Horse Racing: $11.266 billion bet on US racing in 2024, down $400 million from 2023 (2024 thread is locked)

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Flavien Prat 2024:

• 80 stakes won (prior record Irad Ortiz, Jr. with 79 in 2022).
• 55 graded stakes won (tied record with Jerry Bailey's total in 2003).

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​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Todd Pletcher named University of Arizona "Alumnus of the Year" for 2025.

https://paulickreport.com/news/people/todd-pletcher-named-university-of-arizonas-alumnus-of-the-year

Clearly, Pletcher's grit and determination have paid off in spades. This year, Pletcher will add yet another award to his considerably packed trophy shelf - we are pleased to name Todd Pletcher the 2025 CALES Alumnus of the Year.​

​

Each year, the University of Arizona Alumni Advisory Council has the privilege of conferring recognition upon individuals for outstanding achievement and contributions to their professions, their communities and the University of Arizona. Todd will be honored among alumni from other colleges who are changing the world. We're honored to celebrate Todd's incredible achievements and dedication to his sport this February.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Aqueduct (NY) has morning post times for Friday and Saturday, part of a canceled race day.
FRIDAY

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$35,000	Maiden Claiming	6 F	Dirt	9	11:40 AM ET
2	$65,000	Starter Allowance	1 1/8 M	Dirt	7	12:10 PM ET
3	$65,000	Claiming	1 M	Dirt	8	12:39 PM ET
4	$90,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	9	1:08 PM ET
5	$70,000	Maiden Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	9	1:37 PM ET
6	$32,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	9	2:07 PM ET
7	$75,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	10	2:36 PM ET
8	$28,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	10	3:06 PM ET
9	$92,000	Allowance	7 F	Dirt	8	3:35 PM ET
10	$45,000	Maiden Claiming	7 F	Dirt	12	4:04 PM ET

SATURDAY

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$48,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	8	11:40 AM ET
2	$28,000	Claiming	1 M	Dirt	8	12:10 PM ET
3	$52,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	10	12:39 PM ET
4	$36,000	Claiming	7 F	Dirt	9	1:08 PM ET
5	$85,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	8	1:37 PM ET
6	$75,000	Maiden Special Weight	7 F	Dirt	10	2:07 PM ET
7	$40,000	Claiming	1 M	Dirt	12	2:36 PM ET
8	$500,000	New York Stallion Series S.	7 F	Dirt	10	3:06 PM ET
9	$500,000	New York Stallion Series S.	7 F	Dirt	12	3:35 PM ET
10	$35,000	Maiden Claiming	1 1/8 M	Dirt	10	4:04 PM ET

===============================================
TELEVISION
Friday through Sunday TV info:

Dec. 13	"America's Day at the Races"	3 p.m.-6 p.m.	FS2
Dec. 13	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Dec. 13	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Dec. 14	"America's Day at the Races"	3 p.m.-6 p.m.	FS1
Dec. 14	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Dec. 14	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Dec. 15	"America's Day at the Races"	2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.	FS1
Dec. 15	Live coverage of horse racing including closing day at Woodbine	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Dec. 15	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Gulfstream (FL) has low MSW purses on Saturday but the card is deep for turf players...

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$41,000	Maiden Claiming	1 M	Turf	10	12:20 PM ET
2	$25,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	All Weather	9	12:49 PM ET
3	$40,000	Maiden Optional Claiming	6 F	Dirt	8	1:18 PM ET
4	$26,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	All Weather	13	1:49 PM ET
5	$41,000	Maiden Claiming	1 1/16 M	Turf	16	2:19 PM ET
6	$43,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 F	Dirt	7	2:49 PM ET
7	$65,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	10	3:18 PM ET
8	$140,000	Tropical Park Oaks	1 1/16 M	Turf	15	3:53 PM ET
9	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	9	4:21 PM ET
10	$25,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	All Weather	9	4:51 PM ET
11	$140,000	Tropical Park Derby	1 1/16 M	Turf	14	5:21 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Two Kentucky Derby preps on the docket this weekend: Friday in Oklahoma and Saturday in California.

