The Maryland Jockey Club has put horsemen on notice regarding the shipping of horses to race at other tracks in the region.
In a note on the Laurel Park overnight sheet, the MJC said: "Too many horses are running out of town. It is affecting our entries. We are documenting the starts out of town for each trainer. We will use those stats when assigning stalls for the spring/summer meet (at Pimlico Race Course)."
Through the first nine days of its winter/spring meet, Laurel was averaging 7.39 horses per race and average daily purses of $195,789, according to The Jockey Club Information Systems.
The $125,000 Marshua Stakes for 3-year-old fillies was canceled Jan. 5 because of insufficient entries.
For its last meet from Sept. 5-Dec. 31, 2012, Laurel averaged 8.36 horses per race and $275,835 in purses over 69 days, according to TJCIS. The turf course as usual was largely responsible for the bigger fields, and higher-level dirt races filled more often.
Since Jan. 1 in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course had the largest field size average of 9.44 horses, followed by Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (8.39), Parx Racing (8.04), Laurel (7.39), and Aqueduct Racetrack (6.98).
Aqueduct had the smallest average field size despite having the highest average daily purses at $384,502. Parx purses thus far have averaged $282,557, followed by Laurel ($195,789), Charles Town ($158,445), and Penn National ($149,996).
Stabling in Maryland is offered at Laurel and the Bowie Training Center.