Business figures for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course were all up compared to last year, with reported attendance at the track a record and handle on the race shooting up 8.3 percent, an indication that this year’s winner, California Chrome, will be heading to the Belmont Stakes as one of the more popular horses in recent history.

BALTIMORE ─ Victor Espinoza will get a second chance to make history, and this time, he believes he’s better prepared for it.

In 2002, Espinoza was the rider of War Emblem, whom he guided to front-running victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness only to stumble and lose all chance in the Belmont Stakes, finishing eighth.

BALTIMORE - When Ride On Curlin crushed a field of Ellis Park maidens last July 13, a victory that produced an eye-catching speed figure, owner Daniel Dougherty and trainer Bill Gowan faced the classic question asked of small-scale owners with a clearly promising colt: Hold or sell.

Low seven-figure offers at least were dangled, if not presented, but by the end of Ride On Curlin’s 2-year-old season, his connections had made their call: They were staying in.

BALTIMORE – Back when he was a mere stable hand connected to Swaps, young Art Sherman went to the Kentucky Derby, then went right back to California with Swaps, the Derby winner, in tow. The Triple Crown wasn’t even considered by Swaps’s owner and breeder, Rex Ellsworth, or trainer, Mesh Tenney.

BALTIMORE – Utley, persistently knocking at the door during a seven-race losing streak, finally broke through, rallying strongly down the middle of the course to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Dixie Stakes by one length over Hey Leroy on Saturday at Pimlico.

A 6-year-old Augustin Stable homebred trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Utley had scored his most recent victory in an allowance race during the 2013 spring meet at Keeneland. Edgar Prado rode him that day, and Prado was back aboard Saturday for Utley’s rousing finish.

BALTIMORE – Three starts at three racetracks have produced three victories for the 3-year-old colt Meadowood, who remained unbeaten winning the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes by three lengths over favored Brewing.

Meadowood won – and won well – for his second trainer, Derek Ryan, who was sent the horse this past January after Meadowood had scored a debut win last summer at Monmouth for trainer Todd Pletcher.

BALTIMORE – California Chrome took one easy lap around the Pimlico oval on a lovely Saturday morning as his connections put the finishing touches on preparations for the Preakness Stakes here later in the afternoon.

BALTIMORE – California Chrome was the early 1-2 favorite for the 139th Preakness at Pimlico on Saturday after in-state advance-wagering handle was reported Friday.

As of 6:30 p.m. Eastern and with only $51,655 reported by Pimlico mutuels officials in the win pool from in-state sources, California Chrome was followed in the Preakness wagering by Social Inclusion (8-1), Bayern (9-1), Kid Cruz (10-1), and Ride On Curlin (11-1).

Tom Chuckas, the president of Pimlico, said Friday he will initiate discussions with Churchill Downs and Belmont Park about changing the schedule of the Triple Crown races to allow for more time between races, but not until this year’s Triple Crown has concluded.

BALTIMORE – Though rain was falling hard Friday morning at Pimlico, Victor Espinoza, jockey of Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, said he believes the main track will be fast for Saturday’s $1.5 million Preakness Stakes.

“Today, it’s going to rain. Tomorrow, it’s going to stop. The track should be okay,” Espinoza said. “You know what is crazy about this track? If it rains today, tomorrow, it’s fine. It dries out so quickly. It’ll be fast. That’s why I don’t worry about it.”