by Tom LaMarra, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Fort Washington, MD — Unity in the Maryland horse industry was the message during a special night at the races hosted by the Maryland Horse Council Thursday (Oct. 20) at Rosecroft Raceway.

Rosecroft was purchased this summer from Penn National Gaming Inc. by The Stronach Group, owner of the Maryland Jockey Club, which operates Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course. The company began improvements, such as adding a large infield video tote board, soon after the purchase.

“This is my first voyage into harness racing with The Stronach Group, and we’re excited to be here,” Sinatra said. “You’ll start seeing a lot of renovations here (after the Oct. 22 Maryland Million at Laurel).”

Sinatra said when he and Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, arrived in Maryland, “both of us were touched by how the horse is loved in Maryland. Kentucky is home to the Thoroughbred, but we could argue that in Maryland, too. We’re trying to bring everybody back in the fold in Maryland, trying to get everyone under one umbrella to have one voice in Annapolis.”

The horseracing industry receives a 7% share of revenue for purses from casino slot machines in Maryland, with 80% for Thoroughbreds and 20% for Standardbreds. The cut will drop to 6% when MGM National Harbor Casino, located about four miles from Rosecroft, opens Dec. 8, but overall purse revenue is expected to increase.

Sinatra, who became familiar with Standardbred racing when he lived in central New Jersey, said there is upside at Rosecroft.

“It was always a decent place in my mind,” he said. “There aren’t many people in the stands now but this place was highly revered. We think we can bring it back. Our plan is to try to revitalize racing in Maryland.”

As part of the horse council event, Maryland-based jockeys competed against Rosecroft drivers in a bicycle race, and there were two races in which racing industry participants shared jog carts with drivers. The races symbolized the desire to bring the horse industry together.

“It’s great to see the reinvigoration of the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries in Maryland,” said Jane Seigler, president of the Maryland Horse Council.

Corey Callahan, a Maryland native who is among the top 10 drivers nationally in earnings this year, is the son of longtime trainer Nick Callahan and cousin of Rosecroft-based driver Frank Milby. He emphasized the family aspect of harness racing and its roots in Maryland.

“One of the things that’s really important to me about (the industry) is family,” Callahan said. “My mother and grandmother are here with us tonight. It’s something that’s in our blood. I hope it sticks around.”

Callahan said his family is looking to get involved in Thoroughbred breeding in Maryland as well given the fact the industry has rebounded and is growing after a difficult period of decline.

Anthony MacDonald, a Canadian Standardbred trainer who operates a fractional ownership operation called thestable.ca, outlined his strategy and offered his views on what harness racing must do to recapture the public’s interest. He recently struck a relationship with the Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners’ Association, which represents horsemen at Rosecroft and Casino Ocean Downs, also in Maryland.

MacDonald recalled when the Ontario horseracing industry in 2012 lost its dedicated share of slot machine revenue under order from the provincial government. He later campaigned for public office and said that, in talking with the public door to door, he heard a similar message.

“People love horses and people love horseracing,” MacDonald said. “We’ve constantly lost our fan base and we’ve constantly lost investors. How are we going to build the industry up to the way it was before?”

MacDonald said at latest count he had 106 owners, 15 of which joined the operation in the past week. They can purchase as little as 1% in a trotter or pacer but share in all the perks, including watching horses train in person or through the stable website.

MacDonald believes horsemen have to take the lead in cultivating owners who can become fans and bettors. But he said it’s up to the racetracks to do their part by creating a quality, welcoming environment and by lowering pari-mutuel takeout to entice and keep bettors.

“We have always been the missing link in this industry,” MacDonald said of horsemen. “When you sit down with government, racetracks, and casinos, we need to show we bring the one thing they don’t have—horseracing clients. We need to take control of the industry and build our own fan base and clientele. There’s a difference between doing it right and doing it wrong.”

The Oct. 20 event also featured a handicapping overview from Ted Black, who is approaching his 30th year covering Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing in Maryland and Delaware. Black frequently writes about locally based horses and their connections for smaller community papers in the region.