The Maryland State Fair meet at Timonium concluded Sept. 4 with dramatic gains in on-track and total handle.
Total wagering at the fair, including money wagered at Timonium on live and simulcast races and simulcast handle on Timonium racing, totaled $7,827,083, up 11.11% from last year. A total of $716,384 was wagered on-track on Timonium racing, up 11.25% from last year, while export handle jumped to $4,103,198, a 39.66% rise from last season.
For the second consecutive year, 63 races were conducted, with more than $2 million in purse money distributed. 400 horses raced at the meet, the highest total since 2018 and up 8.85% from last year. There were no equine fatalities during the seven-day meet.
“On behalf of the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society, we appreciate the support from our racing staff, participants, horsemen and fans during our race meeting,” said Bill Marlow, the chairman of the Maryland State Fair race committee. “The historic gains we have achieved would not have been possible without their support.”
Timonium hosted a pair of stakes races this year. Response Time won the Timonium Distaff on Aug. 26, for owners Mens Grille Racing, trainer Hamilton Smith, and jockey Jeiron Barbosa. On Sept. 2, Sweet Soddy J won the Timonium Juvenile for owner/breeder Built Wright Stables and trainer Raymond Ginter Jr, with Barbosa once again in the saddle.
Jerry Robb led the training standings with nine victories. He became the first trainer to win nine races at Timonium since 2013, when Hugh McMahon accomplished the feat. Robb’s wife Gina and Kieron Magee tied for second, with six winners each. Magee achieved a career milestone on Aug. 27, when he won his 1,000th career race with Viking Queen. Anthony Farrior’s stable was named the winner of the overall groom’s award.
Xavier Perez led the jockey standings with 12 wins from 32 mounts. Axel Concepcion finished second, riding home eight winners from 39 mounts. Two horses won two races at the meet: Jose Corrales-trained Anonymously, who won on Aug. 25 and Sept. 4, and Here and Nofurther, who won on Aug. 26 and Sept. 4 for Magee.
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