The daily handle at the recently concluded Preakness meet at Pimlico Race Course was up nearly 22 percent from the previous year, the Maryland Jockey Club announced Wednesday.
Average daily handle for the 28-day meet was $6.3 million, compared with $5.2 million in 2015, when Pimlico ran 37 days.
The handle was bolstered by a record Preakness Day crowd May 21 of 135,256 that wagered a record $94.1 million. Pimlico also hosted a record Black-Eyed Susan Day crowd of 47,956 on May 20.
"We were pleased with the Preakness meet at Pimlico," Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Sal Sinatra said in a news release. "The atmosphere and events surrounding Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan were electric and, once again, horsemen throughout the world put on an incredible show. We want to thank our fans for supporting this meet and helping us set records on Preakness Day and Black-Eyed Susan Day. We also believe our expanded OTB network — the Horseshoe Casino, Timonium and Boonsboro — continues to increase exposure of our great product. We will continue investing in Maryland racing."
Broadcasting: Gabby Gaudet (Towson University, St. Mary's High), the racing analyst for the Maryland Jockey Club, will join the New York Racing Association's broadcast team for the launch of Saratoga Live on July 22 for the 40-day meet in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
NFL
Ex-Raven Redding retires after 13 seasons
Cory Redding, a 13-year NFL veteran who spent two productive seasons with the Ravens, announced his retirement Wednesday on Twitter. "I'm leaving the game I've played for 23 years," he said from his account, @CRedd90. "Thanks to the teams I played for, coaches, teammates, fans and my family 4 their support!" A Houston native drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2003, Redding started 22 games on the defensive line for the Ravens after signing with the team in 2010. Redding had 35.5 career sacks during a career that ended with a year in Arizona after three in Indianapolis.
—Mark Selig
Et cetera
Mystics roll, are over .500 for first time this season
Emma Meesseman and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt each scored 14 points, and the host Washington Mystics beat the San Antonio Stars, 84-67, in the WNBA to move above .500 for the first time this season. San Antonio made a field goal on its first possession of the first quarter, but the Stars didn't score again until the 4:26 mark and trailed 20-4. The Mystics (9-8) were ahead 24-7 at the end of the quarter — a season-low for points in a quarter by San Antonio (3-12) — and led by double figures the rest of the way. Ivory Latta added 12 points for Washington, which has won seven of its past nine games. The Mystics made 30 field goals on a season-high 24 assists and hit all 15 of their free throws. Kayla Alexander scored 12 points for the Stars, who went on a 17-4 run to pull within 75-61, but remain winless on the road.
Triathlon: Katie Zaferes, a Hampstead native and North Carroll alumna who in May was named to the U.S. Olympic team, will compete in the ITU World Triathlon Stockholm on Saturday. Zaferes finished second in Stockholm last year, rounding out her collection of six 2015 World Triathlon Series medals, and has back-to-back sixth-place finishes in WTS events in 2016. This year's race will be contested as a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike ride and 10-kilometer run.
Major League Soccer: Defender Joseph Greenspan, the Colorado Rapids' 2015 second-round SuperDraft pick (No. 26 overall) who left the Major League Soccer team during the offseason because of his commitment to the Navy, has rejoined the club and a roster move appears imminent, the Denver Post reported. "Joe's training with us. The Navy has released him," Paul Bravo, the Rapids VP of soccer operations and technical director, said Tuesday. "So right now, it's getting him soccer-specific training. We may look to loan him to get a couple of games under his belt, but we expect him to be ready to go within the next two weeks."
Golf: Gary Dingle (South Hills Golf Club), John Gallagher (South Hills GC), Larry Lewis (Quail Valley GC) and Sean Mulgrew (South Hills GC) were the low-gross champions at 146 at the Free State Seniors Four-Man Team Championship on Monday at Rolling Road Golf Club in Catonsville. The low-net champions at 124 were Ivan Allen (Turf Valley GC), Herman Ingram (Turf Valley GC), Marvin Mathis (Ocean Reef Club) and Owen Wise (Hog Neck GC).
Running: The inaugural Urban Children Foundation One-Miler run/walk race will be Sunday at 8 a.m. on the grounds of Fort McHenry. The race benefits the Baltimore-based nonprofit, which helps Baltimore City children access extracurricular activities, Registration is $20 until Saturday and $25 on Sunday. Register at urbanchildren.org/onemiler.html.