First summer meet in a decade deemed a success

Maryland Jockey Club officials have deemed the first Laurel Park summer meet in a decade a success and are convinced Laurel “needs to run a portion of the summer” in upcoming years, according to Sal Sinatra, general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club.

The Laurel summer meet ran three days a week from July 3 through Sunday. Twilight racing was held Fridays with day cards Saturdays and Sundays.

The only stakes races of the meet came on last Saturday’s Maryland Pride card, when four $60,000 stakes for Maryland-bred or -sired horse were held. All-sources handle on the card was more than $3 million, according to a Maryland Jockey Club release, with more than $1 million bet ontrack and through the Maryland simulcast network.

In-state handle was up more than $50,000 on live race days in July and August, and money wagered on incoming simulcasts also was up markedly, according to the release.

Laurel ran approximately half its races over its huge turf course, which allows racing over a wide variety of lanes. The grass races averaged more than nine runners each.

"Our handle was up over comparable dates, which would have been Wednesdays in the fall and winter,” Sinatra said. “We're also extremely pleased with the $3 million on Maryland Pride Day, something we haven't seen at Laurel in quite some time.”

Racing switches to Timonium from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7. Laurel reopens Sept 12 and will run on a three-day-a-week schedule through the end of the year.