“This is a great way to expand Haskell Day into Haskell Weekend and provide our fans with an amazing racing experience for three straight days,” said Monmouth Park director of racing and racing secretary John Heims. “While Haskell Day is already circled on many conditioners' calendars, this new bonus will hopefully attract more of the nation's top Thoroughbreds to the Jersey Shore this summer.”

The $150,000 in total bonuses will be awarded as follows:  $75,000 (1st); $25,000 (2nd); $20,000 (3rd); $10,000 (4th); $7,500 (5th); and $2,500 (6th-10th).

With over $4 million in purses for the three days, the Haskell Weekend Trainer Challenge will feature eight stakes races: the July 19 Jersey Shore S.; July 20 Haskell, GII United Nations S., GIII Molly Pitcher S., GIII Monmouth Cup, GIII WinStar Matchmaker S., and Wolf Hill S.; as well as the July 21 Regret S.

Points will be awarded based on the race, led by 25 points to the winner of the Haskell, 20 to the runner-up, 15 to third-place finisher, 10 to fourth-place finisher and seven for fifth to last-place finishers.

For all other graded races, points will be awarded to first through last finishers: 18, 15, 10, 8, and 5. All other stakes will offer points of: 12, 9, 7, 5, 4.

Maiden special weights, allowances and handicaps will offer points of: 8, 6, 4, 2 and all other races will offer points of: 5, 3, 2, 1.

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The 'Stay Until May' bonus will reward traines with $200-$250 for every non-stakes runner that fails to hit the board. Trainers are required to run at least two horses during the final 14 days of the racing season and one over the course of the last nine programs. According to a release, the total bonus payout could reach as much as three-quarters of a million dollars.

“We've always taken great pride in the fact that Oaklawn has among the largest fields in American racing,” Oaklawn Racing Secretary Pat Pope said. “And, while the trainers of the top finishers are richly rewarded, this enables us to also show appreciation to trainers who help make our races go even if their starters finish fourth or further back.”

Pope said that the concept, which was first discussed last May by track officials and the HBPA, was unanimously endorsed by the latter's board once finalized. The exact bonus will be $200 for every non-stakes starter that finishes fourth through last from opening day [Dec. 9] through Sunday, Apr. 2. The bonus will then increase to $250 starting Apr. 7 and through the balance of the meet, which concludes May 6.

“The Arkansas HBPA felt there were several reasons to endorse this bonus program, but mainly we wanted to try to help the trainers with the small to mid-sized operations,” said HBPA President Bill Walmsley. “The racing industry is a lot healthier with these trainers in business. We're fortunate at Oaklawn to have a healthy purse account, so it seemed like a good time to implement this program and hopefully it will encourage horsemen to stay until the end.”

Purses are projected to be a record $50 million during the 2022-2023 season. This would put average purses at more than $735,000 per day. All allowance races will be more than $100,000 and maiden special weights will start at $90,000.

The first condition book and stall applications can be found at https://www.oaklawn.com/racing/horsemen/. Stall applications are due Thursday, Oct. 13. The stable area opens Tuesday, Nov. 1 and the track opens for training on Saturday, Nov. 5.

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A total of 16 stakes–10 at the graded level–with combined purse money of $3.8 million will be offered. The trainer who accumulates the most points will earn $50,000, with $25,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth, $4,000 for fifth and $2,000 for sixth.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen was the leading Preakness weekend stakes trainer in 2018 and 2019, followed by Brad Cox in 2019 and Mike Maker in 2020. Asmussen edged Maker for the top spot again in 2021.

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth.

Nominations are free for all stakes, with the exception of the Preakness, and close Tuesday, May 10. To make a nomination, email stakes coordinator Marie Kizenko at marie.kizenko@marylandracing.com; call 410-542-9400 or 800-638-1859; or fax 410-542-1221.

Entries will be taken Sunday, May 15 for the entire Black-Eyed Susan Day program, with post positions drawn for all undercard stakes. The Black-Eyed Susan will be drawn Monday, May 16, when entries are taken and post positions drawn for the Preakness Day program.

