Shamrock Farm near Woodbine in Carroll County has been selected as the home of Maryland's new Thoroughbred training center, the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority announced Monday.
Designed to accommodate more than 800 horses with room for future expansion, the new facility is located just 20 miles from Pimlico Race Course.
“Our goal is to design and build one of the great equine training centers in the world,” said Gregory A. Cross, chairman of the MTROA. “A rigorous examination of many locations in the region showed that this site provides the best combination of size, cost and construction approval process. The collaborative decision to build at Shamrock Farm included input from Maryland's horsemen and other key stakeholders. This project truly continues the path for our racing industry to thrive.”
Alan Foreman, general counsel to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and a member of the MTROA board, added, “The selection of Shamrock Farm as the year-round training center marks a pivotal step forward for Maryland's racing community as part of the Pimlico Plus Plan. Located in the heart of Carroll County, Shamrock Farm provides horsemen with a convenient and accessible training facility, close to many of their current operations. This proximity will ease travel burdens and ensure trainers, horses, and their teams have the resources they need to thrive. Paired with the revitalization of Pimlico, this decision demonstrates our commitment to collaborating with the state of Maryland to strengthen the infrastructure and sustainability of our historic racing industry.”
The Carroll County facility is expected to contain a one-mile dirt oval built with the same material and layout as the Pimlico track, which will become the primary home of Maryland Thoroughbred racing once reconstruction of the track is finished. The facility will have at least 800 stalls, with housing, kitchen areas and a recreation center for stable-area workers.
Shamrock Farm had been under final consideration for acquisition for more than a year, after a consultant retained by the Authority, Populous, ranked it highest on a scoring mechanism that evaluated criteria including location, natural resources, topography, transportation and access, utility infrastructure, jurisdictional approvals, size, and cost of acquisition and development. Populous is also the architectural firm retained by the Maryland Stadium Authority for the project.
The Authority will use the Laurel Park racing complex as a transition facility while Pimlico and the training facility are constructed, after which all racing at Laurel Park will end and the property will be redeveloped.
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