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

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The latest running tab.

Among the states where racing is ongoing:

• California
  • Los Alamitos for QH
• Florida
  • Gulfstream
  • Tampa Bay
• Arkansas
  • Oaklawn is scheduled to race through May 2.
• Oklahoma
  • Remington Park for QH
  • Will Rogers Downs for TB
• Nebraska
  • Fonner Park

Among the states where racing has been changed or canceled at least temporarily:

• Kentucky (has five tracks, more changes could be made)
  • Turfway: Jan. 1 - Mar. 28 closed a few days earlier than expected.
  • Keeneland: Canceled its entire meet from Apr. 2 - Apr. 24.
  • Churchill Downs: Apr. 25 - Jun. 27 is on schedule for now but the stables won't be available until April 14 when originally scheduled for March 17. A change to opening day and other dates could be made later in April.
  • Ellis Park: Jun. 28 - Sep. 6
    • Could add dates; scheduled to 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
  • Santa Anita is currently closed.
  • Golden Gate is currently closed.
• Louisiana
  • Fair Grounds closed early, March 21
  • Louisiana Downs is temporarily closed. Its meet was supposed to open May 2.
  • Evangeline Downs is temporarily closed. It was scheduled to open April 8.
  • Delta Downs is closed until further notice.
• New York
  • Aqueduct canceled the end of its winter meet and all of its spring meet which would have ended April 19.
  • Belmont is scheduled to open April 26 but that is expected to be updated.
  • Saratoga is scheduled to open July 16.
  • Finger Lakes was scheduled to run through Nov. 25 but is temporarily closed.
• Maryland
  • Laurel is temporarily closed through at least April 30.
  • Pimlico is scheduled to run May 7-25 but that is on hold. The Preakness Stakes could move to September.
  • Timonium is scheduled to run August 28 - Sept. 7.
• Pennsylvania
  • Penn National closed temporarily.
  • Parx is closed indefinitely.
  • Presque Isle was scheduled to run to Sept. 22 but is temporarily closed.
• New Mexico
  • Albuquerque Downs is scheduled to open July 17.
  • Zia Park is scheduled to open September 21.
  • Ruidoso Downs was scheduled to run May 22 - Sept. 7 and that opening day is still possible.
  • Sunland Park was scheduled to close April 21 but closed earlier.
  • SunRay Park postponed its opener to at least April 30. The track was to operate April 24 - June 7.
• Arizona
  • Turf Paradise was scheduled to run through May 2 but has closed early.
  • Arizona Downs could hold a summer meet
• Indiana
  • Indiana Grand is temporarily closed.
• West Virginia
  • Charles Town temporarily closed on March 24.
  • Mountaineer is scheduled to run April 26 - Dec. 2 but opening day could be postponed.
• Texas
  • Sam Houston closed its TB meet less than a week earlier than expected.
  • Lone Star was scheduled to open April 16 but said on April 2 it is temporarily closed..
  • Retama is scheduled to open July 3.
• New Jersey
  • Monmouth's opening day has changed from May 2 to May 23
• Washington
  • Emerald Downs temporarily closed, plans to hold a meet later in 2020
• Illinois
  • Arlington was scheduled to open April 27 but will close through at least the end of May.
  • Hawthorne canceled its spring meet many months weeks ago in order to build a $450 million casino/sports betting facility. Harness racing is closed until at least April 7.
  • Fairmount is closed until further notice.. The southern Illinois track -- roughly 13 miles east of St. Louis, MO, generally runs twice a week this time of the year.
• Ohio -- The state board closed all Ohio tracks through at least April 30.
  • Mahoning Valley (Youngstown area) was scheduled to end its meet on April 18.
  • Thistledown (Cleveland area) was scheduled to run April 27 – October 22.
  • Belterra (Cincinnati) was scheduled to run April 24 - September 25.

