Horse Racing: Arkansas Derby day recap: $41,000,000 bet, Nadal and Charlatan win Ky. Derby preps

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Here is the latest from Kentucky on the DRF:

Kentucky Gov. Beshear clears way for Churchill backstretch to open May 11; racing announcement expected in coming days

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Churchill Downs in Louisville will be able to open its backstretch beginning May 11, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who made the announcement during his daily afternoon briefing on Wednesday about the COVID-19 virus and the state’s efforts to contain it.

Beshear made the announcement about Churchill as part of the state’s “phase 1” reopening plan for several types of businesses, and he said the May 11 date was contingent on Churchill - and the other industries slated for phase 1 deployment – complying with the state’s health protocols. In a release issued after Beshear’s announcement, Churchill said that it would announce a return to live racing in “the coming days after track officials evaluate its incoming horse population and load-in procedures.”
-------------------------------------
In its release, Churchill said it would begin accepting horses from Fair Grounds in New Orleans on May 11-13; from Gulfstream Park in Florida from May 14-16; from Oaklawn Park in Arkansas from May 17-19, and from all other locales beginning on May 20. The track also said that racing would be staged “at a minimum of four days a week” on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule. A condition book will be released soon, the track said.

The announcement of the reopening of the stable area follows two weeks of discussions between Churchill Downs officials and representatives of Gov. Beshear in which Churchill attempted to assure state officials that a return to live racing would not pose a significant risk to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Churchill has circulated a proposal to the governor’s office detailing the protocols that will be in place to accept horses to its backstretch – which has been closed since the end of last year due to renovations – and to limit ontrack personnel to those who are necessary to conduct live racing.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Should have known Kentucky was getting the green light because my phone has been showing horse racing ads from there the last couple days. I guess they knew and were pushing them out.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

ARKANSAS DERBY DAY
Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Final Day of the Meet: May 2, 2020​

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post Central Time
Race 1	$32,000	Starter Allowance	6 Furlongs	Dirt	12	12:00 PM
Race 2	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	14	12:32 PM
Race 3	$61,000	Allowance	6 Furlongs	Dirt	14	1:04 PM
Race 4	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Dirt	14	1:36 PM
Race 5	$62,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	13	2:10 PM
Race 6	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	14	2:44 PM
Race 7	$61,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	14	3:16 PM
Race 8	$61,000	Allowance	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	14	3:47 PM
Race 9	$62,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	14	4:19 PM
Race 10	$61,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	14	4:54 PM
Race 11	$500,000	Arkansas Derby	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	11	5:29 PM
Race 12	$600,000	Oaklawn H.	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	14	6:04 PM
Race 13	$500,000	Arkansas Derby	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	11	6:43 PM
Race 14	$50,000	Starter Allowance	1 3/4 Miles	Dirt	14	7:14 PM

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[TBODY] [/TBODY]

ARKANSAS DERBY (Division One)

What: Grade I. The annual Arkansas Derby has been split this year due to the importance of the race and lack of suitable options for many of the connections. Both are key preps for the Kentucky Derby. Each will have a 100-40-20-10 point system to the top four finishers.
Where: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas
When: Saturday, May 2, 2020, Race 11
Time: 5:29 p.m. CT
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
TV: Fox Sports 1 and TVG will show the entire card. NBCSN will air from 6-8 pm ET.
History: Inaugurated in 1936. Some of the all-time greats won this race. In the past 20 years, American Pharoah, Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones made their bones prior to excelling on the Triple Crown trail.
Late change: The #6 will scratch (will not run) due to a fever.​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Charlatan (KY)	Martin Garcia	118	Bob Baffert	-
2	My Friends Beer (MD)	Declan Cannon	118	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	-
3	Mo Mosa (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Michael J. Maker	-
4	Gouverneur Morris (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
5	Jungle Runner (KY)	Tyler Baze	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
6	Shooters Shoot (KY)	Joseph Talamo	118	Peter Eurton	-
7	Wrecking Crew (KY)	Flavien Prat	118	Peter Miller	-
8	Anneau d'Or (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	118	Blaine D. Wright	-
9	Winning Impression (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Dallas Stewart	-
10	Crypto Cash (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	-
11	Basin (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-

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ARKANSAS DERBY (Division Two)