REMINGTON (OK) -- Friday night
Race 12 POST Time - 10:26 PM CT Remington Springboard Mile S.

P#	PP	Horse	A/S	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1	Coal Battle (KY)	2/C	J P Vargas	121	L Briley	10/1
2	2	Blue Angel (KY)	2/C	D Cabrera	121	S M Asmussen	15/1
3	3	Speed King (KY)	2/C	R Bejarano	121	R Moquett	7/2
4	4	Dominant Spirit (KY)	2/G	J L Alvarez	121	W B Calhoun	15/1
5	5	Brooklyn Alley Cat (KY)	2/G	I V Diego	121	D Pish	20/1
6	6	Essay (TX)	2/G	R E Eramia	121	W B Calhoun	20/1
7	7	Jolly Samurai (TX)	2/G	R Diaz	121	D Pish	4/1
8	8	Complex Music (KY)	2/C	S Elliott	121	S M Asmussen	8/1
9	9	Dr Ruben M (KY)	2/C	E A Maldonado	121	D F O'Neill	6/1
10	10	Medicine Dog (KY)	2/G	F Wethey Jr.	121	S N Davidson	20/1
11	11	Mister Omaha (OK)	2/C	L S Quinonez	121	J S Offolter	5/1
12	12	Keeno (KY)	2/C	J V Bridgmohan	121	S M Asmussen	12/1

LOS ALAMITOS (CA) -- Saturday night​

Race 8 Los Alamitos Futurity (Grade II) POST Time - 3:54 PM PT​

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1	1	Gaming (KY)	​	2/C		F Prat	120	B Baffert	2/5
2	2	Mellencamp (KY)	​	2/C		K Kimura	120	B Baffert	15/1
3	3	Getaway Car (KY)	​	2/C		J J Hernandez	120	B Baffert	3/1
4	4	Rank (KY)	​	2/C		A Fresu	120	D F O'Neill	15/1
5	5	Journalism (KY)	​	2/C		U Rispoli	120	M W McCarthy	6/1

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Two Triple Crown winners passed away per announcements today

• 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid at the age of 28 due to age.
• 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming passed due to colic. He was the post time favorite that year.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The first 2025 Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In" race is to be held today in Argentina at 5:00 pm ET. The race has 20 entered. The winner advances to the Breeders' Cup turf and a $5 million purse.The race will be shown in the USA as part of Laurel's (MD) extended simulcast feed.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, December 13, 2024

Remington (Oklahoma):

• Closing Night: The meet concluded with a $2.8 million handle.
• Steve Asmussen added four wins to his all-time North America record of 10,700+.
• Stewart Elliott rode four winners, including three successive stakes, Three of his winners tonight were for Steve Asmussen. He finished 10 4-1-3.
• Race 12: Coal Battle (Juan Vargas/Lonnie Briley) won the $300,000 Remington Springboard Mile and with it earned 10 points towards entry into the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

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Saturday, December 14, 2024

• Highlights: A Kentucky Derby prep in California and a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race in Argentina.
• Turf Racing: Fair Grounds (LA), Tampa Bay (FL) and Gulfstream (FL) hold the most appeal for turf players this time of year. California kicks in with Santa Anita later this month. Other jurisdictions such as New York and Maryland close the surface for the winter. Oaklawn (AR) has large purses but no turf course.
• Steve Asmussen added eight wins the past two days to his all-time North America record of 10,700+. He sent out 26 horses across five tracks.
• Get Well Wishes Sent: Vernon Bush suffered a potential life-altering injury at Tampa Bay a few days ago. There is a Gofundme page in his name and among the injuries is multiple fractures including his spine. Bush, now in his 60s, is one of the most successful riders in the now closed New England racing circuit. He won a national perseverance award last year and among the words scripted back then were as follows:

