Maryland Racing Commission | Horse Racing Free Tips

Laurel ‘Tweaks’ Have Quelled Track Safety Concerns

Concerns over the safety of the troubled main dirt track at Laurel Park have quieted since racing was halted there Apr. 21-28. Mike Rogers, the president of the racing division for 1/ST Racing, which owns both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, told the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) Tuesday that several “tweaks” to the maintenance routine represent the only significant changes to the surface since racing resumed Apr. 29.

The tone was noticeably less tense and in-person attendance was diminished during the MRC's regular monthly meeting at Laurel May 2. Those dynamics stood in contrast to when the commission met one week previously on Apr. 25 for an emergency session to address five recent main-track equine fatalities at Laurel, including two that occurred there Apr. 20.

Last week, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the management team at 1/ST Racing announced an “access agreement” that allowed for the MTHA's preferred track maintenance consultant, John Passero, to be retained to perform testing. Passero used to be the MJC's superintendent several decades ago, and the horsemen had previously lobbied for his inclusion as a consultant during the winter of 2021-22, which was when the last significant spate of equine deaths occurred over the Laurel dirt.

On Tuesday, Rogers said track executives and the horsemen “definitely appear to be on the same page right now…. Clearly, both sides are feeling that the track is in [such] a safe place that horses are able to run on it. I think Mr. Passero's quote said, 'If I owned a horse, I'd have no issues racing it.'”

Rogers acknowledged the two sides initially had differences: “Our group took the position that we felt the track was safe,” he said. “I know the horsemen took a different position. So we allowed an access agreement with Mr. Passero to come to the track. So Mr. Passero came on the grounds, and he recommended a couple of tweaks–slowing the tractors down; I think he had them go the opposite way in one direction, which I think our gentlemen were actually doing already anyways.

“But I think he increased the number of times that they go in reverse around the course. So it was kind of little tweaks of the harrows. We were kind of using what's called drag harrows in the morning and position harrows in the afternoon. And Mr. Passero recommended that we stay with the drag harrows in the morning and afternoon. So a couple of little tweaks here and there, and our crew felt that his recommendations made sense and we adopted them.”

In response to a question from a commissioner, Rogers confirmed that the work was being conducted over the entirety of the track and was not confined to a single problem area. He also said that 1/ST Racing hasn't nixed a single one of Passero's ideas.

“As of now, none of [Passero's] recommendations were a cause for concern on our side,” Rogers said. “As of right now, we've adopted all of his recommendations [and] we recognize that he has a lot of experience.”

Unlike last week's meeting at which several horsemen's representatives spoke about the situation, none were called upon to speak by the MRC and none asked to speak during public commentary.

In response to another MRC question, Rogers said Passero's work would not extend to Pimlico for the upcoming GI Preakness S. meet there May 11-29.

“His access agreement runs [until] June 30, and the access agreement is for Laurel only,” Rogers said.

Laurel's main track was closed for five months in 2021 for an emergency rebuild from the base up. But eight horses died from fractures while racing or training over that new track between Oct. 3 and Nov. 28, 2021, leading to weeks-long halts in racing through early the winter of 2022.

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Training Open As Laurel Cards Races For Saturday

Laurel Park will be open for training on Thursday and Friday, with the intent to run this Saturday, Apr. 29, Alan Foreman, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA), said by phone Wednesday afternoon.

Last Saturday's cancelled Apr. 22 card of 98 entries included a pair of $100,000 races in the Native Dancer S. and the Primonetta S., scheduled for the main track. This time around, the racing office has taken 116 entries over 11 races with the same slate of five stakes.

The decision to cancel last Friday into the weekend came one day after a horse had to be euthanized, while the another was vanned off and reportedly euthanized. Both ran over the dirt surface Thursday, Apr. 20 in the fourth and fifth races–making five fatalities within the month.

With numerous talks between the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the Stronach Group last weekend and into Monday, the two sides agreed, with the approval of the Maryland Racing Commission, to allow Laurel and Pimlico's former track superintendent John Passero to conduct his own third-party assessment of the track's suitability for racing.

“Mr. Passero made recommendations and adjustments based on his expertise and understanding of Laurel, and the horsemen respect those decisions,” Foreman said. “Training is open Thursday and Friday, and it is my understanding that he will be present to ensure that all goes well during that time.”

The Friday forecast calls for heavy rains that could derail the running of Saturday's card, but Foreman confirmed that Passero would be present into the weekend.

