Horse Racing: 2020 conclusion: $323,000 (Santa Anita) and $106,000 (Aqueduct) Pick 6 hit on New Year's Eve

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MiamiScreamingEagles

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Prior thread which was closed May 3, 2020 ( Horse Racing: - $41,000,000 bet; Nadal and Charlatan win Arkansas Derbys (Ky. Derby preps), both Baffert-trained )
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Basic Information
Horse Racing Sites, Tracks and Media Sources
  • Canterbury Park (Minnesota) -- Racing
  • Century Mile Racetrack and Casino (Edmonton, Alberta) -- Century Mile
  • Penn National (Pennsylvania) -- Racing
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

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BREEDERS' CUP INFO
(November 6-7, 2020 at Keeneland in Kentucky)

BREEDERS' CUP "WIN AND YOU'RE IN" CHALLENGE SERIES:
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge | Breeders' Cup



=========================================================================
TRIPLE CROWN DATES

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)

  • Race 1: Belmont Stakes -- Belmont (NY) -- June 20, 2020
    • 1 1/8 mile, not the traditional 1 1/2 miles
  • Race 2: Kentucky Derby -- Churchill Downs (KY) -- September 5, 2020
  • Race 3: Preakness Stakes -- Pimlico (MD) -- October 3, 2020
The Canadian Triple Crown (Canada)
  • Race 1: Queen's Plate -- Woodbine (ON) -- Sept. 12, 2020
  • Race 2: Prince of Wales Stakes -- Fort Erie (ON) -- Sept. 29, 2020
  • Race 3: Breeders' Stakes -- Woodbine (ON) -- Oct. 24, 2020-
==============================================================
KENTUCKY DERBY
2020-21 Kentucky Derby preps (2021 Kentucky Derby): Kentucky Derby Prep Races
2020 Kentucky Derby preps in North America (2020 Kentucky Derby)
RaceTrackStatePoints DistributedDate
Matt WinnChurchill DownsKentucky50-20-10-5May 23
Santa Anita DerbySanita Anita ParkCalifornia100-40-20-10June 6
Belmont StakesBelmont ParkNew York150-60-30-15June 20
Ohio DerbyThistledownOhio20-8-4-2June 27
Los Alamitos DerbyLos Alamitos Race CourseCalifornia20-8-4-2July 4
Indiana DerbyIndiana GrandIndiana20-8-4-2July 8
Blue GrassKeenelandKentucky100-40-20-10July 11
Peter PanSaratogaNew York 50-20-10-5July 16
Haskell Invitational Monmouth ParkNew Jersey100-40-20-10July 18
Shared BeliefDel MarCalifornia50-20-10-5August 1
Travers Saratoga New York100-40-20-10August 8
Ellis Park Derby Ellis Park Kentucky 50-20-10-5August 9
PegasusMonmouth ParkNew Jersey20-8-4-2August 15
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
--------------------------------------------------------
RACING DATES FOR 2020

Updates for the 2020 racing calendar....
Not every track is included as some states conduct brief fair meets, harness, etc. This is a near comprehensive list of facilities with some additions. This has been updated periodically to provide some understanding of each state's potential plans.

