Horse Racing: I. Ortiz/B. Cox/Godolphin/Into Mischief top 2023; J. Rodriguez/B. Russell win Laurel titles on final day; L. Rice sets NYRA record for wins in a year

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Zia Park (New Mexico):

• Card: The $1.1 million Land of Enchantment card. Seven of the ten races had purses of $100,000 or more including a pair at $300,000.
• Joel Rosario (7 4-2-1) rode four consecutive winning races, all stakes, but not the feature.
• Steve Asmussen (8 3-2-2) and Todd Fincher (6 3-1-1) both trained three winners.
• Race 9: Flying Connection (Joel Rosario/Todd Fincher), the 1-to-9 prohibitive favorite, romped by five lengths to win the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks. The $250,000 daughter to Nyquist wins in New Mexico as evidenced by a career record of 7 6-0-1 and has won at three tracks (Sunland, Albuquerque and Zia). In other states, California and Kentucky, she is 5 0-1-0.

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• Race 10: Two Rivers Over (Luis Fuentes/Doug O'Neill) won the $300,000 Zia Park Derby at 13-to-1, the second longest shot on the board. The winner entered off a race at Del Mar. Red Route One (Joel Rosario/Steve Asmussen) finished a disappointing third. He ran in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes this year.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Aqueduct's card for Saturday which includes the Cigar Mile.

The Remsen is a Ky. Derby prep worth 10 points to the winner. Sierra Leone cost $2.3 million at auction and is out for the second time. Dornoch, current listed in the top five in the Ky. Derby future pool, also runs. Copper Tax is 6 5-1-0 lifetime, purchased for just $45,000. Domestic Product enters off a win on the track.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$70,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	9	11:50 AM ET
2	$85,000	Maiden Special Weight	7 F	Dirt	8	12:20 PM ET
3	$92,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	9	12:52 PM ET
4	$36,000	Maiden Claiming	1 M	Dirt	9	1:19 PM ET
5	$55,000	Starter Allowance	1 M	Dirt	11	1:48 PM ET
6	$90,000	Allowance	7 F	Dirt	10	2:17 PM ET
7	$250,000	Demoiselle S.	1 1/8 M	Dirt	9	2:45 PM ET
8	$200,000	Go for Wand S.	1 M	Dirt	7	3:17 PM ET
9	$250,000	Remsen S.	1 1/8 M	Dirt	10	3:45 PM ET
10	$500,000	Cigar Mile H.	1 M	Dirt	12	4:12 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Upcoming meets:

ARIZONA: Turf Paradise (AZ) has risen. A meet is likely to be conducted January 29, 2024 - May 24, 2024 pending state approval. The expectation is the track will be sold in the upcoming weeks and the potential new owner will continue to race horses at the oval. The importing of simulcast signals ends December 31, 2023, that will have to be renewed as well.

INDIANA: Horseshoe Indianapolis (IN) runs April 8, 2024 - Nov. 14, 2024.

CALIFORNIA: Del Mar (CA) runs July 20 - September 8.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, December 1, 2023

Woodbine (Ontario):

• Weather: Steady snowfall much of the day made for some attractive scenery...from a distance!

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Card: The Championship Meet opened.
• Saffie Joseph, arguably the most successful local-based trainer in south Florida the past four or five years, won the first two races.
• Pick 6: Saturday (tomorrow) has a mandatory payout in the Pick 6.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Opening day at Oaklawn (AR) is Friday, Dec. 8. One of the most popular meets in North America.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$30,000	Maiden Claiming	6 F	Dirt	9	12:30 PM CT
2	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	12:58 PM CT
3	$70,000	Starter Allowance	6 F	Dirt	7	1:26 PM CT
4	$35,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	11	1:54 PM CT
5	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	2:22 PM CT
6	$31,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	10	2:50 PM CT
7	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	10	3:18 PM CT
8	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	10	3:46 PM CT
9	$150,000	Advent S.	5 1/2 F	Dirt	12	4:14 PM CT
10	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	12	4:40 PM CT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Only first timer in the opener at Laurel. Martina Rojas for the W at 30-to-1.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Cue Vin Scully because I don't believe what I just saw. That was a Remsden for the ages. The 3 looked golden, got passed by the 7 maybe a length and then battled on the rail to beat the $2.3 million Sierra Leone.

This is a Kentucky Derby prep. Dornoch rallied famously.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sierra Leone's rider may have made whip contact with Dornoch and that could have been cause for the switch in lead prior to recovery. That will be a memorable race.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The only other lone first-timer I noticed today just won the stakes at Woodbine and paid $49.30. It is a betting strategy worth the effort. Lone first-timers at prices can be bet small for good payouts.

$67 at Laurel and $49 at Woodbine.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, December 2, 2023

• Big Stables: At last check, the five trainers with the biggest earnings in 2023 to date, were a combined 2-for-28. Chad brown, Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, Steve Asmussen and Bill Mott were oftentimes lost in the shuffle today.
• Big Three: Del Mar (CA), Gulfstream (FL) and Aqueduct (NY) combined to handle roughly $35 million at last check.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Card: Four graded stakes including a Kentucky Derby prep.
• Chad Brown entered all four stakes with multiple horses in each yet was an abysmal 8 0-1-1 on his home turf.
• Race 7: Life Talk (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher) won the $250,000 Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes.

