BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATE PROFILES - 2020 MTHA - Maryland ...
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2020 MTHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATE PROFILES
2020 MTHA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CANDIDATE PROFILES
Owners Trainers
Gaudet, Linda S. ........................ 4 Gonzalez, Claudio A. ................. 14
Kuegler, Thomas J. ...................... 4 Motion, H. Graham .................. 14
Hayden, JoAnn .......................... 5 Cox, Kenneth M. “Kenny” ........... 15
Nechamkin, II, Leo S. .................. 5 Voss, Katharine M. ................... 15
Robb, Gina A. ........................... 6 McMahon, Hugh I. ................... 16
Bonuccelli, Charles A. .................. 6 Corrales, Jose .......................... 16
Lapidus, Mark B. ....................... 7 Testerman, Valora A. ................. 17
Reed, Charles J. “Chip” ................. 7 Maldonado, Jonathan ................. 17
Eubanks, Daniel G. ..................... 8 Garrido, Raul A. ...................... 18
Heyman, Frederic C. ................... 8 Trombetta, Michael J. ................. 18
Dorman, Matthew M. .................. 9 Keefe, Timothy L. ..................... 19
Wade, David H. ......................... 9 Robb, John J. ........................... 19
Johnson, R. Larry ..................... 10 Allen III, A. Ferris .................... 20
Pons, Joseph P. “Josh” ................. 10 Gaudet, Lacey A. ..................... 20
Rashid, James W. ...................... 11 Schoenthal, Philip B. .................. 21
Charles, Ellen M. ..................... 11 Merryman, Michael W................. 21
Horning, Michael F. .................. 12
Hacker, Gary .......................... 12
The order candidate’s names appear in this booklet and on the ballot are chosen at random.
PLEASE NOTE:
All ballots are
due to be received
(not postmarked)
no later than
DECEMBER 31, 2020
to be eligible to
be counted.
Owner Candidate
LINDA S. GAUDET
Linda Gaudet, a member of the MTHA Board of Directors since its inception in 1994, is involved in nearly every
facet of Thoroughbred racing. She is one of the board’s most involved members, dedicating numerous hours week-
ly to many of the behind-the-scenes work that benefits horsemen.
She serves on the MTHA Medication Committee, Racing Committee, and Health and Welfare Committee, and is a
director of the Maryland Horsemen’s Assistance Foundation.
With the retirement of her husband, Edmond “Eddie” Gaudet, she took over training duties for the stable but several years ago turned the operation
over to her daughter, Lacey. Together they oversee a large public stable and are known as “Team Gaudet.”
The Gaudets, based at Laurel Park, also maintain a small breeding farm in Upper Marlboro.
Gaudet is actively involved in life on the backstretch and is an advocate for programs that assist workers in the stable area. She noted the impor-
tance of programs such as the Backstretch Pension Plan as well as the Horsemen’s Health System, which allows backstretch workers to visit doc-
tors on live racing days; and the health fairs sponsored by the MTHA each year. Gaudet spearheaded the creation of both programs.
“I’m glad we’ve made a lot progress with some backstretch issues but we have a long way to go with things like housing,” Gaudet said.
On the financial side, Gaudet said horsemen must educate themselves on the revenue sources for purses and ensure that those sources generate
the maximum revenue for horsemen. She noted that there has been heightened interest in the situation this year given the loss of revenue and rac-
ing opportunities due to the COVID-19 shutdown earlier in the year.
“We need to look at where our wagering dollars come from, and how the revenue is split,” she said. “Regarding our slots revenue that provides
money for purses, should Maryland eventually approve online casino gaming, the revenue may shift. We also need to look at the ADW structure,
and we can’t wait too long to do that.”
Gaudet believes in improving the overall racing product, and that includes providing a better stable area that in turn could attract new outfits to
Maryland.
Owner Candidate
THOMAS K. KUEGLER
Growing up in Essex, Md., TK Kuegler dreamt of building a world-class Thoroughbred racing operation that would
be based in Maryland.
The last few years has allowed that dream to come true as Kuegler has become very active in Thoroughbred breed-
ing and racing in Maryland via the launching of Wasabi Ventures Stables and Wasabi Ventures Stallions.
Kuegler has been a member of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association Board of Directors since 2018 and has been an active member on multi-
ple committees looking to augment the opportunities for racing in Maryland.
At any point, Wasabi Ventures Stables has 20 to 25 horses in training and also has 25-plus broodmares based in Maryland. In 2020 in Maryland,
Wasabi Ventures Stallions also stood freshmen stallion Force the Pass.
Along with his breeding and racing business, Kuegler has spent the last 30 years building and investing in technology startup companies. He has
worked diligently to bring a lot to that creativity to his racing and breeding operations, and he hopes to extend that energy and ingenuity to the
MTHA Board of Directors.
“As an industry we need to come together, pool our collective experiences, energy, and passion to examine every aspect of the game,” Kuegler
said. “Bringing creative solutions to purse structure, meet construction, and revenue sources can bring Maryland racing to a place that can rival
any location in the country. I want to throw my whole energy to that end.”
4 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
Owner Candidate
JOANN HAYDEN
JoAnn Hayden co-owns picturesque Dark Hollow Farm and Safely Home Farm in Upperco, Maryland with her hus-
band, David. The first-generation horsewoman plays an active role in the daily operations of both farms and is at
home in the barn as much as in the Board room.
Hayden has been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds in Maryland for over 45 years highlighted by more than 50
stakes horses. Her all-stars include 2020 Gr.3 winner PROJECT WHISKEY, who joins Gr.1 winners POSEIDON’S
WARRIOR (Alfred G. Vanderbilt-Gr.1), HOMEBOYKRIS (Champagne Stakes-Gr.1), and 2011 National Racing Hall of Fame inductee and Eclipse
Award and Breeders Cup Sprint-Gr.1 winner SAFELY KEPT.
Hayden was an educator in the Baltimore County school system, teaching fourth and fifth grades for 32 years. She retired in 2000 and has since
been focused on promoting and supporting the breeding and racing industries in Maryland. She currently serves on the Maryland Agricultural
Education Foundation Board of Directors and has three horses in training based at Laurel Park, as well as four youngsters being prepared to join
the racing stable in 2021.
