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.

Racing's national resurgence settled upon Pimlico this spring, as the venerable racetrack ended its meet yesterday with a sharp upsurge in betting and the first increase in attendance in years.Other factors contributed to Pimlico's most successful meeting in years: favorable weather, increased television advertising, strong local racing, a captivating Triple Crown series and a record-breaking Preakness.Joe De Francis, president and chief executive officer of the Maryland Jockey Club, said that on those positive notes he looks forward to implementing his plan for dramatic improvements at Pimlico and Laurel Park.

An appeals court has ruled against an effort by Rosecroft Raceway, a harness racing track near Washington, to simulcast thoroughbred racing independent of the state's thoroughbred tracks.For several years, thoroughbred and harness tracks have telecast and accepted bets on each other's races and those coming from out of state through a complicated agreement in which they shared tracks and revenue. Last year, Rosecroft withdrew from the agreement with the thoroughbred tracks -- owned by the Maryland Jockey Club -- and sought permission from the Maryland Racing Commission to simulcast out-of-town thoroughbred races in competition with the Jockey Club.

Laurel Park concluded a highly successful summer meeting yesterday, and Maryland's horse racing focus shifts to Timonium Race Track for the next 10 days.Attendance figures reflected a decrease for the combined Pimlico at Laurel and Laurel summer meetings, and Jim Mango, chief operating officer of the Maryland Jockey Club, attributed that to the long, hot summer."Weather conditions were the big factor," said Mango after attendance dropped 2 percent to 351,910 for 48 live racing days and 12 simulcast-only offerings.

New York invader Makethemostofit dug in gamely to withstand a late charge from Caveat's Shot and won the $50,000 April Run Stakes for fillies and mares at Pimlico yesterday.The daughter of Easy Goer prevailed by three-quarters of a length over the rallying longshot, who raced erratically through the stretch or she might have posed a greater threat.The winning time for 1 1/2 miles on a firm turf course was 2: 31 2/5 as Makethemostofit had no difficulty with starting in the outside post in a nine-horse field.

Schedules at area racetracks through conclusion of Colonial Downs' meet Oct. 11.Colonial Downs: Live racing 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 4 p.m. Monday. Information: 888-482-8722.Pimlico, Laurel Park and Maryland off-track betting facilities: Simulcasts daily, except dark Tuesday. Pimlico and Laurel Park information: 800-638-1859. Simulcast results, scratches: 410-792-7464.Rosecroft Raceway: Live harness racing 7: 20 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Simulcasts daily, except dark Tuesday.

Trainer Bill Mott decided to skip the race, taking probable favorite Rice out of the betting equation.Nevertheless, A Little Luck was still a long price -- by the standards of horses ridden by Edgar Prado -- when a field of nine went postward in the Grade III, $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup at Laurel Park yesterday.Sent off at 5-to-1 odds from the far outside, A Little Luck defied the line by racing to the lead and clinging to it at every mark to win the 1 1/2 -mile event by a half-length over long shot N B Forrest.

Now that Bally's at Ocean Downs has concluded what its president calls a highly successful summer harness meet, track management is preparing for fall and winter duties.They include working to open an off-track betting facility on the Eastern Shore, advancing the concept of telephone wagering and preparing to lobby state legislators for continued help in sustaining purses."We realize the slots issue will rise again," said Dennis Dowd, president of the harness track near Ocean City. "But slots or no, we still have to do something about purses."

Out-of-state buyers dominated the top end of the market at the two-day Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Yearlings sale that concluded yesterday at Timonium.The highest 11 sellers were all purchased by non-Maryland interests, including yesterday's leading horse, a dark bay/brown colt by Maryland-based sire Not For Love. He went for $220,000 to Cam Allard of Edmonton, Alberta.The sale topper remained an unnamed filly by Dehere, who was purchased for a state-record $400,000 Monday by Padua Stables of Ocala, Fla. The price beat the state record of $325,000 for a Jolie's Halo filly at the Midlantic sale in May.Overall, the average price increased 12 percent from 1997 (to $18,848)

A couple of retired Washington, D.C., policemen, the hottest jockey on the continent and a cool 5-year-old gelding combined to beat the heat yesterday in the opening-day feature at Laurel Park.As temperatures spiked into the high 90s, Penn Fifty Three overtook the 2-5 favorite Next Endeavor down the stretch to win the $45,500 Sir Ivor Stakes, a 1 1/2 -mile marathon on turf that highlighted the opening of Laurel Park's summer meeting.The heat didn't bother the horses, hosed down frequently by their handlers, but it stoked the fire under jockey Edgar Prado, North America's winningest rider.

