1/ST

The third annual 'Art of Racing', an annual partnership between 1/ST, the Maryland Jockey Club and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) announced the launch of its 2024 program Monday. The 'Art of Racing' commemorates the Preakness S., and beginning Monday and continuing through Mar. 11, artists nationwide may submit their original, two-dimension visual art celebrating the second leg of the Triple Crown. In the past two years, more than 300 entries from 19 states have been received each depicting different elements of Thoroughbred racing as reflected in the...

'The Week in Review', by T.D. Thornton A few items that stand out after sifting through Friday's "Pimlico Plus" report issued by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). The ambitious $400-million plan, which is subject to legislative approval, re-imagines the state's racing consolidated at one publicly funded track in Baltimore, the closure of Laurel Park, the construction of a new training facility in the state, and 1/ST Racing and Gaming ceding control of day-to-day Maryland racing to a non-profit entity. Triple Crown traditionalists who are already in a tizzy...

   This story is a deeper dive into the joint press release issued earlier Jan. 5 by The Stronach Group, the Maryland Jockey Club, and the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. The latest recommendation in a years-long attempt by multiple stakeholders to consolidate Maryland racing at a single, reimagined racetrack now calls for a project dubbed "Pimlico Plus," with racing centered in Baltimore and supported by the construction of a new training facility elsewhere in the state, according to a report issued by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA)...

Berkeley City Council could vote on an ordinance that, if passed, would essentially lead to the premature closure of Golden Gate Fields and throw into question the near-term future of the Northern California horse colony, workforce and training colony, the latter already buffeted by 25% cuts to the track's purses. The Bay Area racetrack is scheduled to race from Dec. 26 through June 9, 2024, after which the facility is set to close permanently. The proposed ordinance--which makes the claim that confining a horse to its stall for the majority...

Grammy award-winning producer, DJ and songwriter Calvin Harris will headline festivities at the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Presented by Baccarat. To be held Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, the event, held around the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational, will create a unique Miami experience curated by Palm Tree Crew and Groot Hospitality. "The Pegasus World Cup continues to redefine the experience of Thoroughbred horse racing by collaborating with partners who exemplify innovation and excellence," said Belinda Stronach, Chairwoman, Chief Executive Officer and President, 1/ST. "Baccarat, Palm Tree Crew...

Edited Press Release After 364 days and stops in Kentucky, Arizona, Florida and New York, the Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) returned to Santa Anita Park Sept. 29 with over 150 women from 13 states and Canada gathered for the second Horse Racing Women's Summit. "What a difference a year makes," said HRWS Chairwoman, Stephanie Hronis. "We can't thank our community enough for their participation and investment in the Horse Racing Women's Summit movement. One of the things that we are most proud of is that over 10% of our...

Behind the scenes there is a battle taking place for the future of racing in Northern California. Approximately 30 million dollars is at the center of the battle, the projected net revenue from wagering derived in the north. The projection is derived from past revenues generated annually through Thoroughbred simulcast, ADW and live racing wagering in the north. Under current law, these funds must remain in the north, for the benefit of the north--both for horsemen and any race meet that continues to offer Thoroughbred racing in the future. The...

There are a lot of opinions about the Triple Crown. Most of them center on the Preakness and the spacing of the three races. In my opinion, the Preakness is the victim of the Kentucky Derby's success, or as T.D. Thornton said so well in his article June 12: "Underscoring how the Derby itself is devolving into a be-all/end-all, one-shot endeavor at the expense of the Triple Crown race that follows it, for the first time in 75 years, Mage was the only horse out of the Derby to enter...

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the management team at 1/ST Racing announced an agreement Tuesday morning that will allow for the MTHA's preferred track maintenance consultant, John Passero, to be retained to perform testing that will hopefully lead to the latest round of fixes in a years-long series of safety woes that have plagued Laurel Park's main dirt track. The agreement, which was announced at an emergency meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) Apr. 25, put off for the time being any action by the commission that...

The second round of 1/ST interns placed through the Ed Brown Scholars-Fellows program will be Zaharia Selman and Shaska Davis. The two will spend the next 10 weeks at Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, and Pimlico Race Course. Ed Brown Fellow Selman graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia last year with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. Ed Brown Scholar Davis will graduate this summer from Kentucky State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications. "We are very excited to embark upon...

Edited Press Release More than 200 works of original art, created by artists throughout the country, will be on display at www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing for two weeks beginning Monday, Mar. 13, after which the top 10 vote-earners will advance to the finalist category. The winning piece will then be selected by a panel of judges representing the artistic, business, philanthropic and political communities that support Park Heights's indispensable role as the home of Preakness 148. This year's 204 entries surpass the 2022 inaugural year by nearly 40%. The gallery of art at...

Tracks across the country will hold a moment of silence Feb. 18 in memory of the late jockey Avery Whisman. The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, in coordination with racetracks across the country, is leading the initiative in an effort to shed light on mental health awareness and the challenges jockeys face. Jockeys at all participating tracks will wear black armbands in tribute to Whisman, who died suddenly Jan. 11 at the age of 23 following a prolonged struggle with the physical and mental demands placed on riders. The 1/ST properties:...