The Maryland Racing Commission on Dec. 23 signed off on the new nonprofit Maryland Jockey Club to operate Laurel Park in the new year.
The new training center to support racing at Pimlico will be at Shamrock Farm the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority announced.
A board to govern the new Maryland Jockey Club, a new training center, and new breeder incentives are top priorities for Maryland’s horsemen and breeders.
The new nonprofit Maryland track operator has its work cut out for it, but head Bill Knauf said he believes all the tools are in place for it to succeed.
The Maryland Racing Commission tapped the brakes on the switch from private racetrack ownership to a nonprofit, but the MTROA expects a quick resolution.
Maryland’s MTROA may jettison its plan to rotate the Pimlico racing strip, saving the historic track and a substantial amount of money.
Bill Knauf, a longtime executive at Monmouth Park, will take the reins as the new head of the Maryland Jockey Club.
While it won’t operate Preakness weekend racing in 2025, the state-created MTROA is nevertheless hoping to build a weeklong celebratoin around it.
Pimlico will close for racing, training, and wagering September 1, MJC chief MIke Rogers wrote horsemen, as the renewal of Maryland racing ramps up.
An amended version of the Pimlico Plus legislation began a sprint to the finish line, passing quickly through the Senate en route to House consideration.