Some states have fair meets as their only horse racing events while other states have no planned 2020 racing. Tracks in states that conduct seasonal meets (late spring/summer/fall):

• Delaware (Delaware Park's May 27 - October 31 meet appears untouched).
• Iowa (Prariie Meadows is temporarily closed. The meet was scheduled to begin May 1).
• Virginia (Colonial Downs has 18 race dates between July 23 – Aug 29).
• 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).
• Oregon (Grants Pass is scheduled to run about two months beginning May 10).

Canada:

• Century Downs (near Calgary, Alberta) is scheduled to open September 6.
• Century Mile (Edmonton, Alberta) is scheduled to open April 25 but is temporarily closed.
• Fort Erie Race Track (Fort Erie, Ontario) is scheduled to open May 26 but is closed temporarily.
• Hastings Racecourse (Vancouver, British Columbia) is scheduled to open April 26 but is temporarily closed.
• Woodbine (Toronto, Ontario) was scheduled to open TB racing on April 18 but that has been delayed. The Queen's Plate will not run on June 27 but rather a later unspecified date.

Note: QH is quarterhorses; TB = thoroughbreds

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Anniversary specials of the Kentucky Derby...

Part 1 -- 1970 -- Dust Commander -- 50 years ago -- Post #827
Part 2 -- 2000 -- Fusaichi Pegasus -- 20 years ago -- Post #852
Part 3 -- 1990 -- Unbridled -- 30 years ago -- Post #858
​

Dust Commander (Mike Manganello/Don Combs), whose name was barely mentioned in the race call until he made a move for the lead, won the 1970 Kentucky derby at odds of 15-to-1. An otherwise nondescript horse who had just eight lifetime wins in 32 starts but one was the important Blue Grass Stakes at 35-to-1. After the Derby, he won just one of 19 races.

He wan an Illinois bred. To this day, the only Illinois-bred to win the Kentucky Derby. Currently, 111 of the 145 Kentucky Derby winners have been bred in the race's home state but in 1970 this was one of the 34 times a horse was not bred in Kentucky to win the Derby.

Mike Manganello, the jockey, was born in Hartford, Connecticut. He rode his first race in 1959 at Narragansett in Rhode Island. From there, he went onto Ohio and then Florida and Kentucky.

Don Combs, the trainer, is still active in his early 80s at Turfway Park as of last year but is low profile as seems to have been his personality throughout. A few days after this race, he resigned from being the trainer of the winner due to a disagreement with the owner on how to ship the horse to Maryland (van vs. plane). The owner was reluctant to put Dust Commander on a plane due to uncertainty of how the horse would handle the unfamiliarity of a plane ride.

Dust Commander was the first time the jockey and trainer teamed.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Among the states where racing has been changed or canceled at least temporarily:

• Kentucky (has five tracks, more changes could be made)
  • 
    
  • Turfway: Dec. 2 - 31
• Ohio -- The state board closed all Ohio tracks through at least April 30.
• • 
    
  • Belterra (Cincinnati) was scheduled to run April 24 - September 25.

The future of these two tracks are very much in flux for many reasons. I would imagine many others in the country are as well.

Churchill Downs is slated to rebuild Turfway. The wrecking ball on the old facility was to begin on April 6. With the recent events, this could easily be postponed. It could be cancelled. Worst case scenario is that Churchill Downs' balance sheet gets so impaired by this crisis that it could opt to mothball the Turfway project indefinitely. I would hope that they would continue to operate the track in the current facility if finances dictate that new construction would be unwise now.

Belterra Park has likely been a money loser since the day it opened. It's now owned by Boyd Gaming. I have no idea what Boyd Gaming's finances look like, but most casino/gaming companies are highly leveraged and are hemorrhaging (spell that without help!) cash.

If a company has been drained of most of its cash resources, then why would they reopen a facility that is (probably) cash flow negative like Belterra? I'd think that Boyd would require that the state takeout of gross gaming revenues (33%) gets slashed, table games allowed (currently only slots are at Ohio "racinos") and they could easily require that the obligation to have a race track be rescinded.

