Year Begins With $2.8M In Stakes

Laurel Park will offer 25 stakes worth a total of $2.8 million from January through April highlighted by a pair of $200,000 sprint fixtures and two $150,000 events for 3-year-olds that offer guaranteed spots in the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. All stakes will be run on Saturdays.

The Laurel winter meet begins Friday, January 9, with racing on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month. Thereafter, racing will be held on the customary Friday-through Sunday schedule.

Four stakes are scheduled for January 17. Two of them continue the continue the partnership between Maryland and Virginia that began in 2025: The $100,000 Jennings and Geisha, both at one mile, are for 4-year-olds and up that are bred or sired in Maryland and Virginia. Another pair of similar races will be held at Laurel March 7.

In a change from previous years, two $100,000 stakes for sprinters—the Fire Plug for colts and geldings and the What A Summer for fillies and mares, will be run as overnight handicaps on the January 17 card. The designation, used by other states that fall under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, allows participating horses to run on race-day Lasix.

The four stakes on February 14 include the $200,000 General George at seven furlongs and the Barbara Fritchie at seven furlongs. Both are currently listed stakes per The Jockey Club.

The Maryland series for 3-year-old males and females will begin January 31, continue on February 21 and March 21, and conclude on April 18 with two “Win Today, See You In May” events: the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio Stakes and the 1 1/16-mile Weber City Miss Stakes. 

The 151st Preakness will be held for the first time at Laurel in 2026 given the ongoing reconstruction of Pimlico Race Course.

The April 18 program features five stakes including the first three turf stakes of 2026: the Henry Clark and the Dahlia at one mile, and the King T. Leatherbury at 5 1/2 furlongs.

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