Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association

Randy Brandon, longtime racetrack vet, passes away at 80

Details: 30 Sep

Randall Gatlin Brandon, a longtime racetrack veterinarian in the Mid-Atlantic region, died Aug. 15 in his hometown of Camden, S.C. He was 80.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 2, at 4:30 p.m. at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Timonium, Md.

Brandon graduated from Washington State University and followed with an internship at Auburn University. After completing his internship, he was a member of the Teigland Vet Group in South Florida, where he attended to Thoroughbred racehorses at tracks in the area. The following year, he moved to Maryland, where he established his own vet practice serving owners and trainers at tracks including Laurel Park, Bowie Race Course, Pimlico Race Course and Delaware Park.

October 2022 Newsletter Available

Details: 30 Sep

The October 2022 edition of the Horsemen's Newsletter is now online and available for download. To view this edition click here

The Horsemen's Newsletter is published monthly by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and is mailed to licensed owners and trainers in the state of Maryland.

MJC Track Crew Works To Even Surface Content

Details: 29 Sep

The Maryland Jockey Club track maintenance crew has been adding some clay to portions of the Laurel Park dirt surface—mainly from the half-mile pole to the 1/8 pole—to make the composition consistent with the rest of the surface heading into the cold-weather months.

MJC Track Superintendent Chris Bosley said the goal is to have 2% clay content across the surface. But based on test results, the area in question had clay content of 1% to 1.5%, he said.

Fire and Disaster Insurance Continues

Details: 29 Sep

Fire and disaster insurance has been renewed for another 12 months. Under this policy, MTHA members may be compensated for death or humane destruction of their horses due to a number of perils, including fire, lightning, wind storm, smoke and flood.

Coverage extends to horses located at or in transit to or from Laurel, Pimlico and Timonium. Additionally, horses are covered when in transit from Laurel, Pimlico or Timonium to race and return from out-of-state tracks. To file a claim or for assistance call the MTHA Business office at 410-902-6842.

MTHA Welcomes MedStar’s Dr. Brodine To Health System

Details: 02 Sep

Dr. Joseph Brodine, who grew up not far from Laurel Park in Jessup, Md., is the newest member of the MedStar Health medical team that staffs the Horsemen’s Health System on live racing days.

Brodine, 39, attended medical school at Georgetown University and trained to become a doctor at Franklin Square Medical Center and John Hopkins. Prior to becoming a physician, the native of Durham, N.C., was a nurse for five years in the John Hopkins Hospital intensive care unit.

MTHA Continues Strong Support For MD-Bred Enhancements

Details: 02 Sep

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association is proud of its continued contributions towards the Maryland-Bred program and its partnership with the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. The MTHA since 2014 has continued to build upon its contributions to the Maryland-Bred Enhancement Program, and the trend is expected to continue this year.

In 2021, the last full year of statistics, the Maryland-Bred Enhancement Program—breeder awards, owner bonuses, developer bonuses, stallion awards, Maryland-bred/sired allowance purses, Maryland-bred stakes and Maryland Million purses—totaled $12.17 million. Of that amount, the MTHA authorized allocations of $5.84 million (48.02%) from the Maryland Thoroughbred Purse Account, nearly half of purse and bonus funds devoted to Maryland-bred development in the state.