LAUREL, MD. 11-27-13---Thanksgiving traditions: turkey dinner, NFL games and thoroughbred racing at Laurel Park. The central Maryland track offers a special 11:05 a.m. post time tomorrow.

In addition to nine races, the day also features the 26th annual pie giveaway (pumpkin or apple) after the fifth race at both Laurel and its sister track, Pimlico Race Course. Free donuts with coffee or cider will also be available from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Laurel’s terrace dining room will feature a traditional, home-style Thanksgiving buffet for $22.95.

Friday features free admission to Laurel Park’s live program for all men as part of the “Guys Day Out” promotion, which includes $2 Natty Boh draft beers and concession specials. Fans will have an opportunity to win 12 prizes, including Turfside Terrace tickets to the 139th Preakness Stakes on May 17, 2014 and tickets to upcoming Baltimore Ravens and Washington Capitals games.

There will also be live racing on Saturday afternoon. First post Friday and Saturday is 12:35 p.m.

CARRASCO MOVES TO THE TOP OF THE LIST WITH IMPRESSIVE NOVEMBER

If Victor Carrasco ends up winning the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey, he will look back at November as the key month. The 21-year-old has won 19 races at Laurel Park so far this month and in the process moved to the top of the North American apprentice rankings in both victories and earnings.

This afternoon, Carrasco captured a pair of races: Aunt M ($6.40-race 1) and Whata Soandso ($9.20-race 7). He leads the Laurel fall standings with 39 victories, five more than fellow apprentice Trevor McCarthy.

Carrasco and McCarthy are the local bug riders vying for the three Eclipse finalist spots. The others are south Florida-based Edgard Zayas; Manuel Franco, who has competed in the New York-New Jersey circuit and Emmanuel Esquivel, who has ridden at Hawthorne and Aqueduct.

Maryland-based Jevian Toledo ranks fifth among apprentice riders in victories (115) and is sixth in earnings ($1.8 million).                       

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.