Currently a member of the MTHA Board of Directors, Hayden is actively committed to supporting responsible aftercare of racehorses and finding
them new careers after racing. She is a founding Board member of the highly successful Beyond The Wire thoroughbred aftercare program and is
one of its most active members and ardent supporters.
Hayden’s interest in the MTHA stems from a desire to be part of the extensive positive impacts she believes the organization has taken the lead on.
She references the MTHA’s fostering of consensus among stakeholders in Maryland, the organization’s taking the lead with the Horsemen’s Health
System and Backstretch Pension Plan for the racing community, and its creation of an expedited purse release program for owners, while actively
pursuing a myriad of programs to help horsemen.
“I believe the number one challenge facing Maryland racing is the danger posed by the threat of losing slots revenue that supplements our purse
account and owner and breeder bonuses. The recent passage of the Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 protects the long-term
future of horse racing in Maryland and gives us all reason for real optimism, but we can’t rest on our accomplishments,” remarked Hayden. “We
have demonstrated what we can accomplish by working together as an industry and I plan to keep pushing for some creative thinking to push this
industry forward.”
Owner Candidate
LEO S. NECHAMKIN, II
For many years, Leo Nechamkin II kept a hectic schedule as Chief Financial Officer of Design Collective, a
Baltimore architectural firm, and a Thoroughbred trainer. He is retiring at the end of 2020—but not from horse
racing.
Nechamkin, who still has an active trainers license, is primarily an owner. He has three horses at Laurel Park with
Robert Bailes and has purchased four yearlings. He is retiring from his job at Design Collective after almost 24
years of service and will have more time to devote to racing and its promotion.
“It’s time to turn over the reins there and take the reins of my babies,” Nechamkin said. “I strongly believe you get what you inspect. I love racing
and started walking hots at the age of 18 when I was at John Hopkins University. I really want to make sure this game perseveres. People don’t
understand what happens on the backside and how well horses are cared for. If people saw it, it would appeal to them.”
Nechamkin’s top horse was the New Jersey-bred Gators N Bears, a colt he purchased as a 2-year-old from the estate of the late trainer Bob
Camac. Gators N Bears broke his maiden in his first career start at Meadowlands and went on to win 10 races, including two graded stakes, and
earn more than $800,000 for the owner/trainer.
At one point in his career, Nechamkin was an auditor in the admissions departments at Laurel Park, Bowie Race Course and Pimlico Race
Course, and later served as Controller at Laurel Park under John Shapiro. It provided insight into frontside operations.
Nechamkin is very interested in the Maryland Stadium Authority project to rebuild Laurel and Pimlico and noted Design Collective is one of the
bidders for architectural/engineering services. He said the overall project “is very aggressive” and should be a wonderful development for the
Maryland racing industry.
“I would be nice if even 50% of it happened,” Nechamkin said. “I think we have a great future here and I’m excited to be able to help the horse-
men and horsewomen that love our sport.”
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 5
Owner Candidate
GINA A. ROBB
Gina Robb was born and raised in Thoroughbred racing. Raised under Luigi Gino and married to John Robb, she
has been an owner for 15 years and a breeder for eight years.
Robb would like to be the bridge that unifies the MTHA with her skills in communication acquired from multiple dis-
ciplines and a degree of the same name from the University of Baltimore.
Robb co-heads No Guts No Glory farm, the Woodbine, Md., operation that was runner-up for Owner of the Year in
the 2019 Renaissance Awards. Based in Maryland, she has vastly expanded her business starting from one broodmare to a total of six.
Her success has given her insight into the details of business organization. Robb has a great passion for the industry that spawned from working in
all sections of Maryland Thoroughbred racing. In addition to breeding and owning, Robb has spent time as an agent, trainer, hot walker, and even
served as a television horseracing analyst from 1998-2002.
No Guts No Glory Farm has continued to support the Maryland racing industry by predominately breeding its mares to Maryland sires and contrib-
uting to the diminishing population of Maryland-bred horses. Robb hopes to extend this passion to responsibilities as an MTHA Board member.
Robb is an advocate for more negotiations to benefit horsemen and the Maryland-bred racing program. In addition, with her strong attendance on a
daily basis at the Maryland racetracks, she plans on being an active voice for Maryland horsemen.
Owner Candidate
CHARLES A. BONUCCELLI
Charles Bonuccelli spent a lot of time at Bowie Race Course—he basically grew up at the old home of winter racing
in Maryland. His time spent at Bowie as a youth and as a volunteer firefighter who used to hang in the first aid room
at the racetrack left an impression that led to him to eventually get involved in racehorse ownership. He currently
owns Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds.
Bonuccelli, a resident of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is Vice President of Cynergy Electric Company, an electrical
contractor based in Crofton near Bowie. He purchased his first Thoroughbred in 2008 and still races several Standardbreds in Maryland and other
states in the Mid-Atlantic region.
“Thoroughbreds were my first love,” Bonuccelli said. “It’s in my blood and something that has always been a part of me.”
Bonuccelli purchased three Thoroughbred yearlings in 2020 and has purchased others in the past. He said his goal is to promote Maryland racing
and breeding, provide a voice for the sport and educate the public about horse racing.
“I have free time as a business owner, and I think I can bring a different perspective to the MTHA Board of Directors,” Bonuccelli said. “I’ve seen
both sides—Thoroughbred and Standardbred.”
Bonuccelli noted the prevalence of claiming races in Thoroughbred racing versus a much larger number of condition races based on money earned
in Standardbred racing. He advocates for a system in Thoroughbred racing that would place horses in their true condition without be subject to a
claiming price.
Bonuccelli also expressed concern about rules that could over-regulate the use of the riding crop by jockeys and those that greatly curtail the use of
therapeutic medications such as Lasix.
“Therapeutic medications get demonized in this sport,” he said. “I would like to see more of a voice for racing. We need to defend racing and edu-
cate the public.”
6 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
Owner Candidate
MARK B. LAPIDUS
As a current and frustrated member of the MTHA board since 2017, I feel my major accomplishment was to
spearhead the increase in the badly underfunded Maryland Backstretch Employees Pension Fund from $400,000
to $900,000. I will continue to push for more funding for the Pension Fund.
As an owner, I have horses stabled at Laurel Park with trainer Mike Geralis. Being at the track most mornings
with my horses has given me great insight into the operation and needs of the backstretch.
