Maryland Million on verge of new prosperity

Maryland’s quest for slots drags on, and on, and on. . . Where it will end, nobody knows.

But the state’s racing industry has something positive on its agenda for at least one day—October 9—when the 19th edition of the Maryland Million will be run at Pimlico.

The Maryland Million is always a festive occasion, but this year is especially upbeat, because the program has begun to tap into a new source of funding.

Maryland’s legislators agreed, by overwhelming vote in last spring’s session, to approve a bill that directs a portion of revenue from in-state wagering on Maryland races to Maryland Million purses. Exactly how much the new funding will amount to is still a guess. But the Maryland Million has added a race for this year—the $100,000 turf sprint—as a sign of its growing prosperity.

Purses total $1.125 million for this year’s 12-race Maryland Million program, up $100,000 from last year.
While nothing like the desperately needed boost that slots revenue would bring, the Maryland Million bill is the best thing the state’s breeding industry has seen in quite some time.
“It’s a big shot in the arm, and it’s directed at a strategic place—the stallions, who are the major economic engine of the breeding industry,” said Maryland Million president Mike Pons.

“Hopefully, we’ll be talking about a Maryland Two Million in the near future,” said Maryland Horse Breeders Association president Bill Boniface. “The impact on Maryland’s stallion market could be tremendous.”
The Maryland Million was an uncertain innovation when it was launched in 1986, but its impact quickly exceeded the expectations of almost everyone. It was such a good idea that many imitations followed. No fewer than 18 other states have special race days modeled in part on the Maryland Million.

Now, Maryland’s ever-popular race day for state-sired runners is about to move up to a new level. Which goes to show that Maryland’s Thoroughbred industry still knows how to take the lead—slots or no slots.