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The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Board of Directors June 29 unanimously approved a 15% across-the-board overnight purse increase from July 2 through the end of 2021. Timonium's base purses, normally lower than those at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, will be the same—including the 15% in additional funds.

The MTHA also agreed to provide funding from the Thoroughbred Purse Account for a stakes, the Timonium Juvenile, for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs; contribute $1,000 toward the Maryland State Fair scholarship program; provide $5,000 for the “Horseland” program during the state fair; and contribute $20,000 from the Thoroughbred Purse Account for a trainers' bonus program that has been held in recent years to encourage participation at the entry box.

First post time for the 2021 meet will be 12:40 p.m. with the exception of opening day, when it will be 3 p.m.

Bill Reightler, Director of Racing Operations for the State Fair, said the experiment is designed to attract more interest in the racing product, and it also will dovetail with the awarding of 10 college scholarships throughout the course of the racing card.

The final race, depending on the number of races, will go off between 7:30-8 p.m.

“We came up with the idea because of the Timonium location (near a large population), and racing on a summer evening can help our goal to attract a younger crowd,” Reightler said. “We're going to coordinate it with College Day and offer reduced hot dog and beer prices. “We see our role at the State Fair as promoting racing to new fans. When you talk to racing fans you'll hear many them say their dad took them to the racetrack for the first time. You never know when the next significant person—the whale—is out there.”

Reightler said the initiatives are the result of “full support” from Gerry Brewster, Chairman of the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society, State Fair President Donna Myers, the State Fair Board of Directors, and the State Fair Racing Committee. He also thanked the horsemen's organization for its continued support of the Timonium meet.

“We can't thank the MTHA Board of Directors and the horsemen in Maryland for giving us the tools to have a successful race meet,” Reightler said. The $20,000 trainers' bonus this year will be based upon only a horse's first start of the meet in calculations for the bonuses.

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Asmussen started 11 horses in 10 stakes over the two days, finishing with 54 points. On May 15 he ran first and second with Mighty Mischief and Jaxon Traveler in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) and also finished second with Midnight Bourbon in the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1), Strike Power in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) and Casual in the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat. Boldor finished fourth for Asmussen in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint.

Willful Woman's runner-up effort in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) was Asmussen's best finish with five horses on the May 14 program. He was also third with Arm Candy in the $100,000 Hilltop, fifth with Abrogate in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), sixth with Max Player in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) and seventh with Another Broad in the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3).

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend, not including the $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and fifth through last (one).

This marked the fifth straight year the MJC has offered the trainer bonus program. Asmussen also earned the top prize in each of the first two years, 2017 and 2018.

Maker ran seven horses in six stakes and finished with 43 points for a $25,000 bonus. He won the Black-Eyed Susan with Army Wife and ran first and seventh with Last Judgment and Treasure Trove in the Pimlico Special, also finishing seventh with Phantom Vision in the Hilltop. On Preakness day, Maker won the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) with 2020 runner-up Somelikeithotbrown and Maryland Sprint with Special Reserve, and was seventh with Kasim in the $100,000 James W. Murphy.

Fair Hill (Md.) Training Center-based Graham Motion was third with 27 points and earned $12,000. Mean Mary won the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) and Alda and Mia Martina were respectively first and fourth in the Hilltop. Bye Bye Melvin was fourth and English Bee seventh in the Dinner Party.

Brad Cox, the 2019 top bonus winner, had 24 points to finish fourth and earn $7,000. He won the James Murphy with T D Dance, was second and third with Dreamalildreamofu and Getridofwhatailesu in the Dinner Party, seventh with French Empire in the Skipat and eighth with Adventuring in the Black-Eyed Susan.

Rounding out the top finishers were Chad Brown with 14 points ($4,000) and Mike Trombetta with 12 points ($2,000). Among his horses, Brown ran third and fourth with Great Island and Flighty Lady in the Gallorette and fifth with Crowded Trade and eighth with Risk Taking in the Preakness. Trombetta's best stakes finish came with Murphy runner-up Arzak.