The main reason I decided to run again is because Maryland Racing is facing three major storm clouds that could lead to its demise.
They are:
1. Legalized Sports Betting: This will cause cannibalization of wagering on the horses and the playing of slot machines, resulting in
lower purses.
2. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (Federal): Whether you are for or against it, the Act will create more layers of bureaucracy
and regulations that will greatly increase costs that will eventually be paid by the horseman, resulting in higher expenses.
3. Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 (MD): It is my understanding that under the Act, up to $375 million of Revenue
Bonds could be issued, and at least $150 million of the bond repayment would come out of the funds that originally were to be allo-
cated to the Purse Account ( $5 million for 30 years). I strongly urge all owners and trainers to fully read and understand the Act.
You might be shocked to know where the money is going.
Hoping I, and the future Board, will be able to seriously address these dangerous storm clouds.
Owner Candidate
CHARLES J. “CHIP” REED
Chip Reed is a Maryland native who has owned, bred, raced and bet horses since 1974. He and his wife Randy
own the Corner Stable restaurants in Cockeysville and Columbia, and both have a strong horse racing theme.
Reed is a 1969 graduate of Towson University and went to Johns Hopkins and Morgan State for graduate pro-
grams in business administration. He taught school in Baltimore County for two years and taught a freshman
college course in advertising and marketing.
He has a strong business background, having owned a chain of video stores and a travel agency. He also was vice president for Freestate
Raceway near Laurel.
Reed, a current MTHA board member, owns horses in partnerships with trainers Phil Schoenthal, Tim Keefe and Joan Reynolds and has brood-
mares at Murmur Farm.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time on the board and feel that I’ve been very active and productive,” Reed said. “I have worked on the Purse Committee,
the Fantasy Owner’s Day project, and attended meetings with the legislature to ensure that purses remain competitive and that our video lottery
terminal revenue is protected.”
Reed said he believes strongly in breeding and racing Thoroughbreds in Maryland, and that all of his horses are Maryland-breds. Among the top
horses he has bred and raced are Bold Affair and Hunka Hunka Lori Z, in partnership with Mike Zanella, as well as Home Run Hitter, Oh Say
Vicki, Oh Say Lou and his first stakes winner, Chip’s Dancer.
Reed said he understands the economics of the business, and that a person “has to love the game to handle the peaks and valleys.”
He said he intends to continue working to ensure horsemen, racetracks, breeders and lawmakers maintain a positive relationship.
“I feel that the current board represents a good cross-section of all facets of our industry but our work is not done.”
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 7
Owner Candidate
DANIEL G. EUBANKS
Dan Eubanks got hooked on Thoroughbred racing at the age of 10 through his parents’ racehorse, Hillbizon, who
won the 1980 Annapolis Handicap at Bowie Race Course. His first successful claim, Darling’s Bid, went on to finish
second in the 1999 Toes Knows Stakes at Laurel Park.
The winning tradition continues today. Eubanks currently has about 10 horses in training at Laurel Park with various
trainers and recently retired his most successful purchase, multiple stakes winner Colonel Sharp, who won the
Coalition and Dave’s Friend stakes in 2018. Eubanks participates in all aspects of the industry as an owner from claiming horses, purchasing at the
sales and breeding, and he understands the interests of all horseman must be represented.
Eubanks, an executive with Fidelity First who resides in Arnold, said there are many positive things going on in Maryland racing, but there are
important issues that need attention, including claiming rules that “are outdated and discourage new owners from entering our sport.”
Regarding racehorse safety, he said the track must be maintained at the highest of levels to ensure a safe and forgiving surface for the horses during
racing and training. Medication rules, he said, must be monitored closely and fairly with the well-being of the horse given the utmost consideration.
Eubanks said the condition book must be consistent and favorable, and that races should appear in the book about every three weeks. “If the races
were run every three weeks, they would fill more often and it would be much more beneficial to the horses’ health and longevity,” he said.
Eubanks credited ownership and management for the improvements on the frontside at Laurel Park and construction of new barns but said back-
stretch housing needs to be upgraded.
“The hot walkers, grooms and riders that take such excellent care of our horses every day need to be taken care of as well,” he said. “We also
need to address the neglected condition of older barns. I would relish the opportunity to help improve the backstretch for the workers and horses.”
The Beyond The Wire aftercare program, Eubanks said, “must continue to be a focus of the MTHA and all horsemen.” He would like more emphasis
placed on cultivating new patrons; events such as twilight racing on Fridays in the summer revisited and marketed to attract businesses and their
employees; and using Sunday racing to promote family outings with barbecue stations, picnic tables and a playground for children.
Owner Candidate
FREDERIC C. HEYMAN
Fred Heyman was born and raised in Baltimore County, where he still lives, and has been a Thoroughbred race-
horse owner for more than two decades.
Heyman, an attorney by trade, primarily races in Maryland but has raced throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He
usually owns five or six horses at a time but dispersed his stock before the COVID-19 shutdown earlier this year
because of financial considerations. Heyman intends to return, however, and would like to get more involved in the
industry through the MTHA Board of Directors.
“You don’t get involved in this business as an investment,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle choice.”
Heyman has owned numerous horses either outright or in partnerships. Top horses include Crossing Point, who earned almost $550,000 and won
15 races including four stakes, one of them the Dave’s Friend at Laurel Park; Maryland-bred P. Kerney, who won 13 races, four of them stakes,
and banked more than $460,000. Both were Maryland-bred runners.
Heyman said conversations with others in the business led him to run for the MTHA board.
“There is a need for everyone to have an understanding and appreciation of backstretch workers and how hard our blue-collar trainers ply their
trade,” he said. “It’s important for everyone to have a seat at the table and a voice at the table. There isn’t a lot of synergy between the blue-collar
trainers, those who train a lot of stakes horses, and racetrack management. There is a need for synergy across all bases.”
Heyman said in order for racing to grow, tracks must focus on enhancing the consumer experience and cultivating trainers who can bring quality
stock to Maryland to showcase the state as “the place for racing across all spectrums.” He is an advocate for the continued push for uniformity of
regulations, including those related to medication, and keeping the playing field level for all participants.
