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1.5% aftercare assessment on claims mandatory Jan. 1
A Maryland Racing Commission regulation that will make the 1.5% assessment on claimed horses mandatory rather than voluntary will take effect Jan. 1, 2024.
Beginning in January 2022 at the request of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and with the blessing of the MRC, the 1.5% assessment—the funds go to the Beyond The Wire aftercare program—was enacted. It has been voluntary given the fact that individual owners have been able to sign an opt-out form.
In 2022 the voluntary assessment on claims raised about $105,000. Based on 2022 statistics that show there were 616 Thoroughbreds claimed in Maryland for a total of about $9.5 million, a mandatory assessment would have generated about $142,000, or about $37,000 in additional funds.
In 2020, 1/ST Racing (The Stronach Group) pledged $250,000 million a year for four years to support Beyond The Wire. This is the last year of the contribution. The company also pledged that after 2023, it would match the mandatory per-start contributions from owners to support the aftercare program.
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The Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority on Dec. 23 officially announced that Maryland’s new Thoroughbred training center, a central component of a comprehensive plan to strengthen the state’s racing industry, will be built at Shamrock Farm near Woodbine in Carroll County. The MTROA, an independent agency established by statute in 2023, announced plans to acquire 300 acres to construct a best-in-class equine training facility.
The Maryland racing community will come together in January to celebrate the life and legacy of Rodney Jenkins, a beloved trainer and equestrian who left an indelible mark on Maryland racing. Jenkins, a native of Middleburg, Va., passed away on Dec. 5 at the age of 80. A memorial service is scheduled for noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, on the second floor of the clubhouse at Laurel Park.
