Luncheon to be held Sunday, March 22, at Laurel Park

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has announced the 2025 finalists for various horsemen and equine awards that will be presented as part of this year’s Renaissance Awards luncheon, which will be scheduled for this spring.

Charles Sniffen, who got his training license in 1968 and for the past 20 years has been assistant trainer for Ferris Allen, has been selected as the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Backstretch Worker of the Year for 2025.

The Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) on January 12 announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with 1/ST Racing (The Stronach Group) to acquire Laurel Park for the purposes of redevelopment into a premier hub for Thoroughbred training in Maryland.

The MTHA provides van service for both personal needs and recreational outings for those working on the backstretch.

Virtual sign-ups for the Maryland Backstretch Pension Plan have been a success the last few years and will again be available beginning in April with a deadline of June 1, 2026.