I hope that I am very wrong about this. But I'm pretty sure that the fallout from what is going on will be a huge negative for the game that we love.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The future of these two tracks are very much in flux for many reasons. I would imagine many others in the country are as well.

Churchill Downs is slated to rebuild Turfway. The wrecking ball on the old facility was to begin on April 6. With the recent events, this could easily be postponed. It could be cancelled. Worst case scenario is that Churchill Downs' balance sheet gets so impaired by this crisis that it could opt to mothball the Turfway project indefinitely. I would hope that they would continue to operate the track in the current facility if finances dictate that new construction would be unwise now.

Belterra Park has likely been a money loser since the day it opened. It's now owned by Boyd Gaming. I have no idea what Boyd Gaming's finances look like, but most casino/gaming companies are highly leveraged and are hemorrhaging (spell that without help!) cash.

If a company has been drained of most of its cash resources, then why would they reopen a facility that is (probably) cash flow negative like Belterra? I'd think that Boyd would require that the state takeout of gross gaming revenues (33%) gets slashed, table games allowed (currently only slots are at Ohio "racinos") and they could easily require that the obligation to have a race track be rescinded.

I hope that I am very wrong about this. But I'm pretty sure that the fallout from what is going on will be a huge negative for the game that we love.

We are in the stages of something unprecedented. Perhaps there are similarities to some past moments in history but we don't know where or when this will end just yet. We may see a dramatic shift in retail stores, even restaurants. The emotional effect in addition to the economic impact is something that we can't compose right now. This is unfathomable.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Handle: Once again, a hair under $5,000,000.
• Race 1: The opening race in North America on April 1, 2020 saw odds of 15-1, 59-1, 11-1 and 76-to-1 top the ticket. The payouts were as expected for such high odds: $1 exacta was $831.10. The $.50 tri paid over $3,000. The $,10 super paid over $12,000. The only first timer in the race prevailed yet again. Expected yet remarkable.
• Race 3: Samy Camacho won his second straight race with one of three first-time starters and the victor paid $20,80.
• Race 5: A 20-t0-1 shot prevailed under Walber Alencar who is in his second year at the track after riding in Brazil.
• Samy Camacho rode four winners.

 

[Preds Partisan]

The future of these two tracks are very much in flux for many reasons. I would imagine many others in the country are as well.

Churchill Downs is slated to rebuild Turfway. The wrecking ball on the old facility was to begin on April 6. With the recent events, this could easily be postponed. It could be cancelled. Worst case scenario is that Churchill Downs' balance sheet gets so impaired by this crisis that it could opt to mothball the Turfway project indefinitely. I would hope that they would continue to operate the track in the current facility if finances dictate that new construction would be unwise now.

Belterra Park has likely been a money loser since the day it opened. It's now owned by Boyd Gaming. I have no idea what Boyd Gaming's finances look like, but most casino/gaming companies are highly leveraged and are hemorrhaging (spell that without help!) cash.

If a company has been drained of most of its cash resources, then why would they reopen a facility that is (probably) cash flow negative like Belterra? I'd think that Boyd would require that the state takeout of gross gaming revenues (33%) gets slashed, table games allowed (currently only slots are at Ohio "racinos") and they could easily require that the obligation to have a race track be rescinded.

I hope that I am very wrong about this. But I'm pretty sure that the fallout from what is going on will be a huge negative for the game that we love.

Belterra Park has to remain because it keeps the owners from violating antitrust regulations from other acquisitions in the gaming world. It's why Boyd bought it and structured their purchase and operations like they have. They can afford a poor P/L there because it allows them to keep their other properties. But yeah, everything you are saying is true.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Mike Smith has two rides scheduled at Oaklawn on Saturday and both are for Wesley Ward.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Fox Sports schedule for Saturday:

​

The NBCSN schedule:

• Friday: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
• Saturday: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
• Sunday: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Belterra Park has to remain because it keeps the owners from violating antitrust regulations from other acquisitions in the gaming world. It's why Boyd bought it and structured their purchase and operations like they have. They can afford a poor P/L there because it allows them to keep their other properties. But yeah, everything you are saying is true.

