Track surface woes at Laurel Park continue, and horsemen there will soon be asked to vacate the property temporarily. Track officials identified issues with the dirt surface at Laurel two weeks ago and subsequently cancelled several race cards and ceased timed workouts. Initially, they had hoped that they could simply pull back the cushion and repair the base while horses continued with a modified training schedule. This week, however, ground penetrating radar and heavy machinery to bore holes into the sub-base revealed additional, more serious problems.
Representatives from The Stronach Group and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association said Friday the removal of horses will allow crews to work through more of the day to get the necessary repairs done more quickly. They also had concerns that if a horse got loose during modified training and began bolting around the track, the horse could suffer an injury if they went through an area that was under construction. The sub-base will need to be replaced, as will the base material. Reconstruction of the dirt course should not negate the ability of the track to add a synthetic surface between the dirt and turf courses, which still may be on the horizon for Laurel.
Aidan Butler, chief operating officer of 1/ST RACING, also said that analysis had revealed a small underground stream that ran under the track around the 5/8 pole. A French drain system will be installed to avoid that water flow impacting the track. The drain should also reduce waterlogging issues on the track's backstretch and in the turf course.
Additionally, Laurel has evidently been suffering from a serious rat infestation which the track has been unable to address. Vacating all the barns will make it easier for track employees to eliminate the problem, rather than simply shifting it from one area to another.
Horses stabled at Laurel will have the option to move to Pimlico Race Course, where at least 140 temporary stalls will be erected beginning the day after Preakness, or to Timonium at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, where as many as 580 stalls may be available after the upcoming Fasig-Tipton sale.
Horsemen on a video conference call Friday were assured that if they chose to send their horses out of state while Laurel was closed they would face no penalties or loss of stall space when they returned.
Racing dates that would normally take place at Laurel through the summer will also likely be shifted to Pimlico, but Butler said The Stronach Group is still discussing logistics. Turf racing may be particularly impacted, since the turf course at Pimlico is usually in rough condition after Preakness weekend.
The hope is that horsemen could return to Laurel by July 1, but that will depend on the progress of renovations.
“Our hope is that not only will this be safer for everybody, but it'll get done in a more expedited fashion,” said Tim Keefe, board member of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. “Doing it like we're doing it now is just going to drag it out and make it take longer.”
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