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• Race 8: Dr B (Jose Lezcano/Butch Reid) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes.

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• Race 9: Dornoch (Luis Saez/Danny Gargan) won the $250,000 Grade 2 Remsen Stakes by a nose in a battle with $2.3 million Sierra Leone (Jose Ortiz/Chad Brown) that will be discussed for quite some time. The winner received 10 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The Good Magic colt cost $325,000 at auction. He is currently 4 2-2-0 lifetime and is among the shortest prices in Derby Future Pools.

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• Race 10: Hoist the Gold (John Velazquez/Dallas Stewart) won the $500,000 Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap at 8-to-1 in gate-to-wire fashion.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Monsoon: Heavy rains earlier in the day and the eventual accumulation led to the cancellation of the first two races and delay in start times for what followed.
• Joe Sharp trained winners in two of the biggest races on the card: $150,000 ad $200,000 purses.

Del Mar (California):

• Flavien Prat is a finalist for Eclipse Award Jockey of the Year in my book. Today he ended the card with an exceptional 8 4-3-0 mark. While California racing often has its limits compared to the maelstrom that can occur elsewhere in North America, Prat deserves praise on the national scale.
• Race 5: Zona Verde (Juan Hernandez/Phil D'Amato) won the $100,000 Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion at 10-to-1.

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• Race 7: Program Trading (Flavien Prat/Chad Brown) won the $300,000 Grade I Hollywood Derby.

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Woodbine (Ontario):

• Race 9: Shamans Girl (Ryan Munger/Harold Ladouceur) won the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes in a maiden effort. Not many first-timers are even entered in stakes but the trainer said he had a "Lamborghini." He has 90 wins in 20 years of training, so this was something special and twice he looked to the sky in appreciation of this moment. Good stuff.

Caymanas (Jamaica):

• National TV: Was part of the national TV coverage alongside Aqueduct on Fox Sports. Julien Leparoux among other notes riders there.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Lane Luzzi. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 33-1 in the Aqueduct opener.

And word came yesterday that Mike Luzzi has retired as a jockey to become the agent of his son Lane who moved his tack to New York a few days ago. Now it comes full circle. Good luck!

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, December 3, 2023

• Lone first-timers were 0-for-2 today among opportunities presented today. Del Mar and Laurel had the options.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 7: Morning Matcha (Mychal Sanchez/Butch Reid) won the $125,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes. Sent off the favorite, the 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred filly was out for the 24th time and won for the sixth time including her first win outside of Parx (PA). Reed, based in Philadelphia, won two stakes at Aqueduct on consecutive days.

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Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 6: The battle of the day: Honey B B and Determined Blue. Dave Rodman is an entertaining and excellent race caller.

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• Race 3: Great Opportunity (Sheldon Russell/Brittany Russell), a $160,000 purchase owned by Mike Repole, got to the lead out of the 1-hole in a maiden race that was extra-special. The winner demolished the competition by more than seven lengths and on a sloppy track.

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• Race 2: The Haunted Room (Darwin Rodriguez/Sergio Pradenas) gave the jockey his second lifetime win in the US. The rider seemed genuinely thrilled by the moment.
• Martina Rojas, a bug, is on a nice little roll. She is 11 4-2-3 this month.
• Full Replay Show:

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Off The Turf: Pre-race rains prohibited racing on turf. Three days in, one day off.
• Jose Ortiz had a solid day today going 6 3-2-1.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• James Graham won for the 3,000th time.

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Del Mar (California):

• Closing Day:Southern Cal's upcoming racing calendar
  • Los Alamitos 12/8/2023-12/17/2023
  • Santa Anita 12/26/2023-4/7/2024
• Leading Jockey: Juan Hernandez with 21 wins.
• Leading Trainer: Phil D'Amato with 14 wins.
• Race 5: Stay Hot (Antonio Fresu/Peter Eurton) won the Grade 3 $100,000 Cecil DeMille Stakes. by a neck

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• Race 7: Surge Capacity (Joel Rosario/Chad Brown) won the $300,000 Grade I Matriarch Stakes by a head against stable-mate Fluffy Socks (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown). The trainer finished 1-2-3-4 with the favorite coming in last of those four. Phil D'Amato had three entered but didn't catch a whiff. More than half the field of 12 represented by two stables is not the best of interests for most parties.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The 156th running of the Belmont Stakes is on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Tickets will go on sale in February. Seems that Saratoga is the expected host venue but that announcement is yet to be confirmed.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Oaklawn (AR) has 230 horses entered the first two combined cards of the meet which starts Friday. New York and Oaklawn have also announced a deeper partnership with Fox Sports this winter. Oaklawn is the real deal.

