MTHA Board finalizes Timonium purses, calendar changes

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Board of Directors, based on a recommendation from its Purse Committee, on June 17 approved the purse schedule for the 2024 meet at the Maryland State Fair at Timonium.

The meet is scheduled for seven days: Aug. 23-25, Aug. 30-31, and Sept. 1-2. Overnight purses for the meet will be reduced by roughly 10% compared with 2023 levels based on the recommendation. The purse for a stakes will remain at $75,000.

The purse for a maiden special weight event will be $42,000, down from $46,000 in 2023. An entry-level allowance test will go for $44,000, down from $48,000. The highest overnight purse of $54,000 is for an open allowance race that last year carried a purse of $60,000.

Timonium will continue carding races for $5,000 claimers at the maiden, non-winners lifetime, and open conditions. The purses will be $14,000-$15,000, down from $15,000-$16,500.

The MTHA Board of Directors also finalized the summer racing calendar at Laurel Park. Racing will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July as was scheduled, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday for three weeks in August. An earlier calendar had racing scheduled for two days a week in August.

The three August dates were taken from the November calendar. Pending further review in a couple of months, the first three Thursdays of the month will be dark, and November will end with a four-day race week beginning with Thanksgiving Day. October remains scheduled for racing four days a week (Thursday through Sunday).

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