Here we go again. As things stand now (Monday afternoon), there will be no simulcast wagering on the Preakness Stakes or any other races from Pimlico in Florida this weekend.

The lingering dispute over a purse contract between Calder and its horsemen has led counterparts at Pimlico, home of the Preakness, as well as Churchill Downs, Delaware, River Downs, Thistledown, Beulah Park and the new Presque Isle Downs (Erie, Pa.) to refuse to allow their signal to be simulcast to Calder. Since Calder is the Florida hub, this also shuts out every other pari-mutuel in the state.

A Kentucky Derby eve truce allowed the Derby, the Kentucky Oaks and their undercards to be simulcast into Florida pari-mutuels other than Calder. However, an encore is unlikely. Tampa Bay Downs, which had a contract with its horsemen, served as the hub for betting at Gulfstream Park and other sites. However, Tampa Bay Downs has ended its season, so that option is off the table.

Calder officials have been working quietly behind the scenes to talk horsemen into lifting the ban for Preakness Day as a courtesy to horse players. Last year, Florida bettors wagered $4.6 million dollars on the Preakness card, so the horsemen in both states will be hurting themselves by losing this windfall, a substantial portion of which goes into purses.

You might see ads promoting Preakness betting at area pari-mutuels but this is more based on what happened with the Derby than the actual situation. The same ads ran before the Derby and were erroneous until the truce was negotiated.

Until you hear otherwise here or in the daily Sun-Sentinel, it would be a good idea to call first before making a special trip to any track to bet the Preakness.