Laurel Park

Laurel Park's 19-spring meet will feature a seven-race stakes schedule worth over $750,000 and highlighted by automatic-qualifying races for the GI Preakness S. and GII Black-Eyed Susan S. Co-headlining the stakes program are the $125,000 Federico Tesio S. for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles and the $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies at about 1 1/16 miles. The Tesio serves as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the May 15 Preakness and the Weber City Miss is a 'Win and In' event for the May...

With much of the country plagued by continued winter weather, Laurel Park's Friday card is the latest to fall victim to freezing temperatures and unsafe racing conditions. With freezing rain, snow, and ice in the Mid-Atlantic region Friday, Feb. 19, the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) has postponed live racing Friday and will run the entire 10-race card Thursday, Feb. 25. The MJC's OTB network, including Pimlico Race Course, will remain open for simulcasting. However, the weekly national Stronach 5 wager has been cancelled as Laurel was to have hosted the...

Laurel Park was forced to cancel racing Sunday for a second straight day due to winter weather. On Saturday it pushed back its Winter Sprintfest program, featuring the GIII Runhappy Barbara Fritchie S. and GIII General George S., until next Saturday, Feb. 20. Racing is currently scheduled to be held on Monday, Presidents Day, with a first post of 12:25 p.m.

Laurel Park was forced to push back its entire nine-race Winter Sprintfest card--including the GIII Runhappy Barbara Fritchie S. and GIII General George S.--one week from Saturday, Feb. 13 to Feb. 20 due to a winter storm. The card also includes four $100,000 listed stakes. Racing is scheduled to be held Sunday, Feb. 14 and on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 15.

Due to a winter storm expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic region, the Maryland Jockey Club has moved Sunday's scheduled nine-race program at Laurel to Thursday, Feb. 4. Post time remains 12:25 p.m. Laurel's network of off-track betting outlets will remain open.

Despite paying more than $20,000 monthly to exterminators to try and quell an ongoing rat problem on the Laurel Park backstretch, the infestation has persisted, leading track management to seek additional professional help by soliciting new bids from additional companies. Sal Sinatra, the president of the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), which owns both Laurel and Pimlico Race Course, disclosed the plan of action during the Jan. 28 Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) meeting. Sinatra has mentioned the track's efforts to control the rats at previous MJC meetings. But when he didn't...

Five-pound apprentice jockey Alexander Crispin followed up a triple-win day at Laurel Saturday with a four-win day at the Maryland track Sunday. The 22-year-old native of Puerto Rico now has eight wins over the first three days of Laurel's 2021 winter meet. "I feel pretty good on how things are going. All the hard work is paying off," Crispin said. "I really appreciate all the trainers and owners giving me the opportunity. So far so good. Everything's been good. I appreciate everything that's going on today and the past few...

5th-Laurel, $48,520, Msw, 12-12, 2yo, 1m, 1:38.31, ft, 12 1/4 lengths. MANOR HOUSE (c, 2, Upstart--Cascina, by Dixie Union) could scarcely have been more impressive making his debut over Laurel's one-turn mile Saturday, as he drew off through the final furlong to graduate by 12 1/4 lengths. The Florida-bred was away to an uneventful beginning from the two hole and made the lead with a minimum of fuss, covering the opening half in :47.50 while taking mild pressure. He began to widen approaching the quarter pole, kicked farther in front...

Laurel Park's winter meet will feature 24 stakes worth $2.65 million. The highlight of the schedule is the $250,000 GII General George S. and the $250,000 GIII Runhappy Barbara Fritchie S., both to be run Feb. 13. Laurel's winter stakes schedule will also include two new stakes races to be run Jan. 16--the $100,000 Spectacular Bid S. for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs and the $100,000 Xtra Heat S. for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The $75,000 Not For Love S. and $75,000 Conniver for Maryland-bred/sired horses, not raced earlier this...

The Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) voted unanimously  Wednesday to expand a race-day Lasix ban that began this year with 2-year-olds to include horses of any age competing in graded stakes starting in 2021. "A few months ago, the commission passed an emergency regulation restricting Lasix to any horse that's two years old for the next three years, as part of [a negotiated] agreement between the HBPA and The Stronach Group," J. Michael Hopkins, the MRC's executive director, explained prior to the vote during the Dec. 2 teleconference meeting. "Moving forward,...

For the past 32 years, the Maryland Jockey Club has had a tradition of handing out free pies to its patrons during its Thanksgiving Day program. Along with live Thoroughbred racing at Laurel Park, fans would arrive in the morning to free cider, coffee and donuts, and leave with an apple or pumpkin pie. This year, with no fans in attendance for Thursday's live program, the Maryland Jockey Club didn't want to stop the tradition of giving away pies. So 1,500 pies were ordered as usual, with 500 going to...

In response to current state COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park will temporarily close to the public, effective Friday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. ET, but will continue to accommodate owners and other licensed horsemen who wish to attend the races. Live racing will continue as scheduled Thursday through Sunday for the remaining days in November, and Thursday through Saturday in December with a special Sunday, Dec. 27 program. There will be no racing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, Dec. 24 and 25....