Horse Racing: Horse racing (through 2021)

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Broadcast TV schedule for this weekend (in addition to TVG):

Friday, April 9:

1:00-6:30 pm ET -- Fox Sports 2​

Saturday, April 10:

1:00-3:00 pm ET -- Fox Sports 1
3:00-8:00 pm ET -- Fox Sports 2
7:00-8:00 pm ET -- NBCSN​

Sunday, April 11:

1:00-4:00 pm ET -- Fox Sports 2
4:00-6:30 pm ET -- Fox Sports 1​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Here is the latest rankings of the world's best race horses as currently listed by vote:



Life Is Good is the lone three-year-old listed.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

In addition to the much anticipated Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. the Lexington will be held at Keeneland and also offered points towards the Kentucky Derby but at a smaller scale of 20-8-4-2. Proxy and Hockey Dad have much to gain, or lose, this weekend.

Hockey Dad is owned by Reddam Racing. Paul Reddam, a Detroit Red Wings' fan, also owned Nyquist and Pavel among others.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: $5.5 million bet.
• Reminder: Turf racing has returned to New York.
• Race 4: Star Devine (Trevor McCarthy/Jorge Abreu) had troubles after breaking but she shined in her debut otherwise. The Irish-bred was purchased for the equal of $258,000 at the Tattersalls (U.K.) October 2019 sales. Her mother is Australian and her father is Irish. Needless to say but she will like the turf. She blew the break but she may be worth a further look. She was sent off 9-to-1 and won for fun.

​

• Race 9: Cherokee Song (Benjamin Hernandez/Randi Persaud) broke her maiden in her 21st try. As is often said, strange things seem to happen in New York finales.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Opening day: The meet, which runs into May 2 (the day after the Kentucky Derby), began today. The track had been closed since the second half of March due to equine herpes virus affecting some stalls.
• Johan Rosado had three mounts and each won. He is a staggering 11 8-2-0 the past three racing days (including March 20-21 just before the track closed).
• Angel Cruz-Claudio Gonzalez were 2-for-2 as a team today. When paired the two almost always should be considered. Excellent tandem!
• Race 7: Wowsah! The $1 super returned over $7,000 -- despite being topped by the favorite -- with 44-to-1 and 58-to-1 shots finishing second and third. Timothy Keefe trained both bombers.
• Handle: $1.5 million.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 5: The $1 exacta paid $532.30. The $.50 trifecta paid a very patriotic $1,776.
• Race 7: Elizabeth Dobles' stable began the year 2-for-29 but has since won two straight. Maybe she will start to heat up with the new meet.
• Race 9: Paco Lopez won a race for the 2,998th time. He is two wins shy of 3,000.
• Handle: $4.9 million. This is the time of the year where East coast bettors focus on New York more so than Florida though of course there will be exceptions.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $4.4 million.
• Race 1: Kat's Hitman (Jon Court/Michael Hewitt) gave the 60-year-old jockey his 4.203rd lifetime win. The trainer won for the first time since 2012 and had just two wins with his past 110 (approximately) entrants. He doesn't send out many horses.

​

Santa Anita (California):

• Reminder: Santa Anita is not conducting racing tomorrow or the following Friday. A rarity to have Fridays without racing at the facility.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

In what could very well be the last year of Arlington....

...as an aside the Arlington Million has been renamed the Mister D and will be run for $600,000.

Arlington International Racecourse 2021 Stakes Schedule

Date Purse Race Grade Conditions Distance Surface

Jun 26 $100,000 Chicago 3 3&UP F/M 7 F AW
Jun 26 $100,000 Hanshin Cup 3&UP 1 M AW

Jul 17 $100,000 American Derby 3YO 1 1/16 M Turf
Jul 17 $100,000 Arlington 3 3&UP 1 3/16 M Turf
Jul 17 $75,000 Hatoof 3YO F 1 1/16 M Turf
Jul 17 $100,000 Modesty 3 3&UP F/M 1 3/16 M Turf

Aug 7 $75,000 Richard P Hazelton Memorial 3YO (IL) 1 M Turf
Aug 7 $75,000 Sharon N. Kirby Memorial 3YO F (IL) 1 M Turf

