Maryland Million faces move

Cracking glass in Laurel Park's grandstand could force the Maryland Million, one of the biggest racing events in the state, to be run at Pimlico, according to an article in Sunday's Baltimore Sun.

The article said that Lou Raffetto Jr., chief operating officer at the Maryland Jockey Club, which owns and operates Laurel and Pimlico, plans to tell the Maryland racing commission Wednesday of the intention to move Maryland Million Day to Pimlico.

The one-day event, scheduled for Oct. 13, is restricted to the progeny of Maryland-based sires and paid out $1.25 million in purses when it was held last year at Laurel. Since its inauguration in 1986, the Maryland Million has been run every year at Laurel, with the exception of five years when it was held at Pimlico.

The MJC has hired engineers to determine why large hunks of glass have been breaking away from the grandstand, which overlooks the racetrack.

The racing commission has already granted permission to the MJC to run Laurel's August dates at Pimlico. Laurel is currently scheduled to reopen in September after the Maryland State Fair at Timonium closes on Labor Day. Raffetto told the Sun that the MJC is "making every effort" to race at Laurel after Timonium closes, with the exception of Maryland Million Day.