“There can be a disconnect among the stakeholders in racing,” Heyman said. “I want to try to be a consensus-builder across all platforms. The
table should be big enough so everyone has a voice.”
8 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
Owner Candidate
MATTHEW M. DORMAN
Matthew Dorman, born and raised in Beltsville, has always called Maryland his work and personal home.
In 2020, Dorman sold Credible Behavioral Health Inc., a company he started to improve the quality of care and life
in behavioral health. Dorman has more than 30 years of experience in technology management, operations, finance
and investment banking as well as 18 years of political and government understanding and knowledge.
Dorman drove Credible from a start-up with a mission to an industry leader with more than 500 partner agencies
spanning 38 states and Washington, D.C., with annual revenues exceeding $40 million and more than 150 staff nationwide. Prior to starting
Credible and growing it into a leadership role in the behavioral health enterprise software market, Dorman managed a $40 million e-commerce
division for Lockheed Martin.
Previously, he worked in the private sector managing turnarounds and providing investment banking and management consulting. Prior to earning
his MBA, Dorman worked in county and state government in Maryland, as well as on Capitol Hill for Senator Paul Sarbanes and for Senator Al
Gore’s vice presidential campaign in 1988. He earned his MBA in finance from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in political science from the
University of Delaware.
In 2010, leveraging great memories of attending the races with his father, Dorman bought into a claimer to learn firsthand how Thoroughbred own-
ership works. Building that experience into D Hatman Thoroughbreds, Dorman has now started a breeding and racing operation on 500-plus acres
in Boyds, Md.
The launch of Determined Stud LLC exemplifies Dorman’s commitment to the industry, his focus on bringing new ownership and new fans into our
sport, and the importance of providing a quality product while addressing business fundamentals.
Owner Candidate
DAVID H. WADE
David Wade, a University of Maryland graduate, is the General Manager of Northview Stallion Station and has
managed Richard Golden’s Sycamore Hall Farm and racing stable for 33 years.
Wade is a former adjunct faculty member of Cecil College having taught “Equine Anatomy and Physiology”
and “Movement of the Horse.” He is a current board member of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and
former two-term vice president. Wade perennially is among the leading consignors at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic
yearling and breeding stock sales.
A lifelong Maryland resident, Wade grew up in Savage, about three miles from Laurel Park. He and Maureen, his wife of 34 years, have a son,
Steve, and a daughter, Kristin.
The Wades have bred more than a dozen stakes winners, including Maryland champions Sparkling Number and Celestial Legend. One of their
current graduates is Whereshetoldmetogo, a multiple stakes-winning earner of more than $400,000. Wade and his wife are partners in a
2-year-old, Frightland, who is training with Graham Motion.
Wade said his focus on the MTHA Board of Directors will be on “fostering unity between and within the various industry organizations. While
each group has its own unique purpose and agenda, it is vital that we stand together as one to protect our revenue stream, the integrity of the
sport, and ultimately do what is best for the industry as a whole.”
Wade also plans to be a tireless advocate for backstretch issues including the vital programs of the Backstretch Pension Plan and Horsemen’s
Health System.
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 9
Owner Candidate
R. LARRY JOHNSON
Larry Johnson, when he was first elected to the MTHA Board of Directors in 2011, advocated for proper governance,
transparency in operations and decision-making, and ensuring that the interests of all horsemen are represented.
Johnson, who owns Legacy Farm in Virginia but historically has been very active in breeding and racing in Maryland, has
stuck with those objectives through multiple terms on the board. He has been involved in the transformation of the MTHA
as it continued to provide more services for horsemen and backstretch workers, particularly in the last five years.
Along with his breeding and racing business, Johnson, a native of Prince George’s County, Md., is a certified public accountant who specializes in
forensic accounting and frequently provides expert testimony throughout the country. He owns Veris Consulting, which has offices in Virginia and
Florida. Johnson is particularly interested in the implementation of the master plan to rebuild Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course under the Racing
and Community Development Act of 2020 and is advocate for strengthening the integrity of horse racing.
“I want to ensure that the plan as it was presented and approved by the MTHA Board of Directors is the plan that is implemented,” Johnson said. “The plan
for the transition period requires significant input. What we do in the next two or three years is of paramount importance.”
The plan as presented would make Laurel Park the only facility in North America with three racing surfaces: dirt, turf and synthetic.
Johnson noted that a synthetic Tapeta surface in addition to the existing dirt track and turf course was a major selling point of the master plan when
it was announced in 2019. Along with the equine safety component, a synthetic surface has value when races come off the turf or in the winter
when the weather is unfavorable, and could be a selling point to attract more horses and horsemen to Maryland, he said.
“I think the situation with the turf at Laurel is unacceptable,” Johnson said. “When we have bad weather, field size is decimated. No one is doing
anything about it—the course doesn’t drain properly.”
As for integrity, Johnson said increased scrutiny is needed for horses that win “from unexpected past performances” and trainers with percentages
“that don’t make sense.”
Owner Candidate
JOSEPH P. “JOSH” PONS, JR.
Joseph P. (Josh) Pons, Jr., is a 66-year-old general partner of Country Life Farm’s racing stable, which since
2000 has sent 925 starters to the post, with earnings of $5,252,797 (according to Equibase statistics through
Oct. 18, 2020). Country Life has been the leading Maryland entity bringing new owners into the sport of racing
through its partnerships. As of Oct. 18, Country Life is the second-leading owner at the fall Laurel race meeting.
Pons bases the Country Life racing stable at family-owned Merryland Farm, a Hydes, Md., training center with
a five-furlong training track. Pons and his brother Mike purchased Merryland in 2001. The two brothers also
equally own and manage Country Life Farm in Bel Air, Md. The farm was founded in 1933 by Pons’ grandfather, Adolphe, and operated through
the 1980s by his father Joe.
A 1972 graduate of John Carroll High School, Pons completed his under-graduate work at the University of Virginia in 1976. In 1982, following
graduation from University of Kentucky School of Law, he was admitted to the Maryland bar. He has earned two Eclipse Awards for his writing in
The Blood-Horse magazine, for whom he is presently the author of a monthly series entitled “Letters from Rockland Farm.”
Actively involved in horse-racing legislation in Annapolis for decades, Pons is a past-president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. He
resides with his wife Ellen at Country Life. They have two adult sons, Josh and August.