  • Massachusetts
    • Plainridge Racecourse, which is a harness track owned by Penn National Gaming, was supposed to operate a 110-day meet beginning in April. The new opening date is July 13. It is the only track in the state that offers any live racing now that Suffolk Downs ended in 2019; however, that facility will simulcast into 2020. None of the six New England states will run TB racing in 2020.
  • New York
    • The state has four TB tracks and seven harness facilities.
    • Aqueduct (Queens) canceled the end of its winter meet and its entire spring meet which would have ended April 19.
    • Belmont (Nassau County) will race June 3 - July 12. The canceled meet was scheduled for 51 days from April 24 through July 12.
    • Saratoga (Saratoga Springs) is scheduled to run 40 days from July 16 through Sept. 7. The full schedule: Saratoga Releases Stakes, Travers Moved to August 8 - BloodHorse
    • Finger Lakes (Farmington, near Rochester) could run 85-90 days with a July 20 opening date. It was scheduled to run 127 days from April 25 -Nov. 25.
  • New Jersey
    • Monmouth will run 37 live dates from July 3 - Sept. 27. It was scheduled to open May 2.
    • Meadowlands will run harness racing June 5 - Dec. 26. The Oct. 3- Oct 24 9-day TB meet is waiting for approval (late August update).
  • Pennsylvania
    • The state has three TB and three harness tracks.
    • Parx (near Philadelphia) opened June 22. It is scheduled to run throughout the calendar year.
    • Penn National (near Harrisburg) opened June 19. It is scheduled to run throughout the calendar year.
    • Presque Isle (Erie) will run July 27 -Oct. 22 with a 4:45 pm Post Time. Race days are slated for Monday through Wednesday, with Thursdays being added August 13.
  • Delaware
    • Delaware Park is scheduled to race a 65-day meet from June 17 - Oct. 17 rather than May 27 - Oct. 31.
  • Maryland
    • Laurel (Laurel) will operate May 30 - Aug. 22. The track closed on March 15 due to the C-virus. The track originally had a summer meet scheduled May 29 - Aug. 23 and operates much of the calendar year except for the two brief meets listed below.
    • Pimlico (Baltimore) will host the Preakness Stakes, usually second leg of the Triple Crown but bumped to third and last, on Oct. 3. That means a Triple Crown winner could be crowned in Maryland. A specific meet has yet to be released. The track was scheduled to run May 7 - 25
    • Timonium (part of Baltimore) is scheduled to run Aug. 28 - Sept. 7 with its annual fair meet which is popular with families.
  • Virginia
    • Colonial Downs has 18 race dates from July 27 – Sep. 2.
  • West Virginia
    • Charles Town is scheduled to race May 14 into December. It temporarily closed on March 24.
    • Mountaineer is scheduled to race May 31 - Dec. 2. It was scheduled to run April 26 - Dec. 2.
  • Ohio
    • Mahoning Valley (Youngstown area) closed its meet on April 18.
    • Thistledown (Cleveland area) will run June 4 through Oct. 21. It was scheduled to run April 27 – Oct. 17.
    • Belterra (Cincinnati) will open June 4 and have 75 race days. It was scheduled to run April 24 - Sept. 25.
    • Scioto Downs (Columbus) runs May 22 - Sept. 5 as a harness facility.
  • Kentucky
    • Kentucky has five TB race tracks who have been working among each other to set dates for much of the calendar year.
    • Turfway (Florence) was scheduled to run Jan. 1 - Mar. 28 but closed a few days earlier than expected.
    • Keeneland (Lexington) canceled its entire meet from Apr. 2 - Apr. 24.
    • Churchill Downs (Louisville) will run May 16 - Jun. 28. It was scheduled to run its spring meet from Apr. 25 - Jun. 27.
    • Ellis Park (Henderson) will run July 2 - Sept.16. The track will not run July 8 -12 when Keeneland races.
    • Keeneland will race July 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
    • Churchill Downs will run the first five days in Sept: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
      • Kentucky Oaks,Sep. 4
      • Kentucky Derby, Sep. 5
    • Kentucky Downs (Franklin) will run a 6-day meet on Sept. 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 16. The competitive and popular annual meet was to be Sept. 2, 7, 9, 10, 12-13.
    • Churchill Downs is scheduled to run Sept. 17 - 27
    • Keeneland is scheduled to run Oct. 2 - 24
    • Churchill Downs is scheduled to run Oct. 25 - Nov. 29
