Sinatra: “Maybe there’s a place” for Laurel, Pimlico
by Frank Vespe
The long-term fate of Pimlico Race Course won’t be decided for another year or more, with a Maryland Stadium Authority study on the track’s status and future options slated to take at least that long.
But senior Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) officials — decidedly cool towards Old Hilltop last year — seem to have warmed up in the interim.
“This was my second Preakness,” said MJC president Sal Sinatra on a May 28 radio show. “You feel the electricity, you feel the history. You see the old tapes being played the weeks upcoming to Pimlico and the Preakness, and… from a horse racing guy, everything is past performances, and history and bloodlines, you don’t want to see change.”
The interview aired as part of “Off to the Races on The Racing Biz Radio,” a weekly radio program that airs on ESPN 950 AM in Richmond, VA. You can listen to the interview here.
In the interview, which took place one week after the 141st running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Preakness Stakes, Sinatra acknowledged the challenges the company faces in owning Pimlico and Laurel Park — two aging facilities just 30 minutes apart.
“We’re a company, the MJC, that was losing millions of dollars and our job is to right the ship and get it profitable,” he explained. “You’re looking at two older facilities, both in need of repair.”
The company has already spent millions on renovations at Laurel Park, including the construction of two large new barns, as well as numerous frontside improvements.
In addition, Sinatra indicated that keeping the backstretch open for training costs $250,000 or more per month. As the company renovates Laurel, it likely will seek to cut down to one facility for training and racing.
Yet whatever decision eventually is made about Pimlico’s future will have numerous dimensions for the company, the city, and the neighborhood that surrounds the track, as well as the racing industry as a whole. Sinatra acknowledges that there is a reservoir of good will for Pimlico.
“If you had this facility open for a ship-in meet or two ship-in meets, you know, anything’s possible,” Sinatra said. “It’s just working the numbers and seeing where the expenses are.
“If you think about it, and you have this Super Bowl called the Preakness every year at Pimlico, and we can get the [Maryland] International where we think it should be, and possibly we can hold a Breeders’ Cup at Laurel, there’s a spot for both of them to have world class events at. You just need a facility to handle those events.”
During the discussion about the disappointing Alibi Breakfast with the new caterer I suggested contacting Royal Farms as they have great fried chicken. I did make the suggestion directly to Royal farms and they LOVED the idea. They want to be involved with the Preakness next year for sure. By coincidence, stopped for a sandwich at the North East Royal Farms which was recently remodeled and found lots of executive types there for a promo shoot. I asked one person if he was from the Corporate offices which he said yes, when also a woman asked if I was the person she talked to with the suggestion. I have her card and will contact Sal Sinatra about the connection after I have completed my move to Churchville, MD probably next week.
I have attended fabulous outdoor concerts at Vincennes in Paris during their off season. Pimlico could be set up for that during their off season while racing is at Laurel, and also during the winter months, a racing museum (like the Kentucky Derby Museum) could attract and inform people about the incredible history of racing in Maryland. This would be a boon to the city of Baltimore, the neighborhood and Pimlico itself. If they can rebuild Ascot and Longchamps, they can restore Pimlico. They just have to see the merits of doing so and make a cooperative joint effort. With sponsors like Royal Farm sit could be a win win for everyone.
The best use of Pimlico would be to sell it to the City of Baltimore so they can raze it and install a public housing project for all the local hoodlums to live. For gosh sakes, one of the MJC security guards was murdered at the facility not too long ago. It is in a terrible area, the facility (front side and back) is in an advanced state of decay, and on top of that there’s no local fan base worth keeping the place open.
How rich it is to hear a Virginia horseman insult the tracks in Maryland. Virginia has no track! You and your brilliant buddies shut down Virginia’s track and OTB network driving away ton’s of fans who won’t be coming back. Fanduel and Draftkings will be here soon. They will most certainly treat their customers better then the Virginia racing industry has! And you did all this so you could run cheap, broke down claimers through some cowpasture toting 150 pound jockeys! Genius at work!