Maryland Million runners can and do come from anywhere. But each of them must meet certain specified requirements in order to qualify as starters.

To be eligible for the Maryland Million, a horse must be sired by a stallion who stands in Maryland. And that stallion must, himself, be nominated to the Maryland Million on a seasonal basis. The fee to nominate a stallion to the Maryland Million is an amount equal to the stallions stud fee.

To remain eligible, a stallion must be renominated every year. When his nomination fee is paid each year, all foals conceived in that breeding season are eligible for nomination to the Maryland Million.

Owners have three options when nominating foals to the Maryland Million.

1. A single payment of $250 by December 31 of the weanling year.
2. For horses not nominated as weanlings $600 by December 31 of the yearling year.
3. For horses not nominated as yearlings $1,500 by July 31 of the 2-year-old year.

Once nominated, a horse remains eligible throughout his or her racing career.

When owners of foals and stallions nominate their horses to the Maryland Million, they make a long-term investment.

Nominator awards totaling 10 percent of the purse for each race are paid to the original foal and stallion nominators. The amount is divided 2 percent to first; 1.5 percent to second; 1 percent to third; and .5 percent to fourth.

Often these awards come several years down the road, after a race horse is no longer owned by the individual who paid the nomination fee.