Consultant Passero Retained to Evaluate Laurel Safety

Maryland Thoroughbred racing participants did not get their chance to speak during an April 25 emergency meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission regarding safety concerns at Laurel Park due to an 11th-hour agreement struck between the racetrack operator and the state horsemen's association.

Commission chair Michael Algeo announced the agreement had been reached the morning before the meeting, which attracted a full house of on-site attendees and another approximately 180 participants who tuned into the live-streamed event.

Craig Fravel, executive vice chairman for 1/ST Racing and Gaming, which is owned by The Stronach Group, attended the meeting and provided a summary of the agreement to commissioners. He said the agreement requires the Maryland Jockey Club to retain MTHA consultant John Passero to "come to the racetrack to perform whatever tests and evaluations that he feels are necessary to identify possible improvements to the racing surface.

"There are various conditions related to that including consultations with the Maryland Jockey Club and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. We will then have a mutually agreed upon action plan based on those conversations," Fravel said.

Passero is the former track superintendent for Laurel and Pimlico Race Course when the MJC was owned by the De Francis family.

Tim Keefe, MTHA president, said he looks forward to Passero starting work as soon as April 26.

Algeo stressed that live racing will not resume at Laurel until all safety issues have been identified and resolved to the satisfaction of the racing commission.

"Safety and welfare is the single most important thing at this track," he said. "This commission is not making any judgments about who is at fault, but we cannot afford to get this wrong. This is a dangerous sport. We have to shoot for the number zero. It is impossible but that has to be our goal.

"When will live racing resume?" he continued. "I don't know. But we are in a better position today than we were yesterday."

Fravel was asked if live racing would shift to Pimlico Race Course in the meantime, to which he replied: "We are not taking anything off the table, but we are going to let the process unfold."

The MJC canceled live racing April 21 following a race day that suffered one fatality and one breakdown. Racing also was suspended two weeks earlier after two horses suffered fatal injuries during morning workouts.

While trainers and riders have expressed concerns about the safety of Laurel's dirt surface, the MJC has said comprehensive testing done under the supervision of renowned track superintendent Dennis Moore has revealed no issues concerning the safety of the track for racing and training.

Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, director of equine safety and welfare with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, also at MJC's request reviewed Laurel's fatality data and stated: "I've reviewed the data provided to me this morning by the Maryland Racing Commission and find a racing fatality rate at Laurel of approximately 1.3 per 1,000 starts since Jan. 1. By comparison, the Equine Injury Database shows a rate of approximately 1.98 per 1,000 at this same point (through April 21) last year."

While the fatality rate has decreased from last year at the same point, it should be noted that the Equine Injury Database does not include fatalities or injuries that lead to euthanasia occurring during training, only during racing and within 72 hours of a race.