Laurel Race Track suspends horse racing indefinitely following horse deaths

BALTIMORE — Live horse racing at Laurel Race Track has been suspended indefinitely after two more horses were recently euthanized due to injuries sustained on the track, leading the Maryland Horse Racing Commission to hold a special meeting to address safety concerns.

"We cannot afford to get this wrong, we have to get it right," said the Maryland Racing Commission Chairman during the meeting. 

The suspension comes after eight horse deaths at Laurel last year, raising questions about the track's surface.  According to the FOIA report by the Maryland Horse Racing Commission, there have been 13 horse deaths at Laurel Race Track alone in 2023.

"From breeding for speed, to employing pubescent bodies, to the incessant grinding – not to mention commodification – of those bodies, to forcing them to run at an unnatural rate, in an unnatural way, and through unnatural means, horseracing guarantees a certain level of killing," said Patrick Battuello, from Horse Racing Wrongs. "Since 2014, 277 horses have perished at Laurel Park - that's an average of 30 kills per year. So ignore the power struggle going on, this is business as usual - and both sides know it."

As the start of the Triple Crown is just weeks away, officials are searching for solutions to ensure the safety of Maryland horse racing. 

The commission has approved a request to authorize former Maryland track superintendent John Passero to examine the Laurel dirt surface and make recommendations in a report to the board.

"There are various conditions relating to that including good faith consultation on the part of Maryland Jockey Club, Maryland Thoroughbred and Horsemen Association and then we'll develop some action plans based upon our conversations," said a third-party representative overlooking the safety review.

The Maryland Racing Commission will only consider resuming live racing at Laurel once they receive the report and assess the necessary compromises and adjustments for safety. 

The chairman emphasized the importance of cooperation, communication, and compromise in resolving the issue.  Activists with Horse Racing Wrongs, who protested at Laurel and Pimlico, have not yet responded to the recent developments. The group has previously stated that more than 2,000 horses die at U.S. tracks every year and advocates for the end of horse racing entirely.