Live Racing

If racetrack management has its way, next month's Pimlico meet could be the last live thoroughbred racing staged in Baltimore during the late summer and early fall.It might be called retro-racing -- going back to the 1960s and '70s, when there was limited summer racing in Maryland and the live action was at Delaware Park. However, problems in the state's racing industry are driving this proposed move.But to eliminate dates at Pimlico would require legislative approval, and it would open the possibility that Maryland stables will ship elsewhere to run for the entire summer.

Pimlico Race Course Russell takes jockey title; Vazquez wins trainer crown The Pimlico Race Course spring meeting ended Saturday with jockey Sheldon Russell and trainer Juan Vazquez winning individual titles. The 36-day stand began April 4. Russell topped the jockey standings for the second time in three years with 28 first-place finishes, two more than Xavier Perez and apprentice Victor Carrasco . The 25-year-old had six multiple-win days during the meet, including three wins May 4. "I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to ride for who I ride for," Russell said.

Pimlico Race Course Russell takes jockey title; Vazquez wins trainer crown The Pimlico Race Course spring meeting ended Saturday with jockey Sheldon Russell and trainer Juan Vazquez winning individual titles. The 36-day stand began April 4. Russell topped the jockey standings for the second time in three years with 28 first-place finishes, two more than Xavier Perez and apprentice Victor Carrasco . The 25-year-old had six multiple-win days during the meet, including three wins May 4. "I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to ride for who I ride for," Russell said.

Pimlico Race Course Cerro holds on for win in Canonero II Stakes Odds-on favorite Cerro led to the far turn, allowed Dynamic Strike to move to his inside and battled that one the rest of the way to win the $75,000 Canonero II Stakes for 3-year-olds at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday. Cerro, who is owned by Team Valor International, is trained by Rick Mettee and was ridden Alan Garcia . The ownership partnership includes Olympic swimming star Michael Phelps , a Baltimore native, his longtime coach Bob Bowman and former VISA USA chief executive Carl Pascarella . Cerro won by a nose, with Dynamic Strike finishing second.

Laurel Race Course is to resume full-card, commingled simulcast wagering today, and live racing is expected to return Sunday. Tomorrow's live program was canceled because of track conditions after yesterday's snow and continued cold temperatures.Rosecroft Raceway and Charles Town canceled today's card. Penn National will have live racing today.Simulcast wagering, which will consist of several thoroughbred tracks, including Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Philadelphia Park, will be offered at Laurel and Pimlico race courses and the state's off-track betting facilities.

Horsemen who looked out over the tracks at Laurel, Pimlico and Bowie race courses yesterday saw essentially what they saw on their driveways at home -- a sheet of ice.As a result, Laurel management suspended live racing until Saturday. No entries were taken for tomorrow and Friday.If course superintendant John Passero and his crews do get the tracks up and running by this weekend, it still means that a week of live racing has been lost. Laurel did not run last weekend because of frigid temperatures or on Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and yesterday because of snow and ice.Horsemen have lost roughly $750,000 in purses.

Live racing is set to resume at Laurel Race Course today after a string of eight weather-related cancellations.Track superintendent John Passero met with representatives of the Jockeys' Guild about 12:30 p.m. yesterday. "They took a walk around the track, checked it out and then John informed me that it's a go for today," said Laurel/Pimlico general manager John E. Mooney. "I'm sure with all the melting, they will take another look at it [this morning], but I don't foresee any problems."Lenny Hale, vice president of racing, said horses trained at Laurel and Pimlico yesterday, but not at Bowie.

Live racing returns to Pimlico Race Course for the five-week summer/fall stand today with a 1:10 p.m. post time. Racing will be conducted on a Thursday through Sunday schedule except for the final week, when cards will be presented on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Columbus Day). Opening day will feature free admission, a complimentary live racing program and $1 selected food and beverage items at concessions. The meet features 16 stakes races, with three $150,000 added money tests: John Schapiro (Sept.

The much-publicized demise of the Charles Town, W.Va., racetrack lasted less than three months.Management of the half-mile oval, about 90 minutes west of Baltimore, announced yesterday that it plans to offer an expanded multi-card simulcasting program six days a week starting Feb. 24 and will resume live racing on March 10.The track held its last live races Dec. 11 and closed in late December for simulcasting, purportedly because it was losing too much...

Less live racing.It's in the cards for Maryland's thoroughbred horsemen, who have been accustomed for the past 20 years to running on ayear-round circuit with a program of nine or more live races at least five days a week.But that's no longer the case in this era of multiple-signal simulcasting. It's a development that's been predicted ever since the widespread betting on televised races from out-of-state tracks, coupled with a horse and owner shortage, began to evolve a few years ago.Horsemen recently received an inkling of what's in store when live races were cut from 47 to 45 a week.

