The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA), along with officials from the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), hosted a Zoom call on Tuesday, January 11, to update horsemen on the current track conditions at Laurel Park.
Mike Rogers, acting president for MJC, reported that over the past weekend, coarse sand had been added to portions of the base layer of the main track in order to continue the winterizing process. Glen Kozak a consultant from  the New York Racing Association, who examined the track on Monday, January 10, said the process was “moving along very well” and limited training on the track was allowed to resume as of the morning of January 11.
The winterizing process is not complete at this time and possible incoming snow and/or ice over this coming weekend may delay the process further.
MJC had already canceled live racing for this Friday and Saturday (January 14-15) but as of January 11, they were intend to resume live racing on Sunday, January 16, while “training will continue on the track this week,” Rogers said. When Rogers asked the horsemen on the call if they wish to run on Sunday, weather permitting, Tim Keefe, MTHA president, said, “no question. Take entries for Sunday.”
There was a lengthy discussion on how to make up the lost racing days from December and January with many horsemen suggesting that race days be added to Tuesdays and Wednesdays through the end of the month. Rogers assured those on the call that as long as they have the staff and required officials “we’ll run.”