Horse Racing: Maryland racing down to 127 dates in 2025; Flavien Prat nearing records for most stakes and graded stakes won in a year

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, April 20, 2024

• Chad Brown entered horses at four tracks. He won five times and finished a successful day 11 5-3-1.
• The Ortiz Brothers: Irad has 102 wins this year, two more than Jose. No other rider in North America has more than 80.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Chad Brown, surprisingly cold at the Gulfstream meet for much of the winter, is in a more comfortable spot in New York where he won all four races he entered and finished 8 4-2-1.
• Manny Franco was nearly flawless today going 5 4-0-0. He was a perfect 3 3-0-0 riding for Chad Brown.
• Turf: Racing returned this weekend.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Card: Five of the 11 races were stakes.
• Race 4: Rakia (Jevian Toledo/Brittany Russell) completed one of the most exciting races of the day.

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• Race 6: Riley G (Jevian Toledo/Brittany Russell), once bought for $625,000, broke her maiden last time out and today returned to the winner's circle. She likes the course and a switch to trainers from the dynamic Bob Baffert to the stellar Brittany Russell.

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• Jevian Toledo rode four winners including twice for Brittany Russell.
• Jorge Ruiz rode three winners on board four mounts. He scored a pair of stakes wins. He won twice for Graham Motion.
• Turf: Racing returned this weekend.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Handle: $18 million.
• Race 8: Silver Knott (Flavien Prat/Charlie Appleby) won the $350,000 Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes. The winner was 0-for-7 in the United States since arriving from overseas with a 5 3-0-1 mark.

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• Race 9: Kingsbarns (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) won the Grade 3 $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes. This Uncle Mo colt looks outrageous to me. He ran in the Kentucky Derby last year but was out just once since June until today. He is 7 5-1-0 lifetime. .He was purchased for $800,000 and has surpassed that mark in career earnings.

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• John Velazquez-Wesley Ward teamed twice and both horses won.
• Junior Alvarado is fifth in wins but owns the best winning percentage (24%) among top 10 riders in victories.
• Wesley Ward, Chad Brown, Cherie DeVaux and Brad Cox are among trainers sizzling this important meet.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $11 million.
• Cristian Torres and Francisco Arrieta both won three times.
• Race 11: Skippylongstocking (Jose Ortiz/Saffie Joseph) won the Grade 2 $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap, the day's biggest purse in North America. Skippy is 23 8-2-4 and now at the age of five has earned well over $2.2 million. Not bad for an Exaggerator colt who sold for $37,000.

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• Race 9: Informed Patriot (Ricardo Santana. Jr./Steve Asmussen) won the battle of stablemates in a thriller defeating Imperial Gun (Joel Rosario/Steve Asmussen).

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Santa Anita (California):

• Kazushi Kimura rode three winners including two MSW races and a pair for Bob Baffert.
• Hector Berrios rode three winners including the opener and finale.
• Race 3: Normandy Landing broke his maiden in a $54,000 MSW. The son to Gun Runner was purchased for $1.05 million.

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• Race 7: Mr. Fisk (Kazushi Kimura/Bob Baffert) won the $100,000 Grade3 Californian Stakes. After the race, Baffert stated strong words for Kimura, who normally rides at Woodbine (ON), regarding potentially getting some of Baffert's top mounts at Del Mar. I sense we missed an all-time great sire with the premature death of Arrogate who fathered this winner.