“If rain moves in, then we could have to postpone,” Foreman said. “There will not be training Saturday morning, and that will give him [Passero] time to issue further findings. There is an air of palpable confidence and we know this will lead to a positive situation for everyone. I only regret that we did not come to a decision sooner.”

Within the ranks of Maryland's horsemen others have expressed ongoing concern. Trainer Lacey Gaudet said, “I won't be participating in breezing or racing this weekend. The weather is also a factor in that, but everything is still awfully raw, and I just want to be confident before my stable moves forward. I can't thank all of my owners and clients enough for supporting that decision as a horseman.”

Laurel's 11-race card on Saturday also includes three turf stakes and an allowance one, which could be rained-off and moved to the main track, if racing is deemed safe to proceed.

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Laurel Track Woes: Passero To Consult, Pimlico Move On Hold For Now

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) and the management team at 1/ST Racing announced an agreement Tuesday morning that will allow for the MTHA's preferred track maintenance consultant, John Passero, to be retained to perform testing that will hopefully lead to the latest round of fixes in a years-long series of safety woes that have plagued Laurel Park's main dirt track.

The agreement, which was announced at an emergency meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) Apr. 25, put off for the time being any action by the commission that would have mandated shifting racing to Pimlico Race Course some 30 miles north in Baltimore. 1/ST Racing owns both tracks under the corporate name Maryland Jockey Club (MJC).

Five horses have had to be euthanized this month at Laurel, including two who raced there Apr. 20. After last Thursday's fatalities, 1/ST Racing initially announced that racing would be canceled indefinitely, then later tried to fill an Apr.27 card that was abandoned when horsemen withheld entries. Management has maintained that the track is safe, while the horsemen have disagreed, at one point calling the situation a “catastrophic emergency.”

Passero used to be the MJC's track superintendent several decades ago, and the horsemen had lobbied for his inclusion as a consultant during the winter of 2021-22, which was when the last significant spate of equine deaths occurred over the Laurel dirt.

At that time, a Maryland racing commissioner described Passero during a public meeting as having the confidence of “rank-and-file horsemen” while noting that Passero felt “frustrated” when his input as a consultant “was not being heeded” by track executives.

Both in the past and for the present problems, 1/ST Racing has relied upon its own consultants, most notably Dennis Moore, known for his longtime track superintendent work at Santa Anita Park, another track in 1/ST Racing's corporate portfolio.

Craig Fravel, 1/ST Racing's chief executive officer, told commissioners during Tuesday's meeting that the negotiations with horsemen yielded “basically an access agreement for the MTHA to retain their consultant, John Passero, to come to the racetrack to perform whatever tests [and] evaluations [that] he feels are necessary to inform himself and his client [that could lead to] possible improvements to the racing surface.”

Fravel noted that Passero will be employed by the MTHA, and that the exact scope of his work is not defined by the agreement. Whatever data Passero uncovers will then be analyzed by track management, the horsemen, and the commission to determine the next steps.

Tim Keefe, the president of the MTHA, said he expected Passero to begin work as soon as Wednesday, Apr. 26.

Alan Foreman, an attorney who represents the MTHA, said, “We'll collectively assess his findings. Any work that needs to be done, our hope is that it is a relatively quick fix, and that we will be back to racing as quickly as possible.”

Fravel was asked directly by a commissioner about the possibility of relocating the current Laurel meet to Pimlico, which is scheduled to race May 11-29 for its GI Preakness S. meet.

“We're going to approach all of these questions in good faith,” Fravel said. “We're not taking anything off the table, but we need to let this process unfold,” before having discussions about moving to Pimlico.

MRC chairman Michael Algeo made it clear that the commission's top priority is safety.

“Racing will not resume here until this commission says it can resume,” Algeo said. “This is uncharted territory for the commission. This was not a hearing that we anticipated. It's not a hearing that we wanted. But I have emphasized throughout my time as chairman and member of this commission that we needed cooperation, communication and compromise.

“We cannot afford to get this wrong. We have to get it right,” Algeo underscored.

Algeo noted that the MRC has a regularly scheduled monthly meeting for next Tuesday, May 2, at which it could take next steps, unless sooner action is warranted. Although his tone was generally terse, Algeo added that he was “optimistic” the testing and the fixes could proceed as swiftly as possible.

Pimlico hosted an extended meet through the summer of 2021 the last time Laurel's track needed extensive repairs.

After years of freeze/thaw and drainage troubles, Laurel's main track was in such bad shape in the spring of 2021 that Laurel ceased racing on it Apr. 11, 2021, to begin an emergency rebuild from the base up. The project was repeatedly delayed and had its scope expanded, and it ended up taking five months before racing could resume instead of the initially projected one month.

