News Summary:
On January 19, 2026, the state of Maryland announced plans to purchase Laurel Park, a historic racetrack in Anne Arundel County, to convert it into a training center. This initiative, replacing earlier plans to use Shamrock Farm in Carroll County, forms part of a broader effort to revitalize Maryland's thoroughbred horse racing industry, with Laurel Park having previously been slated for closure. Earlier in January, on January 7, Maryland's average daily handle for races at Laurel and Pimlico in 2025 increased by 13.49% over 2024, reaching $3,407,493, although The Stronach Group retains control over Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan days for both 2025 and 2026. Previously, on July 29, 2025, 1/ST Racing, an entity of The Stronach Group, confirmed it would discontinue selling its simulcast signal from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park to Hipódromo Camarero in Puerto Rico, citing horse welfare and safety concerns, and simultaneously donated $100,000 to Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare. On the same day, 1/ST also announced it would honor trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Christophe Clement by renaming graded stakes races at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park. In May 2025, ahead of the Preakness Stakes, The Stronach Group utilized its AI to select favored horses for the race.
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