Maryland Racing Commission
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Maryland Racing Commission is the official governing body that oversees the horse racing and off-track betting in Maryland. Based in Towson, Maryland, it was formed on 1920. The commission is a division of the Maryland Department of Labor.
The commission operates under Title 11, Business Regulation, Annotated Code of Maryland, Horse Racing. and operated the following sub-committees; Maryland-Bred Race Fund Advisory Committee, Maryland Standardbred Race Fund Advisory Committee and the Maryland Jockey Injury Compensation Fund.
In 1967 Kathryn Kusner applied for a jockey license through the commission but was denied because she was a woman.[1] However, in 1968 Judge Ernest A. Loveless of the Circuit Court of Prince George's County ordered her to be granted the license.[2] Kusner thus became the first licensed female jockey in the United States.[1]
In 1992, the commission introduced off-track betting.[3]
Directors and Members
The current head of the racing commission is Bruce Quade.[4]
The commission is required to have five board members without a financial interest and four members with a financial interest in racing who serve four year terms.[5]
Mike Hopkins (Executive Director 2003–present)[6] Bruce Quade (Director 2011-), Tom Winebrener, John Franzone, David Hayden, Charles Tildon, Ernest Grecco, Mary Louise Preis, Louis Ulman, John McDaniel, Bruce C. Spizler (Senior Assistant Attorney General)[7]
- 2001 - Lewis J. Ulman (Director)
- Frank F. Favazza Jr.(-2010)[8]
- Frank Small, Jr. (Chairman 1951–1952, member 1937–1950)[9]
- Terry West, appointed 2023