Aug 14 $75,000 Addison Cammack Memorial 3&UP (IL) 6 F AW
Aug 14 $400,000 Beverly D. 1 3&UP F/M 1 3/16 M Turf
Aug 14 $75,000 Black Tie Affair 3&UP (IL) 1 1/16 M Turf
Aug 14 $300,000 Bruce D. 1 3YO 1 M Turf
Aug 14 $75,000 Isaac Murphy 3&UP F/M (IL) 6 F AW
Aug 14 $75,000 Mike Spellman Memorial 3&UP F/M (IL) 1 1/16 M Turf
Aug 14 $600,000 Mister D. 1 3&UP 1 1/4 M Turf
Aug 14 $100,000 Pucker Up S. 3 3YO F 1 1/8 M Turf

Aug 28 $75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity 2YO 7 F AW
Aug 28 $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie 2YO F 7 F AW

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Hollywood Casino @ Bangor Raceway aka Bass Park starts the MHHA racing calendar Sunday @ 12:15

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, April 9, 2021

• Todd Pletcher may have the hottest barn in America right now. The all-time money earner at $400 million+ is 25 14-4-2 (56%/80%). This is all at Keeneland, Aqueduct and Gulfstream. He is an unthinkable 10 8-0-1 since April 7.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: $6.4 million.
• Kendrick Carmouche rode three winners.
• Mike Luzzi had a win and then in another race was DQ'd from place which I assume means a suspension is forthcoming. It didn't look egregious to me but the decision seem elongated, too.
• Todd Pletcher won twice and is now batting .500 (6-for-12) at the brief meet which ends April 18.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Handle: $1.5 million.
• Track conditions: Unlike most spots running, the track was sloppy. It must have been overnight rains.
• Claudio Gonzalez has sent out five starters and each has won during the meet which ends May 2. Gonzalez has won meets 16 times in Maryland and has led the state in overall wins each of the past four years dating to 2017.
• Jamie Ness is 4 4-0-0. The trainer has a hot barn.
• Claudio Gonzalez (5), Jamie Ness (4) and Brittany Russell (2) have combined to win 11 of the 18 races run at the meet.
• Sheldon Russell won three times including two of three for his wife Brittany.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $5 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Names: Many national stars at the track this weekend. Javier Castellano, Junior Alvarado and Tyler Gaffalione won twice. Joel Rosario, John Velazquez, Luis Saez and Irad Ortiz, Jr. were the other winners. Not too bad of a riders' colony.
• Race 9: Raging Bull (Irad Ortiz. Jr./Chad Brown) won the $300,000 Grade I Maker's Mark Mile. The 6-year-old French-bred has won $1.5 million in 17 lifetime races. He entered off a 10th place finish in the Breeders' Cup mile. Brown is probably the best trainer in America on long layoffs in graded stakes. Get Smokin (Junior Alvarado/Thomas Bush) set an opening half-mile fraction of :45.65 which is the third fastest recorded in turf routes at the track since such stats were recorded starting in 2007.

​

• Race 5: The Tote Board was obliterated with a Super High Five payout in excess of $100,000.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $5.3 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

More info on Laurel and the ever-changing dynamics in Maryland...

Turf racing is carded for April 17. No guarantees but that is the first possible date and two races are scheduled.

Monday, April 19 has been added and racing that extended weekend will be conducted April 17, 18 and 19. There will be no racing on April 15 or 16, the latter a Friday.

Thursday racing will be held June 3, 10, 17 and 24 and July 1, 8 and 15.

The Spring meet at Laurel ends May 2. The updated race day for the Spring Stakes Spectacular is April 24.

Pimlico's meet runs 15 days from May 5-31.

The Summer meet at Laurel runs June 3 - August 22.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Lexington Stakes (Ky. Derby prep at Keeneland)
I picked the 9 upon seeing the track. A Super Saver horse who won on a wet surface. The bomber-pick finished third. A bomber did win. This race was wide open and using the favorites was almost foolish.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Arkansas Derby (Ky. Derby prep at Oaklawn)
Concert Tour (Joel Rosario/Steve Asmussen) was disappointing in a third place finish today in the Arkansas Derby. While I picked against him -- Caddo River (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) who finished second -- that was a bad third for Baffert's horse. He is not Kentucky Derby ready. I don't like that run in a final Ky. Derby prep. Not at all.

