Maryland Million Oaks

Maryland Million Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in October since 1986 primarily at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland or at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. To be eligible for the Maryland Million Oaks, a horse must be sired by a stallion who stands in Maryland. Due to that restriction the race is classified as a non-graded or "listed" stakes race and is not eligible for grading by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Maryland Million Oaks

Restricted State-bred Stakes race
Location	Laurel Park Racecourse, Laurel, Maryland, United States
Inaugurated	1986
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.marylandthoroughbred.com/newsindex.php?articleid=953
Race information
Distance	1 mile (8 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old fillies
Purse	$150,000

The race is part of Maryland Million Day, a 12-race program held in mid October that was the creation of renowned television sports journalist Jim McKay. The "Maryland Million" is the first State-Bred showcase event ever created. Since 1986, 27 other events in 20 states have imitated the showcase and its structure.[1]

The race was run at ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2002 and 2004 The race was run as the Omni International Maryland Oaks in 1986 and 1987. From 1990 through 1993 the race was called the Challedon Society Maryland Oaks. It was called the Baltimore Magazine Maryland Oaks between 1995 and 1998. The metropolitan newspaper sponsored the race from 1999 through 2002 and it was called the Baltimore Sun Maryland Oaks. In 2004 the race was called the Cosequin Maryland Oaks and in 2007 the race was called the Maryland Lottery Oaks.

In its 24th running in 2009, the race was restricted to those horses who were sired by a stallion who stands in the state of Maryland. Both the entrant horse and their stallion had to be nominated to the Maryland Million program.