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]

Weather looks less than ideal but perhaps Friday is the best of the four days. Otherwise, chances of showers the other three days. Until the next update.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The weather update is mostly good for Thursday until a shift sometime late afternoon to a passing storm.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

There would have to be drastic modifications perhaps including the dates of the event, but Breeders' Cup to Saratoga buzz has begun. Belmont is dicey enough with New York/New Jersey weather in early November as we saw with both Belmont and extended to Monmouth but Saratoga is a different animal for that time of year. Horses can run and play in cold and even amid snowfall but ... never say never even if what seems improbable.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$2 million bet in the opening race at the Spa. The total was $900,000 with 5 MTP. $2m is a good indicator for how the day will transpire. I estimated $1.75m.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Delaware canceled today's card due to heavy rains. Not much competition today for the gambling dollar as the only T-breds are Belterra, Gulf and Indiana.

Woodbine and Churchill start later afternoon. Smaller tracks go tonight.

Gulf could have a jackpot nearing half a million dollars later today

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Maryland bred with Maryland connections win the second race at prestigious Saratoga. How about that?! And at 13-1. Second time out, 2-for-2 lifetime.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Friday preview:

First Tracks Cumberland – Maine Harness Racing

www.firsttrackscumberland.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Bangor/Hollywood Casino/Raceway article:

https://www.ustrottingnews.com/shawn-thayer-wins-4.....

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Few riders have aggressive reputations to match Irad Ortiz but that was a helluva battle for second place against Javier Castellano in race 3.

$5 million bet through three races. Tough to compare the uniqueness of this 4-day meet with the past but Saratoga handled $20 million last year for its July opener.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday preview:

First Tracks Cumberland – Maine Harness Racing

www.firsttrackscumberland.com

A friend is doing Monmouth and Cumberland on the same weekend later this year. He was sold on the ancillary aesthetics of the track.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Jersey Girl was easy as expected. Not much of a challenge for the 5.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Irad Ortiz, Jr. off mounts after late scratch @ Saratoga.....

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Irad Ortiz, Jr. off mounts after late scratch @ Saratoga.....

Ankle injury in gate.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Ankle injury in gate.

Ortiz, Jr. headed to Saratoga hospital following 5th race incident, will not ride rest of card so bettors take note....

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Frankie Dettori left the track after an indication that his mount was scratched; it wasn't. He was replaced. First time I heard of that.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I love first-timers but my angle didn't apply to race 8. Damn! 26-1 and 56-1 finished first and third, respectively. There were three first-timers in the field.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I could be mistaken but I think this is the third time Rosario has lodged an objection against Castellano in the past month.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Belmont at Saratoga (New York):

• Day One: Four-day meet.
• Weather: Much ado about nothing. The storms never materialized. At least for today. There is hope that Friday and Saturday will see less precipitation than expected.
• Handle: $18.1 million. That shattered the prior Thursday-prior-to-Belmont figure of $10.3 million bet in 2017. The uniqueness of this brief meet is significant; hopefully, the weather cooperates.
• Card: 10 races.
• Repeat Winners: John Velazquez and Flavien Prat rode two winners apiece.
• Five Trainers Win with Lone Starters: John Robb, Brad Cox, Mertkan Kantamarci, Chad Brown and James Bond were among the victorious trainers. No trainer had more than one win. Horacio De Paz sent out three horses and each placed.
• Irad Ortiz was removed from his mounts following a foot injury in the starting gate. He was hospitalized but results were negative and from one report, he can opt to ride (Friday) tomorrow. Ariana Rye, the filly who reared, is also fine per trainer Robert Falcone.
• Race 10: The Grey Wizard (John Velazquez/Graham Motion) was the recipient of a perfectly timed finish to win a rare two-mile race, the Grade 2 $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup Stakes. The winner was sent off 6-to-1. The top three, all gray horses, were separated by narrow margins. Heavily bet Siskany (William Buick/Charlie Appleby) ,who entered from races overseas, finished a tired seventh. The winner got an automatic bid to the Melbourne cup in Australia (est. $5 million US purse).

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798837511990505803

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday's card at Golden Gate Fields appears to be the last in the track's history.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$16,500	Starter Allowance	5 F	Turf	6	1:50 PM PT
2	$22,500	Maiden Special Weight	5 F	All Weather	6	2:20 PM PT
3	$23,500	Allowance Optional Claiming	5 F	Turf	6	2:50 PM PT
4	$15,000	Claiming	6 F	All Weather	6	3:20 PM PT
5	$11,500	Starter Optional Claiming	1 M	Turf	7	3:50 PM PT
6	$10,500	Maiden Claiming	5 1/2 F	All Weather	8	4:20 PM PT
7	$23,500	Allowance	1 1/16 M	Turf	8	4:50 PM PT
8	$23,500	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Turf	8	5:20 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$1.4 billion bet on US racing in the month of May surpassed May 2023 and that could signal a trend in the right direction. Last year's middle months were hurt by weather and other environmental factors. If weather this summer cooperates, I expect racing to show an uptick in handle. Through May, $4.9 billion has been wagered. Wagering per day is above last year and if that continues, 2024 should pass 2023 in volume.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$118 million bet last year at the Belmont Stakes is the NYRA record for a non-Triple Crown winning possibility. Saratoga should surpass that mark tomorrow.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I guess Irad Ortiz, Jr. is fully healed. He just rode the opener in victory.

He won race 4 as well.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Brittany! Must be in New York. That winner's circle at Laurel was void of the usual humans. Her lone starter of the day.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saratoga is much more active today than yesterday. Crowds building as the weekend is unofficially here. Weather cooperating.
Saratoga doing close to $2.5 million per race.

Much chatter about the Breeders' Cup even if just a smattering of logical thought.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$19 million bet at Saratoga through seven races.