The winner? Super Stock (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) who won for the second time in eight races. His only other win was with the trainer's college-age son riding in August at Lone Star. If this horse wins the Kentucky Derby... Asmussen will go down as one of the best training jobs ever.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: $10.6 million.
• Jose Ortiz and Manny Franco both won three times.
• Race 8: Delaware (Manny Franco/Chad Brown) won the $100,000 Danger's House Stakes in track-record time. The 5-year-old horse was timed in 1:33.67 over the Big A inner turf.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Handle: $2 million.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Handle: $5.7 million.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Paco Lopez recorded his 3,000th career win. He won four times including a natural hat trick to start the day. The second of his four victories gave him the milestone number but came via a very obvious DQ aboard Heart of God trained by Peter Walder. There probably isn't a more polarizing jockey than Lopez but most handicappers favor his abilities.

• William Deaton was the winning trainer in the opener. He has a smaller stable and has been training since 1978 when he first sent out horses that year at Latonia (in Kentucky near Cincinnati) which is now known as Turfway Park.
• Edgard Zayas and Edwin Gonzalez each have 11 wins to lead all riders at the meet. The latter recently moved his tack from Penn National and is making himself noticed quickly in his new surroundings. He rode well at Tampa Bay in the past.
• Handle: $8.4 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Track: One of the best in North America and oh that turf course.
• Conditions: Sloppy and one race was was pulled from the turf.
• Brad Cox had a big day going 4 3-1-0. He is the defending Trainer of the Year in North America.
• Race 7: Silver Dust (Adam Beschizza/Bret Calhoun) won the $150,000 Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes.
• Race 9: King Fury (Brian Hernandez, Jr./Kenny McPeek) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at 18-to-1. With it came 20 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The son to Curlin took the sloppy track nicely and improved to 6 3-0-0 lifetime. He has alternated six races between Kentucky's two most prominent tracks including Churchill Downs where he has won twice. He had been idle since a Grade 2 in November.

• Race 10: Juliet Foxtrot (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox) won the $300,000 Grade I Jenny Wiley Stakes. The 6-year-old Great Britain-bred won for the sixth time in 20 starts. She has raced in graded stakes the last 10 times and won a Grade I for the first time in her fifth attempt.

​

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $21.1 million. This is the second largest total bet for any race day in track history trailing only the $41 million last year on the Arkansas Derby day that essentially replaced the rescheduled Kentucky Derby.
• Card: You want a card?! 12 of the 13 races had purses $93,000 or more and that includes four at $250,000 or more.
• Ricardo Santana, Jr. and Florent Geroux rode three winners each.
• Steve Asmussen trained three winners. He ended the day with a 15 3-1-2 mark. Many trainers don't have 15 horses in their stables.
• Race 6: Edgeway (Joel Rosario/John Sadler ) won the $250,000 Carousel Stakes. Edgeway is a 4-year-old filly purchased for $275,000 and is 6 4-1-1 lifetime. This is her first blacktype victory. She finished second in a Grade 3 in her only graded stakes.
• Race 9: By My Standards (Gabriel Saez/Bret Calhoun) won the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes. The 5-year-old horse won for the seventh time in 15 starts and crossed the $2 million earned mark in style beating Rushdie (Joel Rosario/Michael McCarthy) by a nose.

​

• Race 11: C Z Rocket (Florent Geroux/Peter Miller) won the $500,000 Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. Whitmore (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Ron Moquett) placed. The battle was billed by some as Ali vs. Frazier. The 7-year-old winning gelding is 25 10-2-2 lifetime and won for the seventh time in his last eight starts. The 8-year-old Whitmore dropped to 40 15-13-3 with nearly $4.5 million earned lifetime. He is 16 9-6-1 at Oaklawn.

