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

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The Florida Derby will still be held on March 28 but now with a reduced purse of $750,000. Similar to the Oaklawn and the reduced purse of the Arkansas Derby. Gulfstream's revenue has taken a hit.

Tampa Bay will be canceling some races but as of yet not race days. They had an enticing Florida-bred day planned on March 28 but that will now be postponed.
 
GKJ said:
They haven't actually moved the Preakness yet, have they?
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The governor indicated earlier this week there would be change from May to September but no specific date was mentioned. He said he was discussing the matter with Stronach.

The racing commission doesn't meet again until April 23.

The race has to be run at Pimlico, for legal reasons. Unless that is changed, we are dealing with a track that operates only for a few days a year and that is around the May race. It would be very costly to maintain an unused track in the summer for one race in September.

Something tells me they may be looking to revamp dates which means Laurel may have to change its current schedule. Since Stronach owns both Laurel and Pimlico, that shouldn't be an issue but revenue to the state of Maryland (Laurel) vs. the city of Baltimore (Pimlico) will be an issue as it has in the recent past. Maryland also conducts a summer fair meet at Timonium which is popular with families.

NBC has a big say, too.
 
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Updated TV info for this weekend. I am not sure if the Louisiana Derby will be aired on TVG only. NBC held the broadcast rights but since they are not broadcasting racing today, the LA Derby could be TVG only.

March 21Live coverage of racing from tracks in North Americapost time variesTVG
March 21"America's Day at the Races," featuring live coverage of racing from Oaklawn Park and Fair Grounds1:30-6:30 p.m. (FS 2 from 6:30-7:30 pm ET)FS1
March 22Live coverage of racing from tracks in North Americapost time variesTVG
March 22"America's Day at the Races," featuring live coverage of racing from Tampa Bay Downs and Oaklawn Park1:30-6:30 p.m.FS1
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Fox Sports 1 today will show:

Tampa race 3

Gulf races 3,4,5,6,7,9

Oak races 1,2,3,9,10

FG races 6,8,9,10,11,12

SA races 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
 
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Saturday, March 21, 2020
  • Brad Cox trained five winners today (four at Fair Grounds and one at Oaklawn). He entered horses in seven races and among the wins were three consecutive stakes at Fair Grounds.

​

Tampa Bay (Florida):
  • Race 7: Blew up the Tote board. Antonio Gallardo, the leading rider at the meet, had a 16-to-1 winner. A 174-to-1 shot showed and paid $36. The $.50 tri paid over $2,800. The $.10 super paid over $13,000.
Gulfstream (Florida):
  • Paco Lopez won seven times which tied the track record set by Jerry Bailey, Tyler Gaffalione and Luis Saez. He won consecutive races thrice. He rode the entire card, 12 races. At last check, he is third in victories among all riders in North America this year. Track caller Pete Aiello on the final lunge by Lopez to secure the win prior to the wire "I've lost count! How many is that? Seven?"
​

  • Purecrazidude (Fanny Olsson/Jena Antonucci) won which gave the trainer a birthday win. The jockey hails from Sweden.
  • Chris Landeros, who rides mostly at Gulf, is now 82 0-10-11 in 2020. He has not won with his last 121 mounts dating back to November 30.
  • Tyler Gaffalone is in the midst of a 5-day suspension. Irad Ortiz, Jr. opted not to ride due to his concerns with the Coronavirus. Jose Ortiz is sidelined due to a wrist injury. Three big names not riding today.
  • Handle: $11,000,000+ without spectators.
Fair Grounds (Louisiana):
  • Race 8: She'sonthewarpath (Chantal Sutherland/Steve Margolis) won the $100,000 race. There was an inquiry for second place in which Joel Rosario/Chad Brown was kept up. Trainer Tom Amoss, who did not have a horse entered but was being interviewed on Fox Sports throughout the race day, said "Chad Brown gets all the calls...." Stewards have lonnnnng memories my man. Even if you are right.
  • Race 9: By My Standards (Gabriel Saez/Bret Calhoun) won the $400,000 Grade 2 New Orleans Classic. The winner is 2-for-2 since running in the 2019 Kentucky Derby.
  • Race 10: Factor This (Shaun Bridgmohan/Brad Cox) won the $300,000 Grade 2 Muniz Memorial. Analyst and former rider Gary Stevens nailed the 9-to-1 pick.
  • Race 11: Bonny South (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) went from last-to-first and won the $400,000 Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. Finite (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Steve Asmussen), at 1-to-5 and who entered with five straight wins, was off the board. This was the first Kentucky Oaks prep race with a 100-40-20-10 award. Bonny South now has 100 total points towards entry into the Oaks and that figure leads all.
  • Race 12: Wells Bayou (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) wired the field in the $1,000,000 Grade 2 Louisiana Derby which is also worth 100 points for entry into the Kentucky Derby. The winner was sent off at 3-to-1.
​

