Md. officials: Racing deal keeps Preakness
December 23, 2010LAUREL, Md. (AP) - The Maryland Racing Commission has approved an agreement that will keep the Preakness Stakes, a state tradition and the second jewel in racing's Triple Crown, in Baltimore.
The commission voted Wednesday to support an agreement reached by horse racing representatives and Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration earlier in the day in Annapolis. It calls for 146 days of live racing at the state's horse racing tracks.
The deal would redirect $3.5 million to $4 million in state slot machine revenue from capital improvements at racetracks to help defray operating costs.
The vote came a day after the commission rejected a live racing proposal from the owners of Pimlico, home of the Preakness, and Laurel Park race tracks.