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• Race 8: Medoro (Antonio Fresu/Peter Eurton) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Providencia Stakes by a nose.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, April 21, 2024

• Chad Brown is 25 10-8-3 since April 17 now at mostly Keeneland and Aqueduct.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Chad Brown: The future Hall of Fame trainer is 34 14-7-4 (41%) at the Spring Meet which ends April 28.
• NYRA Schedule:

• The Aqueduct Spring Meet ends April 28.
• Aqueduct's Spring/Summer Meet runs May 2 - July 7 but will be closed May 28 - June 13.
• There will be no racing at any NYRA track (Aqueduct, Saratoga or Belmont) from May 28 - June 5.
• Saratoga's 4-Day Belmont Meet runs June 6 - June 9.
• NYRA tracks will be dark June 10 - June 13, the latter date when Aqueduct re-opens.
• Saratoga opens its annual Summer Meet July 11.
• Belmont is currently undergoing a massive construction project and will not race in 2024.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Race 2: Bourbon Warrior (Sonny Leon/Juan Arias) wired the field at the exorbitant odds of 62-to-1 and topped a $1 exacta that paid more than $649, a $.50 tri that returned more than $6,400 and a $.10 super that paid a staggering $18,000.

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• Race 3: $1,600 for the double.
• Race 4: The $1.00 Pick 3 returned more than $12,000. That could be the biggest of the year to date.
• Race 5: The $.50 Pick 4 paid over $56,000. The pool had roughly $70,000 in it, there is one happy camper. The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $40,000.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Hot Barns: Wesley Ward, Chad Brown and Brad Cox all of whom are above 30% at the meet.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode four winners with six rides. He was a perfect 2-for-2 with David Jacobson. I don't recall the pair teaming too often, even in New York.
• Race 5: The $1 double paid $862.12.
• Race 2: Dreamaway (John Velazquez/Wesley Ward) was sent off the 1-to-2 favorite and won her debut to give the trainer yet another victory at the meet with a 2-year-old and a first-timer. Velazquez is a perfect 3-for-3 with 2-year-olds this year and 29% with first-timers. Ward is 8 5-0-0 (63%) with 2-year-olds in 2024. Ward is 41% this year with first-timers, well above his career mark of 25% which in itself is superb.

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Hawthorne (Illinois):
Patriot Spirit (Julio Felix/Michael Campbell) won the $200,000 Illinois Derby. The race, in its 60th installment, returned after a 6-year absence. The winner paid $12.60. Campbell is a former President of the Illinois Thoroughbred Association. He was training at Tampa Bay this winter.amd will like head to Virginia this summer. Guys like him were hurt by the actions in Illinois. Hopefully they all rebound.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Handle: $5.2 million.

Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: Around $9 million which could have been the second largest (after Keeneland which doesn't post such figures) of the day in North America. There is very much an appetite for California racing. Hopefully, those in power can see the demand and popularity.
• Race 1: Jane Austen (Antonio Fresu/Mark Glatt) closed with a nice rally to win her debut effort under the skillful guidance of Fresu and at 4-to-1. The 3-year-old Tapit filly, the wildly successful sire who is now 23 years of age, cost an enormous $750,000.
• Race 9: Coffee in Bed (Mike Smith/Richard Mandella) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes. Smith, the Hall of Famer who is now racing sparingly, last won a graded stakes in September; he won three such races in 2023.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Kentucky Derby Week and Kentucky Derby Day Schedules | Kentucky Derby

The lead up to the Kentucky Derby ends at the presentation of a full, rich opening night at Churchill Downs April 27, which happens to be the new day to catch the Kentucky Derby post position draw!

www.kentuckyderby.com

What is Churchill Downs opening night?​

• Saturday, April 27, 2024
• Gates Open 5 p.m.
• First Race 6 p.m.

Kick-off the celebration of the 150th Run of the Kentucky Derby in unparalleled style!

Embark on a journey through time as we kick off the Derby Week festivities. Join us for a unique experience, including the historic 150th Kentucky Oaks and 150th Kentucky Derby post position draw – now open to the general public on Opening Night for the first time. It's a night to set the stage for a week filled with excitement, tradition, and celebration!
Must be 18+ to enter, or accompanied by a responsible adult.