What: Grade I. The annual Arkansas Derby has been split this year due to the importance of the race and lack of suitable options for many of the connections. Both are key preps for the Kentucky Derby. Each will have a 100-40-20-10 point system to the top four finishers.
Where: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas
When: Saturday, May 2, 2020, Race 13
Time: 6:43 p.m. CT
Who: 3-year-olds
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $500,000
TV: Fox Sports 1 and TVG will show the entire card. NBCSN will air from 6-8 pm ET.
History: Inaugurated in 1936. Some of the all-time greats won this race. In the past 20 years, American Pharoah, Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones made their bones prior to excelling on the Triple Crown trail.
Late change: The #8 will scratch (will not run) due to a shin injury.​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Finnick the Fierce (KY)	Martin Garcia	118	Rey Hernandez	-
2	Saratogian (KY)	Joseph Talamo	122	Rodolphe Brisset	-
3	Storm the Court (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	Peter Eurton	-
4	King Guillermo (KY)	Samy Camacho	122	Juan Carlos Avila	-
5	Nadal (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Bob Baffert	-
6	Code Runner (KY)	Stewart Elliott	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
7	Silver Prospector (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	-
8	Fast Enough (KY)	Tyler Baze	122	Rafael Becerra	-
9	Taishan (KY)	David Cohen	118	Richard Baltas	-
10	Farmington Road (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
11	Wells Bayou (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	-

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---------------
VIRTUAL KENTUCKY DERBY:

NBC will air on Saturday, May 2 from 3:00 - 6:00 pm ET a special feature on the 2015 Kentucky Derby and American Pharoah. In addition, the NBC broadcast will air The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown, a computer-simulated version of a race featuring all 13 Triple Crown winners.​

fields down to nine in both divisions as 2 more pull out of Oaklawn; Wrecking Ball and Saratogian drop out

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Canterbury Park in Minnesota to open 5/8.... not known when race date starts

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Churchill Downs sets 5/16 as opening date of Spring Meet

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times. He has six wins at the meet as a late arrival and is already at 30%.
• Race 2: Wesley Ward won for the first time with his ninth start.
• Race 11: Nik Juarez, who was sidelined much of the early part of the year with an injury, won for the first time in 70 starts going back to January.
  
• Race 7: Heather Irion, a former jockey in Illinois from what I recall and who sent out horses last year for the first time since she last won in 2008, was the victor here. Tragically, her parents, both trainers, were killed in a car accident in the midwest about 15 years ago. Her father was a former rider.
• Christophe Clement is 0-for-20 and Bill Mott is 0-for-19 at the meet. How is that possible?!
• Weather: Lousy!

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: Over $8,000,000 bet today.
• Ricardo Santana, Jr. won three times. He is the leading rider at the meet and is attempting to win the title for the seventh time in eight years.
• Race 9: Oaklawn finales have had some high prices in recent days. A $56.80 winner. McLean Robertson hasn't had a successful meet in terms of wins but he placed again and with his last nine starters is 9 0-3-2.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

CHURCHILL DOWNS
May 16 for Churchill Downs. OPENING DAY!

After the opening weekend May 16-17, racing will be staged Thursdays through Sundays with a special holiday Monday card on Memorial Day, May 25. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the track had originally been scheduled to open April 25. Source: Bloodhorse​

Post 970 updated.

SANTA ANITA

• There are seven stakes scheduled for June 6.
  • The Santa Anita Derby, which was scheduled for April 4 with a purse of $1 million, will be worth $400,000.
  • The Gold Cup, originally scheduled for May 25, will be worth $300,000.
  • The Santa Anita Oaks, which was scheduled for April 4 is worth $200,000.

Santa Anita schedules 29 stakes, including four Grade 1's

Santa Anita has scheduled 29 stakes from May 16 through June 21, but nine races, including four Grade 1 races, will have lower purse levels than originally scheduled before the track was closed in late March because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Santa Anita intends to reopen on May 15, pending approval from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Santa Anita last raced on March 22 and was closed by county health officials on March 27 when deemed a nonessential business in the pandemic.

When racing resumes, no spectators will be permitted ontrack, terms that were in place for five racing days from March 14 through 22.

The revised stakes schedule has two premier days – Monday, May 25, and Saturday, June 6.

The May 25 program will include the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and Grade 1 Gamely Stakes, which will be worth $300,000 each, a reduction of $200,000 from the original schedule; and the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes, which remains at $200,000.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Will Rogers Downs did about $5 million in handle on Wednesday.

I believe this was from three days ago...

 

[Preds Partisan]

@Cyclones Rock

Is this nearby?

So apparently this is a permanent HRR facility, not temporary as many were led to believe. This will be built first, while design and architectural work at Turfway Park is on HOLD until further notice.

Editorial: CDI is more concerned with a non-racing facility cutting into the customer base of Belterra Park racino and the downtown Cincy casino than completing work at Turfway. I was shocked that they're not even completing design work while the old track is being demolished. This would seem to add several months to the full reopening of TP. Also, the $38 million construction at the secondary HRR facility may in fact be taken from the money originally earmarked for track improvements.