I had vaguely remembered that anti trust was involved with Belterra going to Boyd. Here' what I found:

According to the complaint, which was first announced in October 2018, the proposed acquisition would harm competition for casino services—namely, slots and table games, as well as related lodging, entertainment, and food and beverage services—in metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri; Kansas City, Missouri; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Under the settlement, Penn and Pinnacle must divest to Boyd Gaming Company Pinnacle’s Ameristar St. Charles property in the St. Louis market, Pinnacle’s Ameristar Kansas City property in the Kansas City market, and Pinnacle’s Belterra Park and Belterra Resort properties in the Cincinnati market.

FTC Approves Final Order Imposing Conditions on Penn National Gaming, Inc.’s Acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.

My reading is that Penn National had to divest of Belterra as opposed to Boyd having to acquire Belterra. If this is the case, then my original point regarding the future of Belterra may be valid. I didn't interpret anything in this that suggested that Boyd had to keep operating Belterra to avoid non compliance with an anti trust ruling.

You seem to be a lot more savvy about business than I am, so correct me if I have interpreted this wrong.

 

[Preds Partisan]

I had vaguely remembered that anti trust was involved with Belterra going to Boyd. Here' what I found:



FTC Approves Final Order Imposing Conditions on Penn National Gaming, Inc.’s Acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.

My reading is that Penn National had to divest of Belterra as opposed to Boyd having to acquire Belterra. If this is the case, then my original point regarding the future of Belterra may be valid. I didn't interpret anything in this that suggested that Boyd had to keep operating Belterra to avoid non compliance with an anti trust ruling.

You seem to be a lot more savvy about business than I am, so correct me if I have interpreted this wrong.

It gets more complicated because a REIT is part of a triple net lease for Belterra who also loaned the money to Boyd for the purchase. That REIT has their fingers in the pies of all the same gaming companies involved. So it's an overly complicated between different companies with one REIT owning and/or leasing the properties back to the original companies.

In summary, blah, blah, blah.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Woodbine will re-schedule the Queen's Plate from June 27 to a later date. Opening day is currently unknown.

The 161st running of the Queen=s Plate will be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Woodbine Entertainment announced Wednesday. The event was originally scheduled for Saturday, June 27. While a new date has not been confirmed, Woodbine said in a statement that it intends to host the Queen=s Plate at Woodbine this year, subject to recommendations and restrictions from government and health officials related to the COVID-19 pandemic. AThe Queen=s Plate is the oldest continuously run race in North America and we have every intention of keeping it that way,@ said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. AOnce we postponed the start of our season, it likely meant that The Queen=s Plate would also be postponed, as certain races are required leading up to it so the 3-year-old horses competing are ready for the longer distance. As soon as we receive clarity on when the season will start, we will create a new stakes schedule and finalize a new date for The Queen=s Plate

On Mar. 23, Woodbine Entertainment announced that it was postponing the start of the 2020 Thoroughbred meet which was scheduled to open Apr. 18. The decision was made to follow the Government of Ontario=s orders to close all non-essential businesses to help stop the spread of COVID-19.​

Source: ThoroughbredDailyNews.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

FONNER PARK
Nebraska​

@Cyclones Rock.

Was this person you (article below)?

The note that the small track gets 6,000 people, and a younger crowd, on Saturdays should be received by the industry; however, despite the record handle, the lack of a live audience can also hurt the small facilities.

Look at the record handles for the track and how the top five are in the past few days.

