With two weeks to go earlier than the scheduled switch of racing operations from The Stronach Group to a new state-owned, not-for-profit Maryland Jockey Membership, the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Working Authority board went into closed session at its Dec. 17 assembly to debate acquisition of property for a brand new coaching heart.
Three selections for the coaching heart had been recognized in an MTROA report made public in January: the outdated Bowie Race Monitor website, the Rooney household’s Shamrock Farm in Woodbine, Md., and Mitchell Farm Coaching Middle in Aberdeen.
Solely Shamrock was mentioned throughout open session Tuesday, and that’s extensively anticipated to be the MTROA’s selection. When Shamrock Farm was talked about in the course of the assembly, MTROA chairman Greg Cross lower the dialogue off, saying it could be taken up in closed session.
The brand new Pimlico Race Course is predicted to have stalls for maybe 600 horses. The MTROA shall be trying to greater than double that quantity through one other roughly 700 stalls at a new coaching heart. Plans additionally name for building of a one-mile coaching observe.
Shamrock Farm is positioned about 25 miles northwest of Baltimore. It was established in 1948 by Artwork Rooney, founding proprietor of the Nationwide Soccer League’s Pittsburgh Steelers. The farm presently encompasses about 640 acres, together with two adjoining farms which have been bought, in line with its web site.Join BloodHorse Every day
Shamrock is owned by Thomas J. Rooney, president and CEO of the Nationwide Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation, and his household. Rooney additionally sits on the MTROA board.
A invoice handed earlier this 12 months will result in the eventual closure of Laurel Park, the rebuilding of Pimlico, and public acquisition of personal land for the coaching heart.
The state has use of Laurel till the top of 2027 through a lease with Stronach. The Preakness Stakes (G1) shall be at Pimlico in 2025 for its a hundred and fiftieth anniversary version, then strikes to Laurel in 2026. The brand new Pimlico is predicted to be able to host the Preakness in 2027.
Throughout the public remark interval of the assembly, coach Katie Voss, president of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Affiliation, mentioned she hopes trainers shall be concerned within the barn design course of at each Pimlico and the brand new coaching heart.
There additionally had been some transparency issues voiced. Coach Timothy Keefe requested for an replace on the standing of the brand new Maryland Jockey Membership and board that can run racing operations in Maryland. It hasn’t been introduced who shall be on that board or the way it will work.
“It appears to me if you happen to’re 14 days away from handing over the reins to a brand new entity that is going to run the business principally in Maryland, how come it hasn’t that occurred but?” Keefe requested.
Chairman Cross mentioned the brand new board is not going to be seated by Jan. 1. He mentioned it may take a couple of months.
“It will likely be seamless on January 1. The one factor that has not occurred is the identification of the board members,” Cross mentioned. “The Board is not vital for us to function. The president (Invoice Knauf) can function it, you recognize, identical to every other firm.”