Now back to the normal racing discussion.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Charlestown and Mountaineer Park (WV) set to resume 5/14

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, May 1, 2020

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Eight races, no repeats: Eight races, eight winning riders, eight winning trainers.
• Race 2: Anthony Agostini, winning trainer, sent out a horse for the first time since 2016. It was his third lifetime win.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Juan Alvarado, an 11% trainer, won for the second time today and is on fire this meet. He works for Arindel which is operated by former Florida Panthers' owner Alan Cohen. Get 'em while they're hot. At last check, he is 26 7-1-1 (27%) and his win total is second only behind Todd Pletcher's eight.
• Race 10: Winning trainer Robert Smith doesn't send out too many horses. His last win at Gulf came in June. He had one win earlier this year and that was t Tampa Bay.
• Race 11: Nik Juarez rode the winner in the finale. He won yesterday for the first time since January after 70 straight losing rides. He is now 5-for-87 in 2020.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Closing weekend: Tomorrow is closing day of the popular meet which was extended. The track will be dark for live racing until January.
• Jon Court, who will turn 60 years of age later this year, rode for the first time since February when he suffered a collapsed lung.
• Race 6: High Proof (Fernando De La Cruz/Doug Anderson) won at 36-to-1. It was the second win of the day for the jockey who held off Super Constitution (Joe Talamo/McLean Robertson) at 7-1, the trainer who is a prominent 23% with 1st-time starters. Very frustrating loss for those who played the runner up on top. The $.50 tri was a stunning $3,500+. The $.10 super was close to $6,000.
• Race 8: Piece of My Heart (Joe Talamo/McLean Robertson) won the $75,000 Gardenia at 8-to-1. The trainer desperately needed a win as he was 95 6-17-15 entering including hitting the board with six of his past 11 starters. The Florida-bred filly has won her past two races. She also got a nice 87 Beyer Figure.

​

• Race 9: Swiss Skydiver (Brian Hernandez, Jr./Kenny McPeek) pulled a shocker at 16-to-1 to win the Grade 3 $400,000 Fantasy Stakes and pay $34.20. The filly won for the third time in six starts and raced on this track for the first time. Perhaps most importantly, she gained 100 points towards entry into the Kentucky Oaks She defeated Venetian Harbor (Flavien Prat/Richard Baltas) who was the overwhelming favorite at 4-to-5 and was out for the fourth time in her career. Prat, who rides much of the time in southern California, rode for the first time since March 22. The two separated themselves from the pack as the third place finisher was about 13 lengths back. The winner received a 99 Beyer Figure and the rummer up a 95.

​

• Race 10: Flavien Prat won, his second mount since March 22. The Pick 5 paid a gigantic $159,000 or so.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$618,000,000+ bet at the five tracks this month (April).

April 2020 - All Tracks

April 2019 - Top 10 Tracks

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Dammit, Oaklawn. Why do you have to use the same colors in stakes races?! My only gripe with the track. I thought the chalk came out bad, thinking it was white/#2 then realized they are all white cloths.

Last week, it was all yellow saddle cloths.

 

[GKJ]

Dammit, Oaklawn. Why do you have to use the same colors in stakes races?! My only gripe with the track. I thought the chalk came out bad, thinking it was white/#2 then realized they are all white cloths.

Last week, it was all yellow saddle cloths.

It's such a first world problem in North American horse racing that I can't live without

I try to watch these Australian races at night, and it's even more confusing when saddle cloths don't correspond with the gate.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

This is the new leader board for September's Kentucky Oaks. There will be some shuffling for the Kentucky Derby leader board following the two Arkansas Derby races today.

Top 8
#	Horse	Points	Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings	Career Earnings
1	Swiss Skydiver	110	$386,820	$437,980
2	Vekoma	100	$791,775	$833,025
3	Bonny South	100	$240,000	$323,350
4	Piece of My Heart	100	$48,000	$135,750
5	Finite	80	$540,349	$654,349
6	Shedaresthedevil	70	$265,600	$337,648
7	Tonalist's Shape	60	$258,680	$311,390
8	Water White	54	$175,375	$234,275

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Television for this weekend is listed below.

• Fox Sports covers racing from Tampa Bay and Oaklawn but not Gulfstream.
• NBCSN airs the TVG feed and shows Remington, Gulfstream, Tampa Bay and Oaklawn.
• Gulfstream offers a free live stream from its simulcast feed (link below).