Halsey Minor, a technology entrepreneur who grew up in Virginia horse country near Charlottesville, said he believes the horse racing industry has been its own worst enemy and he has an idea about how to fix it. Minor wants nothing to do with slot machines, shopping malls, movie theaters or anything else that doesn't relate directly to the horse and its entourage - trainer, owner and jockey. And Minor thinks horse racing should feel the same way. "I have been appalled at the lack of fan support and the industry's failure to bring fans back into live racing," he said.

CAMBRIDGE - The Maryland Racing Commission declared Rosecroft Raceway to be in an emergency situation yesterday and approved the track's request to discontinue live racing for perhaps as long as two years while allowing it to simulcast races at the Prince George's County facility. Yesterday, at the commission's monthly meeting, held at the off-track betting facility in Cambridge, the track's new chief executive officer, Edward "Ted" Snell, and Kelley Rogers, president of Cloverleaf Enterprises Inc., presented the track's business plan for the next two years and asked for the declaration of emergency status in order to continue being open for simulcasting.

After not closing its gates to live racing because of winter weather considerations for nearly two years, Laurel Park will be closed today for the second time in 11 days. With a forecast for snow, sleet and freezing rain, the Maryland Jockey Club canceled today's live racing program, just as it did Feb. 14, when the area was hit with sleet and snow. Before that, the track had not closed for winter conditions since Feb. 24, 2005. "We thought it was in the best interest of all the parties - the horses, the horsemen, the jockeys and our fans - to cancel in advance as we did a week and a half ago," said Lou Raffetto, MJC president and chief operating officer, who made the announcement yesterday afternoon.

Aided by a record attendance at the Preakness and strong export numbers, total wagering improved last year for the tracks operated by the Maryland Jockey Club. All-sources handle totaled $960.2 million, an increase of more than $64 million (or 7.2 percent) over 2005 figures, and the average daily handle from all sources rose more than 15 percent to $4.1 million despite 11 fewer days of live racing at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park. Lou Raffetto, president and chief operating officer of the Maryland Jockey Club, found the results "encouraging.

The Maryland Racing Commission yesterday approved thoroughbred and harness racing dates for 2007 at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at Laurel Park. The commission also approved the stakes schedule and the applications for the renewal of simulcast satellite betting permits at Northeast Racing and Sports Club, Pimlico Race Course, The Cracked Claw, Cambridge Turf Club and Riverboat on the Potomac, which is tentatively scheduled to reopen Monday. The Maryland Jockey Club said it expects to expand its experiment with twilight racing - which it conducted at Laurel this year - to Pimlico, on the three Thursdays and Fridays after the Preakness.

The state's horsemen appear ready to approve a compromise proposal on 2006 racing dates for Maryland's tracks. Magna Entertainment Corp., owner of Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, presented a plan for 180 days of live racing to representatives of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and the Maryland Horse Breeders Association on Monday night. The new proposal also keeps barns at Laurel, Pimlico and the Bowie Training Center open and asks the horsemen for substantial contributions to help cover operating costs.

Purse increases equivalent to $18,000 daily and 26 stakes races offering $4 million will highlight Maryland thoroughbred racing's signature meeting, which opens for an eight-week stand today at Pimlico Race Course. As usual, the marquee event of the spring stand is the $1 million Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown, which is scheduled for May 21. The rises in purse money will provide a better quality of racing, enabling the state to better compete with neighboring tracks in Charles Town, W.Va.

After conducting its marquee event tonight - the Maryland Sire Stakes Showcase of Champions - Rosecroft Raceway will cease live racing until Nov. 26 in an effort to "get the business back in line," said Tom Chuckas Jr., president and CEO of the Prince George's County harness track. Rosecroft has been racing two nights per week, so the shutdown will cost it 10 days of live racing. The track will remain open for simulcasting. Chuckas said yesterday that the ongoing simulcast situation with the thoroughbred factions and the failure to sell the track have prompted the break from live racing.

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 owners of Pimlico Race Course said profit at the home of the Preakness Stakes fell nearly 58 percent in 2003, according to a financial report filed this week with the Maryland Racing Commission. Pimlico showed a profit of $671,000 on racing revenue of $27.6 million last year, compared to a profit of $1.6 million on racing revenue of $31.5 million in 2002. In addition, nearly a third of Pimlico's racing revenue, or $9.1 million, came on Preakness day. Pimlico's handle was $127.7 million in 2003, down 22.6 percent from 2002's $165 million; however, there were only 71 days of live racing at Pimlico in 2003, and 110 days in 2002.