Mike Rogers

In a statement posted Tuesday afternoon on X, trainer Cherie DeVaux announced that the GI Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (Curlin) will not be running in the GI Preakness Stakes. It's another blow to the race that has clearly become the weak link in the Triple Crown. The only horse who ran in the Kentucky Derby to commit to the Preakness at this point is the maiden, Ocelli (Connect), who was a surprising third. "After much thoughtful discussion as a team, we have decided that Golden Tempo will bypass the...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s launch of the HISA Equine Recovery Foundation (HERF), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing critical assistance for Thoroughbred racehorses sustaining a career-ending injury during racing, is set to begin operations in early 2026, according to an organization release on Wednesday.   HERF's mission: Support racehorses—with injuries sustained during races that historically have a positive prognosis for recovery—by ensuring immediate access to quality veterinary treatment and rehabilitation in order to facilitate a successful aftercare placement. Enhance access to diagnostic imaging services and tools...

Godolphin's GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will bypass the May 17 GI Preakness Stakes, according to a release from Pimlico Race Course Tuesday afternoon. "We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness," Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST which operates Pimlico, said in the statement. "Bill informed us they would point toward the GI Belmont Stakes. We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision. We continue to see the excitement building toward...

On Tuesday--just two weeks after two horses died on Laurel Park's dirt surface and not even 24 hours after Laurel announced its track superintendent would be retiring immediately--the head of the new non-profit organization that will run both Laurel and Pimlico Race Course starting in 2025 told the Maryland Racing Commission that an immediate search is underway for an expert to quell the main-track woes that have intermittently plagued Laurel the past two decades. "We will obviously do a search nationwide for a winter-weather superintendent. It's a very important position....

Ken Brown, who held the position of Track Superintendent at the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), officially retired from the organization Dec. 1. To ensure a smooth transition, Danny Finke has been appointed Interim Track Superintendent. With 40 years of experience on the MJC track crew, Finke has a deep knowledge of track maintenance making him an ideal choice to step into this interim role. "Ken Brown's leadership has been instrumental in navigating MJC through a challenging period and raising the standard of our racing surfaces," said Mike Rogers, Acting President...

Edited Press Release Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be on-site this year at Pimlico Race Course for the week leading up to Preakness 149 on Saturday, May 18, 2024. With the combined efforts from 1/ST RACING, Maryland Jockey Club, America's Best Racing, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, accredited aftercare will be promoted with several on-site activations throughout the week. The ninth annual America's Best Racing (ABR) Pre-Preakness Party to benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation will be held at Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland on...

The 21-day quarantine currently in effect for Barn 15 at Belmont Park to control an outbreak of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) will preclude any New York-based horses from shipping in to Laurel Park for the time being, and will have an adverse effect on field sizes for the Maryland track's two Grade III winter sprint stakes on Feb. 17. Mike Rogers, the president of the racing division for 1/ST Racing and Gaming, which owns Laurel, disclosed the ban on Belmont shippers during Tuesday's Maryland Racing Commission meeting. He specifically...

From Nov. 28 through Dec. 31, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance collected over $200,000 in donations from its 2023 Holiday Giving Campaign to raise funds to support thousands of Thoroughbreds at 86 TAA-accredited organizations, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday. The Holiday Giving Campaign highlighted a different match sponsor each day, offering single-day sponsorships ranging from $500 to $10,000. 2023 Match Sponsors included: Mike Rogers, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Yvonne Schwabe, National HBPA, Denali Stud, Siena Farm, Donna Barton Brothers, Jack Damico, West Point Thoroughbreds, Rick Schosberg, Simon Bray, Dan & Denny...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at this year's Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park on Saturday, Oct. 14, the equine advocate said in a release Thursday afternoon. On a day designed to promote and celebrate Maryland breeding and racing, the TAA will be recognized, along with Maryland Jockey Club, with a named race. Following the running of the Maryland Jockey Club S., a presentation will be made to the winning connections including a branded Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance blanket and swag bag. "The Maryland Jockey Club is honored to...

Tuesday's Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) meeting yielded the news that the state's horsemen, breeders, and the operator of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park have agreed on yet another six-month extension agreement to keep racing going after a 10-year deal expired at the end of 2022. The placeholder agreement will go into effect for the final six months of 2023, and it follows a similar six-month extension reached earlier this year that is set to sunset June 30. The eventual goal is to come up with a longer-term contract. Mike...

Concerns over the safety of the troubled main dirt track at Laurel Park have quieted since racing was halted there Apr. 21-28. Mike Rogers, the president of the racing division for 1/ST Racing, which owns both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, told the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) Tuesday that several "tweaks" to the maintenance routine represent the only significant changes to the surface since racing resumed Apr. 29. The tone was noticeably less tense and in-person attendance was diminished during the MRC's regular monthly meeting at Laurel May 2....

In a press release sent out just 50 minutes before the post time for the day's first race, Laurel Park management announced that the Saturday card had been postponed. The reason given was an "abundance of caution to do a full evaluation of the racing surfaces." According to multiple sources, two horses broke down during training hours Saturday. One of the horses had to be euthanized and the other did not. There were no incidents during racing on Thursday and Friday. Maryland Jockey Club Acting President Mike Rogers sent a...