Friday, May 1, 2020

• 4:00 - 7:00 pm ET on NBCSN
• 4:00 - 7:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 2
• Gulfstream live stream: Live Stream | World-Class Thoroughbred Horse Racing | Gulfstream Park

Saturday, May 2, 2020

• 1:00 - 8:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 1
  
• 3:00 - 6:00 pm ET on NBC
  • Virtual Kentucky Derby with all 13 Triple Crown winners
  • Replay, feature of American Pharoah winning the 2015 Kentucky Derby

• 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET on NBCSN
• 8:00 - 8:30 pm ET on Fox Sports 2
  
• Gulfstream live stream: Live Stream | World-Class Thoroughbred Horse Racing | Gulfstream Park

Sunday, May 3, 2020

• 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 2
  
• 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1
  
• 4:00 - 8:00 pm ET on NBCSN (coverage from TVG)
• Gulfstream live stream: Live Stream | World-Class Thoroughbred Horse Racing | Gulfstream Park

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, May 2, 2020

• Oaklawn set a record handle with over $40,900,000 bet. Just shy of $41m.
• Bob Baffert owns another first Saturday in May...even if the races are run in Arkansas. Both winners of the Arkansas Derby races -- split this year due to the much-documented adjustments -- were magnificent.
• Joel Rosario won five races.
• Emisael Jaramillo and Irad Ortiz, Jr. won three times at Gulfstream.
• Ronald Dale Allen won three times at Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Handle: $6.7 million bet on the track today.
• Race 2: A $68.20 winner with a 33-to-1 shot as the second largest odds on the board.
• Race 4: Silent Mischief (Tomas Mejia/Carlos Munoz) showed little previous form in finally breaking his maiden in his 18th try. The trainer was 6-for-165 lifetime. Good luck coming up with that one. It was his day.
• Race 6: Gary Wales rode his second winner with his second mount today.
• Race 9: Ronnie Dale Allen, Jr. won the last three races and completed a natural hat trick. In this race, he went to lead and never looked back as the favorite. In the prior two races, he won consecutive races in similar style, closing on the outside and both for Maria Bowersock.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 2: Juan Alvarado, mentioned yesterday as the personal trainer for Arindel who is owned by former Florida Panthers' owner Alan Cohen, is sizzling. The trainer won again and is now tied with Todd Pletcher for meet lead with eight wins.
• Race 3: Ralph Nicks, a good trainer, was 0-for-16 at the meet to start the day. He snapped the winless streak here.
• Race 9: Micheline (Joe Bravo/Michael Stidham) delivered as a bomb at 17-to-1 to win the $75,000 Honey Ryder Stakes.
• Race 10: Network Effect (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) won the $100,000 Big Drama at 3-to-5 denying Joe Bravo on board Noble Drama at 12-to-1.
• Race 11: Gufo (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Christophe Clement) won the $75,000 English Channel The winner went from last to first. The jockey is now 34 11-7-5 (32%/68%) at the meet since his return from a self-imposed absence.
• Race 12: Emisael Jaramillo won for the fourth time today. His third win of the day was number 1,000 in his North American career; he rode previously in Venezuela where he won over 4,000 timers. Oddly, he failed to hit the board in his other seven rides. $2.87 million was bet into the finale.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Track-record handle established: The all-sources off-track handle was officially listed at $40,906,451 plus an estimated $100,000 wagered at Oaklawn which put the handle over $41 million. Rough estimates by me: Over $5 million was bet into the finale (race 14). About $3 million bet into the second division of the Arkansas Derby (race 13). There was a total of $2.3 million bet into the 12th race. About $2.88 million bet into the first division of the Arkansas Derby (race 11). The prior record was just under $20,000,000.
  
