The Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC) kicks off its 2026 season with the opening of the Laurel Park Winter Meet on Friday following a successful 2025 ledger.
Between Laurel and Pimlico Race Course, the TMJC staged 119 days of live racing comprising 1,109 races. Average per-race handle was $365,637, an increase of 14.29% over 2024. Average daily handle at Laurel and Pimlico was $3,407,493, representing a 13.49% gain over the previous 12 months. Field size was ahead marginally from 7.48 in 2024 to 7.65 last year.
The handle for 'Preakness Preview Day on Apr. 19 was $5,537,002, nearly double the amount from 2024. The afternoon featured 'Win Today, See You In May' events, with the winners of the Federico Tesio Stakes and Weber City Miss Stakes earning automatic entry into the GI Preakness Stakes and GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, respectively.
Jim McKay Maryland Million Day generated $5,707,200 in handle, up from $4,660,001 the prior year.
The Winter Meet will take place on Fridays and Saturdays in January before adding a Sunday program in February and March. The highlight of the meet comes Saturday, Feb. 14, with a four-stakes program topped by the $200,000 General George Stakes and Barbara Fritchie Stakes.
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