Laurel drops Sunday racing

Laurel Park intends to drop Sunday racing and race 15 fewer dates than usual at its winter meet.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission, Maryland Jockey Club officials applied for 60 days of live racing for a 15-week meet that runs from Jan. 1 through April 12. Under the plan, live racing would be held four days a week, Wednesday through Saturday.

"We have been saying all year that if nothing was done to help the industry we would have to reduce dates beginning in January," said Lou Raffetto, Maryland Jockey Club president and chief operating officer.