• Closing day: The annual meet, which began in January and was extended, is now officially closed. A 14-race card with over $2,000,000 in purses.
• Leading Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr., his seventh in the last eight meets.
• Leading Trainer: Robertino Diodoro, his first at the track.
• Leading Owner: M and M Racing
• Joel Rosario won five times with eight mounts. He was named North America Jockey of the Week for his efforts.
• Bob Baffert sent out three horses and each won. He won both divisions of the Arkansas Derby.
• Race 1: Joel Rosario, one of the best riders in the world, won the opener on board the favorite which began a tremendous day for him
• Race 2: Scolding (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen), a $475,000 purchase, won her debut. The rider-trainer tandem is one of the most successful in North America. Certainly based on this race, she has a bright future.
• Race 3: Reef's Destiny (Kelsi Harr/Robert Cline) won for the second time in his career in his 20th start. His last win came more than two years ago. The jockey, who currently rides as a 7-pound bug, and trainer are engaged. The winner paid $69.80. A bodacious payout. The $1 tri paid about $1,600.
• Race 4: Bank (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) got his head down in time to break his maiden in a close race, his fourth lifetime start.
• Race 5: Endorsed (Joel Rosario/Bill Mott) won for the fourth time in eight starts, 4-for-4 in non-stakes, 0-for-4 in stakes.
• Race 6: Hunt the Front (Joel Rosario/Nick Zito) gave the jockey his third win.
• Race 7: Gamine (Martin Garcia/Bob Baffert) was challenged after going to the lead early yet held on for dear life to win as the overwhelming favorite at 3-to-5. She was bought for $1.8 million. She won her debut gate-to-wire March 7 at Santa Anita and is now 2-for-2. This is Baffert's top 3-year-old filly and she looked strong. Speech (Javier Castellano/Michael McCarthy) was game but couldn't seal the deal.
• Race 8: Moretti (Javier Castellano/Todd Pletcher), who was purchased for $900,000 in 2017 but hasn't shown much, won today. The Medgalia d'Oro colt won for the second time in eight starts. It was the Hall of Fame rider's first win since March 7, he was self-quarantined for much of the time.
• Race 9: Dunph (Orlando Mojica/Robertino Diodoro) won at 57-to-1 and paid $117.60. The leading trainer at the meet won with one of the largest prices at the meet.
• Race 10: Rushie (Joel Rosario/Michael McCarthy) gave the rider his fourth win on the day.
• Race 11: Charlatan (Martin Garcia/Bob Baffert), a $700,000 purchase, is now 3 3-0-0 lifetime and met all expectations as the prohibitive favorite in winning the first of two Grade I $500,000 Arkansas Derbys, both Kentucky Derby prep races. He wired the field and buried most of the competition. Basin (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) finished second and performed nicely. The race had a 100-40-20-10 point system for the top four finishers towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. Words like "superstar" will now be attached. As track announcer Vic Stauffer said as he echoed the song of years past "See You in September."

​

• Race 12 By My Standards (Gabriel Saez/Bret Calhoun) won for the fifth time in eight career starts in winning the Grade 2 $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap. The 4-year-old colt won for the third straight time and officially became a millionaire.

​

• Race 13: Nadal (Joel Rosario/Bob Baffert), a $700,000 purchase, won the second division of the Grade I $500,000 Arkansas Derby, a Kentucky Derby prep race as the 4-to-5 favorite. The race had a 100-40-20-10 point system for the top four finishers towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. Rosario won for the fifth time today. Baffert won both Arkansas Derby races today. Nadal is a perfect 4 4-0-0. King Guillermo (Samy Camacho/Juan Avila), who won the Tampa Bay Derby, placed.

​

• Race 14: Take Charge d' Oro (Walter De La Cruz/Chris Hartman) won the finale at the meet at 18-to-1. Until January, bye bye.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

So apparently this is a permanent HRR facility, not temporary as many were led to believe. This will be built first, while design and architectural work at Turfway Park is on HOLD until further notice.

Editorial: CDI is more concerned with a non-racing facility cutting into the customer base of Belterra Park racino and the downtown Cincy casino than completing work at Turfway. I was shocked that they're not even completing design work while the old track is being demolished. This would seem to add several months to the full reopening of TP. Also, the $38 million construction at the secondary HRR facility may in fact be taken from the money originally earmarked for track improvements.

Now back to the normal racing discussion.

How do you see it? CDI putting the squeeze on Belterra with their own property nearby and ultimately killing racing at Arlington?

 

[Fenway]

HF Sportsbook taking wagers on Virtual Kentucky Derby - 5:45 PM on NBC

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/sportsbook/triple-crown-showdown-nbc.42424/

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ Bets locked in. Virtually and really.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Watching the replay of the 2015 Ky. Derby on NBC now, prior to the virtual race, but there isn't a better image in any sport than a packed crowd at Churchill Downs. The Twin Spires represent so much history.

That said, we probably all miss such sights.

Well there ya go. My picks finished 1st-2nd-4th. Slew got third.

 

[GKJ]

What'd they do, scratch a horse? Why didn't they have a full gate?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

What'd they do, scratch a horse? Why didn't they have a full gate?

Which race?

If you mean Oak 12, Improbable was scratched from the 14 post.

 

[GKJ]

Baffert wins both divisions of the Arkansas Derby. Big surprise.

Which race?

If you mean Oak 12, Improbable was scratched from the 14 post.

Talking about the virtual race.

I guess it makes sense since there are only 13 triple crown winners. Not sure what I was thinking.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Just an idle thought: Nadal vs. Charlatan would have been an ideal race today.