laurel park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Report: Long-Awaited Pimlico Redevelopment Delayed At Least Two Years

During a budget briefing on Thursday, Feb. 3, the Maryland Stadium Authority's executive vice president Gary McGuigan revealed that the redevelopment of Pimlico Race Course has been delayed by at least two years, reports the Baltimore Business Journal.

“I don't have a detailed timeline,” McGuigan said. “I will say the earliest that I see activity at either facility is most likely after the Preakness in 2023.”

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan allowed the Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 to become law without his signature on May 7, 2020. The legislation called for the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue up to $375 million in bonds for the projects through a combination of funds from the Racetrack Facility Renewal Account, the Purse Dedication Account, video lottery terminal payments to Baltimore City and money from the Maryland Lottery.

The plan includes a new stable area, training facility and synthetic racing surface at Laurel and the ability to use the new Pimlico as a year-round event and community center. A major part of the legislation is keeping the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico and giving the racetrack property to the city.

However, no bonds have yet been sold and neither project has broken ground. Bonds are unlikely to be sold prior to the spring of 2023, according to the Baltimore Business Journal. Ayers Saint Gross has been selected as the designer, but no construction contracts have been awarded.

The Maryland Stadium Authority's delay in bond sales could cost taxpayers at least $34 million, a legislative analyst report explained.

Read more at the Baltimore Business Journal.

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Laurel Park Releases Nominations For Barbara Fritchie, General George

Defending champion Hibiscus Punch and fellow graded-stakes winners Leader of the Band, Sharp Starr and undefeated R Adios Jersey are among 27 accomplished older female sprinters nominated to the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3) Saturday, Feb. 19 at Laurel Park in Maryland.

The 70th running of the Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older, and the 46th edition of the $250,000 General George (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs, headline a program featuring six stakes worth $900,000 in purses including the $100,000 Miracle Wood, the next stop in Maryland's series for 3-year-olds.

Hibiscus Punch sprung a 41-1 upset in the 2021 Fritchie over a field that included multiple stakes winners Hello Beautiful, Dontletsweetfoolya and Needs Supervision; graded winners Sharp Starr and Estilo Talentoso; and stakes winner and multiple graded-stakes placed Club Car. Hibiscus Punch has run twice since, finishing fifth in the Derby City Distaff (G1) last May before returning to be ninth following a troubled trip in the Jan. 29 What a Summer at Laurel.

Club Car (third), Sharp Starr (sixth) and Dontletsweetfoolya (seventh) are all returning nominees to the Fritchie, which debuted at 1 1/16 miles in 1952 at old Bowie Race Track and has been run exclusively at seven furlongs since 1964.

Leader of the Band won the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Oaks (G3) last summer and was second in the Cathryn Sophia, contested at a mile and 70 yards, but has not raced since finishing sixth in the Sept. 25 Cotillion (G1). Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainer John Servis also nominated Bold Confection, a last-out optional claiming allowance winner Jan. 5 at Parx.

Sharp Starr won the 2020 Go For Wand (G3) at Aqueduct and the 2021 Empire Distaff at Belmont Park and most recently finished third in the Dec. 30 Bay Ridge. R Adios Jersey is 6-0 in her career including victories in the Sophomore Fillies, Charles Town Oaks (G3) and City of Ocala in succession spread out over nine months, the latter Dec. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Also nominated are multiple stakes winners Jakarta, most recently third in the Inside Information (G2) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, and Bank Sting; Belle of the North and Kaylasaurus, both stakes winners at Laurel; Euphoric, beaten a nose when second in the 2021 Miss Preakness (G3) at historic Pimlico Race Course; stakes winners Glass Ceiling and Prodigy Doll; and Fraudulent Charge, never worse than third in eight starts including four seconds in Laurel stakes.

The General George, which also began at Bowie in 1973, attracted 25 nominations graded-stakes winners Chateau, Green Light Go, Phat Man and Laurel-based Wondrwherecraigis. Trained by Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis has finished first in each of his last five starts, all stakes, but was disqualified to second for interference in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3). He rebounded with a victory in the Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont and returned from a minor foot issue to capture the Jan. 29 Fire Plug at Laurel.

