Apparently weโ€™re in for yet another damp day at Old Hilltop for the Preakness. But that shouldnโ€™t stop people from enjoying the second jewel of horse racingโ€™s Triple Crown, and the party gets started tonight at the Mt. Washington Tavern.

Hosted by Sagamore Racing and the website Americaโ€™s Best Racing, tonightโ€™s Pre-Preakness Party brings together racing enthusiasts and owners, trainers, jockeys, announcers and writers for special drinks, finger foods and a silent auction, all to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. As has been noted on this site by the Mt. Washington Tavern, the bar has three unique twists on the drinks served at the Triple Crown tracks, each made with Sagamore Rye.

And in the interest of full disclosure, one of the hosts of tonightโ€™s event, ABR correspondent Dan Tordjman, has become a buddy of mine since I first attended the party several years ago, which only goes to show that this gathering for horse racing fans is a welcoming one.

7-10 p.m., The Mt. Washington Tavern, Sky Bar, 5700 Newbury St., (410) 367-6903, $15 tickets can be purchased here, which includes one drink ticket and access to snack platters.

Brandon Weigel is the managing editor of Baltimore Fishbowl. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he has been published in The Washington Post, The Sun, Baltimore Magazine, Urbanite, The Baltimore...