    • Keeneland is the host track for the Breeders' Cup on the weekend of Nov. 6 - 7.
    • Turfway is scheduled to close out the calendar year from Dec. 2 - 31
  • Florida
    • Gulfstream Park (Hallandale Beach) is currently in its spring/summer meet. The track usually races year-round except for a brief autumn meet at nearby Gulfstream Park West (Miami Gardens). The GPW meet will likely operate late September until around Thanksgiving. Stronach (owner of Gulfstream Park) leases GPW from Churchill Downs which owns the adjoining Calder Casino. The contract expires this year and likely will be the termination of horse racing at the former Calder Racecourse.
    • Tampa Bay Downs (Oldsmar) received two extensions from its original schedule and concluded its meet June 30. The track also ran July 1 as part of a 2-day festival. Tampa Bay is dark to live racing until Nov. 25.
  • Indiana
    • Indiana Grand will run June 15 - Nov. 18 and mostly M-Tu-W-Th for 94 days.
  • Illinois
    • Arlington is expected to race 30 days from July 23 - Sept. 30. The track was scheduled to operate Apr. 27 - Sept. 30.
    • Hawthorne will conduct harness racing beginning June 1. The track is expected to conduct a TB fall/winter meet. The track's spring meet was canceled many weeks prior to the C-virus in order to build a $450 million casino/sports betting facility which is now on hold. The track applied for a sports betting/gaming license but that has yet to be approved.
    • Fairmount reopened June 9. The track, which is 13 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, has applied for a sports betting/gaming license but that has yet to be approved..
  • Minnesota
    • Canterbury will race 52 days from June 10 - Sept. 16. The meet was originally scheduled to run 65 days from May 15 - Sept. 12.
  • Iowa
    • Prairie Meadows is scheduled to race 84 days from June 19 - Oct. 11. The meet was to run May 1 - Sept. 26.
  • Nebraska
    • Fonner Park ran May 4 - May 27 after receiving an extension to run additional days beyond its scheduled closing date of April 29. It handled $107 million compared to $12 million in 2019. It was one of the few tracks that ran through the C-virus that closed many businesses.
    • Horsemen's Park canceled its 7-day meet from May 8-24.
    • The state has four other tracks that conduct small meets later in the year.
  • Oklahoma
    • Remington Park (Oklahoma City) ran QH through May 30. It runs TB racing Aug. 21 through Dec. 20.
    • Will Rogers Downs (Tulsa area) ran TB through May 23. Its QH (and more) schedule operates Sept. 12 through Nov. 14.
    • Fair Meadows (Tulsa) runs mixed races including TB June 5 - July 26. The track will have straight TB cards (14 total) every Monday and Tuesday and feature QH (20 total) on Fridays, Saturdays, and two Sundays.
  • Arkansas
    • Oaklawn's extended meet, which began in January, ended May 2. It will reopen as scheduled in January 2021.
  • Louisiana
    • Louisiana Downs (Bossier City) is scheduled to run a 64-day TB meet from June 6 - Sept. 23. It was supposed to open May 2.
    • Evangeline Downs (Opelousas) will run 50 dates of TB racing June 5 - Aug. 29. It was scheduled to run April 8 - Aug. 29.
    • Delta Downs (Vinton) will race QH for 36 days from June 10 - Aug. 1. It was originally scheduled April 17-July 4.T-breds will operate 84 days from Nov. 24 through April 16, 2021.
    • Fair Grounds (New Orleans) closed about a week early, March 21 There is no live racing scheduled for the rest of the year until further notice.
  • Texas
    • Sam Houston (Houston area) closed its TB meet on March 22 four days early and canceled its entire QH meet. No live racing is currently listed.
    • Lone Star (Dallas area) will race May 22 - Aug. 2 for 36 days. The track was scheduled to open for live racing on April 16.
    • Retama (San Antonio) will run QH races for 24 days between July 3 - Aug. 29. The track was scheduled to run mixed races but requested TB be shifted to Lone Star.
  • Colorado
    • Arapahoe Park will run June 8 - Sept. 6 with a 41-date mixed meet for TB and QH. It was scheduled to operate May 23 through Aug.16.
  • Wyoming
    • Wyoming Downs is scheduled to run July 4 through Aug. 16.
  • New Mexico
    • Albuquerque Downs (Albuquerque) is scheduled to open July 17.
    • Ruidoso Downs (Ruidoso Downs) will run May 22 - Sept. 7. It will race both QH and TB.