10 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s AssociationOwner Candidate
JAMES W. RASHID
Jim Rashid was born and raised in Hialeah, Fla., across the street from Hialeah Park where his grandfather
worked for Calumet Farm. Horse racing was in his blood.
After serving in the Air Force from 1972-76, Rashid moved to Maryland and started a new career in the specialty
bedding industry, and over the following 40 years was involved with every aspect of the industry, including man-
ufacturing and sales in Asia, Europe and the United States
In January 2020 Rashid sold his bedding business to focus on and be more involved in Maryland racing—his interest goes back to 2007, when
he visited the Bowie Training Center, met the late Eddie Gaudet and discussed entering the business as an owner.
Rashid, who contacted trainer Phil Schoenthal on the suggestion of Gaudet, claimed his first horse in May of that year and subsequently spent
10 years in the claiming business. Over the last three years he has focused on buying yearlings. The first purchase came in 2018: a Maryland-
bred filly named Gifted Heart, who won her first two races and was second in the first running of Dickie Moore Stakes at Charles Town.
In 2019 Rashid purchased another yearling and a Maryland-bred broodmare who produced a foal this year and is back in foal. In 2020 Rashid
purchased a Maryland-bred yearling colt out of Midshipman.
“The experience and excitement from being at the farm to watching your yearling mature and grow, and then getting her to the racetrack, is a
thrill of a lifetime,” Rashid said. “I hope everyone will have the opportunity to experience it.”
Rashid has a keen interest in improving the environment for owners in Maryland and using resources to cultivate new owners. He called it his
top priority.
“We need to establish better communication between the MTHA board and owners, which in turn will strengthen the future growth for
Maryland racing,” Rashid said. “We must work to unite and represent owners so they have a voice—I would certainly be open to meeting with
any owner or potential owners—and encourage them to bring forward questions, suggestions or concerns. Our owners are one of the major
promoters that can bring in new potential owners.”
Owner Candidate
ELLEN M. CHARLES
Ellen Charles, who has operated a racing stable in Maryland since 2004, has a long history in Maryland racing as
her mother bred and raced Thoroughbreds and her father was a steward at Maryland racetracks for many years.
Charles, who previously has served on the MTHA Board of Directors, owns Hillwood Stable, which breeds and
also purchases Thoroughbreds at auctions. Among her top horses are Cordmaker, Phlash Phelps and Shimmering
Aspen, each of which have earned in excess of $400,000.
Earlier in 2020, Majestic Reason, a mare she owns in partnership with Richard Golden, won the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel Park.
Charles, who was named MTHA Owner of the Year for 2016, has a broodmare band and supports two of her former racehorses who went on to
stallion careers.
Bandbox, by leading sire Tapit, stands at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland. Bandbox won the $250,000 General George Handicap, a Grade
3 event, at Laurel in 2014 and earned $390,345 in a 15-race career. Bandbox through October was the second-leading stallion in Maryland by
earnings for 2020.
Golden Years, by Not For Love, raced only five times but won three races, including the Maryland Million Nursery and Marylander Stakes for
Charles. He was bred in West Virginia by O’Sullivan Farm, where he stands.
Charles, who grew up in Howard County, Md., has served on many boards, including that of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens in Washington,
D.C. Charles has long advocated for devoting more resources to racehorse aftercare and is a member of the Beyond The Wire Board of Directors.
She was very instrumental in the creation of this program.
Charles said she remains focused on improving the racing product in Maryland and ensuring proper care of racehorses.
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 11Owner Candidate
MICHAEL F. HORNING
Michael Horning’s family has been actively involved in breeding and racing horses in Maryland for almost 50 years.
His late father, breeder-owner Larry Sr., served on the MTHA Board of Directors as an owner representative, while
his brother, Larry Jr., was a licensed Maryland trainer for more than 30 years.
A graduate of John Carroll University with a degree in accounting, Horning is a CPA who became audit senior
manager at Touche Ross. For almost 35 years he has been the chief financial officer at two different property and
casualty insurance companies.
Horning is married to Debbie (Komlo) Horning, daughter of longtime Maryland trainer William Komlo, and they race their horses as M and D Stable.
The couple, who live in Potomac and have three grown children, have horses in training and broodmares, all of which are Maryland-breds. Two
homebreds were stakes winners—Eyeplayeveryday and Debbie’s Tude.
Elected in 2011, Horning was a member of the MTHA Board that struck the 10-year agreement with the Maryland Jockey Club that provided sta-
bility in the racing industry and encouraged cooperation among all industry stakeholders. He said that remains important as all stakeholders work
to promote the health and well-being of Maryland racing.
Horning noted the importance of the MTHA’s annual lobbying efforts in Annapolis, and said a priority is maintaining the industry’s share of casino
video lottery revenue, which represents about two-thirds of the funds in the Thoroughbred Purse Account.
As Chairman of the MTHA Finance Committee, Horning has directed the oversight of the annual financial statement audit, reviewed the annual IRS
Form 990 filings, developed an investment policy statement for investment of the association’s funds, and oversees the selection process of an
investment adviser for the MTHA’s investments and those of the backstretch and employee pension plans.
“A priority is promoting the health, welfare and benefits of backstretch workers,” Horning said. “We need to make sure we increase benefits for the
people who are taking care of our animals.”
Owner Candidate
GARY HACKER
Gary Hacker has been involved in Thoroughbred racing in Maryland for 70 years, beginning with his parents:
Evelyn, an owner; and Tuffy, a jockey, trainer and breeder.
Hacker’s parents were among the first members when the Maryland Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective
Association was founded. His father was a director on the board for more than 25 years and later became a
founder and director of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association when it came to be in the 1987.
“The dinner table talk was always about racing, and I learned about the industry at an early age,” Hacker said. “Since that time, I have done
everything at the racetrack from working for my father as a hotwalker starting when I was 8 years old, to selling programs on the frontside, to
becoming a racing official—a paddock, placing and patrol judge.”
Hacker along the way earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and Master of Business Administration degree. He currently is a con-
sultant and does software training for law firms and financial institutions on the national and international levels. Hacker brings knowledge of the
general business environment to his involvement in horse racing.