Bush returned to riding at 61 after back-to-back injuries. He sat out two years while recovering from a broken femur, which required 12 screws and a plate above his kneecap to repair. Prior to that, he was off the previous two years from a broken ankle, which required 12 screws and two plates. Bush also went through two hip surgeries, including a hip replacement. When he won at Belterra Park in May 2022, it marked a more than four-and-a-half-year wait to return to the winner's circle. Source: bloodhorse​

San Isidro (Argentina):

• Race 14: Intense For Me (Martin Valle/Nicolas Martin) pulled an upset in the first 2025 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series race (the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini) at 17-to-1. The Grade I race is the country's biggest event. Among the beaten was the 5-to-2 favorite in the stretch with a terrific energetic call by the local track announcer. The field of 20 finished 18-20-12, the only horses in the race with more than four lifetime wins.

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Woodbine (Ontario):

• Penultimate 2024 Card: Racing ends for the year tomorrow (Sunday).
• Race 4: Mojo Rising (Sahin Civaci/Kevin Attard) stuck his head out and debuted to win by mere inches in what was a very entertaining race. It will be interesting to see if the connections send the horse south based on the dark days in Canada the next few months. Whether or not named for Jim Morrison, who would have celebrated a birthday last week, the colt was born in Florida just like the singer. Oddly, the bubbles at the bottom of the screen seemed to indicate the 8 was in the lead nearly the entire race even when trailing the field.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Hot Barns: Richie Dutrow and Brad Cox have better than 40% winning marks and are both in the top three in wins at the meet. James Ryerson, perhaps best known as the trainer of Unbridled's Song, is at 28% and perhaps under-the-radar.
• Race 9: Finished a rare 12-11-10.

Gulfstream, (Florida):

• Handle: $10.9 million.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. had an extraordinary finish to his 5-win day with victories on board the final four races including the day's two biggest races the $140,000 Tropical Parks Oaks and Tropical Park Derby. He began the day without hitting the board on his first four rides. He is dominating the meet at 34% and 20 victories.
• Pick 6 Sunday: Estimated to be over $500,000.

Dayton (Ohio):

• Race 5: The top three finishers at this harness track were sent off at 35-to-1, 42-to-1 and 75-to-1.

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Bombs Away: Turfway is developing as a place to hit bombs.
• Race 2: Buy The Rights (Gavin Ashton/Michelle Lovell) shocked the field at 59-to-1, the second largest odds in the field of 12. The $2 exacta rang in at over $1,000.
• Race 5: Awesome Treat (Sophie Doyle/Justin Wojczynski) won at 37-to-1, a 34-to-1 placed. The opening leg of the Pick 5 set the wheels in motion.
• Race 9: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $252,000.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Card: 10 races of which seven held purses $100,000 as part of Louisiana Champions Day.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Race 7: Brodeur, a son to Nyquist, broke his maiden second-time-out. Owned by a family in New Jersey who once had ties to the original New Jersey Nets (ABA) basketball team.
• Tyler Bacon, a 17-year-old jockey from Montana, rode. He had been riding in Nebraska and Iowa. Oaklawn is a major advancement, especially for a teen.

Los Alamitos (California):

• Schedule: The second-to-last day on the racing calendar. Southern Cal racing returns with a much-anticipated opening day at Santa Anita on December 26. That meet ends April 6, 2025.
• Race 6: Polythene Pam (Kyle Frey/Librado Barocio) was sent off 7-to-1 but was "killer-diller in her jackboots and kilt." Beatles' fans rejoice!

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• Race 8: Journalism (Umberto Rispoli/Michael McCarthy) defeated three Bob Baffert runners -- in a field of five -- to win the $200,000 Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity and gain 10 points towards entry into the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Baffert has won this race a record 14 times but today he suffered defeat including Gaming, ridden by Flavien Prat, who finished third at 1-to-2.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Eclipse Award for Trainer of the Year voting seems to be polarizing in some circles. The top ten ranked by both wins and then money earnings are listed below.

Brad Cox and Chad Brown seem to be cinches for two of the three finalists with Kenny McPeek (just nine graded stakes wins but $9m in earnings) mentioned by some. Cox would get my vote but eventually graded stakes and stakes tend to sway voters.

