It is an event within an event, the first stop on the new National Volleyball League's six-city tour.

Marking the third time professional beach volleyball has come to the Preakness, tournament director Jimmy Mason said that the atmosphere at Pimlico is perfect for beach volleyball, which got its start in Baltimore when the sport's Olympic Trials were held downtown.

The fans who attended Saturday's event are much like many of the horse racing fans were come to one race a year, the Preakness.

"They'll pick a team and get behind it even though they've never heard of them before," Mason said.