“From my father, I learned that the MTHA has to look out for the ‘little’ guy because the big guy can take care of himself,” Hacker said. “This
means that the small owners and trainers need to be treated the same as the big-time owners and trainers—no favoritism. And the barn help
needs to be taken care of—I believe this is one area in which big strides have been made in the last 20 years, which would have made my
father happy. But there are still areas that can be improved.”
Hacker, who spends a lot of time in the stable area at Laurel Park, said he would welcome the opportunity to serve on the MTHA board. He said
he believes “all parties involved in both Mid-Atlantic racing and the sport on a national level must work together in a collegial manner for the
good of racing,” and in “ensuring that owners are compensated for their risk and investment in the business.”
12 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s AssociationELECTION SERVICES:
Third party election services are provided by:
INTELLISCAN, INC.
a professional election management provider
for associations, credit unions, trade unions,
cooperatives and corporations.
11 Davis Road, Suite 215
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-935-6170
Voting Instructions
The MTHA election period runs from December 1 to
December 31, 2020.
Voting By Paper:
• Completely fill in the box (■) of the choices you select.
• Please select seven candidates in each category.
Selecting more or less than seven candidates in
either category invalidates your ballot.
• DO NOT MAIL TO MTHA.
• Detach ballot and place in the enclosed secrecy
envelope. Place the secrecy envelope in the enclosed
postage paid return envelope. THE RETURN
ENVELOPE MUST BE SIGNED IN
ORDER FOR THE BALLOT TO BE VALID.
• Mail to: MTHA c/o Intelliscan, Inc., PO Box 743,
Phoenixville, PA 19460-9937. Envelopes must be
received no later than December 31, 2020. Please
allow sufficient time for delivery.
If you have any questions, please email
aarbitell@intelliscaninc.com or call 610-935-6172.
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 13
MTHA 2020 ElectionTrainer Candidate
CLAUDIO A. GONZALEZ
Claudio Gonzalez has come a long way as a trainer since his arrival in the United States from Chile in the mid-1990s.
Gonzalez, who currently has more than 40 horses stabled at Laurel Park, has won more than 850 races for purse
earnings of almost $24 million. He moved his operation to Maryland in 2012, expanded his stable, and since that
time has won multiple meet training titles and three titles as top trainer by wins on the year. In 2020 Gonzalez won
two Grade 3 stakes: the Pimlico Special with Harpers First Ride and the Charles Town Oaks with Fly Away Angel.
Gonzalez is active in the claim box but in recent years his name regularly shows up in stakes in Maryland and elsewhere. He began purchasing
yearlings and 2-year-olds at auction for various clients and now is in the breeding business as well with a broodmare band and two babies.
Gonzalez, who has three children, moved to Maryland because of the growth in the racing program thanks to revenue from casino-style gaming
that goes to purses and the stability of a year-round racing program. Gonzalez said he wants to be part of the MTHA board of directors to help
ensure things keep moving in a positive direction for all stakeholders.
“I want to be more involved in everything,” Gonzalez said. “We don’t know anything at times (regarding proposed regulations). We need communi-
cation—that is really important to trainers. We don’t want to make mistakes.”
Gonzalez is an advocate for altering the claiming regulations to benefit owners who sometime must wait a month and a half to run a claimed horse.
“The owner has to pay all the time,” he said. “It’s a little thing but it would better for owners. Sometimes little things make a big difference.”
Gonzalez believes in creating a better environment on the backstretch for both horses and those who work with them on a daily basis. He consid-
ers it a priority.
“Some barns now don’t look good at all,” Gonzalez said. “It will also be better for our employees whose (dormitory) rooms are not too good. We
need to help these people as much as we can. If they live well, it will be better for everyone on the backstretch.”
Trainer Candidate
H. GRAHAM MOTION
Graham Motion, who joined the MTHA Board of Directors in 2014, has won many of the most prestigious races in
the United States, and horses trained by him have won almost 2,500 races and have banked more than $131 mil-
lion, which is good for 14th on the all-time list of U.S. trainers by earnings.
Motion, whose family moved from England to the United States in 1980, began his career working with Jonathan
Sheppard and eventually started his own stable upon the death of trainer Bernard Bond, for whom he served as
assistant, in 1993 at Pimlico Race Course.Motion eventually moved to Fair Hill, where his training operation has been based for many years. Motion
trains Sharing, the 2019 Maryland-Bred Horse of the Year who won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Motion said top issues for Maryland racing are continuance of the current arrangement with regard to purse distribution from video lottery terminal revenue
and coping with diminishing field size, which has become a national problem given sharp declines in the Thoroughbred foal crop several years ago.
Motion also said it’s important to protect purse bonuses for Maryland breeders and to continue pursuing uniformity of rules and regulations for
horse racing on a national level.
Ensuring that the master plan that is part of the Racetrack and Community Development Act of 2020 is realized is critical to the future of Maryland
racing, Motion said.
“It’s very important with the commitment that was made to hold The Stronach Group to what the original deal was,” Motion said. “This has tremen-
dous consequences for us in a good way.”
Motion is an advocate for a synthetic Tapeta surface at Laurel Park as outlined in the original plan. “Another surface would. Be great,” he said. “With
all the races we’ve lost on the grass this year, it would be a game-changer.”
14 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s AssociationTrainer Candidate
KENNETH M. “KENNY” COX
Kenny Cox, who obtained his trainer’s license in 1989, was born and raised in Gambrills, Md., not far from Bowie,
and still lives there on a small farm.
His father was involved in horse racing, so Cox spent a lot of time at Bowie Race Course when it was open for rac-
ing, and he stabled there when it was only a training center after live racing ended in 1985.
“I used to go to the track with my dad all the time,” Cox said. “Any free time I had I would be at the racetrack, even
in the winter when I got out of school.”
Cox, whose runners have earned more than $6.6 million, trained Maryland-bred Flaming Emperor, a multiple stakes winner who placed in the Grade
3 De Francis Dash, won 18 races and earned almost $700,000; Super Chunky, a winner of more than $450,000 who was Grade 3 stakes-placed
in Canada; and My Cuz C J, who earned nearly $200,000. Cox’s best year came in 2005, when he won two meet training titles in Maryland, had a
total of 72 victories and his horses earned in excess of $1 million.
Cox’s wife, Kelly Jo, was a clocker at Bowie and then started her own equine therapy business, which continues today.