    • Sunland Park (Sunland Park) was scheduled to end its meet April 21 but closed earlier.
    • SunRay Park (Farmington) canceled its meet scheduled to run April 24 - June 7 .
    • Zia Park (Hobbs) was scheduled to open September 21 but will now operate 36 days from Oct. 5 through Dec. 23 barring changes
  • Arizona
    • Arizona Downs (Prescott Valley) will not hold a meet.
    • Rillito Park (Tucson) runs in February and March only.
    • Turf Paradise (Phoenix area) was scheduled to run through May 2 but closed early. It will hold 110 racing dates from November 27 until May 1, 2021.
  • Utah
    • Weber Downs reopened in 2016 after 20 years dormant. It ran QH racing from May 9 - May 24.
    • Laurel Brown will race QH June 6 - June 20.
  • Idaho
    • Pocatello Downs will race June 3 - Sept. 29 for QH. The track was scheduled to open May 5.
  • Oregon
    • Grants Pass Downs will operate a 9-day summer meet June 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and July 1, 6, 7 and 8. The track will also operate a Sept. 20 - Nov. 9 meet.
  • Washington
    • Emerald Downs will race June 22 to Oct. 4. The feature race is the $100,000 Longacres Mile on Sept. 13.
  • California
    Northern Cal:
    • Golden Gate Fields' current meet ends June 16
    • Pleasanton for the Alameda County Fair meet June 17 through July 14
    • Pleasanton for the relocated State Fair/Cal Expo July 15 through July 28
    • Golden Gate for the relocated Santa Rosa meet July 29 through August 11
    • Golden Gate (its own meet) August 12 through October 18
    • Fresno for the Big Fresno Fair meet October 7 through October 20
    • Golden Gate (its own meet) October 22 through December 13
    Southern Cal:
    • Santa Anita: through June 21
    • Los Alamitos: June 24 through July 7
    • Del Mar: July 10 through September 7
    • Santa Anita: September 25 - October 27 (delayed opening)
    • Del Mar: October 31 through November 29.
    • Los Alamitos for QH racing: December 2 through December 22.
  • Los Alamitos (Orange County) for QH night racing through December 22. TB racing will be conducted for twelve days from June 24 through July 7.
  • Santa Anita (near Los Angeles) will run from May 15 until June 21. It is also scheduled to race Sept. 19 - Oct. 27.
  • Golden Gate Fields (Berkeley) will race from May 14 - June 16. Santa Rosa at Golden Gate will be held July 29 through August 11. Golden Gate will race its own meet Aug. 12 through Oct. 6. Golden Gate will have another meet from Oct. 21 through Dec. 22.
  • Del Mar (near San Diego) is scheduled to run July 8 - Sept. 8 and then Oct. 28 - Dec. 1.
  • Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton (Bay Area) is scheduled to operate a 15-day season from June 17 to July 14. State Fair Cal Expo at Pleasanton will run July 15 - July 28.
  • Fresno will run Oct. 7 - Oct. 20.
FAIR MEETINGS - STATEWIDE CALIFORNIA
Pleasanton for the Alameda County Fair Meet06/17/20 - 07/14/20
State Fair Cal Expo at Pleasanton07/15/20 - 07/28/20
Santa Rosa at Golden Gate Fields07/29/20 - 08/11/20
Golden Gate (not a fair meet) 08/12-20 - 10/06/20
Ferndale08/19/20 - 09/01/20
Big Fresno Fair 10/07/20 - 10/20/20
LA County Fair at Los Alamitos12/02/20 - 12/22/20
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Canada:
  • Ontario
    • Fort Erie Race Track (Fort Erie) will run June 2 to Oct. 13. The track was to open May 26.
    • Woodbine Racetrack (Toronto) will operate June 6 to Dec. 13. It was scheduled to run TB racing April 18 through Dec. 13. The Queen's Plate will be Sept. 12.
  • Manitoba
    • Assiniboia Downs (near Winnipeg) revised its schedule to run May 25 - Sept.15.
  • Saskatchewan
    • Marquis Downs (Saskatchewan) canceled its meet on June 9. Race dates in May and June were previously canceled.
  • Alberta
    • Century Downs (near Calgary) opened June 22 for harness/standardbreds and is expected to start Sept. 4 for QH. The TB meet which was scheduled to run Sept. 6 - Oct. 25 has been canceled due to the C-virus.
    • Century Mile (Edmonton) opened June 14 for harness/standardbreds and June 21 for TBs. The track was scheduled to open April 25.
  • British Columbia
    • Hastings Racecourse (Vancouver) will operate July 6 - Sept. 28. The track was to race April 28 into late October.
Note:
  • QH is quarterhorses
  • TB = thoroughbreds
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

