The Horsemen’s Newsletter June 2021 Vol. 30 • Number 6 Match Series Training Moves To Heads To Pimlico and Timonium Round Two The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Champion- ships Series (MATCH) continues Sunday, June 13, at Pimlico Race Course with the $100,000 Shine Again Stakes, the second of six stakes in the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division for 2021. The Shine Again, originally scheduled to be run at Laurel Park at seven furlongs, will be a six-furlong event. The Maryland Jockey Club Racing Office received 19 nominations, including several horses that competed in the May 15 Skipat Stakes, the first race of the division. Pennsylvania-bred Chub Wagon, winner of The post-Preakness environment in Maryland many years, has been positive. All of the activity the Skipat, ran her career record to six wins was one of transition, as more than 700 horses of a full barn area is reminiscent of the days when in six starts. The 4-year-old filly based at Parx based at Laurel Park began shipping to Pimlico Timonium held a 40-day meet in the summer, Racing was entered in her first graded stakes, in Race Course, and a week later to the Maryland said Bill Reightler, Director of Racing Operations New York June 5, but her connections indicated State Fair at Timonium. for the State Fair. she would scratch and race in the Shine Again. The move was necessitated by a major Horsemen noted the relatively short trip to Continued on Page 3 overhaul of the Laurel Park dirt surface. The last Pimlico from Timonium for racing is a bonus day of limited training at Laurel was May 25— given the circumstances that led to the temporary the day after horses were cleared to travel to and relocation. stable at Timonium. The removal of all horses from Laurel has al- The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s lowed for acceleration of the racing surface proj- Association arranged for temporary tented stalls ect, which entails stripping the entire track to the at Pimlico to accommodate the large number of base, examining and perhaps repairing parts of horses. At Timonium, a 60-stall tent barn that was the sub-base, and laying down new cushion ma- used for the recent Fasig-Tipton sale has remained terial. The project was addressed during the May on the grounds. In addition, more than 100 back- 27 meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission. stretch workers are being housed at two hotels in MRC Executive Director Mike Hopkins said proximity to the State Fairgrounds as well as in that if the weather cooperates, the agency was dormitory rooms that were cleared for occupation told the project should be completed by the end June 3. of June, though horses would need roughly two “I can’t say enough about the horsemen, the weeks to gallop or work on the track before it owners and trainers,” Maryland Jockey Club Presi- could be used for racing. dent Sal Sinatra said. “Everybody pitched in—the The MTHA will continue to provide updates MTHA and our team at the MJC.” on the project at mdhorsemen.com and will con- Feedback from horsemen based at Timoni- tinue sending text messages to keep racing par- um, where the barn area has been used only for ticipants abreast of any changes in training sched- auctions and ship-ins for the short race meets for ules or related developments. Reminder On License Renewal Deadline Backstretch workers and other individuals outside of owners or trainers should note the deadline for renewal of Maryland Racing Com- mission licenses is Wednesday, June 30. The MRC licensing office at Pimlico Race Course is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thurs- days, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on race days—Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June. Please note the last racing day in June is Sunday, June 27. The deadline for license renewal for owners and trainers is Dec. 31. Food Service Summer Meet Stakes Update Schedule Totals Per the Maryland Jockey Club, Miguel Paz is currently serving food beginning at 5 a.m. in Almost $2 Million the jockeys’ room at Pimlico Race Course every day. Closing hours will The Maryland Jockey Club will offer almost $2 races. Three of the June 13 stakes already have had depend upon demand. million in stakes purses for its summer meet, includ- distance changes: the Shine Again for fillies and Backstretch workers ing six events for Maryland-bred or -sired horses. mares is now six furlongs instead of seven furlongs; should note that on live The five stakes