ANNAPOLIS – Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert, might have his “white knight” after all.
Miller said Thursday he’s received calls in the last day from two “very substantial people in Maryland” expressing interest in buying Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course and keeping the Preakness Stakes in Maryland. He declined to name the potential buyers.
A day earlier, Miller said he hoped a “white knight” would swoop in and purchase the two race courses owned by Magna Entertainment Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month. But he said finding a private buyer might be difficult, and the state was prepared to step in.
On Tuesday, Miller said the state should consider buying the Preakness as a “last-ditch option” and perhaps build its own racetrack in order to keep the storied second jewel of the Triple Crown in Maryland. He said Wednesday he would not oppose a Special Session to facilitate state involvement if the racetracks went up for sale after this legislative session ends.
A longtime horse racing supporter, Miller has previously expressed fear that Laurel Park might be purchased and converted to mixed-use development.
–By Capital News Service’s Dylan Waugh