Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association

Laurel to add live race days in December

Details: 18 Nov

Laurel Park will race four days per week through most of December instead of three under a revised schedule agreed upon by horsemen and the Maryland Jockey Club.

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Purse Committee and MJC officials met Nov. 17 and agreed to add three Sundays—Dec. 6, 13 and 20—to the live racing calendar to offer more racing opportunities for owners and trainers. Laurel already was scheduled to race Sunday, Dec. 27, as part of a post-Christmas weekend.

The four-day race weeks are Dec. 3-6; Dec. 10-13; and Dec. 17-20. The 2020 seasons concludes with racing Dec. 26-27 and Dec. 31, a Thursday. The winter meet begins Jan. 1, 2021.

Laurel has raced four days a week on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule since early October.

MD casinos, Purse Dedication Account have solid October

Details: 18 Nov

Maryland’s six casinos, operating at 50% capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions, generated $142.6 million in revenue in October, down only 0.9% from the same month a year ago, according to Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

The Purse Dedication Account—it earns 6% of video lottery terminal revenue at MGM National Harbor, Live! Casino & Hotel, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, Hollywood Casino Perryville and Ocean Downs Casino, and 2.5% at Rocky Gap Casino is & Resort—collected $5.56 million ($4.45 million for Thoroughbred racing) in October. This is actually a 2.97% increase from revenue received in 2019.

The Racetrack Facility Renewal Account, which funds capital improvements, produced by $908,000 from its 1% VLT share.

MJC revises some COVID-19 protocols

Details: 15 Nov

Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Maryland and additional orders from county and state officials, the Maryland Jockey Club will revise some of its protocols.

Effective at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, the jockeys’ rooms will be closed to riders who aren’t based at Laurel Park. Jockeys from other states will no longer be permitted to ride or exercise horses at Laurel and Pimlico, and members of the Maryland riding colony will not be allowed to ride or exercise horses out of state.

In addition, owners and jockey agents will not be permitted in the stable areas at Laurel and Pimlico.

Thirty-four candidates on ballot for MTHA Board of Directors election

Details: 10 Nov

Thirty-four candidates are on the ballot for this year’s Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Board of Directors election, which will take place in December.

The election is held every three years. All 15 board seats are up for election in 2020.

Directors are elected to three-year terms. The board is made up of seven owners, seven trainers and one at-large director. The at-large seat is filled by the highest vote-getter of the remaining candidates.

Please note that ballots will be mailed to all MTHA members Dec. 1 and must be received back—not postmarked—no later than Dec. 31. All completed ballots will be mailed from and returned to a third-party company that specializes in corporate and non-profit elections.

Results of the election will be announced online in mid-January.

The following are this year’s candidates:

Owners		Trainers
Bonuccelli, Charles A. Charles, Ellen M. Dorman, Matthew M. Eubanks, Daniel G. Gaudet, Linda S. Hacker, Gary Hayden, JoAnn Heyman, Frederic C. Horning, Michael F. Johnson, R. Larry Kuegler, Thomas J. Lapidus, Mark B. Nechamkin, II, Leo S. Pons, Joseph P. "Josh" Rashid, James W. Reed, Charles J. “Chip” Robb, Gina A. Wade, David H.		Allen III, A. Ferris Corrales, Jose Cox, Kenneth M. "Kenny" Garrido, Raul A. Gaudet, Lacey A. Gonzalez, Claudio A. Keefe, Timothy L. Maldonado, Jonathan McMahon, Hugh I. Merryman, Michael W. Motion, H. Graham Robb, John J. Schoenthal, Philip B. Testerman, Valora A. Trombetta, Michael J. Voss, Katharine M.

Biographies for each candidate are available by clicking each name above.

November 2020 Newsletter Available

Details: 04 Nov

The November 2020 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.

Blind retiring as MJC stakes coordinator; Egan to fill position

Details: 26 Oct

Embracing a family tradition in Thoroughbred racing that dates back more than a century, and following his own distinguished career in various roles touching parts of six decades, Coleman E. "Coley" Blind is stepping down as stakes coordinator for the Maryland Jockey Club.

Blind, 72, is retiring from the position effective Nov. 1. Former trainer Jason Egan, who currently works in the MJC racing office as an entry clerk, will step into the role of stakes coordinator.