Racing canceled at Laurel Park for Thursday amid horse safety concerns
BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Jockey Club has canceled its racing program at Laurel Park for Thursday due to insufficient entries, club members announced on Saturday.
The racing office will remain open and accept entries on Sunday for Friday's program, according to the Maryland Jockey Club.
The club said in a statement that it recognized there was some concern about the park's racing surface due to recent media coverage about a 4-year-old colt that suffered a catastrophic injury and had to be euthanized on the track.
Club members said to ensure the safety of the horses and riders, it had asked renowned industry expert Dennis Moore to test the park's racing surface.
That testing has been going on for the past three days, according to the Maryland Jockey Club.
Moore's testing has run the following tests, which all yielded results "within industry norms," club members said.
- Particle size distribution via the following methods:
- Laser diffraction.
- Sieve and hydrometer
- Orono Biomechanical Surface Test (ASTM Standard F3400)
- Peak Vertical Load
- Peak Fore-Aft Load
- Peak Vertical Deacceleration
- Ground Penetrating Radar
- Percentage surface crossfall
- Bulk Density
- X-ray diffraction
- Base inspection
"Based on these tests and their professional knowledge, our track experts have advised that there are no issues with the track and that it is safe to race and train," the club statement said.
Additionally, the club asked Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, the director of Equine Safety and Welfare with HISA, to review Laurel's fatality data.
Durenberger determined the fatality rate at Laurel Park was 1.3/1000 since Jan. 1 in comparison to the 1.98/1000 fatality rate at the same point in 2022.
Club members urged its stakeholders to reassess the safety of the park.
"While we all know that catastrophic injuries will not be eliminated completely it is clear from the above that our track is not the issue, and we urge the Commission and the [Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association] to take advantage of the proven enhancements to improve horse safety," the club statement said.