As the Preakness Stakes returned to Maryland this year, a team of dedicated local florists once again carried on one of horse racing’s most beloved traditions: handcrafting the iconic floral blankets draped across the winning horses. For nearly three decades, florists from regional Giant Food stores have created the elaborate flower displays used during both the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.
This year’s floral production took place at the Giant Food store on York Road in Towson, Md., as preparations continued for the 2026 Preakness held at Laurel Park while Pimlico Race Course undergoes redevelopment.
The floral blankets are made entirely by hand using thousands of Viking pom flowers, chosen because Maryland’s official Black-Eyed Susan flowers are not yet in season during race week. Florists spend up to eight hours stitching approximately 3,500 blooms into a large felt-backed blanket for the Preakness winner, while the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes blanket contains roughly 2,500 flowers…