BALTIMORE — The Maryland Jockey Club has canceled racing at Laurel Park for Thursday, citing insufficient entries from horsemen concerned about the condition of the track’s surface.
The Jockey Club had already canceled racing at Laurel Park this weekend after two horses suffered fatal injuries in races last Thursday. But in its statement Saturday announcing the additional cancellation, the Jockey Club said its testing has found “there are no issues with the track and that it is safe to race and train.”
The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, meanwhile, wants racing moved to Pimlico Race Course starting Thursday and wants horses shipped to Pimlico for training until the surface at Laurel Park “has been evaluated and deemed safe” by its chosen surface expert, John Passero. MTHA president Tim Keefe recommended the move to Pimlico in a Friday letter to acting Jockey Club president Mike Rogers.
Others took to social media to express their frustration with the Jockey Club. “Not one person associated with MJC has asked the horseman ‘how can we help you feel more secure?’ ” trainer Lacey Gaudet wrote on Twitter. “Or maybe ‘we are sincerely sorry for what you’re going through; let’s work together.’ ”
Frustrations grew Saturday when the Jockey Club announced it would not allow timed workouts or gate schooling Sunday at Pimlico, where no safety issues have been reported. Horsemen interpreted this as an attempt to pressure them into resuming normal operations at Laurel Park.
Owners and trainers, meanwhile, backed their words with action, declining to enter their horses for Thursday’s planned card at Laurel Park.
“Even though the track surface is within industry standards certain Horseman have determined not to submit entries for this Thursday’s racing card. Hopefully after reviewing the facts live racing will proceed,” the Jockey Club said in its Saturday statement.
The Jockey Club added that in addition to asking its consultant, Dennis Moore, to run tests on the racing surface at Laurel Park, it asked Jennifer Durenberger, director of equine safety and welfare for the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, to review the results.
The release quoted Durenberger: “I’ve reviewed the data provided to me this morning by the Maryland Racing Commission and find a racing fatality rate at Laurel of approximately 1.3/1,000 starts since January 1st. By comparison, the Equine Injury Database shows a rate of approximately 1.98/1,000 at this same point (through April 21) last year.”
Laurel Park is scheduled to hold racing next weekend and the first weekend in May before a move to Pimlico for the 12-day Preakness meet, beginning May 11.
