Russell, Sillaman Tie Atop Trainer Standings, Toledo Takes Jockey Title
Laurel Opens Friday with 12:40 p.m. First Post

BALTIMORE – Thoroughbred racing in Maryland will resume Friday when Laurel Park opens for its summer meet.

Pimlico Race Course wrapped up its 2022 meet Monday with Jevian Toledo winning the riding title and Brittany Russell and Richard Sillaman sharing the training title.

The highlight of the Pimlico Meet was Preakness 147, won by Klaravich Stable’s Early Voting. Preakness weekend also included Interstatedaydream’s victory in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2), Set Piece winning the Dinner Party (G2), and Ethereal Road winning the Sir Barton for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Toledo won his ninth career riding title in Maryland but first at Pimlico, while Russell became the first female to win more than one meet title in Maryland. She earned her first championship at Laurel’s 2022 spring stand to join Karen Patty (1992 Pimlico spring), Mary Eppler (2016 Laurel fall) and Linda Rice (T-1st, 2017 Laurel winter) as other women to be meet-leading trainers.

There were mandatory payouts on the last day of the Pimlico meet. Five of six winners in the Rainbow 6 returned $2,197.76 while the Late Pick 5 returned $11,127.65.

Racing resumes Friday at Laurel Park with a nine-race program - five scheduled on the turf - beginning at 12:40 p.m. The featured eighth race, a 5 ½ furlong allowance event on the main track for fillies and mares with a $48,000 purse, drew a field of seven including Belladora and Wicked Hot.

Belladora, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred daughter of Shackleford, returns off a 10-month layoff for trainer Michael Trombetta, while Wicked Hot, a 4-year-old Maryland-bred daughter of Mosler, returns for trainer Graham Motion off a year layoff after winning two of her first three starts. The field also includes Miss Marley, making her second start off a layoff for Michael Matz, and Long Distance Love, who goes out first time off a claim for Claudio Gonzalez.

The Laurel summer meet runs through Sunday, Aug. 21.