Bonus money totaling $50,000 was also offered for trainers having the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend, with points accumulated in similar fashion. Trombetta and Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's winningest trainer the past four years, tied for first with 27 points and split the $35,000 top prize.

Also winning bonus money were Brittany Russell (21 points, $7,500), Hamilton Smith (15 points, $4,000), Arnaud Delacour (14 points, $1,750) and Anthony Aguirre (14 points, $1,750).

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Asmussen started 11 horses in 10 stakes over the two days, finishing with 54 points. On May 15, he ran first and second with Mighty Mischief (Into Mischief) and Jaxon Traveler (Munnings) in the GIII Chick Lang S. and also finished second with Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GI Preakness S., Strike Power (Speightstown) in the GIII Maryland Sprint S. and Casual (Curlin) in the Runhappy Skipat S. Boldor (Munnings) finished fourth for Asmussen in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint. Willful Woman (Nyquist)'s runner-up effort in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. was Asmussen's best finish with five horses on the May 14 program.

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and fifth through last (one).

This marked the fifth straight year the MJC has offered the trainer bonus program. Asmussen also earned the top prize in each of the first two years, 2017 and 2018.

Maker ran seven horses in six stakes and finished with 43 points for a $25,000 bonus. He won the Black-Eyed Susan with Army Wife (Declaration of War) and ran first and seventh with Last Judgment (Congrats) and Treasure Trove (Tapizar) in the Pimlico Special. On Preakness day, Maker won the GII Dinner Party S. Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) and Maryland Sprint with Special Reserve (Midshipman).

Graham Motion, who saddled GIII Gallorette S. winner Mean Mary (Scat Daddy), was third with 27 points and earned $12,000.

Brad Cox, the 2019 top bonus winner, had 24 points to finish fourth and earn $7,000. Rounding out the top finishers were Chad Brown with 14 points ($4,000) and Mike Trombetta with 12 points ($2,000).

Bonus money totaling $50,000 was also offered for trainers having the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend, with points accumulated in similar fashion. Trombetta and Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's winningest trainer the past four years, tied for first with 27 points and split the $35,000 top prize.

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To help increase horse population, Emerald Downs will offer a $10,000 bonus to any new trainer who brings at least 10 horses to the track. A $5,000 bonus will be paid directly to the trainer upon arrival and an additional $5,000 after the trainer's 10th start of the meet. Trainers must come from a track outside of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.

The popular Ship and Run Incentive Program also has been enhanced for 2021. Out of state horses will receive a $500 bonus for their initial start at Emerald Downs. The bonus is for horses whose most recent start was outside the state and have not raced at Emerald Downs in 2019 and 2020. In addition, horses must have started for a claiming price of $3,000 or more in each of its three previous starts. First-time starters are not eligible. Additionally, every unplaced starter will continue to receive a $200 participation fee.

Emerald Downs' stable area opens Monday, March 1 and training begins Friday, March 5.

Stall applications are available online at emeralddowns.com in the horsemen section. For complete details on the incentive programs call Director of Racing, Bret Anderson at 253-288-7751.

**New trainer and shipping bonus programs cannot be combined. Trainer bonus limited to the first five who qualify, and shipping bonus limited to the first 100 horses that qualify.

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Maker led the way with 43 points, three more than Cox and Asmussen, to earn a $50,000 bonus. Maker registered wins with 2-year-old colt Catman in the $150,000 Laurel Futurity and 3-year-old filly Evil Lyn in the $100,000 Hilltop on Saturday's Oct. 3 undercard of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1).

Also on Saturday, Maker ran second and third with Somelikeithotbrown and Hembree in the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2), fifth with Admiral Lynch in the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), Storm the Hill in the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) and Golden Voice in the $150,000 Selima, and fifth and ninth with Jolting Joe and Chocolate Bar in the $100,000 James W. Murphy.

Maker also finished third in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) with Relentless Dancer and sixth in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint with Tiger Blood Oct. 1.

