Laurel Park winter-meet stakes schedule worth $2.2 million

Laurel Park on Monday released the stakes schedule for its 2017 winter meet with familiar clusters of races comprising big-day events.

The richest day of the 56-day meet at the Laurel, Md., track comes Feb. 18, when the Grade 2, $300,000 Barbara Fritchie and Grade 3, $250,000 General George will be among six stakes.

Next is the March 18 card with the $100,000 Private Terms and $100,000 Caesar’s Wish among five stakes. The final big day is April 22, when five stakes will include the $125,000 Federico Tesio and $125,000 Weber City Miss, both Win and You’re In events toward the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan, respectively.

“Thoroughbred racing continues to build momentum in the state of Maryland and Mid-Atlantic region,” Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra said in a media release. “We believe the 2017 winter schedule affords horsemen some great opportunities and our fans some big days to look forward to.”

In all, $2.2 million in purses are being offered through 22 stakes at a meet that runs Jan. 1 through May 7. The first two stakes, the $75,000 Fire Plug and $75,000 What a Summer, are set for Jan. 14.