EVENT DAY HIGHLIGHTS

2024 Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw

Watch with excitement as your favorite horse, and connections, find out their Derby and Oaks positions. Don't miss this historic moment – be there to experience the anticipation and the thrill of the draw!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

War Like Goddess is making her 2024 debut on Friday in the Bewitch, a race among my annually anticipated races. She has been made a 3-to-5 morning line favorite. I don't know how much gas she has left in the tank at the age of seven. She was last out in November's Breeders' Cup where she finished seventh but the competition was extraordinary. Lifetime she is 18 11-2-2 and has earned $2.5 million.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Frankie Dettori will ride Society Man, trained by Danny Gargan, in the Kentucky Derby. An international superstar, Dettori will ride in the Derby for the first time since 2000. Society Man placed at 107-to-1 in the Wood at Aqueduct.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

HALL OF FAME

I thought the vote for Justify could go either way. Lightly raced but a Triple Crown winner.

Joel Rosario was a likey choice but not a guarantee for a first-time nominee.

Gun Runner is arguably the best horse North America has seen on and now off the track in the past 20 years. His accomplishments on the track were a rarity these days as he progressed and succeeded in his latter campaigns.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Damn. Jevian Toledo suffered a broken collarbone and could be sidelined in excess of two months. Maybe Maryland's most successful rider and Brittany Russell's co-top call along with her husband Sheldon (both riders share agent Marty Leonard). What can be a dangerous occupation is a tough assignment being a jockey.

Toledo was named Jockey of the Week in North America earlier this month.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Joel Rosario, inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday, completed a bizarre $.50 Pick 5 at Keeneland today in which one fortunate prognosticator reaped the sole benefit of a pool that neared $400,000. That winning ticket earned $252,758. Extraordinary.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Turf Paradise (AZ) shuts its meet on May 4 but currently the Pick 6 has a pool of more than $500,000.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Kentucky Downs, perhaps the most anticipated meet in America with handicappers, announced its seven-day schedule ranging from Aug. 29 to Sept. 11.

The former Dueling Grounds Derby will be renamed the Nashville Derby and the purse increase to $2.5 million will make it the richest in track history. Kentucky Downs is located roughly 35 miles north of Nashville, TN.

 

[GKJ]

Is this Nashville Derby a new thing? I don’t recall it being a big money stakes races before.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Is this Nashville Derby a new thing? I don’t recall it being a big money stakes races before.

The race is renamed from what was the original name of the track: the Dueling Grounds Derby. That race was big, around $1,000,000 last year but nothing near the gigantic purse for this year. From what I can gather, this will be the second largest turf purse in the US (now verified: $5 million BC Turf is the biggest).

Kentucky Downs is printing money and the excesses show in the purses. Racing just seven days a year also shows in the purses.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Bob Baffert debuts two pricey colts in race 6 at Santa Anita today. Middleburg, a Tapit colt, costs $485,000. Parenting, a Justify volt, costs $750,000. Both are three-years-old.

Interesting, a Utah goal is entered in that race and trained by Doug O'Neill. I don't know the last time I saw a Utah foal at Santa Anita. The state produces few T-breds. There has to be a back story.

California racing has such a plush history. Those of us who still follow racing there want some semblance of decency for all involved.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Wesley Ward won the first two races at Keeneland today and both were limited to 2-year-olds. Incredible, maybe even ridiculous. He is 13 7-1-0 (54%) with 2-year-olds in 2024.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, April 26, 2024

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 7: Run Around Slew (Horacio Karamanos/Susan Cooney) broke her maiden in her 10th try but the horse that caught my attention was Rye Smile (J.C. Torrealba/Brittany Russell) presumably named for the young trainer's son, Rye. Torrealba, a top apprentice rider, picked up the mount in place of the injured Jevian Toledo who is one of the trainer's top two jockeys. The horse ran into congestion but finished gamely. Keep an eye next time out as this was a debut performance.

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Mandatory Payout: The Pick 6 could reach $3 million.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Closing Day: One of the most adored meets of the year, Keeneland's Spring Meet ended today.
• Leading Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr. with 20 wins, his first Keeneland title.
• Leading Trainer: Wesley Ward led with 12 wins. He won a Keeneland title for the 10th time including his eighth in Spring including the past seven years.