Graded Stakes

Starts	Per Starter	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Per Start	Win %	WPS %

Brown:

198

2.39

47

29

21

$ 18,811,299

$ 95,007

24%

49%

Cox:

119

2.16

33

19

20

$ 15,307,899

$ 128,638

28%

61%

Most wins in 2024:

Rank	Trainer Name	Starts	Starters	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Per Start	Win %	WPS / Start	WPS / Starter
2	Steven M. Asmussen	2,222	599	395	335	293	$28,589,304	$12,866​	18%	46%	1.7
12	Jamie Ness	1,383	300	353	236	223	$10,849,947	$7,845​	26%	59%	2.7
6	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	1,018	291	253	158	124	$15,937,685	$15,656​	25%	53%	1.8
3	Brad H. Cox	880	337	234	166	121	$27,787,485	$31,577​	27%	59%	1.5
5	Mark E. Casse	1,256	358	227	158	171	$17,460,138	$13,901​	18%	44%	1.6
46	Anthony Farrior	879	258	211	172	119	$3,918,492	$4,458​	24%	57%	1.9
1	Chad C. Brown	908	340	210	155	127	$30,775,545	$33,894​	23%	54%	1.4
8	Michael J. Maker	1,278	369	187	177	175	$15,547,397	$12,165​	15%	42%	1.5
19	Brittany T. Russell	623	220	148	99	88	$7,285,247	$11,694​	24%	54%	1.5
4	Todd A. Pletcher	776	276	139	118	105	$19,629,054	$25,295​	18%	47%	1.3

Highest earnings in 2024:

Rank	Trainer Name	Starts	Starters	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Per Start	Win %	WPS / Start	WPS / Starter
1	Chad C. Brown	908	340	210	155	127	$30,775,545	$33,894​	23%	54%	1.4
2	Steven M. Asmussen	2,222	599	395	335	293	$28,589,304	$12,866​	18%	46%	1.7
3	Brad H. Cox	880	337	234	166	121	$27,787,485	$31,577​	27%	59%	1.5
4	Todd A. Pletcher	776	276	139	118	105	$19,629,054	$25,295​	18%	47%	1.3
5	Mark E. Casse	1,256	358	227	158	171	$17,460,138	$13,901​	18%	44%	1.6
6	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	1,018	291	253	158	124	$15,937,685	$15,656​	25%	53%	1.8
7	Kenneth G. McPeek	615	187	83	60	96	$15,788,613	$25,673​	13%	39%	1.3
8	Michael J. Maker	1,278	369	187	177	175	$15,547,397	$12,165​	15%	42%	1.5
9	Bob Baffert	322	111	92	69	53	$14,209,636	$44,129​	29%	66%	1.9
10	Christophe Clement	622	192	118	94	104	$12,591,251	$20,243​	19%	51%	1.6

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Ontario racing for 2025 has been approved.

• Woodbine runs April 26 - December 14.
• Fort Erie runs May 27 - October 21.
• Ajax runs quarter horses May 7 - October 22.
• Ontario has 11 harness tracks as well.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, December 15, 2024

Aqueduct (New York):

• Sofia Vives, riding at Fort Erie (ON) and Woodbine (ON) almost exclusively the past year, her second full year riding, had two mounts and won both races. She is from South Carolina and was galloping prior in Florida. With Canada dark until April, perhaps she is setting up for winter racing in the States. She now has three wins on 10 mounts (30%) at the meet.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Payouts: Gulf saw some huge prices today.
• Race 1: Decisive Pride (Jesus Rios/Ruben Sierra) won the opener at 46-to-1.
• Race 2: Elusive Edge (Drayden Van Dyke/Michelle Hemingway) won at 22-to-1. The $1 double paid $682
• Race 3: The $1 Pick 3 exceeded $6,000.
• Races 4 and 5: Won by Irad Ortiz, Jr. Back to reality.
• Race 10: Center Stage (Jorge Ruiz/Robert Mosco) won the finale by a neck and that gave one winning ticket a $489,000+ $.20 Pick 6 winning combination. Per Gulf: The winning combination was 5-1-2-3-7-7. Other winners in the sequence were Mish ($4.60), Art Fair ($8.80), Love Mami Love ($8.60), Union Trail ($8.60) and Morgan Point ($31). Sunday’s 50-cent Late Pick 5 of 1-2-3-7-7 returned $34,109.55 for tickets with all five winners.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

No racing this winter/spring in northern California. Pleasanton will likely return around June 2025 as part of a five-track fair meet.