​

• Race 12: Super Stock (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen) won the $1,000,000 Grade I Arkansas Derby. The son to Dialed In is 8 2-2-2 lifetime. He won at odds of 12-to-1 and defeated the highly touted Concert Hall (Joel Rosario/Bob Baffert) who not only lost but suffered a severe defeat in presence.

https://twitter.com/TwinSpires/status/1381032171968684034​

Golden Gate Fields (California):

• Handle: $2 million.

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: $9 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The top 20 point earners are invited to the Kentucky Derby. There could be some changes based on injuries or other interests as the days progress but as of today, the field of 20 in below with a possible addition who could replace another defection.

April 27 is entry date.

All horses in contention for the Derby were foaled in Kentucky unless noted.

Kentucky Derby Leader Board

Rank	Horse	Record	Sire	Points	Jockey	Trainer
1	Essential Quality	5 5-0-0	Tapit	140	Luis Saez?	Brad Cox
2	Hot Rod Charlie	7 2-1-2	Oxbow	110	Flavien Prat	Doug O'Neill
3	Super Stock	7 2-2-2	Dialed In	109	Ricardo Santana, Jr?	Steve Asmussen
4	Like the King	6 3-2-1	Palace Malice	104	Drayden Van Dyke?	Wesley Ward
5	Known Agenda	6 3-1-1	Curlin	102	Irad Ortiz, Jr.?	Todd Pletcher
5	Rebel's Romance (Ireland)	5 4-0-0	Dubawi (Ireland)	100		Charlie Appleby
6	Rock Your World	3 3-0-0	Candy Ride (Argentina)	100	Umberto Rispoli?	John Sadler
7	Bourbonic	6 3-1-0	Bernardini	100	Kendrick Carmouche?	Todd Pletcher
8	Greatest Honour	7 3-1-3	Tapit	80		Shug McGaughey
8	Medina Spirit (Florida)	5 2-3-0	Protonico	74	John Velazquez?	Bob Baffert
9	Concert Tour	4 3-0-1	Street Sense	70	Joel Rosario?	Bob Baffert
10	Midnight Bourbon	7 2-2-3	Tiznow	66	Mike Smith	Steve Asmussen
11	Weyburn (Ontario)	5 2-1-0	Pioneerof the Nile	60		Jimmy Jerkens
11	Mandaloun	5 3-0-1	Into Mischief	52	Florent Geroux?	Brad Cox
12	Caddo River	6 2-3-0	Street Sense	50	Florent Geroux?	Brad Cox
13	Highly Motivated	5 2-2-1	Into Mischief	50	Javier Castellano?	Chad Brown
14	Helium	3 3-0-0	Ironicus	50	Julien Leparoux	Mark Casse
15	Panadol (New York)	3 2-1-0	Flatter	40		Salem Bin Ghadayer
16	Soup and Sandwich (Florida)	3 2-1-0	Into Mischief	40	John Velazquez?	Mark Casse
17	Dynamic One	5 1-2-0	Union Rags	40	Jose Ortiz?	Todd Pletcher
18	Crowded Trade	3 1-1-1	More Than Ready	40		Chad Brown
18	Sainthood	3 1-2-0	Mshawish	40		Todd Pletcher
20	Proxy	7 2-3-0	Tapit	36		Michael Stidham
19	Rombauer	6 2-1-1	Twirling Candy	34		Michael McCarthy
20	Hidden Stash	7 2-1-2	Constitution	32	Rafael Bejarano	Victoria Oliver
21	Dream Shake	3 1-0-2	Twirling Candy	30		Peter Eurton

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Record: Starts followed by 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes. Anything beyond third is not shown with the exception of the starts column. Thus, if a horse raced four times and finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th the career record would be indicated by a mark of 4 1-1-1.

Gray: Horses shaded above have either been removed from consideration for the Kentucky Derby or are likely not to run based on comments by connections.

Jockeys: As confirmed assignments are announced, the jockey column above will be filled. Some jockeys have a choice to make between multiple opportunities.

