Maryland Commission Approves Bonus Programs, Stakes

During a contentious meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission April 9 at Laurel Park, commissioners approved a Maryland-bred race fund, stakes, and out-of-state bonus request after hearing from some frustrated equine industry participants. The meeting was also video-conferenced.

Approved items over a one-year period include:

• A $600,000 Owner & Developer Bonus Program supported by the Maryland-bred fund for owners of Maryland-bred and/or -sired horses running in Virginia and Delaware from July 4- Aug. 17 when Maryland is not conducting racing
• A similar $600,000 Breeder and Stallion Bonus Program
• A combined stakes schedule for Maryland-bred and/or -sired and Virginia-bred and/or -sired horses from June 2025 through March 2026

Several speakers were critical of not knowing more about the proposals well before the MRC meeting, claiming horsemen were not adequately notified by those overseeing plans for the Maryland industry.

Owner/breeder/trainer Gina Robb, on the Maryland Horse Breeders Association board, said with respect to her board, "I am the chair of the negotiations of what we're talking about today, and I was never placed in the loop."

In other public comments, owner/breeder Justin Nixon supported the measures, saying, "If this is voted down, my concern is that you have absolutely nowhere to run a Maryland-bred in July (and) August until Timonium. And I think that given the opportunity to participate in Virginia-bred races is a positive as well as the added money."

Two commissioners, upset over the handling of the initiatives, voted not to approve the combined stakes proposal, though it still passed with a majority of votes. One commissioner urged horsemen to stay informed of the plans of their representative organizations.