Owners and trainers with runners in Laurel Park's five stakes Saturday gave high marks to the custom saddle towels they received as gifts.
The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association started providing custom saddle towels for non-graded stakes in Maryland July 2 at Laurel Park.
The upgraded saddle towels for most stakes feature the horse's name with logos for the Maryland Jockey Club, stakes race name, and Beyond the Wire, which is Maryland's Thoroughbred aftercare program. The connections of each horse are notified that the saddle towels are a gift and should be taken after a horse is unsaddled.
Saturday's 10-race card was anchored by the $100,000 Deputed Testamony won by Ridin With Biden and supported by four $75,000 stakes for Maryland-bred or -sired runners. Divine Huntress won the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies, Spun Glass took the Jameela for fillies and mares 3 and up on the grass, Alottahope captured the Star de Naskra for 3-year-olds, and Justwaveandsmile won the Ben's Cat on turf for 3-year-olds and up.
The MTHA Board of Directors at a meeting in May discussed the idea of the custom saddle towels as part of an ongoing effort to improve the racing experience for owners.
Organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) this year began putting each horse's name and the MATCH logo on the saddle towels for all series stakes.
The personalized saddle towels have been popular with MATCH Series participants, some of whom have ordered extras after the race, particularly when there are multiple partners.
In conjunction with the personalized saddle towels, the MTHA has launched an online store at which merchandise can be ordered. The site (mdhorsemen.com/store) initially will offer personalized saddle towels, custom caps with a Maryland horse and MTHA logos, and personalized MATCH Series caps and bronze trophies.
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