Notable Laurel Park Racing Events

Laurel Park Winter Meet begins January 9, 2026 and runs through Sunday, March 29, 2026.

• Saturday, January 31: Laurel’s 3-year-old stakes schedule kicks off with the $100,000 Spectacular Bid for colts and geldings at seven furlongs, and the $100,000 Xtra Heat for fillies at six furlongs
• Saturday, February 14: The Valentine’s Day Card features four stakes races. Among them are the $200,000 General George for older sprinters at seven furlongs and the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares, also at seven-eighths of a mile.
• Saturday, February 21: The local road to the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan continues as 3-year-old colts race one mile in the $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes while the fillies travel seven furlongs in the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes. 
• Saturday, March 21: Sophomores again take center stage in the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, and the $100,000 Beyond the Wire Stakes for fillies at one mile. 

With the construction at Pimlico in full swing, Laurel Park is proud to host the 151st edition of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel in racing’s Triple Crown, on Saturday, May 16. 

As in 2025, Laurel Park will take a summer hiatus in July and August, returning for live racing in September, following the conclusion of the Maryland State Fair meeting at Timonium. 

Laurel Park key stakes racing schedule for 2026:

• Spectacular Bid S. | Jan. 31
• Xtra Heat S. | Jan. 31
• Barbara Fritchie Handicap | Feb. 14
• General George Handicap | Feb. 14
• Wide Country S. | Jan. 21
• Miracle Wood S. | Feb. 21
• Private Terms S. | Mar. 21
• Beyond the Wire S. | Mar. 21
• Preakness Stakes Preview Day | April
  • Frederico Tesio S. (Preakness Win and You're In)
  • The Weber Miss City S. (Black-Eyed Susan Win and You're In)
• Preakness Stakes Day | May 16

History of Laurel Park Horse Racing

Opened as the Laurel Four County Fair in 1911, Laurel Park really got noticed in 1914 when Matt Winn - who had made the Kentucky Derby famous at Churchill Downs - took over as general manager. It wasn't until the De Francis family took over Laurel in 1984 that the race track was renovated into a glittering Sports Palace with the feel of a casino with technological innovations such as computerized handicapping and a video racing library. From 1952 to 1995, Laurel Race Course was known for hosting the Washington D.C. International, a stakes race created to bring together the world's best marathon turf runners. The Laurel Park race course backstretch houses nearly 1100 horses.

Amenities at Laurel Park Race Track

Besides pulse-pounding live racing, Laurel Park offers visitors plenty of accommodations as well. Patrons can enjoy the racing at a wide variety ofbars and restaurants, including Sunny Jim’s and The Lounge Bar. Laurel Park also allows guests to hostnon-racing eventssuch as weddings, trade shows, concerts, and fundraisers.