Horse racing news

[gremlinlad]

Friday 4/17/2009

Saturday 4/18/2009 @ KEENELAND

PREVIEWS

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle colSpan=5>LEXINGTON S. (G2), 9TH-KEE, $300,000, 3YO, 1 1/16M, 5:40 P.M. EDT, 4-18</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>PP</TD><TD vAlign=top>HORSE</TD><TD vAlign=top>TRAINER</TD><TD vAlign=top>JOCKEY</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>WT</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>1</TD><TD vAlign=top>JERANIMO</TD><TD vAlign=top>PENDER MICHAEL</TD><TD vAlign=top>BLANC B</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>2</TD><TD vAlign=top>OMNISCIENT</TD><TD vAlign=top>ASMUSSEN STEVEN M</TD><TD vAlign=top>ALBARADO R J</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>3</TD><TD vAlign=top>PITCHED PERFECTLY</TD><TD vAlign=top>TAGG BARCLAY</TD><TD vAlign=top>GARCIA A</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>4</TD><TD vAlign=top>BRAVE VICTORY</TD><TD vAlign=top>ZITO NICHOLAS P</TD><TD vAlign=top>VELAZQUEZ J R</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>5</TD><TD vAlign=top>HIS GREATNESS</TD><TD vAlign=top>SALAZAR MARCO</TD><TD vAlign=top>DOUGLAS R R</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>6</TD><TD vAlign=top>MASALA</TD><TD vAlign=top>PLETCHER TODD A</TD><TD vAlign=top>COA E M</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>7</TD><TD vAlign=top>CONSERVATIVE</TD><TD vAlign=top>MCGAUGHEY CLAUDE III</TD><TD vAlign=top>DESORMEAUX K J</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>8</TD><TD vAlign=top>SQUARE EDDIE</TD><TD vAlign=top>O'NEILL DOUG</TD><TD vAlign=top>PRADO E S</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>123</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>9</TD><TD vAlign=top>EL CRESPO</TD><TD vAlign=top>ARNOLD GEORGE R II</TD><TD vAlign=top>CASTELLANO J J</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>123</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>10</TD><TD vAlign=top>PARADE CLOWN</TD><TD vAlign=top>BALL KATHERINE</TD><TD vAlign=top>LEPAROUX JULIEN</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>11</TD><TD vAlign=top>ADVICE</TD><TD vAlign=top>PLETCHER TODD A</TD><TD vAlign=top>GOMEZ G K</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>12</TD><TD vAlign=top>HULL</TD><TD vAlign=top>ROMANS DALE</TD><TD vAlign=top>MENA M</TD><TD vAlign=top align=middle>117</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
​

Saturday's $300,000 Lexington S. (G2) provides a late chance for Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls to get graded earnings, and 12 sophomores were entered for the 1 1/16-mile test over Keeneland's Polytrack. Only 11 are expected to start, and the returning SQUARE EDDIE (Smart Strike) should be a big favorite given his sparkling 4 3/4-length score in October's Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

 

[gremlinlad]

HIGHLIGHTS
For Saturday 4/18/2009
​

<TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>AQUEDUCT (1:00): $150,000 Bed o' Roses H. (G2), 3&up, f&m, 7f (9TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>CHARLES TOWN (6:00): $500,000 Charles Town Classic, 4&up, 1 1/8m (10TH); $250,000 Sugar Maple S., 4&up, f&m, 7f (9TH); $100,000 Webb Snyder S., 3&up, 4 1/2f (7TH); $100,000 Blue and Gold S., 3yo, 7f (8TH); $50,000 Salemo S., 3&up, 7f (5TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>EVANGELINE DOWNS (7:20): $50,000 John Henry S., 3&up, 1 1/16mT (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>GOLDEN GATE FIELDS (3:45): $75,000 Golden Poppy S., 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>GULFSTREAM PARK (1:15): $50,000 Boynton Beach S., 3yo, f, 1mT (9TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>HAWTHORNE (2:25): $200,000 Sixty Sails H. (G3), 3&up, f&m, 1 1/8m (7TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>KEENELAND (1:05): $300,000 Lexington S. (G2), 3yo, 1 1/16m (9TH); $100,000 Giant's Causeway S., 3&up, f&m, 5 1/2fT (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>LONE STAR PARK (2:35): $50,000 JEH Stallion Station S., 3&up, f&m, 6 1/2f (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>PIMLICO (1:10): $50,000 Hookedonthefeelin S., 3yo, f, 5fT (5TH); $50,000 Geisha S., 3&up, f&m, 1 1/16m (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>SANTA ANITA (3:30): $200,000 Santa Barbara H. (G2), 4&up, f&m, 1 1/4mT (9TH); $100,000 San Simeon H. (G3), 4&up, 6 1/2fT (7TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>SUNLAND PARK (2:55): $120,000 Copper Top Thoroughbred Futurity, 2yo, 4 1/2f (11TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>WOODBINE (1:00): $150,000 Whimsical S. (G3), 4&up, f&m, 6f (8TH).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
*all times Eastern

