Prospects For Live Racing In Md. Look Better

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―Prospects for live racing at Laurel Park and Pimlico have been revived and that's good news for the state's horse industry--if it happens. 

Pat Warren has the newest development.

The partners in the tracks, MI Developments and Penn National, have apparently split over whether to end live racing at Laurel, which means a change of heart could help save racing.

The post-election prediction was grim.  The Maryland Jockey Club had planned to close the training facility in Bowie, end live racing at Laurel and limit racing at Pimlico to 40 days, but one of the owners of the tracks appears to have had a change of heart and Governor Martin O'Malley is calling them to the table.

"We're very concerned about it," O'Malley said.

That's good news for Eddie Przybya and others who make a living at Laurel.

"If we're displaced, it's unreal," he said.  "We all live here."

"It's all we know, really," said Doug Leatherman.

The governor says he's committed to keeping them there.  That may take some doing, since part-owner Penn National still backs the plan to cut racing.

A call to the MI Development Track was not returned but he's quoted as saying the main thing is to keep the tracks open and try to run the same days as they have for the past two years.

The horses continue to run through December 18.