Santa Anita could expand to four days a week during the meet that operates December 26 into April. Right now, SA is scheduled to host live events usually three days a week. Thus southern Cal will host statewide racing until sometime around mid-2025.

California is looking for a life preserver with Historical Racing that has been a boon in Arkansas, Virginia and Kentucky.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

December 26, 2024 -- opening day at Santa Anita

Grade 1 Malibu, with jockeys & weights in post position order
Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m.

1-Bentornato – Luis Saez– 122
2-Pilot Commander – Juan Hernandez – 120
3-Winterfell – John Velazquez – 120
4-Senior Officer – Flavien Prat – 120
5-Imagination – Joel Rosario – 122
6-Mystik Dan – Brian Hernandez, Jr. – 122
7-Stronghold – Antonio Fresu- 122
8-Raging Torrent – Lanfranco Dettori – 122

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$61,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	About 6 1/2 F	Downhill turf	14	11:00 AM PT
2	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	7	11:30 AM PT
3	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Turf	14	12:00 PM PT
4	$61,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 1/2 F	Dirt	9	12:30 PM PT
5	$61,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Turf	13	1:00 PM PT
6	$200,000	Laffit Pincay, Jr. S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	8	1:30 PM PT
7	$200,000	San Gabriel S.	1 1/8 M	Turf	9	2:00 PM PT
8	$300,000	Malibu S.	7 F	Dirt	8	2:30 PM PT
9	$200,000	Mathis Mile S.	1 M	Turf	9	3:00 PM PT
10	$300,000	La Brea S. presented by Don Julio	7 F	Dirt	11	3:30 PM PT
11	$300,000	American Oaks	1 1/4 M	Downhill turf	13	4:00 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Race 8: Colonel Cooper (David Haldar/Tim Hamm) won the $75,000 Joshua Radosevich Stakes at 62-to-1. The trainer, the leader at the current meet, had four of the 12 horses entered and finished 1-2. The $2 double paid nearly $1500. The 2-year-old Ohio-bred broke his maiden last-time-out in his sixth start,

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode three more winners. He now leads the meet by 11 wins and is riding at a 34% clip.
• Leading Riders: Nine jockeys have more than three wins at the meet. Only two are 20%+. Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Tyler Gaffalione (20%).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Laurel (Maryland):

• The Russells teamed four times today and ended with three victories: What Sheldon Russell and Brittany Russell have done today in Maryland should be part of a weeklong celebration. Sheldon rode consecutive winners back-to-back for his wife, their child in the winner's circle, Brittany's smile illuminating the old track. Both wins from back of the pack, nearly in different area codes as the race hit mid-stretch. A $162 double including a 16-to-1 shot which for them is as rare as almost anything these days in Maryland racing.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Parx (PA) canceled Monday's card leaving Mahoning Valley (OH) and Turf Paradise (AZ) as the lone U.S. tracks operating.

Tuesday, Christmas Eve, will be limited to Parx (PA) and Tampa Bay (FL) in the States.

All U.S. tracks will be dormant on Wednesday, Christmas Day.

A few tracks race Thursday including Santa Anita's (CA) anticipated opener in addition to Fair Grounds (LA) and Gulfstream (FL) among others.