Day	Handle
Tuesday, March 31, 2020	$2,836,646
Tuesday, April 2, 2020	$2,700,000 (est.)
Tuesday, March 24, 2020	$2,221,301
Monday, March 30, 2020	$2,176,010
Wednesday, March 25, 2020	$1,643,822
Monday, March 23, 2020	$1,340,265
Saturday, April 1, 2000	$619,237
Saturday, April 27, 2002	$585,508

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Fonner Park extends racing through April 29

Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak said there was good news and bad news from Wednesday’s racing at Fonner Park.

“The bad news was they only bet $2.7 million instead of $2.8 million (on Tuesday),” Kotulak said. “The good news is we got a call from some guy in Ohio who wants to buy a Fonner Park T-shirt.

“It’s nice that we can be good natured about these sort of numbers in what is a dire situation otherwise.”

Fonner began the two-week experiment of Monday through Wednesday racing on March 23. Fonner and the horsemen agreed on two weeks of racing to see if it was feasible to continue.
As other tracks around the nation canceled racing, Fonner became one of just a handful or so that was still running. That boosted the exposure and the mutuel handle coming in from around the nation and even around the world.

That in turn made it financially feasible for racing to continue at Fonner for the rest of April.
“It exceeded our expectations because we did not expect as many other tracks to cancel racing,” Kotulak said of the trial period. “So the limelight that we believed we were moving into just got a lot brighter than we expected.”

The early pick five proved to be a good addition to the Fonner Park card this week. In three days, that produced just over $400,000 in handle.

“It’s roughly $400,000 of handle we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Kotulak said.
Fonner also moved to a 4 p.m. first-race post time this week. That also helped separate Fonner from Will Rogers Downs, which was the only other track running late in the afternoon on Wednesday.

“It was certainly helpful because it gave us greater separation from Will Rogers Downs,” Kotulak said. “It got the first leg of Dinsdale Pick Five Jackpot so we weren’t sharing the signal with any other race track at that time and I think that’s huge.”

The pick five jackpot brought in $189,987 in wagers. Multiple five-of-five winners pocketed $6,906.55 apiece. The carryover for Monday’s races will be $355,847.

Fonner Park has also gotten some national exposure that it wouldn’t have gotten in a normal year.

“I think the exposure helps because people see we have a nice, tidy, bettable product,” Kotulak said. “But next year when this is all behind, we’ll still be little, tiny Fonner Park. People can still bet on us through the TVG website, but we certainly don’t expect to be shown on TVG on any kind of a routine basis.”

Now the plan is to run Monday through Wednesday until the end of April, or as long as the coronavirus pandemic allows. Kotulak said they plan to run all the stake races scheduled. That includes the Pump & Pantry-Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes.​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

*** GULFSTREAM PARK -- OPENING DAY ***
Thursday, April 2

Thursday, April 2 is opening day of the spring/summer meet at Gulfstream. The card has been released:

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$35,000	Maiden Claiming	5 Furlongs	Turf	14	1:00 PM
Race 2	$19,000	Maiden Claiming	5 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	14	1:30 PM
Race 3	$18,000	Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	7	2:00 PM
Race 4	$45,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Turf	16	2:31 PM
Race 5	$17,000	Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	9	3:03 PM
Race 6	$32,000	Claiming	1 Mile	Turf	10	3:34 PM
Race 7	$45,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	9	4:05 PM
Race 8	$46,000	Allowance	5 Furlongs	Turf	9	4:36 PM
Race 9	$45,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	16	5:07 PM

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

Paco Lopez, Javier Castellano, Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Jose Ortiz are among the riders without scheduled mounts for the opening two days of the Gulfstream spring/summer meet (Thursday and Friday). In the 7th race on Thursday, John Velazquez rides for Todd Pletcher. That is the rider's only mount.