 

[gremlinlad]

Saturday 4/18/2009

Stardom Bound out of the Oaks
Champion two-year-old filly STARDOM BOUND (Tapit) is out of consideration for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 1. Winner of five straight Grade 1 events, the gray lass had her win streak snapped with a third in the Ashland S. (G1) on April 4. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) heroine will be given some time off before resuming training.
"IEAH Stables and Partners is going to give Stardom Bound a break and point for a fall campaign," IEAH's Mike Iavarone told Jill Byrne. "She hasn't been quite acting like herself lately, and we felt it was in her best interests to give her a little time off. We will bring her back later this year."

 

[gremlinlad]

SATURDAY 4/18/2009

Carryover Watch

For Sunday or Next Raceday

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top height=22>AQUEDUCT:</TD><TD vAlign=top height=22> </TD><TD vAlign=top height=22>Pick 6 -- $112,339</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top height=22>KEENELAND:</TD><TD vAlign=top height=22> </TD><TD vAlign=top height=22>Pick 6 -- $11,008</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top height=22>HAWTHORNE:</TD><TD vAlign=top height=22> </TD><TD vAlign=top height=22>Pick 6 -- $9,907</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>​

 

[gremlinlad]

Sunday 4/19/2009

Two jockeys suspended at Charles Town Races & Slots picked up mounts at the West Virginia track April 18 in the wake of a court order allowing them to access the grounds and to compete in races pending a hearing. Seven jockeys were each suspended 30 days and fined $1,000 by track management for allegedly misrepresenting their weights. In addition, clerk of scales Michael Garrison was fined and suspended. The alleged actions were said to be caught on camera. Two of the riders—Anthony Mawing and Larry Reynolds—rode April 18 after late jockey changes. The other five riders are Alexis Rios-Conde, Tony Maragh, Luis Perez, Jesus Sanchez, and Dale Whittaker. The Jockeys’ Guild was granted a temporary restraining order April 16. Later the same day, Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge L.D. Egnor ordered Charles Town to acknowledge the temporary restraining order.

 

[gremlinlad]

Sunday 4/19/2009



Mullins suspended for Aqueduct incident
The New York State Racing and Wagering Board announced Sunday that a $2,500 fine and a seven-day license suspension was imposed on veteran trainer Jeff Mullins in connection with an April 4 security barn incident at Aqueduct prior to the running of the Bay Shore S. (G3) that afternoon.
Mullins was observed administering an over-the-counter product called Air Power to a horse called GATO GO WIN (City Place) that day. As a result, stewards ordered the horse scratched from the Bay Shore. Another runner trained by Mullins, I WANT REVENGE (Stephen Got Even), was in the same barn and no improper activity was observed regarding that horse, who captured the Wood Memorial S. (G1) that day.
The suspension period will commence May 3 and will run for seven days as a result of Mr. Mullins agreeing not to appeal the penalties. Had he appealed, he would have been facing a 15-day suspension. The suspension is expected to be recognized by other racing jurisdictions through reciprocity agreements.
"Trainers who wish to participate in New York racing are responsible for knowing our race day rules and our medication rules," Racing and Wagering Board Chairman John D. Sabini said. "These sanctions should send a clear message that ignorance will never wash as an excuse. I applaud the stewards for scratching Gato Go Win when they did. This horse was flown all the way to New York from California for a single race. As a result of what he did on April 4, Mr. Mullins is learning the hard way that there are tough consequences for not being more familiar with the rules of New York."
The ruling will not prevent Mullins from saddling I Want Revenge in the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.
For the full text of New York racing rules, visit the Racing and Wagering Board's web site at: www.racing.state.ny.us.

 

[gremlinlad]