 

[GKJ]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, December 27, 2024

​

Santa Anita (California):

• California Racing: Much maligned, some of it is self-induced and some of it is geographical isolation but cards and crowds like today show that California is not dead. Much work to be done and the political climate may not be favorable but Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia are seeing major hauls with Historical Horse Racing Machines and for starters Cali could use this to propel the sport via purses. Dec. 26, 2024 was a terrific day for the sport in California.
• Opening Day: Over $21 million handled which is the third highest figure for Opening Day in track history. The crowd of 41,562 is the largest for Opening Day in eight years and the largest for a non-weekend or holiday since 1990.
• Card: Among the graded stakes were three Grade I races.
• Flavien Prat: Should be the easy winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey of the Year. The presentations are just a few weeks away.

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​

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• Buon Natale: Three consecutive graded stakes winning jockeys were born in Italy. Frankie Dettori (Milan), Umberto Rispoli (Marche) and Antonio Fresu (Sardinia) are three of the few riders in the US born in Italy but each achieved success today.
• Race 11: She Feels Pretty (John Velazquez/Cherie DeVaux) was sent off the favorite and won the $300,000 Grade I American Oaks Stakes.

​

• Race10: Kopion (Kazushi Kimura/Richard Mandella) won the Grade I $300,000 LaBrea Stakes at 37-to-1 and paid over $77.

​

• Race 9: King of Gosford (Flavien Prat/Phil D'Amato) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Mathis Mile. Prat achieved his 56th graded stakes win of 2024.

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• Race 8: Raging Torrent (Frankie Dettori/Doug O'Neill) won the Grade I $300,000 Malibu Stakes. 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan was sent off 3-to-1 but was no factor and finished last in a field of six. He is winless in three starts since that upset and heart-pounding three-across-the-wire win earlier this year at 18-to-1.

​

• Race 7: Johannes (Umberto Rispoli/Tim Yakteen) won the $200,000 Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes. He is a perfect 7-for-7 on the Santa Anita turf. The Nyquist colt was sent off the favorite and didn't disappoint in a nearly flawless victory that propelled his record to 13 8-1-1 lifetime which includes a 6 5-1-0 mark in 2024 (lone loss was in a Breeders' Cup race).

​

• Race 6: J B Strikes Back (Antonio Fresu/Doug O'Neill) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Laffit Pincay Stakes at 16-to-1 which was the second highest odds in a field of eight. It was the inaugural edition of this race to honor the legendary Hall of Fame jockey who was in attendance.

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, December 27, 2024

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 7: Worcester (Sheldon Russell/Brittany Russell) won at even-money. Once in the Bob Baffert barn, Worcester was 1-for-8 there but is now 2 1-1-0 under Russell. She does well with Baffert claimers, bringing them to her home base usually. The horse ran in graded stakes at Santa Anita and also in the UAE Derby among other stops.

Mahoning Valley (Ohio):

• Jay Bernardini added two wins to his record-setting year. He has 99 victories in 2024. He shoots for his first 100-win season with four entered at the track before the year expires. Bernardini made his bones in New England but has since expanded to West Virginia and Ohio. He has a good-sized barn but is a solid trainer at this level.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Mark Casse, a dual Hall-of-Famer in Canada and the U.S., has been bringing home the bacon in Hot Springs this meet. He is one of four trainers with five wins, to top the leaders' board, but is also splendid 9 5-0-1 (56%).
• Hot Barns: Saffie Joseph, Peter Miller and Mark Casse have been early success stories.

Santa Anita (California):

• Race 7: Mrs. Astor (Frankie Dettori/Jonathan Thomas) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Bobby Frankel Stakes by a nose at 5-to-1.

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• Race 4: March of Time (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) broke his maiden second-time-out in this $60,000 MSW. Owned via a private auction by MLB players Alex Bregman and Walker Buehler in addition to Baffert's wife. Baffert would have debuted a colt named Collmus today in race 4 at Santa Anita but he was among the scratches. The Gun Runner colt was purchased for $2.2 million.

