Michael Algeo

Michael Algeo, who has served on the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) since 2016 and was chairing that board, resigned from both positions, effective immediately, June 14. Frank Vespe of Maryland's "Off to the Races Radio" was first to report the scoop on his show's June 17 broadcast. Algeo's departure accentuates a time of regulatory upheaval within Maryland racing that in recent months has been marked by three other long-serving commissioners (David Hayden, Tom Bowman, Tom Winebrener) also either resigning from the MRC or not having their terms renewed by the...

Tuesday's Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) meeting yielded the news that the state's horsemen, breeders, and the operator of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park have agreed on yet another six-month extension agreement to keep racing going after a 10-year deal expired at the end of 2022. The placeholder agreement will go into effect for the final six months of 2023, and it follows a similar six-month extension reached earlier this year that is set to sunset June 30. The eventual goal is to come up with a longer-term contract. Mike...

Michael Algeo, who was appointed to the Maryland Racing Commission in 2016 and currently serves as Chairman, will receive the Special Award of Merit at Pimlico's Alibi Breakfast. The Special Award of Merit, which recognizes those who have made a positive impact on the racing industry, has previously recognized industry stalwarts like Jim McKay, D. Wayne Lukas, Chick Lang, King Leatherbury, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. "When I received the call from [Maryland Jockey Club Acting President] Mike Rogers, I was both humbled and grateful," Algeo said. "When one looks at...

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...

A few hours after the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), which operates Laurel Park, put out a statement in which it said it had concluded "that there were no issues with the track and that it is safe to race and train," the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the Maryland Horse Breeders' Association sent a joint email to Maryland Racing Commission Chairman Michael Algeo calling into question the safety of the track and calling the current situation a "catastrophic emergency." There have been off-and-on concerns about the main track at...

The new date for the resumption of racing at Laurel Park has now been pegged as Thursday, Dec. 16, with timed workouts expected to resume Friday, Dec. 10. Both targets are pending a satisfactory safety review of the extensive base and cushion work now being done on the troubled main dirt surface at Maryland's most heavily used Thoroughbred venue. With the exception of light training that continues to take place around cordoned-off areas of the dug-up oval, Laurel has been closed for racing and timed works since Nov. 28. Seven...