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Here’s what you need to know:

Where is Laurel Park?

Laurel Park is located just outside Laurel, Maryland.


How old is Laurel Park?

Laurel Park opened on October 2, 1911.


What is Laurel Park’s Track Configuration?

Laurel Park features a 95 feet wide, 1 ⅛ mile dirt racetrack. The track's composition of 89 percent sand and 11 percent silt and clay is identical to the old Laurel dirt surface. The turf course was widened from 75 feet to 142 feet in 2005.


When does Laurel Park race?

In 2019 Laurel Park has a 43-day summer meet beginning Friday, May 31 and ending Sunday, Aug. 18. Racing shifts to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium Aug. 23 to Labor Day, Sept. 2 before returning to Laurel for the calendar year-ending fall stand.


Who are the most famous horses to run at Laurel Park?

Triple Crown winners Sir Barton, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Secretariat and Affirmed won races at Laurel Park during their Hall of Fame careers.


How do I bet on Laurel Park?

Xpressbet has everything you need to bet Laurel Park like a pro, including a $125 Sign Up Bonus when you use Promo Code 125LAUREL. Get $25 for Every $100 Bet, up to $125!

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Laurel Park Stakes Schedule

DateRaceGradePurse
July 14, 2019BEN'S CAT (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
July 14, 2019JAMEELA (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
July 14, 2019STORMY BLUES   $100,000.00
July 14, 2019TWIXT  $75,000.00
July 14, 2019CONCERN  $75,000.00
August 17, 2019STAR DE NASKRA (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
August 17, 2019MISS DISCO (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
August 17, 2019FIND STAKES (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
August 17, 2019ALL BRANDY (MD BRED/SIRED)  $75,000.00
September 21, 2019FRANK J DEFRANCIS DASHIII $250,000.00
September 21, 2019LAUREL FUTURITY   $200,000.00
September 21, 2019SELIMA   $100,000.00
September 21, 2019BALD EAGLE DERBY  $150,000.00
September 21, 2019LAUREL DASH   $100,000.00
September 21, 2019SENSIBLE LADY TURF DASH  $100,000.00
September 21, 2019WEATHERVANE  $100,000.00
September 21, 2019BWI INTERNATIONAL TURF CUPIII $200,000.00
September 28, 2019ALL ALONG STAKES  $150,000.00
September 28, 2019LAUREL TURF CUP   $100,000.00
September 28, 2019ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY   $100,000.00
September 28, 2019HOWARD COUNTY  $100,000.00
September 28, 2019CHALLEDON STAKES  $75,000.00
September 28, 2019SHINE AGAIN STAKES   $75,000.00

Laurel Park History

Laurel Park History

Laurel Park first appeared on the racing scene on October 2, 1911. Its first meeting was held under the direction of the Laurel Four County Fair. Three years later, in 1914, New York City grocery entrepreneur James Butler purchased the track, installing renowned promotions king Col. Matt Winn as the track’s general manager. Winn is recognized as the man who put the Kentucky Derby on the racing map.

Under Butler’s stewardship, Laurel hosted three match races, beginning with Hourless vs. Omar Khayyam at one mile and one-quarter on October 18, 1917. Hourless had won the 1917 Belmont Stakes and Omar Khayyam had accounted for the Kentucky Derby that year. When the two horses met in the Brooklyn Derby earlier that year, Omar Khayyam prevailed by a nose, but in the Laurel match race Hourless rallied to win by a length in a time of 2:02.

The next year, top two-year-olds Billy Kelly and Eternal met in a six-furlong match race at Laurel, vying for a $20,000 pot. Eternal edged Billy Kelly by a head, and winning owner J. W. McClelland donated his purse money to the Red Cross. Then, on October 26, 1923, two-year-olds met again in a match race when Sarazin defeated Happy Thoughts at six furlongs.

In 1947, the Maryland Jockey Club, owners of Pimlico and Timonium at the time, purchased Laurel from the Butler estate with the idea of shifting the Pimlico meeting to Laurel. However, when the plan was not approved by the Maryland Legislature, the Maryland Jockey Club decided to sell the track to Baltimore industrialist Morris Schapiro, who appointed his youngest son John David Schapiro as the track’s new president. Laurel was sold to the Schapiros in 1950.

John D. Schapiro began revitalizing Laurel soon thereafter. He changed the track’s name to Laurel Race Course and introduced the Washington, D.C. International, a race designed to bring together the world’s best at one mile and one-half on the grass. England’s Wilwyn rallied from off the pace to win in the inaugural running of the International in 1952. The race went on to become an important fixture on United States and foreign racing calendars before being placed on hiatus in 1995.

In 1953 Laurel opened a new clubhouse and turf club, and in 1957 the grandstand was remodeled. In an effort to improve conditions for the International, Laurel lengthened its turf course from seven furlongs to one mile in 1959; simultaneously, the main track was extended from one mile to one mile and one-eighth.

Laurel remodeled its clubhouse and grandstand to accommodate winter racing in 1966, enclosing the track’s seating area with 30,000 square feet of half inch thick glass. Conversely, when Laurel was awarded the summer racing dates in 1982, the track installed an air conditioning system in the grandstand and clubhouse. In 1984, the 34-year Schapiro era ended with the sale of the track.

Laurel Park Reborn

Laurel entered a new era in December 1984, when Frank J. De Francis and his partners, Robert and John “Tommy” Manfuso, purchased the racetrack from Schapiro.

