What's Happening Across Maryland Racing

The winners of a host of awards recognizing the best of Maryland racing and breeding in 2023 were announced the week of Feb. 26-March 1 by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Maryland Horse Breeders Association. They will be honored at the April 17 Renaissance Awards dinner at the Marriott Owings Mills.

The 2023 statistics from the national Equine Industry Database show that Maryland Thoroughbred racetracks had a very positive year in terms of the number of equine racing fatalities.

Over the past several months, Maryland racing has lost members of its backstretch community at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course. They are Elroy Young, Martin Souverain, Harold Brubaker, Jose Portillo, Joseph Green Jr. and Wendell Haywood Griffin Sr.

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has announced the finalists for various human and equine awards that will be presented as part of this year’s Renaissance Awards dinner, which will be scheduled for sometime this spring.

Damon Gladden, who at age 17 began his first job on the backstretch at Pimlico Race Course in his hometown, has been selected the Pimlico Groom of the Year for 2023.

Jenile Tapscott, who has a long history on the backstretch at Maryland racetracks and has assisted various members of the community over the years, has been selected the Laurel Park Groom of the Year for 2023.

The MTHA and Maryland Jockey Club will make the following changes beginning with the March 2024 condition book for Laurel Park.

Virtual sign-ups for the Maryland Backstretch Pension Plan have been a success the last few years and will again be available beginning in April with a deadline of June 1, 2024.