• Kentucky Racing 2024:

• Churchill Downs: 4/27/2024-6/30/2024
• Ellis Park: 7/4/2024-8/26/2024
• Kentucky Downs: 8/29/2024-9/11/2024
• Churchill Downs: 9/12/2024-9/29/2024
• Keeneland: 10/4/2024-10/26/2024
• Churchill Downs: 10/27/2024-12/1/2024
• Turfway Park: 12/4/2024-12/28/2024

• Handle: $218 million, including $14 million today, for the 16-day meet. The cumulative sum is the third highest in track history. The highlight was Blue Grass Day, April 6, when all-sources handle for the 11-race card totaled $29,261,346, eclipsing the previous single-day record of $28,137,728 set in 2022.
• Race 1: Saturday Flirt (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Wesley Ward) won her debut.
• Race 2: Burning Pine (Joel Rosario/Wesley Ward) won his debut. The $1 all-Ward double paid $3.67.
• Wesley Ward is 13 7-1-0 with 2-year-olds this year. He is 64% with females. Phenomenal numbers.
• Race 8: Chop Chop (Axel Concepcion/Brad Cox) won the $300,000 Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes. War Like Goddess was scheduled to make her 2024 debut and was made the prohibitive favorite at 3-to-5 but she suffered a small gash in training. Lifetime she is 18 11-2-2 and has earned $2.5 million.

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Santa Anita (California):

• Race 7: Parenting (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert), a $750,000 Justify colt, was sent off 7-to-2 and won his debut race by drawing away. Middleburg, the stablemate, showed little but that could be the inside slot which is usually detrimental for a first-timer. The rare Utah foal, mentioned in an earlier post, finished sixth at 59-to-1.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Some tracks have already released May 4 (Kentucky Derby day) cards and that includes Delta and Evangeline (both in Louisiana), Turf Paradise (AZ) and Will Rogers (OK). As far as the Oaks (May 3) and Derby....

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

update/pics from 4/26 @ Cumberland Raceway;

First Tracks Cumberland – Maine Harness Racing

www.firsttrackscumberland.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Axel Concepcion will ride Encino in the Kentucky Derby. He was named Apprentice of the Year earlier this year for 2023.

Woodbine (ON) has refreshed their simulcast feed. Today is opening day. From what I see, excellent. Indiana remains the best visually, IMO.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, April 27, 2024

• Opening Day: Hastings (BC), Woodbine (ON), Belterra (OH) and of course Churchill (KY).
• Steve Asmussen and Mark Casse both trained five winners across multiple tracks.

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Handle: $4.5 million.
• Opening Day: The meet runs into December 15.
• Sofia Vives Rode Five Winners: The superstar of the day was South Carolina-born, Florida-raised Sofia Vives who rode five winners including her first three mounts. In those three wins, she wired the field in consecutive races. I don't recall seeing that anywhere. She finished a remarkable opening day 8 5-1-0. She won twice for Mark Casse and Josie Carroll. Her first mount came in late 2022.

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• Sahin Civaci, who hails from Turkey, rode three winners.
• Mark Casse trained four winners. He finished 12 4-1-1.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 7: Won by the second largest odds at 28-to-1 in addition to four across for place. Gotta love races such as this:

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $12.4 million which included an additional $2.8 million to the Pick 6.
• Edgard Zayas rode the card and came away with four victories.

Lone Star (Texas):

• Steve Asmussen finished with four wins. The leading trainer in victories in US history finished 8 4-1-0.
• Erik Asmussen rode three winners, all for his father Steve.

Golden Gate Fields (California):

• Race 7: Lammas (Irving Orozco/Manuel Badilla) won the $175,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at 9-to-1 in what will likely be the final graded stakes race held at the track which is closing in June. The 7-year-old ran mostly on synth but after a win today is a nice 4 2-1-0 all-time on Golden Gate turf.