An innovative Laurel project was the creation of the Sports Palace in 1985. It was the first of its kind in the horse racing world. The glittering $2 million facility was a bold innovation that combines the ambience of a plush casino with state-of-the-art technology which featured computerized handicapping and a video racing library. The concept of the Sports Palace has been widely copied by other tracks.

In August 1989, Frank J. De Francis died, but his vision lives on through his son, Joseph A. De Francis, who now serves as president of Laurel and Pimlico. Following in the footsteps of his father, De Francis introduced several concepts to Maryland racing. Under the younger De Francis’ control, Off-Track Wagering, full-card simulcasting and a renewed commitment to the patron have combined to rejuvenate the sport.

In October of 1994, Joe De Francis announced that the storied racing oval would return to its roots; the track was officially renamed Laurel Park. In addition, an aggressive, multi-million dollar renovation project was unveiled and a new department—Public Relations, under the direction of Karin De Francis—was created to focus on customer service.

 Following his purchase of the ownership interests of Robert and John A. Manfuso, Jr., Joe De Francis guided the track to its most successful year ever in 1994 and topped the total betting handle record in 1995.

In 1997 major improvements were made to Laurel’s main entrance, the Grandstand interior and to backstretch barns. The new Main Line-1 features quadruple, large-screen TV theaters with desks and wireless mutuel terminals for the serious racing fans.

Another major improvement at Laurel was the complete rebuilding of the nine furlong racing strip in 1998. It was a massive undertaking, directed by John Passero, costing almost $2 million.

In 1999, at Laurel Park, the MJC broke ground on a new $1.85 million backstretch housing project, Laurel Commons, in cooperation with Laurel Quality of Life, Inc., the Enterprise Foundation, Inc. and the Ryan Family Foundation, Inc. In addition, Laurel Park, as part of a $16 million multi-year renovation plan, opened four premier Clubhouse areas: “Tycoons,” an upscale cigar and brandy bar with an excellent television presentation of racing and other sporting events; “Sunny Jim’s,” a simulcast theatre with individual carrels, and food & beverage service; “Clocker’s Corner,” a casual simulcast theatre and cafe in a convenient track-side location and the “Kelso Club,” a premier accommodation for VIP customers with concierge service.

In 2000, the Maryland Jockey Club and Maryland horsemen entered into a landmark revenue sharing agreement with the standardbred industry whereby net revenue from parimutuel handle on all wagers is shared 80% to the thoroughbred industry and 20% to the standardbred industry.

The backstretch and racing surfaces at Laurel Park were closed from mid-June 2004 to early January 2005 as Magna Entertainment Corp. began a multi-million dollar renovation, which included the widening of both racing surfaces. The new main course, which has been raised and increased in width from 75 to 95 feet, now features one-turn mile races. The track’s composition of 89 percent sand and 11 percent silt and clay is identical to the old Laurel dirt surface. The new, sweeping turf course, which was widened from 75 feet to 142 feet, helped make the track a top simulcast signal. The turf accommodates six track configurations which were named All Along, Bowl Game, Kelso, Dahlia, Exceller and Fort Marcy, in honor of some of the great horses which have competed on the grass at Laurel Park.

100 Years of Racing at Laurel

  • Triple Crown winners Sir Barton, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Secretariat and Affirmed won races at Laurel Park during their Hall of Fame careers.
  • Classic winners Omar Khayyam (1917 Kentucky Derby), Hourless (1917 Belmont Stakes), Exterminator (1918 Kentucky Derby), High Echelon (1970 Belmont), Riva Ridge (1972 Derby & Belmont), Spectacular Bid (1979 Derby & Preakness Stakes), Bet Twice (1987 Belmont), Go and Go (1990 Belmont) and Barbaro (2006 Derby) also competed at the central Maryland track.
  • Seabiscuit prepped at Laurel Park for his famous match race with War Admiral. On October 15, 1938, two weeks before the Pimlico Special, Seabiscuit finished second in the Laurel Stakes, a race he had won the previous year.
  • Kelso, the only five-time Horse of the Year, won the 1964 Washington D.C. International in his fourth attempt, beating rival Gun Bow. Kelso finished second in his three previous tries in the International, all by less than a length.
  • Sandy Hawley became the first rider in history with 500 victories in a single-season when he guided Charlie Jr. to victory at Laurel Park on December 15, 1973. Hawley finished the year with 515 victories.
  • Chris McCarron surpassed Hawley with his 516th winner on December 17, 1974 aboard Oh My Love at Laurel Park. He completed the year with 546 victories.
  • Kent Desormeaux broke McCarron's mark when he rode his 547th winner for the year, aboard Gilten, at Laurel Park on November 30, 1989. Desormeaux finished the year with 598 victories, a record that still stands.
  • The Maryland Million, an innovative program devised by broadcaster Jim McKay to promote the Maryland breeding industry, debuted at Laurel Park in 1986. The 26th running of the event took place at Laurel on October 1, 2011.
  • Edgar Prado became the fourth jockey to win 500 races in a single-season when he reached the wire first aboard Hardball on November 30, 1997 at Laurel Park. Prado ended the year with 536 victories.
  • Mario Pino became the 15th rider in North America to reach 6,000 career wins when he guided Pass Play to victory at Laurel Park on November 7, 2007.
  • Rapid Redux joined Zenyatta and Peppers Pride as the only horses in North American thoroughbred history to win 19 consecutive races in a row after he out stepped four starter allowance runners at Laurel Park on October 27, 2011

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