BALTIMORE — Marylanders are counting down to the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes.

All eyes are on the Kentucky Derby winner, Mage. This is a horse that already has a connection to Baltimore.

Although Mage has never raced in Maryland, his journey toward a possible Triple Crown took a major step just a few miles away from the stable at Pimlico Race Course.

One year ago, this horse wasn’t known as Mage but rather Hip Number 592. He was training at the Timonium fairgrounds just a few days before the annual sale at the Fasig-Tipton building.

It was at that sale in Timonium that Hip Number 592 caught the eye of trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr.

A collective ownership group made purchased the horse and now he is back in Baltimore going for the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

“It’s amazing when you look back, but right now, just trying to be present, stay not too high not too low in the emotions,” Delgado said. “We have a big race coming, and just focus on the horse and making him as happy as he can be.”

Mage was purchased for $290,000 last May.

Twenty-five other horses went for a higher price during that sale in Timonium.

Delgado says they made the decision based on his sire, Good Magic, and how he looked on the track.

“We love Good Magic. So, we were after Good Magic,” Delgado said. “Then, when we got there, we take a looked on the breezes and re-checked and re-checked. He went out on the second day of the sale, and I remember the previous night, like, going through all the Good Magics.”

This year’s sale at Timonium takes place on Monday and Tuesday. 

This year’s crop of two-year-old horses have been on display all week, training in front of potential buyers—just like Mage was doing at this time last year.

Last year’s sale at Timonium also produced the favorite for the Black-Eyed Susan, Faiza, an undefeated filly trained by Bob Baffert.