Paul Rich
Maryland Jockey Club

TIMONIUM, Md. – The Maryland State Fair, the only remaining state fair east of the Mississippi to continue to present Thoroughbred horse racing, kicks off it’s seven day meeting on Friday. Nine races are on the program.

Racing will be conducted over the next two weekends – Friday August 27 through Sunday Aug. 29 and Friday Sept. 3 through Monday Sept. 6. Post time on all racing days is 1 p.m. except Sunday Sept. 5, when first post is 12 noon.

The post time adjustment on Sept. 5 has been made to accommodate the appearance of Canadian pop singer and teen heartthrob Justin Bieber, who will perform before a sold-out audience on Sunday evening on the racetrack infield.

Timonium will again offer a bonus of $10,000 to be divided among the top four trainers who finish the meeting with the most winners and starters.

Last year Dane Kobiskie led all conditioners with six visits to the winners’ circle, while Scott Lake, Chris Grove and Dale Capuano shared the runner-up spot with five tallies each.

In 2009 Joshua Navarro was the runaway leader in the jockey’s race with sixteen victories. He returns to defend his title against Timonium stalwarts J.D. Acosta and Travis Dunkelberger as well as Forest Boyce and Malcolm Franklin, the hottest riders on the Maryland circuit, who finished 1-2 during the just completed Laurel summer meeting.

Full-card simulcasting will be offered at Timonium on live racing days.

Admission to the racetrack is included with admission to the Fair.

Timonium can be accessed by taking Interstate-695 to Interstate-83 North and exiting at either Timonium Road
or Padonia Road. The track can also be reached by light rail from either downtown Baltimore or from Hunt Valley, Maryland