A divided Maryland Racing Commission on Wednesday gave its approval for a schedule allowing Maryland-bred and -sired stakes races to include Virginia-bred and -sired horses, as well. But it wasn’t without debate, or a tongue-lashing from the Commission concerned that the state’s horsemen’s and breeders’ groups had not done enough to educate their membership on the proposal.

“Really poorly handled,” Commissioner Tammy Lafferty called it.

“It is unfortunate that there’s a lot of discord,” added Commissioner Bobby Lillis.

“Change your habits,” warned Commissioner Ellen Zavian.

Those three were, perhaps reluctantly, among five that voted for the proposal. The final vote was 5-2 with Commissioners Terry West and Konrad Wayson in opposition.

The modified stakes were part of a three-prong proposal supported by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association to aid Maryland horsemen while racing in the state goes on hiatus this summer.

The other prongs – permitting the Maryland Bred Fund to pay a total of $1.2 million in bonuses, split between breeders and stallion owners on one hand and owners and racehorse “developers” on the other, during Maryland’s dark period from July 4 through August 17 – passed unanimously without comment.

But the question of the stakes schedule occupied the bulk of the 90-minute meeting, which took place in Tycoons Lounge at Laurel Park.

Under the now-approved proposal, Virginia racing interests will contribute $750,000 on top of the typical Maryland-restricted stakes schedule of $1,050,000, bringing the grand total to $1.8 million. In return, all of Maryland’s state-bred stakes will be open to horses bred or sired in Virginia.

The deal is for one year, ending next March.

“It’s a one-year deal that’s an opportunity for a collaborative effort,” said Maryland Horse Breeders Association executive director Cricket Goodall. “It gives Maryland-breds a lot more money to run for during Colonial, plus we’re paying Maryland-bred bonuses. It’s added value for Maryland-breds.”

But trainers-owners-breeders Jerry Robb and wife Gina Robb countered that most of the money supporting Maryland racing these days comes from the state itself, in the form of slot machine revenues dedicated to racing.

What’s more, he claimed, the process leading to the proposal was conducted largely in the dark.

“This program, if you OK it today, 3,000 of our members will hear about it tomorrow for the first time,” Jerry Robb said.

“The state has given us this money for the people who live in Maryland,” Gina Robb added. “It’s to support Maryland farms and Maryland businesses.”

Virginia’s horsemen will pay for six stakes to be run at Colonial Downs this summer, all of them with a $125,000 purse.

Those are the typically-Maryland-restricted Miss Disco, Star de Naskra, Find, and All Brandy Stakes. In addition, the Virginia-restricted Jamestown will open to Maryland-bred and -sired runners, and a sixth stake, for two-year-old fillies, will also be part of the combined schedule.

Maryland’s breeding industry is substantially larger than Virginia’s, which MTHA president Katy Voss pointed out.

In 2023, according to The Jockey Club, there were 460 Maryland-sired foals born along with 547 Maryland-breds. That same year there were 12 Virginia-sired foals and 146 Virginia-breds.

And in 2024 1,506 Maryland-breds made 9,742 starts nationwide. That same year 248 Virgina-breds made 1,314 starts.

The need to be creative arose because Maryland, which for most of recent history has raced a year-round schedule, will close during July and most of August this year. Absent a change, that would mean no Maryland-bred or -sired bonuses for those two months.

In addition, Laurel played host to five Maryland-bred/-sired stakes in July and August last year.

Purse account money cannot be sent out of state. But money from the Bred Fund can go out of state to support Maryland-bred and -sired horses – when Maryland racing is dark and if the Commission signs off on it.

On the other hand, Bred Fund money cannot go to horses bred in other states. But purse fund money, of course, can.

So the solution: the Bred Fund will pay $1.2 million in bonuses during Maryland’s down time, while the purse account pays for the stakes purses.

“This is a ground-breaking move,” Maryland Jockey Club chief Bill Knauf said, adding he was “very positive” on the proposal, which also has the potential to increase field size in Maryland-restricted races.

Owner-trainer Justin Nixon praised the proposal.

“If this is voted down, my concern is you have absolutely nowhere to run a Maryland-bred in July and August,” he said. “There are probably more positives to this than negatives.”

In the end, it seemed that the Commission saw it the same way.

MARYLAND/VIRGINIA BLENDED STAKES AT COLONIAL DOWNS