Laurel Park

The old patriarch can't have failed to notice all the activity around the Gainesway stallion barn, with four new lads settling in and another relatively recent arrival meanwhile leading a desperate race for the freshman laurels. At nearly 23, in contrast, Tapit's own book is being prudently managed and he was confined to 79 mares last spring. Yet this remains not only the neighborhood boss, but also the most venerable stallion in the land. True, the gray's status as America's most productive stallion is inexorably menaced by Into Mischief, who's...

Cruz Ramirez (Good Magic), a 2-year-old debut winner at Laurel Sunday, has been supplemented to Fasig-Tipton Digital's December Sale. Racing for NET Racing and trained by Brittany Russell, the $165,000 Fasig-Tipton October graduate went wire-to-wire to win the six-furlong maiden special weight contest as the odds-on favorite (video). A half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Secret Circle (Eddington), she is catalogued as hip 346 and is consigned by Elite. Bidding for the December Digital Sale opened last Thursday. Bidding on hips 1-305 closes Tuesday, beginning at 12 p.m. ET....

The GIII General George Stakes and GIII Barbara Fritchie Stakes highlight a 25-strong stakes schedule worth a combined $2.6 million for the winter/spring meet at Laurel Park. The seven-furlong events are part of a Feb. 15 card that also includes the John B. Campbell Stakes and Nellie Morse Stakes, each carrying a $100,000 purse. Three-year-old males and females feature on programs scheduled for Feb. 22, with the one-mile Miracle Wood Stakes for sophomore boys and the seven-furlong Wide Country Stakes for the girls. Those two events serve as lead-up races...

On Tuesday--just two weeks after two horses died on Laurel Park's dirt surface and not even 24 hours after Laurel announced its track superintendent would be retiring immediately--the head of the new non-profit organization that will run both Laurel and Pimlico Race Course starting in 2025 told the Maryland Racing Commission that an immediate search is underway for an expert to quell the main-track woes that have intermittently plagued Laurel the past two decades. "We will obviously do a search nationwide for a winter-weather superintendent. It's a very important position....

A license transfer that is needed for a new, non-profit group to take over the running of Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course starting on the first of the year got pushed off the agenda at Tuesday's Maryland Racing Commission meeting because of concerns over the lack of documentation for how the incoming entity will meet an estimated $6-million budget shortfall for 2025. But executives from the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA), which is facilitating the state-approved change of control of the two tracks from 1/ST Racing (The Stronach...

With further evaluation of the racing surface still ongoing, racing at Laurel Park this weekend has been canceled, the Maryland Jockey Club announced Friday. Laurel also canceled Friday's card before the opener after speaking with jockeys regarding main track safety concerns following overnight snow and afternoon rain. Nine races were scheduled for Saturday including a trio of $100,000 stakes, and eight races were scheduled for Sunday at Laurel. Laurel will remain open during its normal morning training hours for galloping and jogging. The 6 1/2-furlong Willa On the Move, the...

7th-Laurel, $48,305, Msw, 11-16, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.43, ft, 1 length. YARA'S QUEST (c, 2, Liam's Map--Yara {GSW, $398,390}, by Put It Back), given a 4-1 chance in this debut run, was hustled to the front from his inside draw and raced under pressure through an opening quarter in :22.64. Overtaken approaching the quarter pole and appearing to be heading the wrong way, Yara's Quest was resurgent along the rail in the stretch and battled back gamely to record a one-length victory over On the Level (Classic Empire). The winner is...

Horses owned by their breeders swept all eight of the stakes on the 39th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million program Saturday at Laurel Park. Brilliant Ice, a 5-year-old gelding owned and bred by Crystal Park Stables, marched up on the outside from mid-pack, then slipped through at the rail to seize the lead at the head of the lane before drawing away to a 5 1/4-length victory in the featured $150,000 Classic S. at 1 1/8 miles. The 5-1 win by Brilliant Ice represented the second Maryland Million stakes score...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on site at Laurel Park for the Jim McKay Maryland Million Day card Saturday. The organization will have a race on the card named in its honor and will host the winners of the 2024 VIP Maryland Million experience from the "Off to the Races" online benefit auction. Generously donated by 1/ST RACING and the Hotel at Arundel Preserve, the experience will include a clubhouse table for four at the track and a two-night stay at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve. "The Maryland Jockey Club...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of New Century at Woodbine on Saturday. Kameko Reaches Milestone Top-Level Winner In The Great White North Qatar Racing's New Century (GB) (Kameko) made his North American debut in style, running out a 1 1/4-length winner of the GI Summer Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday (video) for trainer Andrew Balding. Bred by the Potent Embrace Partnership, the dark bay is a half-brother to G3...

Delaware Park has cancelled the live racing card scheduled for Friday, Aug. 9 due to the expected impact from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Live racing is scheduled to resume on Saturday, Aug. 10. Laurel Park has also decided to cancel its nine-race card Friday. Both tracks are expected to resume racing Saturday, Aug. 10. For more info., click here for Delaware Park and here for Laurel Park.  

It was 9 p.m., several hours after the GI Preakness S. last Saturday, when Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) outrider Kaymarie Kreidel was basking in the glow of having escorted Seize the Grey (Arrogate) to the winner's circle after his triumph in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Kreidel, 52, has worked as an outrider since retiring from being a jockey in 2006. She first started part-time in that job during morning training at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, then about nine years ago landed the full-time outriding gig...