Offering a voice to all members of the horsemen’s community in Maryland is a priority for Cox.
“To me, one of the most important things is all of us learning to work together, putting our own agendas aside and coming together to do what’s
best for horsemen,” Cox said. “Our horsemen don’t feel like they are included in things. I think the majority of them feel that way. Their opinions
matter.
“My biggest strength and ability is to take a common-sense approach. Anybody who knows me knows I fight for what’s right for everybody.”
Trainer Candidate
KATHARINE M. VOSS
Katy Voss has been a trainer in Maryland for more than 40 years. She helped found the MTHA in 1987 and is
currently Secretary, as well as a member of the MTHA Purse, Finance and Legislative committees. She also is a
longtime board member and secretary-treasurer of Maryland Million and a former president of the Maryland Horse
Breeders Association.
Voss comes from a well-established family of horse people. Her father, the late John B. Merryman, served on the
MTHA Board of Directors, and, with Voss’ late mother Kitty, bred and raced a successful stable for many years. Voss’s siblings—Ann, Edwin and
Elizabeth Merryman—are also successful trainers in the region.
Voss owns and operates Chanceland Farm, a large breeding, training and rehab facility in Howard County that she developed with Bob Manfuso
who passed away earlier in 2020. Chanceland is also an active consignor at Maryland auctions.
Over the years, Voss has developed many outstanding stakes winners, including Twixt (a Maryland-bred champion in the 1970s), Bishop’s Fling,
Smart ’n Quick, Due North, Wood So, Woodfox, Rugged Bugger, Carnival Court, Polish Holiday, Creamy Dreamy, Lies of Omission, Tuzia, Our Peak,
Plata, Corvus, Saratoga Bob and Las Setas.
During the 2020 Maryland legislative session, she used her decades of legislative experience to work in Annapolis to support the Racetrack and
Community Development Act and sports betting at the racetracks. She is currently working on the design of the barns and other aspects of the
new stable area at Laurel Park envisioned in the legislation.
Voss said navigating through the construction schedules for rebuilding Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park while maintaining a successful racing
and training program is of the utmost importance, as is the need for strong, dedicated leadership to continue the progress in Maryland.
“Going forward, I believe the biggest challenge to the Thoroughbred industry, not just in Maryland but nationally, is the cost of developing hors-
es,” Voss said. “The vast majority of owners never recoup their investment unless the horse is a stakes horse. The consequence is fewer owners
developing fewer horses, resulting in shorter fields, which leads to lower demand for young stock and breeders breeding fewer mares as reflected
in The Jockey Club’s annual foal crop statistics. This downward spiral will continue if we don’t come up with solutions and make the necessary
changes as soon as possible.”
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 15Trainer Candidate
HUGH I. MCMAHON
Hugh McMahon, a native of Doncaster, England, is a former jockey-turned-trainer who has been a force in the Mid-
Atlantic region, particularly in the claiming ranks, which he said gives him an important perspective.
McMahon, who lives in Crownsville, is stabled at Laurel Park and has smaller string at Hollywood Casino at Penn
National Race Course. He began as an assistant to Scott Lake when then trainer had a large operation with multiple
bases in the region.
McMahon won more than 100 races in three consecutive years–2012 to 2014–and is approaching 1,000 victories for his career. He has won train-
ing titles at Laurel, the Maryland State Fair at Timonium, and Colonial Downs in Virginia, and his starters have earned more than $23 million.
McMahon, first elected to the MTHA Board of Directors in 2017, said developments earlier this year regarding federal indictments of prominent
horsemen and others have driven home the point that racing must make integrity the priority.
“In light of the exposure of Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis, what’s really important is the word integrity,” McMahon said. “We need to be more vigi-
lant in the pursuit of that integrity, level the playing field, and let real horsemanship prevail.”
McMahon acknowledged the negative public perception that can result from such high-profile cases and the need for heightened awareness of the
importance of integrity by industry participants.
“It’s consistent with a whole lot of things,” he said. “It communicates something significant to the non-discerning public eye. I’m in this primarily for
the horse, the horsemen, and those who own the horses to keep it legitimate and above-board.”
Trainer Candidate
JOSE CORRALES
Jose Corrales, who is approaching the 500-win mark as a trainer, has regularly placed high in the standings at
Maryland tracks over the last decade. His runners have earned almost $11 million.
A jockey-turned-trainer, Corrales befriended trainer and former jockey Wesley Ward and became his assistant in
the early 1990s. He trained for a while on the island of Macau, and when he returned to the United States eventu-
ally met Andy Stronach, son of Frank Stronach, in 2011.
The relationship led to Corrales training a string of horses for the Stronach family. One of them, Something Awesome, went from claiming races
to become a multiple stakes winner, including the Grade 3 General George Stakes and Grade 2 Charles Town Classic in 2018 at the age of 7.
Among the issues Corrales would like to see addressed include having more outriders during training and better organization among the outrid-
ers, and a better system whereby trainers don’t miss making it to the frontside from the backstretch to view workouts.
“I’ve spoken to Sal Sinatra about some things,” he said. “As horsemen, we have to think about the horses.”
Corrales acknowledged there is “really not much we can do now” regarding purse levels at Maryland tracks that are likely to remain static, but he
said he would like to see more races for $5,000 claimers and lower-level starter allowance races that allow owners and trainers who claim hors-
es for $5,000 to protect them for a period of time.
Corrales said members of the Spanish-speaking community “are some of the best workers and are very loyal” and “need a better way to feed
themselves. There isn’t a good facility on the backstretch for them to cook or use microwaves. It’s very expensive for them to live and also send
money to their families. A little bit of help would make it better for them.”
Corrales also is an advocate for communication among all parties to move Maryland racing forward.
“If we all get together and improve communication and try to understand each other, there can be better conversation, which would be good for
everyone,” he said. “I don’t have an ego—I care for everybody and want everybody to do well.”
16 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s AssociationTrainer Candidate
VALORA A. TESTERMAN
Lori Testerman has been a Maryland based trainer for close to 40 years. In 2001 she was the first woman to
receive the MTHA “Most Outstanding Trainer” after her trainee Disco Rico won 9 races of 17, seven which were
stakes, two of them Grade 3.
