Laurel Park to be… wait for it… new training center
Frank Vespe
January 21, 2026
Laurel lives? Laurel lives!
In a befuddling process that continues to produce unexpected developments, the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) announced today that it would acquire Laurel Park from the Stronach Group with plans to turn it into Maryland’s training center.
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“The Maryland Stadium Authority announced today that it has reached a tentative agreement with The Stronach Group to acquire Laurel Park for the purposes of redevelopment into a premier hub for thoroughbred training in Maryland,” the MSA said in a release, adding that, along with changes to the Pimlico clubhouse, “the deal is projected to save roughly $50 million.”
The money for the purchase, the MSA said, “will be paid by the Stadium Authority with available project funds.” It will seek offsets for those expenditures, potentially including revenue bonds issued by the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO).
Under the new scenario, Pimlico will continue to serve as the primary home of racing but will no longer be used for training.
In addition, Shamrock Farm in Woodbine, initially selected by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority to serve as the training center, will not be a part of the future for Thoroughbred racing after it was “deemed not viable due to environmental impacts and excessive costs.”
The decision to spike Shamrock and slot in Laurel was first reported by thebanner.com.
The Racing Biz in December reported that MSA executive vice president Gary McGuigan acknowledged that Shamrock was “a difficult site” because of its topography, presence of water, and lack of public utilities.
According to an MSA presentation scheduled for Wednesday before the Appropriations Committee of the Maryland House, under the new approach, all training will occur at Laurel, while all racing will take place at the new Pimlico. Horses will “ship-in and out of the facility as needed to race.”
The design of the new Pimlico clubhouse will “focus on racing operations and maximizing economic impact,” according to the presentation.
The 2026 Preakness is slated to take place at Laurel. The 2027 Preakness is scheduled for Pimlico, though the public-facing facilities will not be ready for occupancy.
“By pursuing Laurel Park as the home of Maryland’s statewide training center, we are creating a path to secure the state’s historic investments into Maryland’s horse industry,” MSA chair Craig Thompson said in a statement.
“Laurel Park is an ideal training center, valued for its history and its status as our current Maryland racing hub,” Bill Knauf, Maryland Jockey Club president, said in a statement.
Laurel Park has approximately 1,100 stalls available for stabling, according to the MSA. Concentrating training there, rather than at Pimlico and elsewhere, will save approximately $26.3 million in construction costs, the MSA said, and having all horses in one training venue will save the Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC) $2.5 million in annual operating expenses.
The Stadium Authority previously had purchased Shamrock for $4.5 million. In the coming months the MSA will “convene local officials and industry leaders as part of a task force to determine Shamrock Farm’s future, including potential use as horse rescue sanctuary space or for future recreational development.”
The demise of Shamrock as a training center adds an unusual coda to the already convoluted story of the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. Initially hailed as a state-created savior of racing, it was abruptly shuttered at the end of the 2025 Maryland legislative session, and now one of its signature achievements – the identification and selection of a training facility – will be undone. That follows a report that it had failed to follow numerous legal and regulatory requirements in its work.
Horsemen generally are likely to welcome the new direction.
“This approach delivers long-term certainty for horsemen, stability for thousands of workers, and ensures that Maryland’s rich racing heritage remains a strong and sustainable economic engine for generations to come,” Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association president Katy Voss, also a breeder and trainer, said in the release.
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George Coverdale
21st Jan 2026In my humble opinion this leaves the future of Maryland horse racing in a precarious position. Turn back to a year ago and the state had made a grandiose statement the sky was no longer falling, now it`s ” f**k Shamrock” let`s use Laurel and look how money we`re saving. Next it`ll be let`s sell the land Pimlico sits on and race fulltime at Laurel. Tell me that`s not out of the question!
Stanton
21st Jan 2026no one will ever know the final price tag of this boondoggle it’ll be hidden. somewhere in the MD budget, sure just continue to issue and float more bonds and more debt.
April Inloes Smith
26th Jan 2026Laurel has 1,100 stalls and yet I hear that their barns need to be replaced. Then there is the cost of the non stop maintenance that this track requires to be safe. Not seeing the savings. Can’t they sell Shamrock and use that money? And will horses do well on a track that is only used on weekends? Wouldn’t it be nice if the people in charge were real racetrack people and not just big donors to Moore’s campaign?