The racing gods obviously got their signals crossed, choosing to grace Pimlico with a glorious afternoon to enjoy the first jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday while the 19 horses in the Kentucky Derby slogged through the mud at Churchill Downs. So the 5,749 race fans at Old Hilltop truly got the best of both worlds, kicking off the two-week run-up to the Preakness with a full card of live racing and the opportunity to place their bets and try to choose the horse that will come to Baltimore with hope still alive for horse racing's biggest prize.

On Jan. 1, apprentice rider Trevor McCarthy rode four winners on opening day of the Laurel Park winter meet. On Thursday, the 18-year-old visited the winners' circle three times on opening day of the Pimlico Race Course spring meeting. McCarthy was first aboard Christmas Flys ($6.40-third), Go Allie ($12-fourth) and Granted Ruler ($12.60-seventh). "It is something about opening day," said McCarthy, who finished second in the Laurel standings with 51 victories. "I didn't get leading rider at Laurel but I did win four races twice and had my first career stakes race.

Live racing at Laurel Park is canceled today due to the weather conditions in the area. Training at Laurel and the Bowie Training Center is also canceled, but as of 5 a.m., Laurel and Pimlico Race Course will be open for simulcasting today. Live racing is scheduled to resume Thursday with post time set for 12:35 p.m.

Laurel Park canceled live racing after the second race Wednesday due to inclement weather, the Maryland Jockey Club announced in a news release. Laurel and Pimlico Race Course will remain open for simulcasting. Live racing is scheduled to resume Thursday with a 12:35 p.m. post time.

The screams of joy from Monica Lawler could be heard across the cavernous clubhouse at Pimlico shortly after the Kentucky Derby ended Saturday. She and her father, Bob Lawler, put money on No. 19, I'll Have Another, who had just won the first leg of the Triple Crown. Monica bet $6 on the Kentucky-bred horse to finish first, second or third. She picked the horse based solely on its name and quickly headed to the teller to collect $55 in winnings. Her father, who tried a more complex bet involving other horses, didn't take home a dime.

Indoor soccer Blast signs Watson, Ukah, DeRoux Less than a week before training camp, the Blast has added three players to its roster for the 2011-12 season. Matt Watson (UMBC) returns for his fifth season, while fellow forward Warren Ukah is back for his second year. They're joined by midfielder-defender Stephen DeRoux . "We are excited to announce the return of Watson and Ukah as well as the addition of DeRoux," Blast coach Danny Kelly said in a statement.

One of the people in the forefront of changes taking place i the racing industry is Baltimore native Chris Scherf, executive director of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, who is headquartered at Fair Hill.Scherf, who graduated from Mount St. Joseph's High School and the University of Maryland, is a former racing writer who once worked for the defunct News American in Baltimore and then covered racing for United Press International and the Louisville Courier-Journal.He was in town this week overseeing operations at AmTote headquarters in Hunt Valley for the first National Pic-6, thethree-part series of six stakes races that started yesterday and continues Sept.

Live racing at Pimlico Race Course was canceled yesterday, and the track will not conduct a live card today because of Hurricane Isabel. Simulcast action will be available at both Pimlico and Laurel Park today. Pimlico originally planned to run yesterday, but increasing wind and weather reports that strong rains would arrive sooner in the day than first forecast caused the change. Eight races yesterday and nine scheduled for today were affected. "We had anticipated some winds this afternoon, but once the forecast called for heavy rain moving in earlier than expected, we had to make this decision," said Lou Raffetto, chief operating officer of the Maryland Jockey Club.

Rosecroft Raceway, which had been shuttered since last year, will re-open for simulcast races on Thursday. Under a new ownership, the Prince George's County harness track will open seven days a week to accept bets on harness and quarterhorse races from across the country. The track will resume live racing on Oct. 21 after a nearly three-year absence. Casino operator Penn National Gaming bought Rosecroft for $11 million earlier this year in a bankruptcy auction. Hanah.cho@baltsun.com An earlier version of this article misstated the amount of money for which Rosecroft sold at auction.

The Maryland Racing Commission on July 6 is to consider a request to resume live harness racing at Rosecroft Raceway in Prince George's County after nearly three years. Rosecroft's new owner, Penn National Gaming, submitted a license application in May with hopes of resuming racing on July 1. The casino operator said it wanted to operate 20 days of live racing this year and 54 days next year. Penn National spokesman Eric Schippers said Wednesday that the company hoped to receive approval at the July 6 hearing and planned to modify the racing schedule.