Trainers: Todd Pletcher (4), Brad Cox (3), Bob Baffert (2), Mark Casse (2) and Steve Asmussen (2) have multiple potential starters which account for 13 of the possible field of 20.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

TV coverage today includes TVG (nearly 24/7), TVG2, Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2

Aqueduct as the primary track

FS2 - 1 - 4:00pm FS1 - 4 - 6:30pm

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

• Gulfstream Park free live stream: Live Stream | World-Class Thoroughbred Horse Racing | Gulfstream Park
• Laurel Park free live stream: Live Stream - Maryland Jockey Club

TVG
TRACK NAME	RACES	FIRST POST TIME (ET)
FR - Nancy-Brabois	1 - 7	5:05 AM
SE - Jagersro Galopp	1 - 3	5:50 AM
ZA - Greyville	1 - 4	6:45 AM
FR - ParisLongchamp	1 - 8	7:58 AM
IR - Leopardstown	1 - 7	8:40 AM
GB - Warwick	1 - 6	8:50 AM
GB - Kelso	1 - 4	9:00 AM
Tampa Bay Downs	1 - 2	12:20 PM
Laurel Park	1 - 5	12:41 PM
Gulfstream Park	1 - 10	1:00 PM
Keeneland	1 - 9	1:05 PM
Aqueduct	1 - 9	1:20 PM
Oaklawn Park	1 - 10	2:02 PM
Santa Anita	1 - 9	4:00 PM
Golden Gate Fields	3 - 9	5:27 PM
Hawthorne	7 - 8	6:59 PM
Remington Park	5 - 12	8:48 PM
Cal Expo	2 - 11	8:54 PM
Los Alamitos	1 - 8	9:10 PM
Pompano Park	7 - 8	9:20 PM
AUB - Ipswich	5 - 6	12:15 AM
AUA - Grafton	6	12:35 AM
TVG 2
TRACK NAME	RACES	FIRST POST TIME (ET)
Laurel Park	3 - 8	1:47 PM
Tampa Bay Downs	4 - 9	1:58 PM
Oaklawn Park	1 - 8	2:02 PM
Golden Gate Fields	1 - 3	4:20 PM
Hawthorne	2 - 4	4:39 PM
AUA - Grafton	1 - 5	9:35 PM
AUB - Ipswich	1 - 4	9:55 PM

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Aqueduct (New York):

• Five: Five was the number of the day.
• Jose Ortiz rode five winners with just six mounts. He won his first four rides including a natural hat trick mid-card. He leads the meet with 16 wins but is an extraordinary 36%/64% (winning pct./ITM pct). Irad Ortiz, Jr., his brother, is 55%/73% and has been elsewhere this weekend. They have combined for 28 wins. The rest of the riders have won 31 times.
• Pick 5: The early Pick 5 was 5-5-5-5-5.
• Handle: $6.5 million.

Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Canceled: The card was canceled due to "adverse weather" conditions per the track.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $7.2 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Race 1: Chi Town Lady (John Velazquez/ Wesley Ward) won in her maiden try. Ward excels with babies. A tried and true philosophy.

​

• Tyler Gaffalione had a 3-win day.
• Luis Saez is 46 14-6-11 (30%/67$) at the meet. Strong numbers.
• Brad Cox, Todd Pletcher (12 7-1-2, 58%) and Wesley Ward lead all trainers with seven wins.
• Ben Colebrook is 11 5-0-1, a good showing for a trainer not as well known as others with a more national prominence.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Ricardo Santana. Jr. is running away with the jockeys' lead at the meet. His 57 wins is 18 better than his closest challenger.
• Steve Asmussen leads all trainers with 45 wins.

Santa Anita (California):

• Flavien Prat rebounded from a tough Saturday with a 6 3-2-1 afternoon. The prior day he was winless on Saturday aboard six months.
• Handle: $9 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Indiana Grand Racing set a single-season all-sources handle record of $198,960,722 in 2020 which was up 31% from the 2019 handle despite 26 fewer race days. The 2021 meet starts April 13.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Swiss Skydiver vs. Monomoy Girl
Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn (AR)
$1,000,000 purse
6:09 pm CT, Saturday, April 17, 2021​

Swiss Skydiver is 13 7-3-1 with $2 million+ earned. She has alternated wins and losses in her last seven starts and is coming off a win at Santa Anita. In her only start at Oaklawn, she won the Fantasy Stakes in 2020. She was a $35,000 purchase. She is 4 years of age and is most famously known for winning the 2020 Preakness becoming the sixth filly to win the race (and just the second since 1924).

