What happens when two Black entrepreneurs with a vision see opportunity where others haven’t? For LaRian Finney and Derrick Chase, the founders of AfroPreak, it meant recognizing that the iconic Preakness Stakes—one of horse racing’s Triple Crown jewels—could be transformed into a space for Black excellence, celebration, and economic empowerment.
As the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes approaches this weekend, AfroPreak is ready to make its fourth appearance at Pimlico Race Course with its most ambitious (and anticipated) weekend of programming yet—a three-day celebration that begins today, May 15, and runs through Saturday, May 17.
“Four years ago, the Stronach Group, which owns Preakness and First Racing, came with this new concept,” Finney tells ESSENCE. “They wanted to connect with individuals who could not only move their mission forward to reimagine Preakness, but to also be inclusive of a part of the community that have been left out, not just on their watch, but in the horse racing industry as a whole.”
Finney, who serves as Managing Partner at The Finn Group, joined forces with Chase, Partner at Chase Executive Holdings, to launch AfroPreak in 2022. Their partnership emerged from a shared entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to creating spaces where Black communities could thrive economically and culturally.
“If you live in a town that’s 65% African-American, how could we not be a part of something as grandeur as this?” Chase explains passionately. “Us stepping up to the standard of fashion… Black people have been utilizing fashion as a revolutionary tool for tens of thousands of years. And in this last 400 year sojourn, free people who are free thinking have always used fashion and challenged the status quo.”
What started as a single-day event has expanded into a three-day celebration that’s expected to draw over 2,500 attendees this year, up from approximately 1,500 in 2024. The growth is major and it reflects how much the community has been looking for something like this before it existed.
The main event of AfroPreak remains Saturday’s infield experience during the Preakness Stakes, featuring premium hospitality, entertainment, and cuisine from Black-owned restaurants like Slutty Vegan, Bar Vegan, Carolina Kitchen, and Island Quizine. Guests can enjoy performances by DJ Quicksilva, DJ Flow, DJ P Drama, DJ Supream, and The Bearded Drummer while taking in the races from a luxury vantage point.
“From a music standpoint, we have it covered. From a food standpoint, we have it covered,” Chase notes about this year’s offerings. “Pinky Cole and Slutty Vegan will be front and center at AfroPreak. They’re providing the vegan options in the AfroPreak tent.”
This year’s event is hosted in partnership with VII(N) – The Seventh Estate, co-founded by NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony and creative strategist Asani Swann. It only makes sense that Anthony would expand his cultural touchpoints within his hometown, but also shows how the Afropreak founders’ have the ability to bring together influential figures across different industries to elevate what is already known as one of the premiere experiences at the Stakes. Of course, where there is Black excellence on display, Finney and Chase are not too far behind.
And it’s something they even recognize. “We set the tone,” Finney said plainly when asked to sum up AfroPreak’s impact on Baltimore. “We kicked down the front door and made sure our culture was right there, front and center, at Preakness.”
Brand new this year is the AfroPreak Golf Invitational, created with Urban Golf Weekend. The idea for this added element? To carve out space for us in a sport that’s long tried to keep us out.
But Chase even sees this as part of something bigger. They want to ensure our culture and businesses can show up strong in every lane, not just the ones we’ve been traditionally boxed into.
It’s safe to say that support for AfroPreak has grown substantially since its inception, with major civic and cultural organizations including the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, and the Greater Baltimore Urban League all backing the initiative. And the list of folks knocking at their door is even growing.
But at the end of the day, AfroPreak is about putting money, access, and visibility into the hands of people and businesses that usually get left out. “From that it was really about curating an experience that showcased us at our best in fashion, in culinary, in music, and just in an environment,” Finney emphasizes. “And then more importantly, to have an economic engine that if not for AfroPreak, these Black businesses would not have a connectivity and earning power during this, really a Super Bowl for our city. They would’ve been left out.”
The strength of the AfroPreak vision comes not just from its concepts, but from the unique partnership between Finney and Chase, who have known each other for more than three decades.
“Our relationship with Finney comes out of a personal relationship,” Chase reveals. “Our business relationship came from us being twenty-year-olds. Finney is five years older than me. I was an arrogant college kid who graduated, and Finney was the guy who was five steps ahead in age and had already begun to do for Baltimore what I had perceived myself doing.”
That relationship has evolved into a powerhouse partnership built on mutual trust and respect.
“I never doubt one day that he has my back, unconditionally with no questions, with no faltering,” Finney said of Chase. “And I think that’s really our secret sauce is that we can wake up daily knowing that if not, but for one person, we’re covered. And no matter what alley we walk in, we’re going to have somebody walking with us.”
Both men credit their Baltimore roots and upbringing for shaping their approach to business and community. “We both come from two of the most difficult neighborhoods in Baltimore,” Chase explained. “Branded neighborhoods recognized for terror globally. And there’s a purification process that happens in those communities, where ultimately you have to demonstrate and be exactly who you are, because you’re going to be tested.”
“So by the time you get in contact with whether it’s wealth or prestige, those things don’t represent much of a challenge because you’ve actually had real challenges. Challenges of your character. Who are you when nobody is around?”
Looking ahead, Finney and Chase have ambitious plans for continuing their impact on Baltimore and beyond. They’ve already created the Baltimore Met Gala, an annual event celebrating fashion, art and culinary excellence that will have its next iteration on September 13th with the theme “Timeless.”
As for the economic impact they’ve had on Baltimore over the years, Finney doesn’t hesitate: “The economic impact is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, easily. From job creation to media, to economic impact, to folks who have come under our umbrella and grown their companies who are now homeowners who have scaled and are now employing people, who are now catering to some of those same national accounts.”
As the bugle sounds for the 150th Preakness Stakes this Saturday, AfroPreak will be there, continuing to build its own legacy alongside one of America’s oldest sporting traditions—and ensuring that Black excellence is front and center at the finish line.