When racing resumed in September 2021, the main track had no apparent safety issues. But the onset of cold weather revealed problems with seams in the base of the homestretch, then the cushion atop that layer needed substantial reworking to give it more body and depth.

Eight horses died from fractures while racing or training over Laurel's main track between Oct. 3 and Nov. 28, 2021, leading to weeks-long halts in racing through early the winter of 2022.

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Progress At Laurel: Horsemen, Management Nearing Deal To Allow Passero To Examine Track

The impasse between Maryland horsemen and the Stronach Group regarding the condition of the main track at Laurel could be nearing a resolution as the two sides are close to an agreement to let John Passero examine the racetrack.

Passero is the former track superintendent at Laurel and Pimlico and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (MTHA) has been insistent on letting him examine the track and have the final say regarding whether or not it was safe and, if not, what fixes were in order. The Stronach Group had brought in its own expert, Santa Anita track superintendent Dennis Moore, and were set to rely on his expertise.

Five horses have had to be euthanized this month at Laurel, including two who raced there last Thursday. After the Thursday breakdowns, Laurel management announced that racing would be canceled indefinitely. It is not clear yet when it will resume. A card scheduled for Thursday was scrapped due to a lack of entries.

Management has maintained that the track is safe, while the horsemen have taken an opposing view, at one point calling the situation a “catastrophic emergency.”

“We're trying to work through a few things,” said Tim Keefe, the president of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. “But we've almost come to an agreement with the Stronach Group to let our track advisor, John Passero, come in and do some work. Nothing is finalized yet.”

But Keefe said that the mere fact that The Stronach Group is considering letting Passero study the track is a step in the right direction.

“Yes, I am encouraged,” Keefe said “I thought we had come to an agreement (Sunday) night regarding John and I was thrilled. This has been a roller coaster of emotions over the last 12 hours. I was thrilled and ecstatic last night. I was discouraged this morning. But I am more hopeful now. If that makes any sense.”

Keefe said that even if Passero is put in charge of the project, the final say regarding a resumption of racing will rest with the Maryland Racing Commission. But, he said, Passero's recommendations figure to carry a lot of weight.

“The final says will come with the racing commission but I expect them to point blank ask John 'Do you certify that this track is safe to run over?' It's either going to be a thumbs up or a thumbs down,” Keefe said. “He could say it's not quite ready yet and here is a list of things that need to be done and looked at. Or he could say, 'Yes, I have done my work and the track is ok.' He's very hopeful and thinks he can get things moving in the right direction in a short period of time.”

The Laurel racing office was open Monday and taking entries for a Friday card, but Keefe said racing will not resume until the Maryland Racing Commission agrees to a resumption of racing. The racing commission has scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Laurel to discuss the issue.

“When can we race again? It's up in the air,” Keefe said. “They're taking entries for Friday. But there will be no racing until the racing commission hears from John Passero or some other third party that the track is deemed safe. They will not let racing resume until they hear that.”

While Moore is among the most respected track superintendents in the business, Keefe said his members are more comfortable with Passero because he worked on the Maryland tracks for years.

“John Passero was in Maryland many years ago when he worked for the DeFrancis family,” he said. “A lot of the long-time horsemen here knew John from back then. They had a very good rapport with him and he had good results when he was here. He is old school. Certainly all the testing and all the laboratories and all the analysis they do, they are great tools. But in the case of John, there's nothing quite like getting out there and getting your hands dirty and walking on the racetrack and getting a real good feel for things. That kind of old-school mentality resonates with a lot of trainers here.”

HISA released the following statement Monday: “On April 20, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus asked HISA Director of Equine Safety & Welfare Dr. Jennifer Durenberger to travel to Laurel Park to support Maryland horsemen and Laurel Park staff in assessing the circumstances surrounding a series of recent equine fatalities. Dr. Durenberger is now in the process of reviewing the information she gathered during her visit as well as available data regarding the veterinary condition of the horses. HISA Director of Racetrack Safety Ann McGovern is also collecting data and consulting with experts regarding the condition of the racetrack surface and whether it poses any risk to horses and riders. This review is ongoing, and HISA has not reached any conclusions regarding the potential causes of the recent fatalities. Once this thorough review has been completed, HISA will issue its findings and set forth any potential next steps. As always, HISA's primary goal is to optimize the safety of horses and riders, and that objective will be prioritized above all else in this review and in any subsequent actions”

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