Monomoy Girl is 16 14-2-0 with $4.5 million earned. She has won her past six races and 11 of 12. She won in February in her first race at Oaklawn. Her breeding rights were sold for $9.5 million in 2020. She was purchased for $100,000 in 2106. She is 6 years of age.

APPLE BLOSSOM HANDICAP

What: Grade 1.Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl will square off in a dream matchup but there is talent elsewhere especially Letruska. Should be a fun race.
Where: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, AR
When: Saturday, April 17, 2021, Race 11
Time: 6:09 Central Time
Who: 4 yo's & up. Fillies and Mares
Distance: 1 1/16 mile
Surface: Dirt
Purse: $1,000,000
TV: TVG (all-day coverage of racing) and Fox Sports 1.
History: Inaugurated in 1958. Since 2008, winners include Midnight Bisou, Unbridled Mo, Stellar Wind, Forever Unbridled, Untapable, Close Hatches, Havre de Grace and Zenyatta. That'll get some attention!​

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Another Broad (MD)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	115	Steven M. Asmussen	10-1
2	Swiss Skydiver (KY)	Robby Albarado	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	2-1
3	Letruska (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Fausto Gutierrez	4-1
4	Chance to Shine (KY)	Ken S. Tohill	114	Chris A. Hartman	20-1
5	Getridofwhatailesu (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	117	Brad H. Cox	6-1
6	Monomoy Girl (KY)	Florent Geroux	124	Brad H. Cox	1-1

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

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Mike Smith to ride Midnight Bourbon in the Kentucky Derby. He was available since Life is Good has been sidelined due to injury.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Tampa Bay Downs has announced its fourth increase in the track's purse structure for this meet, this time by 10%. The simulcast feeds being a primary foundation. Yet another track with positive numbers. One of the best turf courses in the land and that is one of the main reasons handicappers are attracted to the facility. The meet ends May 2.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

More meets announced:

Arapahoe (Colorado) will conduct a Fall meet with a mix of quarter horses and thoroughbreds.

Louisiana Downs (Louisiana) will host thoroughbreds from May 1 and run 84 racing dates until September 22. It is one of four major tracks in the state along with Evangeline, Delta Downs and of course Fair Grounds. The track recently closed its quarter horse meet.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

btw. for the new enterprise replacing Scarborough Downs has officially been launched on social media

First Tracks Cumberland releases webpage and facebook page for May 2021 debut:

@FirstTracksCumberland is the URL for the Facebook handle

First Tracks Cumberland - Maine Harness Racing is the website URL

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

• Reminder: Laurel is not running Thursday or Friday but will open its turf course Saturday. It is perhaps the most underrated turf course in North America. Get this: 15 horses are entered for Race 5 the first turf race in Maryland in 2021. Older females, 5 1/2f, $42,000.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 8: Smooth Dancer (Huber Villa-Gomez/Alnaz Ali) was the second longest shot on the board in a field of 12 but prevailed to pay $146. The $.50 tri was over $1300. It was a three-horse photo finish. Imagine having a wager on that outcome and how it affected exotics.

​

• Race 9: The $1 double was $776.10. The $.50 Pick 4 was an astonishing $13,000+.
• Handle: $3.6 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Race 2: Bettyb (Tyler Gaffalione/Cheryl Shifflett) was elevated to victory via DQ which prevented jockey James Graham from bringing home the early double. Graham did win the finale. The trainer, whom I do not know, is of a smaller stable, usually Ohio and the Kentucky tracks. Interesting she got Gaffalione to ride for her.
• Race 4: Nakatomi (Joel Rosario/Wesley Ward), already gelded at the age of two, won his maiden performance. He was only a $25,000 purchase but Ward is exceptional with babies as has been said often here and elsewhere. Happy Soul (John Velazquez/Wesley Ward) finished second. Ward went 1-2 in this race.