FREE LIVE STREAM: Live Stream | World-Class Thoroughbred Horse Racing | Gulfstream Park

 

[Cyclones Rock]

It gets more complicated because a REIT is part of a triple net lease for Belterra who also loaned the money to Boyd for the purchase. That REIT has their fingers in the pies of all the same gaming companies involved. So it's an overly complicated between different companies with one REIT owning and/or leasing the properties back to the original companies.

In summary, blah, blah, blah.

The split between the operations and the physical property is cringe worthingly (new bad word) complex. But I understand the basic principle of how the property still falls under anti trust guidance. I think

I hope Belterra survives.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Golden Gate cancelled.

Gotta think that Los Alamitos will follow suit.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Golden Gate cancelled.

Gotta think that Los Alamitos will follow suit.

Yup but in a different county.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Ohio just extended its stay-at-home order until May 1. Coronavirus in Ohio: DeWine extends stay-at-home order until May 1 as deaths increase 25%

Mahoning Valley is done for its meet. Belterra in jeopardy. Thistledown as well.

The way I've been handicapping Gulfstream's turf races, the sooner its done the better

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Ohio just extended its stay-at-home order until May 1. Coronavirus in Ohio: DeWine extends stay-at-home order until May 1 as deaths increase 25%

Mahoning Valley is done for its meet. Belterra in jeopardy. Thistledown as well.

I think I have that listed properly in the post above under Ohio.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Today would have been opening day at popular Keeneland. Crowds like this picture were representative of many things positive. And now, a shuttered society.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Opening day: Today is opening day of the spring meet. It is a good chance for some of the smaller stables to see their talent run but this year with the lack of viable options the bigger stables may stay local. Some of the higher profile riders generally go north this time of year, too, and some have decided not to ride at all.
• Tyler Gaffalione rode the card and finished 9 3-1-1. The south Florida native had a 3-win day.
• Luis Saez was 0-for-7. He nearly won the Gulfstream winter meet.
• Race 1:

​

• Race 2: That was the definition of a hand ride.... and in a field of 11. What a romp. Tyler Gaffalione won on board the favorite.
• Race 3: The 1-to-5 shot broke bad and Luca Panici tried to recover too quickly, burnt out approaching the stretch. Luca recently returned from injury but that was on him. Tyler Gaffalione was the winning rider. The $.50 Pick 3 paid $21.25. That is one of those tickets cashed almost shamefully.
• Race 4: Chad Brown on turf at 24-to-1? The bait was there for the taking but alas a good showing for third. Edgard Zayas won on board a 5-2 shot. Tyler Gaffalione/Christophe Clement finished runner up at 9-2.
• Race 5: Alberto Burgos, a 7-pound bug, won and helped pay $14.20.
• Race 6: Win #3 for Tyler Gaffalione.
• Race 7: Kenny McPeek went back-to-back. Officially, the leading trainer at the meet. Dylan Davis was 0-for-39 at the closed winter meet at Gulfstream since coming to Florida from Aqueduct in New York but he rode the winner here and stepped on the accelerator in the stretch.
• Race 8: Joel Rosario ride the even money favorite to victory. Somebody put the royal squeeze job on Tyler Gaffalione who tried to find the rail. 24-1, 24-1 and 60-1 followed.
• Race 9: Edgard Zayas rode his second winner of the day, this one at 14-to-1. The $.20 Rainbow Six paid over $30,000 to the few people who had it..

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Races 3 and 4: Fernando De La Cruz and Walter De La Cruz, brothers, won consecutive races on bombs and the $2 double paid over $700. The $.50 tri paid over $1,000 in race 4.
• Ricardo Santana, Jr., among the top riders at the meet, is off his mounts today. He remains under quarantine but will ride on Sunday.
• Rider standings: The closeness at the top of the chart cannot be emphasized enough. Joe Talamo (37 wins), Ricardo Santana, Jr., (36), David Cohen (35) and Martin Garcia (34).

Golden Gate (California):

• Not racing: Suspended racing as of today.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The split between the operations and the physical property is cringe worthingly (new bad word) complex. But I understand the basic principle of how the property still falls under anti trust guidance. I think

I hope Belterra survives.