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CHURCHILL DOWNS
John Velazquez (mostly idle, recently at Oaklawn), Joel Rosario (Oaklawn), David Cohen (Oaklawn) and Jose Ortiz (injured) will all be at Churchill Downs' meet.

The Matt Winn Stakes will be held May 23 and the top four finishers in the $150,000 race will be rewarded with points on a scale of 10-4-2-1 toward the rescheduled Kentucky Derby, Sept. 5.

The Churchill Downs meet will run May 16 - June 27. A total of 125 races worth a total of $7,265,000 are offered in the first condition book which covers May 16-June 5. The meet was supposed to end on June 27 even prior to the C-virus changes.
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

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Bob Baffert has a "Come on Down" moment again. He has an unraced $3.5 million colt bred in part by Vinny Viola of the Florida Panthers. Current owner is Irish business tycoon John Magnier.

Baffert: $3.65 million Cezanne 'about 30 days away' from debut

Could Bob Baffert’s “Big 3” group of sophomores soon have some company?
The Hall of Fame trainer says Cezanne, a $3.65 million son of Curlin to be campaigned by Coolmore, is “probably about 30 days away from a race,” his debut that could arrive assuming Santa Anita Park is able to resume its meet.

“He’s still a little bit behind,” Baffert said. “I’m just starting to lean on him now. He’s really grown up to be a big, beautiful horse.”
------------------------------------------------

The most expensive horse in Baffert’s barn was plucked out of the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training sale for a record sum. Hip 173, as he was at the time, had drilled the co-second-fastest eighth-mile breeze and galloped out strongly at Gulfstream Park.

Named after the French artist Paul Cézanne, the colt was bred by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stables. Out of the Bernardini mare Achieving, Cezanne is a half-brother to Group 1-placed Arabian Hope and Coutnerforce, a stakes winner.​
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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Let's see how the surrounding states react should this be approved.

Monmouth announces schedule featuring 35 stakes

Monmouth Park in New Jersey will run 35 stakes races at its delayed meet this year if the track gets approval from the state government to re-open for live racing on July 3 as planned, the track announced Monday.

Monmouth had previously announced that it had planned to run its centerpiece race, the Haskell Invitational Stakes, on July 18. On Monday, the track released a full stakes schedule for the 2020 meet that will put five other stakes on the July 18 card, including the track’s only other Grade 1 race, the United Nations Stakes. The Monmouth Cup, the Molly Pitcher Stakes, and the Matchmaker Stakes – all Grade 3 events – also will be run on the Haskell card.​
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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And right on cue, here comes Philly...
When racing does return at Parx, DeBunda anticipates the track will run three days per week, and will not take its planned three-week break in August.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/...al-hurdles-to-clear-before-racing-can-resume/

There is no firm timeline in place for the resumption of racing at Parx, but when it does happen, it's going to look quite different. That's the word from Sal DeBunda, president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association in a video update posted on the group's Facebook page last week.

