I've been in the middle of the Triple Crown events at Pimlico, I will return.

Get up-to-date racing news on the Internet at Cindy Pierson Dulay's Horse-Races.net