The entrance to Shamrock Farm. (MTHA photo)
Ownership transfer for Maryland’s new training facility at Shamrock Farm
By Maribeth Kalinich
Will Marylanders see progress soon with the new proposed training facility at Shamrock Farm?
The title/deed for the property was formal transferred to the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) on October 6, 2025, with a purchase price of $4.48 million for the 332-acre farm.
In May 2025, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved financing for the purchase of the property.
Originally, this project fell under the now defunct and thoroughly audited Maryland Thoroughbred Racing Operating Association (MTROA). It is now being handled by the MSA.
The location was chosen from six locations that were surveyed and assessed, including the former Bowie Training Center and Laurel Park.
Currently, the facility includes a six-horse stallion stable with attached breeding stable, a foal stable with twenty-eight stalls, a bare mare/sales/laying stable with a six-in-hand training machine, a yearling stable and numerous walk-in barns in the paddocks.
The planned facility will include multiple barns to house 800 horses and a mile-long dirt training track designed to mimic Pimlico’s racing surface. Additional planned amenities include modern veterinary and administrative buildings and on-site housing to support backstretch workers.
Construction is expected to begin as early as 2026, following completion of the design and permitting process.
According to the plans published in the MTROA report, only 110 hectares of the 332 hectares will be developed due to the sloping sites.
Last year, the state Legislature approved an appropriation of $110 million to finance construction.
Carroll County has pledged $1.5 million for infrastructure improvements to the site, hoping to underscore strong local support for a project. However, there has been some local criticism from people in the community, including a Facebook group opposed to the project.
Neighbors still criticize the development based on traffic and utilities that must be connected to the property to service the estimated 800 horses per day.
The property should have a water source, either through a new well or connection to public water. And a new septic system and drain field will have to be installed.
One of the neighbors’ concerns is the amount of construction traffic that precedes the daily traffic of an operational training center.
Shamrock is on a rural road with two lanes, a double yellow line and no shoulder area at all.
Although the facility is close to some major roads, trucks and trailers still have to travel along the rural Woodbine Road.
Shamrock Farm was founded in 1948 by the late Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers and ownership remained with the Rooney family.
Mr. A longtime racing enthusiast who supported Maryland’s tracks, Rooney soon discovered the rolling hills of Carroll County as the perfect location to stable his racehorses when the tracks were closed for the winter. When it came time to retire the Stakes Winning colt, Christopher R, Shamrock Farm joined the ranks as one of Maryland’s most influential stud farms. It was then in 1977 that Jim Steele took over management of the farm and added other stallions to Shamrock’s roster, such as fine broodmare sire Dancing Count, Thirty Eight Paces and Preakness winner Aloma’s Ruler.
Since the farm was acquired in 1948, two adjacent farms were purchased, bringing the total size to approximately 640 hectares at one time.
In March 2025, many items from the historic farm were offered for auction.
Pimlico Racecourse
Demolition of the Pimlico Race Course is almost complete and the only structure left on the 200-acre site is the two-storey Stronach Chalet on the infield.
MSA is tasked with selling the bonds to finance the $500 million project, but to date there has been no update on the status of the bonds.
MSA has not released formal plans, budget or construction schedule.
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