DeBunda explained that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has set benchmarks for the rate of new COVID-19 positive tests to guide reopening of businesses by county. The goal to begin reopening is for a county to have no more than 50 new positive tests per 100,000 people in a 14-day period. Some counties have already achieved this and have been given the go-ahead to move from the “red” phase of shutdown to the “yellow” phase, which allows some businesses to reopen. DeBunda said Presque Isle Downs, The Meadows, and Pocono are in locations that have seen their rates slow down already. Parx, however, is located in Bucks County, which as of May 1 had a rate of about 246 per 100,000 people. Dauphin County, where Penn National is located, was down to 96 cases per 100,000 people.

DeBunda said racing officials were working to get a statewide exemption allowing racing to reopen without fans, regardless of its home county's “red” or “yellow” status. However, for casino-owned tracks, that would only be the first hurdle.​
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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NYRA Update: appears that the Belmont Stakes will likely be run in October
From what I understand Bob Baffert said a few days ago he would not ship his triple crown horses to New York if the Belmont was run prior to the Ky. Derby.

NY needed to wait for Maryland. The Preakness will be October 3 per an NBC report (since denied).
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

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If the Belmont is run in October, that could sway interests from the Breeders Cup. Until NY confirms, I wonder if the Belmont could be switched to a shorter race.
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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Mark Casse, who is in the Canadian Hall of Fame and who won two-thirds of the Triple Crown races last year, was inducted to the U.S. National Hall of Fame today. The trainer has earned over $174 million for his contributions.

Wise Dan, a 6-time Eclipse Award winner and twice named Horse of the Year, was also inducted. He earned over $7 million in 31 starts in which he was victorious 23 times.
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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The Los Alamitos Derby on July 4 will be a Kentucky Derby prep race -- announced today -- at an increase purse of $200,000. No point system was announced. Los Al is in a different county than Santa Anita.

Churchill hasn't released the modified Derby prep schedule yet.

Indiana Grand received approval to begin racing June 14 or thereof.

Still awaiting Santa Anita and the local board to make a decision for May 14.
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

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When will we stop the madness about Zenyatta losing to Blame? She lost. The blame Blame angle is one of the most discreditable moments in horse racing's history and too many people look at it as a black eye. Garrett Gomez was removed from the track on a stretcher and hospitalized 48 hours earlier and he returned to ride a victory in without a doubt one of the most important races of the past 20 years and maybe all-time.

Instead of feeling remorse, people should have been praising Gomez from the second he crossed the finish line. Imagine a baseball player gets beaned, is taken to a hospital and then two days later hits a game-winning home run against someone throwing a perfect-game or was otherwise unbeaten.

Gomez deserves nothing but accolades. Yes, he will always go down as one of my favorite riders -- maybe #1 for me -- and his end was not surprising considering his behavioral pattern but the man could ride. Ride amongst the best, And in big races. Too bad he was never given proper due by some.

Do we all remember this?

The next day, the Louisville Courier-Journal captured it perfectly in a huge three-word headline:

BLAME THE WINNER.

From a column written at the time in 2011 in the Los Angeles Times:

Garrett Gomez deserves better treatment

In Gomez’s biggest moment in racing, he had become a semi-villain. Worse, he had accomplished something incredible under the most difficult of situations, and few cared. He was asked afterward about his shoulder and responded that it had been sore, but there was no pain at that moment. That was pretty much it. Little follow-up or pursuit of details.