Last out winner of the Dec. 19 Gravesend at Aqueduct, Chateau won the Tom Fool (G3) and was fourth in the Carter (G1) last year, also finishing second in the Runhappy (G3) and third in the Fall Highweight (G3). Green Light Go won the Saratoga Special (G2) and was second in the Champagne (G1) in 2019 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Second in the 2021 Fall Highweight, he returned to the winner's circle with a nine-length optional claiming allowance triumph Jan. 13 at Aqueduct.

Phat Man won the 2020 Fred Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream and has raced up and down the East Coast since, including last fall's Polynesian at Laurel, where he finished third but was placed second. Most recently he was last of seven in failed grass attempt ini the Jan. 8 Tropical Turf (G3) at Gulfstream.

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker has won his last three starts, all in Laurel stakes – the Richard W. Small in November, Robert T. Manfuso in December and Jennings Jan. 29. Trainer John Ortiz nominated the trio of multiple stakes winner Hollis; Grade 1-placed Mucho, winner of the six-furlong Challedon last summer at Pimlico; and stakes-placed Top Gunner.

Other prominent nominees include 2021 Maryland Million Sprint winner Air Token; Grade 3-placed Happy Medium; and stakes winners Penguin Power, Shackqueenking, Sir Alfred James, Threes Over Deuces, Timeless Bounty and Wendell Fong.

The Elkstone Group's Joe, homebred winner of the 2021 Maryland Juvenile riding a three-race win streak, tops 19 nominees to the Miracle Wood. The one-mile Miracle Wood is followed in Maryland's 3-year-old stakes series by the $100,000 Private Terms at 1 1/16 miles March 19 and $125,000 Federico Tesio going 1 1/8 miles April 16 – a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 147^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21.

Coastal Mission, Local Motive and Alottahope, respectively second, third and fourth in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 29 at Laurel; South Florida-based Make It Big, undefeated in three starts including stakes wins in the Juvenile Sprint and Springboard Mile; Shame Em Loose, 59-1 winner of the 2021 Heft at Laurel; Midnight Chrome, third in the Dec. 4 Remsen (G2); and Parx Juvenile show finisher Script are also nominated.

The $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies drew 22 nominations, led by Jan. 29 Xtra Heat winner Luna Belle; 2021 Maryland Million Lassie winner Buff My Boots; Mama G's Wish, riding a three-race win streak; Beneath the Stars, second in the Gin Talking and third in the Xtra Heat; Goddess of Fire, third in the 2021 Pocahontas (G3) at Keeneland; and Sweet Gracie, third in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies.

Air Token, Cordmaker, Phat Man and Shackqueenking are also among 19 nominees to the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up going about 1 1/16 miles, along with Bobby G, a 14-time winner at Laurel; multiple New York-bred stakes winner Sea Foam; and Workin On a Dream, second to Cordmaker in the Small and Manfuso in his last two starts.

Completing the stakes action is the $100,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares 4 and up at about 1 1/16 miles which attracted 19 nominations, including Belle of the North and Leader of the Band; multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter and Miss Leslie; Battle Bling, last out winner of the Jan. 16 Ladies at Aqueduct; Kiss the Girl, exiting a victory in the one-mile Geisha Jan. 29 at Laurel; and Frost Point, a popular 1 1/16-mile allowance winner Jan. 27 at Laurel for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

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Winter Weather Whacks Laurel Park’s Saturday Card

Lingering effects from winter storm Landon have forced the Maryland Jockey Club to cancel Saturday's live nine-race card at Laurel Park.

In addition to the winter storm, which passed through the Mid-Atlantic region Thursday and Friday, freezing temperatures and wind chill were contributing factors to the cancellation.

Laurel's planned partial ARC simulcast presentation from San Isidro has also been cancelled.

Laurel, historic Pimlico Race Course, Rosecroft and the MJC's OTB network remain open for simulcasting.

Live action is scheduled to return to Laurel with an eight-race program Sunday. Post time is 12:25 p.m.

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Colt Named For President Biden, Maryland-Bred Joe Targeting Preakness Stakes

The 147th running of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, is the long-range goal for The Elkstone Group's stakes-winning Maryland homebred colt Joe.

Named for President Biden, a longtime family friend of owner-breeder Stuart Grant, and trained by Mike Trombetta, Joe extended his win streak to three races with a popular 2 ½-length triumph in his sophomore debut Jan. 23 at Laurel Park.

