Maryland Stadium Authority Training Center at Shamrock Farm
Carroll County government received notice from the Governor’s office on January 20, 2026, that the Maryland Stadium Authority announced that it was abandoning its plan to develop a horse training center at Shamrock Farm in Carroll County. The Authority plans to acquire Laurel Park for redevelopment into a premier hub for thoroughbred training in Maryland. The deal is projected to save roughly $50 million. Future plans for Shamrock Farm, owned by the Maryland Stadium authority will be determined in the future as needs are identified by the horse racing industry stakeholders.
Background
Shamrock Farm, located in Woodbine, Maryland, in Carroll County, was established in 1948 by the late Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mr. Rooney imagined the rolling hills of Carroll County as the perfect location for laying up his racehorses when the tracks closed in the winter.
Shamrock Farm’s current use as a thoroughbred breeding farm is envisioned as a state-of-the-art horse training facility and is poised to complement and strengthen the state’s future horseracing industry.
Currently, the total farm site is approximately 640 acres with facilities that include a stallion barn with attached breeding shed, foaling barn, barren mare/sales/lay-up barn with an exerciser, yearling barn, and numerous run-in sheds in lush green pastures.
Maryland Stadium Authority Training Center
Maryland’s vision and commitment to revitalize and grow the state’s horse racing industry led to the Shamrock Farm project. This initiative involves building Maryland’s new Thoroughbred training center as a central component of a comprehensive plan. Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) reviewed potential properties for the new facility and, in December 2024, announced that the training center would be built on Shamrock Farm near Woodbine in Carroll County.