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[GKJ]

Not sure the last time I’ve heard of this, if ever

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Oaklawn (AR) and Parx (PA) have canceled racing today.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Not sure the last time I’ve heard of this, if ever

There was an oddity at Saratoga a couple of years ago when an outrider signaled jocks to stop riding due to a tractor remaining in the track during a race. The alarm was never sounded but some jocks stopped riding based on the outrider's shout while others ignored due to a lack of a siren. It led to mass confusion due to protocol. NYRA said alarms are sounded at a certain point in the race but not when the outrider shouted.

 

[GKJ]

There was an oddity at Saratoga a couple of years ago when an outrider signaled jocks to stop riding due to a tractor remaining in the track during a race. The alarm was never sounded but some jocks stopped riding based on the outrider's shout while others ignored due to a lack of a siren. It led to mass confusion due to protocol. NYRA said alarms are sounded at a certain point in the race but not when the outriders shouted.

I remember one at Oaklawn where they couldn’t get the gate moved

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, December 28, 2024

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 1: Ruled "no contest" as an emergency alarm signaled riders to stop riding.
• Race 10: Mufasa (Tyler Gaffalione/Ignacio Correas IV) won the $165,000 Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes. White Abarrio (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Saffie Joseph, Jr.) was sent off the favorite but finished second. White Abarrio, purchased for $40,000, has now earned $5,241,850.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Sheldon and Brittany Russell teamed for three winners. They put on quite the show today. One of their winners was an 8-year-old mare who has to be the elder citizen in the Russell barn.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Canceled: Joined Parx, later in the day, in canceling cards. The first race went off more than 40 minutes after the original post time.

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Payouts: Extraordinary throughout the meet but today was something bewildering.
• Race 9: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $95,000. The $.20 Pick 6 returned more than $766,000.
• Race 5: The $.50 Pick 5 was a more than $130,000. The $.50 tri returned over $5600. The $.10 super returned more than $49,000 and yes it paid out!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Freehold (New Jersey):

• Freehold Raceway, the oldest horse racing track in the country, is now closed after 170 years. The harness track opened in 1854.

Landmark Freehold Raceway to cease operations at end of year; no word on future plans for site

Freehold Raceway grandstand and dining room in 1984 was destroyed by a fire. The track was rebuilt but again faced uncertain times.

www.app.com

Freehold Raceway through the years​

December 1853 - Monmouth County Agriculture Society was formed to hold an annual fair with harness racing in the Township of Freehold. Annual Membership fee would be $1.00 and one-time payment of $10 would permit a person to be a life member. It has been researched that racing was held at the same site as early as the 1830's.​

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1854 - Society rents a 10-acre plot of land from Hudson Bennett for a sum of $50 a year. That land is currently the site of Freehold Raceway. The first fair meet after expenses showed a balance of $286.06.​

Live Streaming & Replays

replays of Freehold races

www.freeholdraceway.com

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Aqueduct (New York):

• Top Rider of 2024: Dylan Davis with 209 wins.
• Top Trainer of 2024: Chad Brown won his ninth year-end NYRA title with 146 wins.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Closing Day: The meet ended today. T-bred racing is dark in Maryland until Laurel returns January 17.
• Leading Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez with 52 wins.
• Leading Trainer Brittany Russell with 54 wins. Her closest challenger was 25 wins behind. Russell won at a brilliant 36% clip and earned nearly $2 million almost double the total of the runner-up.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Junior Alvarado is having a splendid, perhaps under-the-radar, meet at Gulfstream. He is second to Irad Ortiz, Jr. in winning percentage among 17 riders with 4 or more wins after a 2-for-3 day. Alvarado is 29 7-3-1.
• Rainbow Six: Could approach $400,000 for the next day of racing which is Wednesday.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez, in his first year of training, is 16 7-3-2 (50%) and is the leading trainer of the meet. He has been training in Louisiana and Oklahoma but otherwise I am unfamiliar with his past.

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: $50.4 million through the first four days. Exceptional!

Kentucky Derby Preps This Weekend:

Jan. 4	Smarty Jones	Oaklawn Park (AR)	1 mile	(10)	(5)	(3)	(2)	(1)
Jan. 4	Jerome	Aqueduct (NY)	1 mile	(10)	(5)	(3)	(2)	(1)