7-Day State Fair Meet Concludes

Anthony Farrior, Charles A. Frock and John Salzman Jr. topped the standings for the $20,000 Maryland State Fair Trainer Bonus program as the 7-day Timonium meet concluded Monday, Sept. 1.

The first category was open to trainers who had started 65 or more horses in Maryland between January 1 and July 31, 2025. The second category was reserved for trainers who had started between three and 64 horses over the same period. Each category carried a $10,000 bonus pool, with prize money awarded to the top five point-earners.

Farrior, the meet-leading trainer with nine wins from 30 starts, led the first category with 89 points. He was followed by Jose Corrales (54) in second, and John Robb (35) in third. Troy Singh and Hugh McMahon (each with 33) tied for fourth.

Frock and Salzman (each with 14 points) tied for first in the second category. Benny Feliciano Jr. and Gina Perri (each with 10) tied for second, while David Mohan and William Meister (each with 9) tied for third.

The participation by horsemen and the work of Racing Secretary Georganne Hale and her staff was greatly appreciated given the struggle to fill some race cards. Average starters per race was 5.67, down from 6.25 in 2024. Average daily purses totaled $242,370, down 8.9% from last year.

Total handle topped $900,000—the highest figure in several years—on Friday, Aug. 29. But for the meet, the daily average was $509,703, down 15.3% from 2024.

Discreet Ops, trained by Feliciano for owner Chip Reed, captured the lone stakes of the meet, the $75,000 Shine Again. Larry Rabold was leading owner with three wins, while apprentice Yedsit Hazlewood was leading rider with 12 victories.

‍