Zenyatta’s jockey, Mike Smith, blamed himself for not getting her to the magic 20-0 record. That got 20 times as much press as Gomez.
Today on Bloodhorse.com:
Blame: Time to Forgive But Not Forget

I would like to prepare all Zenyatta fans for the possibility that a son of Blame could win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) this year. Not only that, he (Nadal) could defeat a horse trained by John Shirreffs (Honor A.P.).

My request to all impassioned Zenyatta fans is this: Go to YouTube and watch the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in its entirety. I know you have sworn never to watch that race again, that it makes you ill and causes severe depression. But after 10 years it is time to be strong and test your willpower. Fight your urge to erase that race from the annals of history and from the deepest recesses of your mind. I admit it is tough to see this great mare run arguably the best race of her life and get beat in a heartbreaking photo. But after an entire decade it is time to give Blame his due.

I will tell you why. It was not Blame that beat Zenyatta under darkening skies on that fateful November night. Remember the closing line from King Kong: “It was beauty killed the beast.” Well, just think of the 2010 Classic this way: “It was history defeated Zenyatta.” Blame was merely the instrument, just as those funny-looking little planes were when they caused poor Kong to fall to his death.
 
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Cyclones Rock

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Turfway Park is knocking the side of the grandstand down right this moment. A buddy of mine lives real close to the track and gives me updates.

So, my previous post of the project having been suspended was wrong. A first for everything I guess.
 

MiamiScreamingEagles

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Turfway Park is knocking the side of the grandstand down right this moment. A buddy of mine lives real close to the track and gives me updates.

So, my previous post of the project having been suspended was wrong. A first for everything I guess.

This was from about two weeks ago...

Demolition begins for Turfway Park grandstand

------------------------------------------------------
CDI's various projects...


@Cyclones Rock
@Preds Partisan


Churchill Downs Inc., in reaction to the economic fallout from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is putting expansion projects at several of its gaming facilities on hold, including a new hotel and historical horse racing machine (HRM) casino at its flagship racetrack in Louisville, Ky.

Bill Carstanjen, CDI's chief executive officer, outlined plans for the company's immediate future during an April 29 call with investment analysts to review financial results of the first quarter of 2020. CDI, like other gaming companies, is suffering from the closure of its casinos because of the public health crisis.

“As a result of the closure of our gaming properties, we have significantly reduced our maintenance and growth project capital expenditures for 2020,” Carstanjen said during the call. “We have eliminated nearly all maintenance expenditures except for mandatory items until our properties are reopened. Regarding growth project capital, we have elected to continue investing, where it makes sense and stop where the timelines to completion are far out, the bulk of the expense has largely not yet been incurred or in the case of hotel developments, we need to revisit assumptions regarding the occupancy rates and travel patterns going forward.”

The hotel and HRM casino at Churchill Downs is on hold “until we have better visibility into the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the regional economy,” Carstanjen said, adding that the delay would at minimum continue through the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

----------------------------

The new Tapeta synthetic racetrack surface installation at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky will go forward, but Carstanjen said that while the old Turfway grandstand is being torn down, “We have placed a temporary hold on the continued architectural design phase of the new grandstand and historical racing machine facility.

“We can pause on the design work without losing much time, so we have,” he added. “As the state opens up and we complete the tear down of the existing grandstand and the installation of the new racing surface, we expect, we are likely to pursue the next phase with all deliberate speed.”
Meanwhile, he said, development of an HRM and simulcast facility in a shopping center near Turfway in Newport, Ky., has a targeted opening date in the fourth quarter of 2020. “The revenue generated from this facility will support the purses for future live race meets at Turfway Park,” Carstanjen said. “It will open with the simulcast area, a gaming floor with approximately 500 historical racing machines and a bar area.” The so-called Newport Extension will operate with a racing license associated with Turfway, similar to the Derby City Gaming casino in Louisville located a few miles from Churchill Downs.
 
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Preds Partisan

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Turfway Park is knocking the side of the grandstand down right this moment. A buddy of mine lives real close to the track and gives me updates.