  • Florent Geroux rode the card, all 12 races. He had three wins including the two biggest purses of the day: the Fair Grounds Oaks and the Louisiana Derby worth a combined $1,4 million.
  • Brad Cox won four of the five races he entered including three consecutive stakes races. Florent Geroux and Shaun Bridgmohan rose two winners apiece. Among the wins the two biggest purses of the day: the Fair Grounds Oaks and the Louisiana Derby worth a combined $1,4 million.
  • Closing day: Today is the closing day of the meet, earlier than expected due to the virus. James Graham (jockey) and Brad Cox (trainer) won their respective categories.
Oaklawn (Arkansas):
  • Race 1: A 106-to-1 shot placed and paid $51.60.
  • Race 5: The top three trainers in wins in North America this year finished 1-2-3 (not the same order). Karl Broberg, Robertino Diodoro and Steve Asmussen.
  • Race 9: Long Weekend (Joe Talamo/Thomas Amoss) won the $90,000 Gazebo Stakes. Amoss was quarantined this weekend after being in contact with Sean Payton last weekend at the track. He provided analysis of the Fair Grounds card on Fox Sports today. I suppose an appropriately named horse.
  • Ricardo Santana, Jr., the leading rider at the meet with 36 wins and Steve Asmussen's #1 jockey, will undergo a 12-day (calendar days, not racing days) quarantine after returning from Fair Grounds in Louisiana. He knew of the consequences apparently and must have thought he had a layup in Finite who entered yesterday's race off a 5-race win streak. She failed to hit the board but is among the expected favorites for the Kentucky Oaks.
Sam Houston (Texas):
  • Power failure: A lighting issue caused cancellation of the card following the second race. tough timing with everything else ongoing but this card was the second richest in purses for the track's annual card.
Golden Gate (California):
  • Kent Desormeaux added two wins to his career. He is the 18th winningest rider in North America history. He has earned over $285 million for his connections which is sixth most in North America history.
Santa Anita (California):
  • Race 5: Cistron (Victor Espinoza/John Sadler) nipped Bound for Nowhere (Julio Garcia/Wasley Ward) in the $100,000 Grade 3 San Simeon. The winner picked up the lead horse just prior to the wire. Garcia, who is in his upper 50s, is Ward's usual exercise rider, has less than 25 mounts combined since 2019, and I don't recall him racing too much in California. The horse had a slow break at the gate.
  • Race 7: Ward 'n Jerry (Flavien Prat/Mike Puype) won the 1 1/2 mile Grade 3 $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes on the downhill turf course.
 
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I believe that ties a Gulfstream track record: 7 wins on one card. I know Tyler Gaffalione did it on July 4, 2017 and he tied another rider. We shall find out eventually.

UPDATE:
Doh!

That someone was Jerry Bailey and also Luis Saez.

 
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That’s going to do it for the Fair Grounds. Announced they’re shutting down. I guess they needed to get their Derby in. State put in a stay-home order. Season was due to end next weekend.
 
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Louisiana closed shop a week earlier than expected. This is the latest running tab in the U.S. from what I compiled...

