When Laurel Park is converted into a training center in a year or two upon completion of the renovation at Pimlico, the racetrack’s extraordinary history will come to a close. Over its 115-year existence, the track has seen numerous Triple Crown winners and for 43 years was host to the Washington, DC International, the most prestigious international race in the world. Horse racing wasn’t the only spectacular event that took place at the racetrack, as shown in the timeline bel

Site Will Host Significantly Scaled-Down Preakness in May Photo: Richard Friend Hold on to your fancy hats and mind your bets, horse racing fans, big changes are again expected to impact Laurel Park. Following the ups and downs of the fate of Laurel’s storied racetrack has become like a ride on a merry-go-round: up with the news of much needed renovations to both historic race tracks; down with the news of Laurel Park’s closing and demolition; up with the news of the 151st ru

The Laurel History Boys and Voices of Laurel  team will be trackside at Laurel Park on Saturday, April 25 to host our second annual Day at the Races. This free event is open to everyone, and provides another opportunity for residents to see the historic venue and experience thoroughbred racing live and up close—while you still can. With Laurel Park’s future still not completely certain, one thing is sure—its days of being the active racetrack Laurel has known since 1911 will

Laurel, once again, will soon lose another part of its rich history. In the near future, horse racing will cease operations here and Laurel Park will be reduced to a training facility only. My feelings are mixed on just how long that and the racing industry  itself will exist in Maryland. Laurel, in my opinion, would have been a much better idea than Pimlico. The monies invested here in recent years have now to gone to waste. Laurel Park opened on October 2, 1911 and has serv

My granddad and I had a lot in common, including an uncanny proximity to famous race tracks Photos courtesy of Richard Friend Some of my...

The Race That Changed the World In the world of thoroughbred racing, certain cities have become synonymous with their famous races....

Laurel’s oldest resident, Virginia “Ginny” Scagliarini, who turned 102 in August, loves to tell stories about her father, Ben Chapman,...

Laurel Park to host Voices of Laurel , including a named race, on October 26 The Voices of Laurel  staff is proud to announce a special...

Laurel Park—at other times known as Laurel Race Course, or known to longtime locals simply as “The Race Track”—has been a core element of...

Sweeping changes may be on the horizon for thoroughbred racing in Maryland, and the Laurel Park Racetrack is slated to play an integral...