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Santa Anita (California):

• Race 4: The Chosen Vron (Hector Berrios/Eric Kruljac) won for the 12th time in his past 13 starts. A true California legend, he is now 22-17-1-2 with over $1.23 million earned. The California-bred, now six years old, has raced all but once in his home state. Every win but his maiden outing has been a stakes.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 F	Dirt	10	10:30 AM ET
2	$127,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	12	11:00 AM ET
3	$134,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	13	11:30 AM ET
4	$134,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/8 M	Turf	16	12:05 PM ET
5	$1,000,000	Fasig-Tipton La Troienne S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	7	12:43 PM ET
6	$400,000	Unbridled Sidney S. presented by Resolute Racing	5 1/2 F	Turf	10	1:26 PM ET
7	$750,000	Alysheba S. presented by TwinSpires	1 1/16 M	Dirt	10	2:09 PM ET
8	$400,000	Modesty S. presented by Derby City Gaming & Hotel	1 1/8 M	Turf	12	3:03 PM ET
9	$600,000	Eight Belles S. presented by Sysco	7 F	Dirt	12	4:04 PM ET
10	$600,000	Edgewood S. presented by TwinSpires	1 1/16 M	Turf	14	4:51 PM ET
11	$1,500,000	Longines Kentucky Oaks	1 1/8 M	Dirt	16	5:51 PM ET
12	$127,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 1/2 F	Dirt	12	6:27 PM ET
13	$120,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	15	7:02 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I think horsemen are heading elsewhere and that has reduced stock. The end is near. GGF is likely down to two days a week now. The track's website mentions "dark days" where once it was listed as "live racing.". Pretty track,.too, at least through the simulcast feeds.

GGF update:

closed permanently as of 6/9/24;

Horse Racing News | Paulick Report

SHINING LIGHT ON THE HORSE INDUSTRY

www.paulickreport.com

Yup. That confirmed what I speculated yesterday and a few days ago. Makes me wonder if the horsemen will head to Washington state or New Mexico more so than southern Cal. The owners of GGF and Santa Anita are the same but eliminating racing for a redevelopment project didn't sit too well with many in northern Cal.

It is a lengthy issue but Frank Stronach's daughter now runs the real estate part of the ownership via a court settlement against her father but her side has now ended racing at GGF, eventually Laurel and sold Pimlico to the state of Maryland.

The fair tracks have picked up many dates for the balance of 2024 in northern Cal but after that is much uncertainty.

@CHRDANHUTCH

According to the Golden Gate Fields website, "live racing" is limited to Saturdays May 4-11-18-25 and Sundays May 5-12-19-26. Then in June, 1-2-7-8-9, thus closing weekend will consist of three days. Next stop: redevelopment.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Saturday notes/review/photos from Cumberland Raceway:

First Tracks Cumberland – Maine Harness Racing

www.firsttrackscumberland.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

no Friday card @ Golden Gate Fields (CA) on Oaks Day @ Churchill;

Daily Racing Form | Horse Racing - Bets, Entries, Results & PPs

Find all the latest horse racing coverage at Daily Racing Form, including bets, entries, results, and Past Performances (PPs). Visit DRF for expert insights!

www.drf.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

on Oaks Day @ Churchill;

Daily Racing Form | Horse Racing - Bets, Entries, Results & PPs

Find all the latest horse racing coverage at Daily Racing Form, including bets, entries, results, and Past Performances (PPs). Visit DRF for expert insights!

www.drf.com

I think horsemen are heading elsewhere and that has reduced stock. The end is near. GGF is likely down to two days a week now. The track's website mentions "dark days" where once it was listed as "live racing.". Pretty track,.too, at least through the simulcast feeds.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Now that post positions are drawn for the Ky. Derby and we looked at pedigree months ago, the next step is track conditions. Early forecasts show a possible wet track. Handicappers will look at horses that ran and won on wet surfaces.

That could aid the already expected near favorites in Sierra Leone and Fierceness, among others, as memory serves they won on wetness. More on that later. Too early for track biases, as we have to wait to see how the card unfolds that day to correctly navigate the best position for a horse (rail vs. outside; stalkers vs. speed vs. closers).