Among the states where racing is ongoing:
  • Kentucky (multiple changes and more could be made)
    • Turfway: Jan. 1 - Mar. 28
    • Keeneland: Apr. 2 - Apr. 24 [canceled the entire meet]
    • Churchill Downs: Apr. 25 - Jun. 27
    • Ellis Park: Jun. 28 - Sep. 6 [contemplating additional summer dates; currently will run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday]
    • Churchill Downs: Sep. 1 - 5 [Kentucky Oaks,Sep. 4; Kentucky Derby, Sep. 5]
    • Kentucky Downs: Sep. 7, 9-10, 12-13, and 16 [was Sept. 2 - 13]
    • Churchill Downs: Sep. 16 - 27
    • Keeneland: Oct. 2 - 24
    • Churchill Downs: Oct. 25 - Nov. 29
    • Keeneland: Nov. 6 - 7 [Breeders' Cup host]
    • Turfway: Dec. 2 - 31
  • California (No racing changes at Santa Anita or Golden Gate)
  • Florida (Gulfstream is racing. Tampa Bay canceled some races but not days.)
  • Arkansas (on schedule to race through closing day on May 2)
  • West Virginia (Charles Town temporarily closed on March 24 due to the virus. Mountaineer is scheduled to run April 26 - Dec. 2).
  • Oklahoma (ongoing at Remington Park and Will Rogers Downs)
  • Nebraska (Fonner Park closed temporarily but re-opened March 23)
Among the states where racing has been changed or canceled at least temporarily:
  • Kentucky (Keeneland, the entire meet which was scheduled for April 2 - 24)
  • Louisiana
    • Fair Grounds closed early, March 21
    • Louisiana Downs postponed its April 8 opener
    • Evangeline Downs ended its meet
  • New York (closed temporarily as of March 20)
  • Maryland (closed temporarily as of March 20)
  • Pennsylvania (Penn National closed temporarily; Parx is closed indefinitely)
  • New Mexico (closed temporarily)
  • Arizona (Turf Paradise closed early. Arizona Downs could hold a summer meet)
  • Indiana (closed temporarily, earliest re-opening day could be April 6).
  • Texas (Sam Houston closed less than a week earlier than expected. Lone Star scheduled to open April 16)
  • New Jersey (opening day has changed from May 2 to May 23)
  • Washington (temporarily closed, plans include holding a meet in 2020)
  • Illinois
    • Arlington is scheduled to open April 27 but there are other documented issues.
    • Hawthorne canceled its spring meet many months weeks ago in order to build a $450 million casino/sports betting facility. However, harness racing is ongoing.
    • Fairmount appears to be closed until at least March 30. The southern Illinois track -- roughly 13 miles east of St. Louis, MO, generally runs twice a week this time of the year.
  • Ohio
    • Mahoning Valley (Youngstown area) closed through at least March 27.
    • Thistledown (Cleveland area) is scheduled to run April 29 – October 22.
    • Belterra (Cincinnati) is scheduled to run April 24 - September 25.
Tracks in states that conduct seasonal meets (late spring/summer/fall):
  • Delaware (May 27th through October 31st appears to be as scheduled)
  • Iowa (Temporarily closed. The meet was scheduled to begin May 1.)
  • Virginia (18 race dates between July 23 – Aug 29 appears to be unaffected as yet.)
  • Wyoming (Wyoming Downs' opening day remains July 4)
  • Colorado (Arapahoe's opening day remains May 23)
  • Minnesota (Canterbury runs May 15 - Sept. 12 and that is still on schedule)
Did I miss any? Possibly.
 
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Kind of confused how Santa Anita and Golden Gate can run with the state order they have in place.
 
GKJ said:
That’s going to do it for the Fair Grounds. Announced they’re shutting down. I guess they needed to get their Derby in. State put in a stay-home order. Season was due to end next weekend.
Click to expand...

By my count, seven states are actively racing T-breds.
 
GKJ said:
Kind of confused how Santa Anita and Golden Gate can run with the state order they have in place.
Click to expand...

Also, Los Al which is in its QH season.

Stronach is donating all profits from SA and GG though I don't know if any groups were specifically named.

Bob Baffert mentioned something about an hour ago saying that SA took measures weeks prior to most establishments and though he didn't cite any government officials, the measures passed all concerns. There were negotiations and meetings and much convincing. Obviously no spectators are allowed.

Somewhere it was stated that 1,000 people live at the two Stronach tracks and there are over 3,000 horses. As a point of emphasis, if people are told to stay home....this is the home to the backside workers.
 
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*** UPDATE: CANCELED ***
2020 DUBAI WORLD CUP​

Meydan_City.jpg


This is the entry for the Dubai World Cup. Assuming it is correct, the race has been reduced to $10,000,000 (U.S.) from $12,000,000 in 2019. It is the second richest race in the world only behind the $20,000,000 (U.S.) Saudi Cup which was held earlier this year.

The Dubai World Cup will be run on March 28 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai is eight hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone (8:00 pm ET is equal to 4:00 a.m. the next day). Times have yet to be confirmed but I guess the World Cup will be held around 12:00 pm ET.



^ UPDATE: The Dubai World Cup has been canceled!

