Racetrack

Baltimore developer David S. Cordish revealed Wednesday that his company will bid to buy Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, which are up for sale by their bankrupt owner. Cordish's interest - and the emergence of a possible second local bidder - comes amid growing anxiety surrounding the fate of the Preakness since last month's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Magna Entertainment Corp., which owns the Maryland thoroughbred tracks.

While the Maryland Racing Commission tried to address stalled negotiations between the state's racetracks and account wagering companies that accept bets on the Internet and by telephone, state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller was suggesting the state consider building a thoroughbred course and running the Preakness. Magna Entertainment Corp. - the Canadian-based owner of the Maryland Jockey Club, which includes Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness - filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this month and has indicated all its tracks are for sale, including Laurel and Pimlico, home of the Preakness.

I f the price is right. That's what Magna Entertainment Corp. CEO Frank Stronach said. That sounds awfully like "make me an offer," and he's ready to unload Laurel and Pimlico racetracks to help settle his company's financial troubles. A sale could threaten a 133-year tradition in Maryland, the running of the Preakness Stakes, and that prospect should have state officials working now to devise a Plan B. The Preakness, a $60 million money-maker for the region, is an anchor of thoroughbred racing here and a key reason for legalizing slots in Maryland.

State officials threw out yesterday two of six recent proposals for slot-machine casinos at Laurel Park racetrack in Anne Arundel County and Rocky Gap State Park in Western Maryland. The decision increases the chances that a large casino will be built at Arundel Mills mall and opens the possibility of another round of bidding in Allegany County. Based on advice from the Maryland attorney general's office, the rejected bids were deemed incomplete because they did not include millions of dollars in legally required licensing fees.

Salary: $60,000 Age: 53 Years on the job: 30 How he got started: Johnson grew up around Maryland racing because his father was a horse trainer. Working as a farrier gave him the opportunity to be around horses, which is something he loves. After attending a two-month program learning the trade, Johnson worked as an apprentice for two years at area racetracks. He has worked as a farrier for more than 30 years, first obtaining his license in 1976. His certification is held through the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the Maryland Racing Commission.

If you want to know what slot machines will do for a flagging horse racing operation, all you have to do is stop by the Pompano Park harness track. The arrival of slots financed the construction of a new casino/simulcast facility that brings in enough customers on racing nights to fill the once-desolate parking lots. It's fair to wonder if the machines really add to the racing experience, but the crowds spill out into the grandstands and spectator standing room, creating a lively atmosphere at race time.

Magna Entertainment Corp., the owner of Maryland's major thoroughbred tracks, announced plans yesterday to raise up to $700 million to pay off debt by finding partners in its gaming and racing operations and selling some assets, including property adjacent to Laurel Park. The efforts are the culmination of a monthlong strategic review of the Canadian company's assets and operations and the latest initiative to turnaround the money-losing operations. The news follows previously announced sales of other properties and racetracks, including Thistledown in Ohio and Portland Meadows in Oregon.

Trainer Larry Jones said yesterday that he hopes to work Fox Hill Farm's Kentucky Derby contender Hard Spun at Churchill Downs tomorrow morning to determine how much the 3-year-old likes the racetrack. If Hard Spun works well on the dirt surface, Jones said the colt will train up to the Kentucky Derby on May 5 instead of running Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. If he handles the track poorly, the plan would be to run in the Grade II Coolmore Lexington at Keeneland on April 21, and then go directly to the Preakness, the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown, May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.

Plans for residential and commercial development of 64 acres in Howard County adjacent to Laurel Park racetrack might be submitted soon, a county official said yesterday. Magna Entertainment Corp., the Canadian-based owner of the thoroughbred track, announced yesterday that it has agreed to sell the property for $20 million. The buyer will be MI Developments Inc., the parent of Magna. Donald Cameron, chief operating officer of MI Developments, said the project will be a joint venture with a local partner, whom he did not identify.

By conventional wisdom, this should have been a bad year for Maryland's ailing racing industry. The equine herpes scare at the beginning of the year resulted in a voluntary quarantine at Pimlico Race Course and a flurry of state-imposed hold orders on barns. Then the General Assembly, flush with cash from a budget surplus, ignored legislation to legalize slot machine gambling, often regarded as the best hope for saving the industry. But against all odds, the 2006 winter season at Laurel Park was the most successful in nearly six years, easily outpacing the previous year.