A random thought: do you remember the Beulah Twins?

 

[Cyclones Rock]

A random thought: do you remember the Beulah Twins?

Absolutely! Jenna and can't remember. They were mutual clerks prior to becoming horse racing rock stars.

The guy who ran Beulah at the time-can't recall his name offhand-was a pretty dynamic promoter. Came up with "The Twins" and lots of oddball promotions and if I'm not mistaken, he may have brought the Pick 6 concept where 80% is carryover if more than one ticket hits it.

I adored the old dump. Saw John Cooper and Art Schlichter there when Schlichter was an OSU star. Loved the old grandstand. The clubhouse was so dark. It was like being in an old school piano bar-it just lacked the piano player. The parking lot was a pothole ridden disaster-a tire alignment company's dream.

One sad memory. Was at Beulah and went down to the winner's circle to see an up and coming 16 year old apprentice jockey Josh Radosevich. He showed some promise although it looked like he'd grow too big to ride in a short while. He died on the track a few days later.

Report: No Fault in Accident That Killed Jockey - BloodHorse

Was coming back from a Jackets game a few years ago and it saddened me to see the place completely gone. Only the old stone wall and gate at one of the entrances remains. The property is mostly undeveloped.

I just did a google maps satellite on the site. I was there in the dead of night. But by daylight, the outline of the old track still remains. It lives! Sort of.
Google Maps



You opened up the floodgates. Your fault for this lengthy post.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Absolutely! Jenna and can't remember. They were mutual clerks prior to becoming horse racing rock stars.

The guy who ran Beulah at the time-can't recall his name offhand-was a pretty dynamic promoter. Came up with "The Twins" and lots of oddball promotions and if I'm not mistaken, he may have brought the Pick 6 concept where 80% is carryover if more than one ticket hits it.

I adored the old dump. Saw John Cooper and Art Schlichter there when Schlichter was an OSU star. Loved the old grandstand. The clubhouse was so dark. It was like being in an old school nightclub-it just lacked the piano player. The parking lot was a pothole ridden disaster-a tire alignment company's dream.

One sad memory. Was at Beulah and went down to the winner's circle to see an up and coming 16 year old apprentice jockey Josh Radosevich. He showed some promise although it looked like he'd grow too big to ride in a short while. He died on the track a few days later.

Report: No Fault in Accident That Killed Jockey - BloodHorse

Was coming back from a Jackets game a few years ago and it saddened me to see the place completely gone. Only the old stone wall and gate at one of the entrances remains. The property is mostly undeveloped.

I just did a google maps satellite on the site. I was there in the dead of night. But by daylight, the outline of the old track still remains. It lives! Sort of.
Google Maps

(last race ever)

You opened up the floodgates. Your fault for this lengthy post.

Didn't the place close and then reopen as a year substitute for River Downs before that track became Belterra? In essence, two closing days?

A simulcast graphic I like! Easy to read the numbers.

As far as the Twins, here ya go...

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Didn't the place close and then reopen as a year substitute for River Downs before that track became Belterra? In essence, two closing days?

River Downs did run a meet there. I don't think that it was the last meet at Beulah but I could be wrong.

Just checked. RD ran its 2013 meet there and Beulah's last meet was in 2014.
Death in the Afternoon: Beulah Park, 1923-2014 - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report
River Downs-at-Beulah Meet Given Final Approval - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report


I went up to Beulah only once or twice for its last meet and the RD deal. They'd closed most of the grandstand down and wasn't the same place that it was.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

River Downs did run a meet there. I don't think that it was the last meet at Beulah but I could be wrong.

I went up to Beulah only once or twice for its last meet and the RD deal. They'd closed most of the grandstand down and wasn't the same place that it was.

I just performed a quick Google search and the Columbus Dispatch has a piece on redevelopment written in 2019.