Cox and Asmussen tied for second with 40 points apiece, each taking home $18,500. On Preakness Day, Cox beat Maker in the Dinner Party with Factor This and Gallorette with Juliet Foxtrot, finished second with Bonny South in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), fourth with Mundaye Call in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), sixth with Landeskog in the De Francis and Nautilus in the Laurel Futurity and 7th with Andesite in the Murphy.

On Oct. 1, Cox ran second in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) with Owendale, who ran third in last year's Preakness in the trainer's Triple Crown debut.

Asmussen, the top bonus winner in 2017 and 2018, was first and fourth with Yaupon and Little Current in the Chick Lang Oct. 1. He finished fourth with defending champion Tenfold in the Pimlico Special Oct. 2, and won the Miss Preakness with Wicked Whisper, was third with Nitrous in the De Francis and Bye Bye J in the $100,000 Skipat, and fifth with Hidden Enemy in the Laurel Futurity on the Preakness undercard.

In the Preakness, where he became the first trainer since fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in 2013 to saddle three horses in the race, Asmussen ran fifth with Max Player, sixth with Excession and 10th with Pneumatic behind historic filly winner Swiss Skydiver.

Fair Hill (Md.)-based trainer Graham Motion came in fourth with 37 points and earned a $7,000 bonus, largely thanks to runner-up finishes in the Selima (Invincible Gal), Laurel Futurity (Wootton Asset), Gallorette (Varenka) and Murphy (Bye Bye Melvin). With his other starters, Motion ran fourth with Pivotal Mission in the Laurel Futurity, fourth and eighth with Lucky Jingle and Shimmering in the Hilltop, and fifth and seventh with True Valour and Irish Strait in the Dinner Party.

Rounding out the top five was Claudio Gonzalez with 29 points, good for a $4,000 bonus. Stabled at Laurel Park, Maryland's three-time defending overall training champion won the Pimlico Special with Harpers First Ride, was second with Completed Pass in the McKay and Eastern Bay in the De Francis, seventh and ninth with Pitching Ari and Lebda in the Chick Lang, and respectively fifth, sixth and seventh with Princess Cadey, Fly On Angel and Ankle Monitor in the Miss Preakness.

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend, not including the $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five) and fourth (three) and by having a starter (one).

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Led by the 145th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1), presented this year as the final jewel in a refashioned Triple Crown and a “Win and You”re In” qualifier for the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), a total of 15 Thoroughbred stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million will be contested over three days.

Trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 stakes races during Preakness weekend will be eligible for bonus money, with $50,000 going to the trainer with the most points, $25,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth, $4,000 for fifth and $2,000 for sixth.

Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five) and fourth (three) and by having a starter (one) in each of Pimlico's Thoroughbred stakes.

Preakness weekend stakes action begins Thursday, Oct. 1 with the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3), $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint and $100,000 The Very One. The historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) highlights a Friday, Oct. 2 card that also serves as Claiming Crown Preview Day.

Joining the $1 million Preakness this year is the 96th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan for 3-year-old fillies. They are supported by the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2), $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), $150,000 Gallorette (G3), $150,000 Laurel Futurity, $150,000 Selima, $100,000 Skipat, $100,000 James W. Murphy, $100,000 Hilltop and $100,000 The Very One.

Nominations for all 15 Thoroughbred stakes close Thursday, Sept. 17.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen captured the $50,000 prize in both 2017 and 2018 but finished second to Brad Cox in 2019. Cox led the way with 36 points last year, three more than Asmussen, including running third and fourth, respectively, with Owendale and Warrior's Charge in the Preakness, Cox's Triple Crown race debut.

Cox won the Miss Preakness with eventual champion Covfefe in track-record time of 1:07.70 for six furlongs and the Allaire duPont Distaff (G3) with Mylady Curlin, and was second with Ulele in the Black-Eyed Susan. Asmussen picked up wins in the Pimlico Special with Tenfold and Maryland Sprint (G3) with New York Central, and was fifth in the Preakness with Laughing Fox.

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