Maryland’s state government spent $180,000 to woo guests at the Preakness Stakes, including multiple executives from Churchill Downs — the company that’s buying the intellectual property rights for the Preakness.
The state typically hosts a luxury tent trackside for the day at the races, but with the race moved from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore to Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County, it instead sponsored an indoor hospitality area this year.
A guest list of political officials and business leaders had the opportunity to mix and mingle.
Four executives from Churchill Downs were among the guests: Bill Mudd, president and chief operating officer; Patrick Neely, senior vice president of government relations; Gary Palmisano, vice president of racing; and Jason Sauer, senior vice president of corporate development.
Churchill Downs struck a deal with 1/ST Racing to buy the intellectual property rights associated with the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel in racing’s Triple Crown, for $85 million. Churchill Downs hosts the Kentucky Derby, the first race in the Triple Crown.
The state of Maryland, which now owns Pimlico and plans to buy Laurel Park, must pay the IP rights holder an annual fee of $3 million plus 2% of the Preakness weekend betting handle for the ability to run the Preakness Stakes.
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The state has 60 days from the time it was notified of the sale to make its own offer. The sale between 1/ST and Churchill Downs was made public April 21.
Gov. Wes Moore hasn’t said clearly whether he wants the state to try to regain control of the Preakness intellectual property.
At the track last weekend, Moore told reporters: “I’ve been very encouraged by the conversations we’ve had with Churchill.”
It’s possible some of those conversations took place in the state hospitality zone, which was closed to the media and the public.
The cost of the state hospitality area was split among multiple entities. The Department of Commerce and the Maryland Lottery each paid $50,000; the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Community Development each paid $25,000; the Maryland Economic Development Corp. paid $20,000; and Salisbury University paid $10,000.
The state provided a list of 82 guests invited to the hospitality area. Here are notable people who made the cut:
Horse industry
- Sheila Curry, chair, Maryland Horse Industry Board
- Nicole Earle, commissioner, Maryland Racing Commission
- Bill Mudd, president and chief operating officer, Churchill Downs
- Patrick Neely, senior vice president of government relations, Churchill Downs
- Gary Palmisano, vice president of racing, Churchill Downs
- Jason Sauer, senior vice president of corporate development, Churchill Downs
Politics
- U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks
- Howard County Executive Calvin Ball
- Del. Adrian Boafo of Prince George’s County, also a candidate for Congress
- Jackie Bush, deputy communications director for Alsobrooks
- Del. Jon Cardin of Baltimore County
- Laurel City Councilmember Kyla Clark
- Karen Darkes, executive director of the Maryland Democratic party
- Anne Arundel County Councilmember Julie Hummer
- Prince George’s County Councilmember Jolene Ivey
- Laurel City Councilmember James Kole
- Mari Lee, chair of the Frederick County Democratic Central Committee
- Robbie Leonard, lawyer and member of the Democratic National Committee
- Rising Sun Mayor Travis Marion
- Del. Aletheia McCaskill of Baltimore County
- Laurel City Councilmember Jeffrey Mills
- Prince George’s County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha
- Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, also chair of the Maryland Democratic Party
- State Sen. Jim Rosapepe of Prince George’s County
- Dasia Scott, digital director, Maryland Democratic Party
- Laurel City Councilmember Adrian Simmons
- Laurel City Councilmember Brencis Smith
- Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor
- Del. Karen Toles of Prince George’s County
- Del. Kris Valderrama of Prince George’s County
- Lucinda Ware, partner at WC Strategies and staff for Moore’s campaign
- Del. Jheanelle Wilkins of Montgomery County
Government officials
- José Miguel Alemán Healy, ambassador of Panama to the U.S.
- Everett Browning, chair of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission and owner of a consulting firm
- Harry Coker, state secretary of commerce
- Chuck Cook, Department of Housing and Community Development staffer and candidate for state delegate
- Jonathan Daniels, Maryland Port Administration executive director
- Lester Davis, Moore’s chief of staff
- Ronnie Hammond, director of the Office of Statewide Broadband
- John Hussman, member of the Maryland Stadium Authority and president of Hussman Strategic Advisors
- Susan Lee, Maryland secretary of state
- Nick Mosby, member of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission, former Baltimore City Council president
- Pokuaa Owusu-Acheaw, deputy chief of staff to Moore
- Terri Roberts, chair of the Foundation for the Preservation of Government House of Maryland and vice president of Onsite Retailers, an airport concessions company
- Tammi Thomas, president of the Maryland Technology Development Corp.
- Portia Wu, state secretary of labor
Business, nonprofit and labor officials
- Shuwanza Goff, former director of White House Office of Legislative Affairs under President Joe Biden
- Andrea Formisano, general manager of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co.
- Melony Griffith, president of the Maryland Hospital Association
- Adrian Harpool, principal of Adrian Harpool Associates, a strategic marketing firm
- Ottis Johnson, national vice president for the 14th District of the American Federation of Government Employees
- Andrew Kurzrok, president of Hopewell Sheet Metal Manufacturing
- Lisa Lawson, president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Kevin McAdams, CEO of Purdue Farms
- Ifeoma Onyia, founder of Clyopatra Winery
- Ken Ulman, president of Margrave Strategies, former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party and former Howard County executive
- Kemba Walden, president of Paladin Global Institute and former interim national cyber director under President Joe Biden
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