set for June 13 are slated and the Stormy Blues, for 3-year-old fillies, and racing days at Pimlico, for Pimlico rather than Laurel Park as originally Ben’s Cat, for Maryland-bred or -sired 3-year-olds they should ensure that scheduled. Laurel is undergoing a major surface and up, are now five furlongs on the turf instead they get to the jockeys’ restoration project, and there is no definitive 1 room by 11 a.m., of 5 ⁄2 furlongs. competition date. The other stakes days1—July 4, All but one of the open stakes are valued at because the room will July 24, July 31 and Aug. 21—are scheduled to be need to be cleared as $100,000 while the state-restricted stakes each go held at Laurel but that could change depending on the jockeys arrive for racing. On live racing days, the time requirement to complete the project. for $75,000. The richest event of the summer meet Paz will continue to serve food for jockeys and MJC Racing Secretary Jillian Tullock said if is the $200,000, Grade 3 Baltimore Washington valets based on demand. more stakes are shifted to Pimlico, some of the International Turf Cup at one mile on grass. It is one For backstretch workers who relocated to the distances would be altered because Pimlico, for of four stakes, all on the turf, scheduled for July 24. Maryland State Fair at Timonium, the track kitchen 1 instance, cannot accommodate 5 ⁄2-furlong turf The Aug. 21 program will feature four Maryland- is open everyday for breakfast and lunch from 6:30 1 races or 6 ⁄2-furlong, seven-furlong, or one-mile dirt restricted stakes, two on the turf and two on dirt. a.m. to 1 p.m. Takeout dinners are also available. Maryland State Fair Offering Barn Awards The Maryland State Fair at Ti- the Fair, said the weekly awards monium, which currently is hous- will continue for as long as the ing more than 550 horses from horses are on the grounds. Laurel Park, will begin recogniz- “To the horsemen, we’d like to ing the “best kept” barns begin- say, ‘We hope they are as pleased ning the week of June 6. to be here as we are to have them Based on judging by Fair of- as our guests,’ ” Reightler said. ficials, the trainer whose stabling Horses were relocated from and maintenance of the road area Laurel to Timonium and Pimlico is selected as best will be awarded Race Course to facilitate a recon- $400, which will go to the staff of the trainer. There struction of the dirt track at Laurel. The Laurel will be only one award per stable. summer meet dates have been shifted to Pimlico Bill Reightler, Director of Racing Operations for through at least June 30. MATCH, continued from Page 1 2021 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Several locally-based runners are nominated Championship Series Schedule to the Shine Again. Five Hellions Farm’s Dontletsweetfoolya, 3-Year-Old & Up Sprint - Dirt trained by Lacey Gaudet, finished fourth in the Date Race Purse Sex Distance Track Skipat after leading for almost five furlongs. The 7/4/21 Lite The Fuse Stakes $100,000 7 fur. Laurel Park 4-year-old filly has won five of 10 starts, including 7/31/21 Challedon Stakes $100,000 6 1/2 fur. Laurel Park two stakes, and has a win on the Pimlico dirt. 8/23/21 Chesapeake Stakes $100,000 6 fur. Colonial Downs No Guts No Glory Farm’s Anna’s Bandit, with 9/18/21 De Francis Dash (G3) $200,000 6 fur. Laurel Park 12/26/21 Dave's Friend Stakes (Listed) $100,000 6 fur. Laurel Park 17 wins and almost $800,000 in earnings, hasn’t raced since June 2020 but has been working regu- 3-Year-Old & Up Long - Dirt larly at Pimlico and Delaware Park, where trainer Date Race Purse Sex Distance Track John Robb has a small string given the relocation 7/31/21 Deputed Testamony Stakes $100,000 1 1/8 mi. Laurel Park of horses from Laurel. The 7-year-old mare has 8/23/21 Victory Gallop Stakes $100,000 1 1/16 mi. Colonial Downs been one of the top female sprinters in the Mid- 9/18/21 Polynesian Stakes $100,000 1 mi. Laurel Park Atlantic region for years. 11/27/21 Richard Small Stakes (Listed) $100,000 1 1/8 mi. Laurel Park Hibiscus Punch, owned by Edward Seltzer 12/26/21 Native Dancer Stakes $100,000 1 1/16 mi. Laurel Park and Beverly Anderson, won the Grade 3 Barbara Fillies and Mares, 3-Year-Old & Up Sprint - Dirt Fritchie Stakes at Laurel in February and most Date Race Purse Sex Distance Track recently competed in a Grade 1 stakes at Churchill 6/12/21 Shine Again Stakes $100,000 Fillies and Mares 7 fur. Laurel Park Downs. The 6-year-old mare is based in Maryland 7/31/21 Alma North Stakes $100,000 Fillies and Mares 6 1/2 fur.