A native of Lutherville, Md, she began working on the track at age 16 and has dedicated her life to working with
Thoroughbreds. She served as stable foreman for trainer Charlie Lewis at Three Cousins Farm in the 1980s and
spent 12 years as resident trainer for Nancy Stautberg’s Harford Hill Farm.
Testerman has been stabled at Pimlico Race Course, which she has called home for many years. She previously served on the MTHA Board of
Directors from 2002 to 2004.
Testerman said that Pimlico needs representation on the board, and that horseman stabled there often find out about developments after the
fact. “The MTHA votes on a lot of things, and it would be good if the horseman were informed of them prior to voting, so they could express their
thoughts and concerns.”
Testerman said she has safety concerns regarding the vanning of horses from Pimlico to Laurel for races. She said, “There are no lights near
the loading chute, horses have to navigate around vehicles, and the vans themselves are too full.” She suggested the situation be evaluated
and improved.
Though training and stabling is slated to eventually end at Pimlico when the facility is rebuilt under the master plan, Testerman believes the track
can still be used to promote horse racing. “I think were missing the boat,” she said. “Pimlico is 10 minutes from the Inner Harbor, and located
next to the Sinai Hospital complex which draws 20,000 people through its doors each month. We need to take advantage of this opportunity
to pull new people into the world of horse racing. There are still people standing outside in the mornings just to watch the horses gallop. It’s a
beautiful site”
Trainer Candidate
JONATHAN MALDONADO
Jonathan Maldonado, a Laurel Park-based trainer, has been in Maryland for more than a decade, and his horses
have earned more than $3 million.
Maldonado is a native of Puerto Rico who got started in racing at a very early age by going to the barn and grad-
ually learning the business. He began training horses at the age of 17, and it didn’t take long for his operation to
grow dramatically.
At one point in Puerto Rico, Maldonado had 80 to 90 horses in training. But the earnings potential was low, so he came to the United States and
settled on Maryland, where he had family.
Maldonado began helping trainer Hugh McMahon and then became an assistant trainer for Dane Kobiskie, who won two consecutive training
titles. He then decided to go out on his own and has assisted other trainers who ship in while running his own operation.
Maldonado is bilingual and said he has a passion for assisting those who work on the backstretch at Maryland tracks. He said he believes the
MTHA Board of Directors can do more in that regard.
“There should be somebody who speaks Spanish on the board,” Maldonado said. “About 90% of the people back here speak Spanish, and we as
horsemen rely a lot on those employees.”
After about 10 years training horses in Maryland, Maldonado said he wants to see changes.
“I believe we should be in a better place by now,” he said. “We need some young people on that board. In Maryland, we’re supposed to be close
to being (on par) with the biggest racetracks in America, and here we are, stuck in the same spot. We as horsemen have to get together and make
things happen. It’s the only way to do good things here.”
Maldonado also said he’d like to see more attention paid to the racing surfaces. “Nobody talks about the track,” he said. “We have to focus on
that.”
Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association 17Trainer Candidate
RAUL A. GARRIDO
Raul Garrido, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, has been around horses since the age of 3. Horses were a big part of
the family, and his father, a podiatrist, was the owner of many racehorses.
Garrido started training in Venezuela in 1990 soon after he earned his BA in veterinary medicine. He trained in his
home country for almost 10 years and came to the United States in 2000. Garrido chose to settle in Maryland,
where he stabled his horses at the Bowie Training Center.
He moved his stable to Laurel Park when Bowie closed, and currently owns and trains five horses stabled at Laurel and at a training center in
Sykesville, Md. Since 2000 in the U.S., Garrido has won more than 250 races and his horses have earned about $3.6 million.
Garrido is advocate not only for growth in the racing and breeding industry but for cohesive action to protect the business and educate the public
on its benefits and focus on equine welfare.
“We have to make a lot of changes to keep people involved in the business,” he said, “but we can’t forget there are a lot of outside agents like
PETA that are against us. We need to improve the barn area here, work together on the condition book and make races for every horse on the
backstretch.”
Garrido said the automatic 10% deduction of purse money for trainers, a program championed by the MTHA Board of Directors and implemented
earlier this year, was a positive development he hopes leads to other changes.
“We need to always try to make things better,” said Garrido, who believes having at least one Spanish-speaking representative on the MTHA board
is important. “We have excellent facilities here—Laurel is a very nice track compared with other ones that I have been to. Maryland also has many
nice farms, and we have to make sure we keep that business here.
“We all fought a lot to increase purses and look at what has changed over the years. Even the simple things can make a difference.”
Trainer Candidate
MIKE J. TROMBETTA
Mike Trombetta, who left the construction business to begin training full time in 2005, oversees a large stable
recognizable up and down the East Coast.
Trombetta, a current member of the MTHA Board of Directors, keeps horses at two Maryland locations—Laurel
Park and Fair Hill Training Center—and also at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
He spent a lot of time around the racetrack as a youngster because his father owned Thoroughbreds, and he
started working on the backstretch at the age of 15. Trombetta went from hot walker to groom while working at Pimlico Race Course and the
Maryland State Fair at Timonium, and by age 18 had obtained his trainer’s license.
Trombetta maintained a small stable at Pimlico while assisting his brother in the construction business before he dove in full time. Aside from
clients that include Larry Johnson and Live Oak Plantation, he also has a family operation called R.D.M. Racing Stable.
As of October 2020, Trombetta, whose horses have won multiple graded stakes, was about 100 wins shy of the 2,000 mark with earnings of
more than $63 million. In 2020 he won the Grade 1 Forego Stakes in New York with Win Win Win.
Trombetta first ran for the MTHA Board of Directors to put his many years of experience in racing to good use for benefit of fellow horsemen.
“I think big-picture issue for us is the transition that is part of the redevelopment plan of Laurel and Pimlico and implementing what lies ahead
for the future of those two facilities,” Trombetta said. “It is a huge undertaking and we have a long way to go. But hopefully as a group we can
come up with good ideas and work though all of it.”
Trombetta said another objective is to rebound from a shutdown that greatly impacted racing opportunities and purse revenue.
“Obviously there was a huge curve ball with the COVID-19 crisis but getting back up and running and working again on a normal basis is a
huge plus,” he said. “We need to build on that and get back to as full a race schedule as possible for everybody’s benefit.”
18 Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s AssociationYou can also read