 
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GKJ said:
That’s going to do it for the Fair Grounds. Announced they’re shutting down. I guess they needed to get their Derby in. State put in a stay-home order. Season was due to end next weekend.
Click to expand...

I added this to the summary above but I just read that Ricardo Santana, Jr., the leading rider at the meet with 36 wins and Steve Asmussen's #1 jockey, will undergo a 12-day (calendar days, not racing days) quarantine after returning from Fair Grounds in Louisiana. He knew of the consequences apparently and must have thought he had a layup in Finite who entered yesterday's race off a 5-race win streak. She failed to hit the board but is among the expected favorites for the Kentucky Oaks.

No rider coming into Arkansas from Louisiana will be permitted prior to a quarantine. Riders entering Arkansas from Texas or Oklahoma will be allowed immediate access.
 
So Dubai isn’t even going to bother to postpone, they’re just canceling
 
GKJ said:
So Dubai isn’t even going to bother to postpone, they’re just canceling
Click to expand...

I am not sure if it is semantics with all these changes across the sports world and elsewhere but the official Dubai release stated "postponed to next year." To me, that is a cancellation of the 2020 edition.
 
Also, regarding Dubai, those who traveled such as Elizabeth Dobles will have to undergo quarantines once returning to the USA. There is also the matter of shipping costs which I assume will be handled in some form between parties. Other than a trip to Dubai for a couple of days, probably an emotionally draining experience as so much of these past few days across the globe.
 
MiamiScreamingEagles said:
Also, regarding Dubai, those who traveled such as Elizabeth Dobles will have to undergo quarantines once returning to the USA. There is also the matter of shipping costs which I assume will be handled in some form between parties. Other than a trip to Dubai for a couple of days, probably an emotionally draining experience as so much of these past few days across the globe.
Click to expand...
Emirates just canceled all passenger flights, so the way out just got much more difficult
 
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Operating today:
Golden Gate (CA) 3:45 pm ET
Gulfstream (FL) 1:00 pm ET
Oaklawn (AR) 2:30 pm ET
Remington (OK): 2:30 pm ET
Santa Anita (CA) 3:30 pm ET
Tampa Bay (FL) 12:25 pm ET
​
Television *** UPDATE***:
1:30-3:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 2
3:00-6:30 pm ET on Fox Sports 1
6:30-7:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 2​
 
GKJ said:
Emirates just canceled all passenger flights, so the way out just got much more difficult
Click to expand...

Baffert said last night that things are changing "every hour..." You can add the word literally to that. It really is every hour something new, something changed...or so it seems.

From the DRF:

2020 Dubai World Cup canceled amidst pandemic

Horses intended for the World Cup program, highlighted by the $12 million Dubai World Cup, still were training at Meydan Racecourse, site of the World Cup, as of Sunday morning before the cancellation was announced. Despite concerns over the viability of the event during the pandemic, the Dubai Racing Club had lined up large, competitive fields for the races even in the face of several defections, including Aidan O’Brien’s intended team from Ireland. Horses shipped from all over the world to Dubai this past week, including 10 Americans that arrived Wednesday after departing Florida the morning before. They joined several other American horses, including Mucho Gusto and Tacitus, who had shipped to Dubai from Saudi Arabia after racing in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup and its undercard events. A large group of Japanese horses flew to Dubai on Wednesday, and a handful of European horses were shipped as late as Friday, March 20.

Issues could arise in returning horses and humans to their home countries as global travel diminishes. Emirates Airlines, the UAE-based mega-carrier, announced Sunday that it would be suspending all passenger flights as of March 25 because of the pandemic.
 
Good move by Dylan Davis to exit New York and head for Florida. Irad Ortiz, Javier Castellano and Rajiv Maragh (concerns about virus), Tyler Gaffalione (suspended) and Jose Ortiz and Nik Juarez (injured) are among those not riding. Edgard Zayas hasn't been riding for a few days either though I am unsure of the reason. Davis can pick up some mounts when otherwise he'd be in the inactive New York colony.

Also, Joel Rosario is riding at Gulf today. He has been in California, Louisiana and Florida his last three racing days.

 
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San Houston announces they're done. Only had 4 days left in the meet
 
Tough to compare and contrast weekends since there were fewer tracks running yesterday. However, Gulfstream still managed to pull over $11,000,000 in handle on Saturday without any spectators at the track.
 
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