The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has announced the finalists for the 2024 Renaissance Awards, which honor the top owner, trainer, jockey, and breeder in Maryland, as well as Maryland-bred horses in various categories. The awards also recognize horses that have competed with distinction at Maryland tracks but may not be Maryland-bred.

The awards process involves preparing a slate of candidates for each category, which is then submitted to the MTHA Board of Directors for voting. The categories include Owner, Trainer, Jockey, Dirt Male, Dirt Female, Turf Male, Turf Female, and Claimer of the Year. The MTHA added the five equine categories to the Renaissance Awards program starting in the 2022 racing season.

The finalists for the human awards include Hillwood stable, Mens Grille Racing, No Guts No Glory Farm for Owner of the Year; Brittany T. Russell, Gary Capuano, John J. Robb, Michael J. Trombetta for Trainer of the Year; and Jaime Rodriguez, J.G. Torrealba, Sheldon Russell for Jockey of the Year. The finalists for the equine awards include horses like Celtic Contender, Apple Picker, Crabs N Beer, and Bosserati. The Renaissance Awards dinner is scheduled for the third week of April at Laurel Park.