Monday 4/20/2009

Hollywood opens Wednesday
Hollywood Park's 70th spring/summer meet opens Wednesday, and the 65-day session will run through July 19. The $700,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and the $700,000 American Oaks Invitational (G1) will anchor an $8-million stakes schedule, which was revamped in March due to the sagging economy with the intent of protecting the overall quality of racing. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (PDT).
Wednesday's $70,000 Harry Henson S. is the opening day feature, and six sophomores will contest the six-furlong turf affair. Multiple stakes winner BACKBACKBACKGONE (Put It Back) is a top draw, and the Peter Miller-trained colt will make his turf debut with Rafael Bejarano, winner of the last six major Southern California riding titles.
Hollywood's spring/summer stakes schedule was reduced by $1.5 million from 2008, and will not include three graded races -- the Jim Murray Memorial H. (G2), the Hawthorne H. (G3) and the Will Rogers S. (G3). The deletion of the three graded races will be reviewed in 2010.
"For this year, only, they are discontinued," said Martin Panza, vice president of racing at Hollywood. "Under the guidelines of the graded stakes committee, as long as we run them again next year, we're allowed to keep the grades. It would probably be our intent to re-establish those races, but we will have to wait and see if the economy improves."
In addition, the CashCall Mile (G2) will be run as the Royal Heroine Mile with a $250,000 purse, a $500,000 decrease.
"We're very pleased that CashCall, through owner Paul Reddam, was a sponsor and that they remain with us for the CashCall Futurity (G1)," Panza said, referring to the major juvenile feature of the fall meet. "We hope the CashCall Mile will be coming back to Hollywood Park in the future. We're very disappointed that it was not given Grade 1 status, a point that is hard to explain to our sponsor. It is unfortunate that Japanese Grade 1 winners are not taken into account by the graded stakes committee."
The eighth running of the American Oaks is scheduled for July 5, along with the $300,000 Triple Bend H. (G1). The Hollywood Gold Cup will be run for the 70th time on July 11, the same day as the Grade Royal Heroine Mile. While the Gold Cup and American Oaks remain the richest races on the calendar, they have each been cut by $50,000.
There are 49 races on the stakes schedule, including six Grade 1 events, 10 Grade 2 races and 11 Grade 3 races. There will be seven days with multiple stakes races, beginning with the $1.3-million Gold Rush X on April 25. The $250,000 Snow Chief S. is the feature event on Gold Rush Day, but it has strong support in the $200,000 Melair S. and four $150,000 races -- the Khaled S., Fran's Valentine S., B. Thoughtful S. and Tiznow S. All of these races are restricted to California-breds.
The first Grade 1 race on the schedule is the $250,000 Shoemaker Mile on Memorial Day, May 25. The Shoemaker, first run as the Premiere H. on Hollywood Park's inaugural opening day on June 10, 1938, will be contested for the 66th time. The prestigious $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) will be run on June 6 and will be accompanied by the $100,000 Ack Ack H. (G3) and the $70,000 Redondo Beach S.
The $250,000 Californian S. (G2), last major stepping-stone to the Hollywood Gold Cup, will be run on June 13. The $100,000 Round Table H. (G3) will also be part of the program.
Hollywood Park's two major races for two-year-olds will be run on the same day with the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3) and $100,000 Landaluce S. scheduled for July 12.
Closing weekend will feature the $300,000 Swaps S. (G2) and $150,000 A Gleam Handicap (G2) on July 18, with the Sunset H. (G2) on July 19.

 

[gremlinlad]

Tuesday 4/28/2009

Fans entering Gate 1 at Churchill Downs may have their breath taken away when they arrive for the races Kentucky Derby week following the unveiling of life-sized statue of Barbaro April 26. The event drew a "Friends of Barbaro" crowd of about 500 who cheered with approval when the tarp was pulled off the sculpture. Tugging at the cloth were Roy and Gretchen Jackson, the breeders and owners of Barbaro, his trainer Michael Matz, Dr. Dean Richardson of the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, and artist Alexa King. The event outside Churchill’s main entrance was emceed by John Asher, vice president of communications for Churchill Downs. King was commissioned to sculpt Barbaro, being given an "impossible task that exceeded expectations," according to Asher. Barbaro won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, then tragically broke down while in the early stages of the Preakness Stakes. His battle with laminitis captured the hearts of millions and while for a long time it appeared he would recover, he was euthanized Jan. 29, 2007.

 

[gremlinlad]

Tuesday 4/28/2009

Del Mar To Switch To Five-Day Race Week

Del Mar will run on a five-day per week schedule in 2009, dropping most Monday cards and shifting some of the races from that day to other programs.

The lone exception to the new Wednesday-through-Sunday routine will be racing on Monday, September 7, which is the Labor Day holiday.

For the past several months, Del Mar officials had been exploring the idea of a five-day race week with organizations and involved parties, including its landlord -- the state of California through the 22nd District Agricultural Association -- as well as horsemen's groups and the track’s various labor unions. All agreed that the date adjustment made practical and economic sense.

The final hurdle was cleared Friday, April 24, when the California Horse Racing Board gave its approval to the plan that reduced the meet from its usual 43 days down to 37.

Tentative plans call for one additional race to be added to on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. For the most part then the five-day schedule would be Wednesdays (9 races), Thursdays (8 races), Fridays (9 races), Saturdays (10 races) and Sundays (10 races). First post will remain at 2 p.m. on all days except Fridays, when it will shift to 3 p.m., adjusting the popular Friday late-card theme from "Four O’Clock Fridays" to "Three O’Clock Fridays."

Del Mar's 70th season this summer will be highlighted by a robust stakes schedule that features 31 major events worth nearly $7-million. The season runs from Wednesday, July 22 through Wednesday, September 9.