So, my previous post of the project having been suspended was wrong. A first for everything I guess.
You're not really wrong, they're just suspending anything that hasn't already been paid for/contractually obligated. They're actually legally responsible for completing demolition once that permit was issued and the work started. It's still BS that they can complete the Newport project, but everything else is on hold.

Super off topic, but a new housing development was announced for down the road at the old Beverly Hills Supper Club site today. Super duper off topic, do you remember The Oasis bar just below that site? If CDI replicated that place in their Newport off track facility, I would consider dropping in. Legendary.
 

Cyclones Rock

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Jun 12, 2008
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6,370
You're not really wrong, they're just suspending anything that hasn't already been paid for/contractually obligated. They're actually legally responsible for completing demolition once that permit was issued and the work started. It's still BS that they can complete the Newport project, but everything else is on hold.

Super off topic, but a new housing development was announced for down the road at the old Beverly Hills Supper Club site today. Super duper off topic, do you remember The Oasis bar just below that site? If CDI replicated that place in their Newport off track facility, I would consider dropping in. Legendary.

Wow. I just passed that site the other day. I've never gone to the top of the hill since the fire. I was in high school and my parents used to go there upon occasion. I guess I need to make the walk soon. Thanks for the heads up on this.

I had never been to the Oasis. I honestly don't recall it.

For those unfamiliar with Beverly Hill Supper Club:



Beverly Hills Supper Club fire - Wikipedia
 

Preds Partisan

Gunga galunga
Aug 17, 2009
3,318
899
My cousin was at the Who stampede and the Beverly Hills fire. He survived both. I used to live in Ft. Thomas so I'm familiar with the history, used to know some of the cops and fireman that responded, etc.

The Oasis is where all the Bev Hills musicians and staff used to end up. Lasted until the 1990's which is when I used to go there. Way past it's glory days but full of history, pictures and whomever was still sitting around telling stories.
 
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MiamiScreamingEagles

Global Moderator
Jan 17, 2004
71,039
48,011
As mentioned in the other thread a few weeks ago, the major restructuring of the Maryland tracks got a final approval today from the state.

Among the changes and news:
  • FUNDING: The Pimlico and Laurel rebuilding projects will be funded by bonds to be paid back over 30 years by the Maryland Lottery. The state will also use casino subsidies among other sources.
  • COST: $375 million projects which includes $185 million to Pimlico and $155 million to Laurel.
  • LENGTH OF TIME: The expectation for length of the construction is between 4-to-5 years. The start time could be in six months.
  • LAUREL's THREE COURSES: Laurel will add a synthetic race course. I believe that will make the track the lone oval in North America with three surfaces (dirt, turf and synthetic).
  • CLUBHOUSE: Laurel will get enhanced facilities including a new clubhouse.
  • STABLES: The stables at Laurel will be rebuilt with horses temporarily sent to Pimlico. Eventually, year-round stabling at Laurel will occur.
  • PIMLICO: Pimlico will be redesigned to host non-horse racing events. It likely will host horse racing similarly to its recent meets in mid-to-late May.
  • THE PREAKNESS: The Preakness remains at Pimlico even during construction.
  • OWNERS: The Stronach Group continues to own Laurel (in addition to Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Golden Gate among others) but it appears TSG will sell Pimlico to another group which could include the city of Baltimore.
  • BOWIE: Bowie, which is a training center, was supposedly in the deal, too, but I have not read about any finality yet.
  • BREEDERS' CUP: My guess is this will be part of a Breeders' Cup host bid though delay anything immediate. With New York under construction and Gulfstream satisfied with not hosting, we may see a Kentucky-California rotation for a while.
  • 2020: No confirmation yet as to when -- or even where -- the Preakness will be held. I have my doubts that Pimlico would host in September unless the entire spring meet gets switched which is my guess. A change to Laurel could be dicey but that is track scheduled to run during the month. TV will have a large say, too.
 
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