The June 2020 edition of the Horsemen's Newsletter is now online and available for download. To view this edition click here
The Horsemen's Newsletter is published monthly by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and is mailed to licensed owners and trainers in the state of Maryland.
The Maryland Jockey Club has advised horsemen to allow extra time when they ship to Laurel Park for racing. Because of COVID-19 protocols in place at the stable gate, horsemen should arrive early to ensure horses are treated with Lasix within the guidelines.
If you have any questions, contact Melanie, the Lasix Coordinator, at 443-631-4891. The following treatment times for the summer meet, which has first post of 12:40 p.m., are approximate and may vary slightly each day, per the MJC.
Lasix treatment times for summer meet by race and treatment time:
Race 1: 7:40-8:40 a.m.
Race 2: 8:10-9:10 a.m.
Race 3: 8:40-9:40 a.m.
Race 4: 9:10-10:10 a.m.
Race 5: 9:40-10:40 a.m.
Race 6: 10:10-11:10 a.m.
Race 7: 10:40-11:40 a.m.
Race 8: 11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m.
Race 9: 11:40 a.m.-12:40 p.m.
Race 10: 12:10-1:10 p.m.
The Maryland Jockey Club has issued the following protocols for horsemen when they access Laurel Park through the Horsemen’s Gate during live racing. The protocols are effective May 30 when live racing resumes.
The Maryland Racing Commission May 28 approved the parameters of the Laurel Park summer meet, effectively allowing the track to reopen for live racing May 30 with only essential personnel permitted on the grounds.
Laurel will offer three racing programs its first week back—Saturday, Sunday and Monday (May 30-June 1)—and follow with three days of racing the following weekend. It's expected racing will be held twice a week thereafter on Fridays and Saturdays until further notice. Entries for the first threee days have already been drawn.
The Maryland Jockey Club submitted a request for 28 racing days for the Laurel summer meet. It was noted the facility will be closed to the public pending changes in state limits on the number of people allowed to attend events because of COVID-19.
The MJC, in conjunction with the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, The Stronach Group and MedStar Health, prepared a lengthy document outlining protocols and procedures necessary for COVID-19 mitigation when live racing commences at Laurel and presented it to state officials. Before racing was suspended in mid-March, Laurel raced three days with no patrons permitted under the governor’s executive order.
Many of the protocols and best practices are already in place for training in the stable areas at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course. The MJC said it contemplates “live racing only at Laurel Park for the duration of COVID-19 restrictions in order to limit the travel of personnel, horsemen and horses.”
The Maryland Jockey Club will seek approval from the Maryland Racing Commission to commence live racing Saturday, May 30, for the first day of the Laurel Park condition book. Entries already have been drawn.
The industry fully expects official approval from the MRC to be granted during its meeting May 28. The second day of the condition book, for which entries have been drawn, is expected to be Sunday, May 31. The MTHA will provide an update after the meeting.
The MRC adopted several regulations before live racing was suspended in mid-March, and the MTHA and the MJC approved other changes designed to assist horsemen in advance of the resumption of live racing. The notices and reminders are available here.
This is to clarify the text some horsemen received from Maryland Jockey Club about the need to file a form with the Equine Medical Director for horses that have been laid off for more than 150 days.
The following MRC policy was implemented and has been in place since January 1, 2020.
“A horse that has been off for more than 150 days shall be required to work 3 times, one within 30 days of entry and one work of at least one half mile. In addition, the horse shall not be allowed to enter or start until the attending practicing veterinarian signs off that the horse is sound for racing and approval is obtained from the Equine Medical Director.”
The only change from that policy has been that a regional Form, to be used by the Equine Medical Director, has been developed and is now being used with the resumption of live racing.