The connections opted for the 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance over the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid, Maryland's first stakes of the season for 3-year-olds, to try Joe around two turns. The next stakes in the series is the $100,000 Miracle Wood, contested at a one-turn mile, Feb. 19.

Following the Miracle Wood, the 3-year-old series continues with the $100,000 Private Terms going 1 1/16 miles March 19 and the $125,000 Tesio at 1 1/8 miles April 16. For the seventh straight year, the Tesio will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the May 21 Preakness at historic Pimlico Race Course.

“We're still deciding what's next. Obviously there's a race coming up at Laurel in another couple weeks, but I don't know if that's bringing him back a little too quick,” Grant said. “Our path is targeting the Tesio, and if we're fortunate enough to win the Tesio, then the Preakness would be the next step from there.

“We're going to take a little different path than the traditional 'I'm on the Derby trail.' We are not on the Derby trail,” he added. “We will see how this horse develops, but we will target him in a way that if he develops the way that we would like him to, then maybe we will sneak into the Preakness with a fresh horse and see if we can surprise some people.”

Joe has raced exclusively at Laurel, running fifth in his unveiling last October. He hasn't lost since, including an impressive 1 ½-length victory from off the pace in the seven-furlong Maryland Juvenile Dec. 18 to cap his 2-year-old season.

“Mike's doing a great job. We have had some long discussions,” Grant said. “It's always tempting to put a horse on that trail but if you think over the years about the horses that have been put on that trail … it makes it a long year on that horse. I think we have a good one. We don't know how good, but we're going to sort of develop this way and maybe not have as much pressure. Maybe we'll learn that we're not that good early on and we'll sort of reset our sights, but for now that's what we're going to do.”

A decision is also forthcoming on Grade 3 winner Wondrwherecraigis, who launched his comeback with an emphatic 3 ¾-length triumph in the Jan. 29 Fire Plug at Laurel. It was his first race since overcoming a foot issue following his victory in the Oct. 31 Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont Park.

The Fire Plug was the third stakes win for the 5-year-old gelding, each at different tracks, also capturing the 2021 Tale of the Cat at Saratoga. He has finished first in each of the last five, but was disqualified to second for interference in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) last fall.

Overall the Brittany Russell trainee, owned in partnership by Grant, Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, has seven wins, one second and one third from 11 lifetime starts.

“I have been thrilled with his last five races. He is a throwback. He's sort of a hard-working, blue-collar horse. He will continue to get it done and he will continue to run in good races,” Grant said. “Brittany does a really good job and keeps the horse well. The horse is ready to run each time. He had a quarter crack so he had to miss a race, but she took care of that. She won't run him unless he's ready to run and we've seen the results.”

Next up for older sprinters in Maryland is the $250,000 General George (G3) Feb. 19 at Laurel, one of six stakes worth $900,000 on a program that also includes the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3).

“The horse will tell us whether it's too quick [back] for him. I don't think we're ruling that out but we are also not having our heart set on it so that we're subject to disappointment or we push him into a race that is a not a good race for him,” Grant said. “We are conscious of it. He is a strong horse and he's been training well and we will see. He may wind up there. The horse will tell Brittany and Brittany will share it with us.”

Also in the conversation among Russell and the ownership group for Wondrwherecraigis is the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) March 26 at Meydan.

“We are talking and we are talking with Brittany and we are trying to figure out what would be best for the horse and what would be best for us. Yes, there's a certain excitement to winning a Dubai race like that; on the other hand, we have a gelding and all of a sudden the grade of the race or the prestige of the race might not be that important,” Grant said. “With a gelding you're really thinking, 'Ok, how can I maximize his purse money, say, through the end of the year?' That becomes a tough decision.

“If you take him overseas, there's a certain amount of wear and tear that happens on a horse, albeit with an older horse maybe the wear and tear isn't quite as great but it's still there. You just worry if you bring him over there and if he doesn't run well, is he still the same horse when he gets back here?” he added. “Or, do I keep him running in the Mid-Atlantic, say at Laurel and Aqueduct and Belmont and maybe take him up to Saratoga, and between those four racecourses, which isn't more than a four-hour ship from the farthest to the shortest, do I maximize his ability to run in some nice races every six weeks? That's the discussion that's going on.”

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