​

• Races 5 + 6: Brian Hernandez, Jr./Rusty Arnold won consecutive races as a team.
• Race 7: Removed from the turf, five of the eight entered were scratched.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Aqueduct (New York):

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. went 7 4-2-0. It is almost routine for him to have such days.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Luis Saez and John Velazquez had three winners each. Saez has scorched anything he has touched this meet with 19 wins and a winning percentage hovering at 32%. Barring anything unexpected, this could be the year where he becomes a finalist for Eclipse Award Jockey of the Year.
• Wesley Ward is up to his magic again. Two more 2-year-old winners. At last check he is 44% with 2-year-olds in 2021.
  
• Pick 6: Paid out $26,000+ to all $1 winners.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

• Reminder: Laurel is not running Thursday or Friday but will open its turf course Saturday. It is perhaps the most underrated turf course in North America. Get this: 15 horses are entered for Race 5 the first turf race in Maryland in 2021. Older females, 5 1/2f, $42,000.

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Race 8: Smooth Dancer (Huber Villa-Gomez/Alnaz Ali) was the second longest shot on the board in a field of 12 but prevailed to pay $146. The $.50 tri was over $1300. It was a three-horse photo finish. Imagine having a wager on that outcome and how it affected exotics.

​

• Race 9: The $1 double was $776.10. The $.50 Pick 4 was an astonishing $13,000+.
• Handle: $3.6 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Race 2: Bettyb (Tyler Gaffalione/Cheryl Shifflett) was elevated to victory via DQ which prevented jockey James Graham from bringing home the early double. Graham did win the finale. The trainer, whom I do not know, is of a smaller stable, usually Ohio and the Kentucky tracks. Interesting she got Gaffalione to ride for her.
• Race 4: Nakatomi (Joel Rosario/Wesley Ward), already gelded at the age of two, won his maiden performance. He was only a $25,000 purchase but Ward is exceptional with babies as has been said often here and elsewhere. Happy Soul (John Velazquez/Wesley Ward) finished second. Ward went 1-2 in this race.

​

• Races 5 + 6: Brian Hernandez, Jr./Rusty Arnold won consecutive races as a team.
• Race 7: Removed from the turf, five of the eight entered were scratched.

Laurel just announced that no racing will be held this weekend due to the track issues ongoing there..... they did get approval to switch to Pimlico effective 4/22/21 FOR Jockey/Thoroughbred safety

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

It has been a tough month for Laurel....

Laurel Weekend Cards Cancelled Due to Ongoing Track Issues, Racing Will Move to Pimlico (thoroughbreddailynews.com)

Live racing will be cancelled from Saturday, Apr. 17 through Monday, Apr. 19 at Laurel Park due to the ongoing evaluation of the main track surface conditions, the Maryland Jockey Club and 1/ST RACING announced Thursday. As part of regular track maintenance, the MJC identified Apr. 14 that the main track had not responded sufficiently to wintertime cushion repairs. Gallops will be allowed during an abbreviated training schedule Friday, Apr. 16.

Due to the uncertainty of the timeline to rehabilitate the main track surface cushion at Laurel Park, 1/ST RACING and the MJC submitted an application to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to move live racing to Pimlico Race Course, effective Apr. 22 on an emergency basis. The application has been granted and live racing will be moved to Pimlico Race Course until further notice.

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According to a calendar distributed on Thursday afternoon, live racing will be held at Pimlico on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule from April 22-25, from April 29-May 2, and from May 6-9. The Preakness is scheduled for May 15, which will be followed by a dark day. Racing will continue through May 31, Memorial Day, according to the calendar. (Source: DRF)​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Television this weekend in addition to TVG and TVG2:

Friday:

Fox Sports 2 1:00-6:30 pm ET​

Saturday:

Fox Sports 2 5:00-8:00 pm ET [Apple Blossom]​

Sunday:

Fox Sports 2 1:00 pm-2:30 pm ET
Fox Sports 1 2:30 pm-5:30 pm ET
Fox Sports 2 5:30 pm-6:30 pm ET​