Friday (opening day) at Oaklawn:

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$30,000	Maiden Claiming	6 F	Dirt	9	12:30 PM CT
2	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	12:58 PM CT
3	$70,000	Starter Allowance	6 F	Dirt	7	1:26 PM CT
4	$35,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	11	1:54 PM CT
5	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	2:22 PM CT
6	$31,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	10	2:50 PM CT
7	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	10	3:18 PM CT
8	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	10	3:46 PM CT
9	$150,000	Advent S.	5 1/2 F	Dirt	12	4:14 PM CT
10	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	12	4:40 PM CT

Saturday at Oaklawn:

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$60,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	Dirt	8	12:30 PM CT
2	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	12:58 PM CT
3	$31,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	14	1:26 PM CT
4	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	12	1:54 PM CT
5	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	14	2:22 PM CT
6	$150,000	Ring The Bell S.	6 F	Dirt	9	2:50 PM CT
7	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	13	3:18 PM CT
8	$115,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 M	Dirt	13	3:46 PM CT
9	$150,000	Mistletoe S.	1 M	Dirt	11	4:14 PM CT
10	$140,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	13	4:40 PM CT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Paco Lopez, Javier Castellano, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Luis Saez and others will be in Panama for Sunday's racing there.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Turf Paradise's (AZ) supposed sale has "hit a snag" per one report. The track did receive permission to conduct a January 29 - May 4. 2024 meet. Current owned Jerry Simms, who stated he wanted to retire, had a deal to sell the property to a group that was committed to keep racing. It does not appear that any sale will be finalized prior to end of the meet.

The schedule appears to be on a Monday-Thursday schedule with 57 live dates.

Turf Paradise sits on 213 acres and has been racing for 67 years.

Arizona has two smaller tracks: Arizona Downs and Rillito.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Average handle was up in October significantly, more than 10%, which stemmed a recent slide. However, with the number of races shrinking compared to 2022, the overall monthly handle was down slightly.

Average money spent per day is up in 2023 by less than 1% compared to 2022. The $10.8b wagered is down roughly 4% from 2022.

November 2023 vs. November 2022
Indicator	November 2023	November 2022	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$910,728,537	$918,587,327	-0.86%
U.S. Purses (Available)	$123,145,549	$123,543,352	-0.32%
U.S. Purses (Paid)	$116,423,913	$117,182,707	-0.65%
U.S. Race Days	263	293	-10.24%
U.S. Races	2,268	2,460	-7.80%
U.S. Starts	17,691	18,737	-5.58%
Average Field Size	7.80	7.62	+2.41%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,462,846	$3,135,110	+10.45%
Average Available Purses Per Race Day	$468,234	$399,941	+17.08%

YTD 2023 vs. YTD 2022
Indicator	YTD 2023	YTD 2022	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$10,859,563,218	$11,358,563,877	-4.39%
U.S. Purses (Available)	$1,220,973,088	$1,226,794,499	-0.47%
U.S. Purses (Paid)	$1,168,817,773	$1,179,343,376	-0.89%
U.S. Race Days	3,648	3,848	-5.20%
U.S. Races	29,741	31,252	-4.83%
U.S. Starts	219,559	226,839	-3.21%
Average Field Size	7.38	7.26	+1.71%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,976,854	$2,951,810	+0.85%
Average Available Purses Per Race Day	$334,697	$306,482	+9.21%

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday is a massive day for Louisian racing. Fair Grounds' card is as follows:

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$50,000	Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Starter S.	5 1/2 F	Dirt	6	12:00 PM CT
2	$52,000	Maiden Special Weight	About 7 1/2 F	Turf	9	12:30 PM CT
3	$50,000	Louisiana Champions Day Starter S.	5 1/2 F	Dirt	6	1:00 PM CT
4	$21,000	Claiming	About 7 1/2 F	Turf	11	1:30 PM CT
5	$150,000	Louisiana Champions Day Classic S.	1 1/8 M	Dirt	6	2:00 PM CT
6	$53,000	Allowance	About 1 M	Turf	11	2:30 PM CT
7	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile S.	6 F	Dirt	9	3:00 PM CT
8	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Turf S.	About 1 1/16 M	Turf	8	3:30 PM CT
9	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	8	4:00 PM CT
10	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint S.	6 F	Dirt	10	4:30 PM CT
11	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Lassie S.	6 F	Dirt	13	5:00 PM CT
12	$100,000	Louisiana Champions Day Sprint S.	6 F	Dirt	14	5:30 PM CT
13	$52,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	13	6:00 PM CT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The 156th running of the Belmont Stakes is on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Tickets will go on sale in February. Seems that Saratoga is the expected host venue but that announcement is yet to be confirmed.

Now official. Saratoga will host the 2024 Belmont Stakes.

More info released: NYRA bumped the Saratoga edition of the Belmont Stakes to $2 million, up from $1.5m.

Also, due to the smaller oval at the Spa compared to Belmont, the race will be run at 1 1/4 not 1 1/2 mile.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

By my count, 64 trainers have entered tonight's card at Turfway (KY). Hopefully that is an indication of good vibes from a Churchill Downs owned track. Turfway appears headed in the right direction.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Amid the snowfall in New York State, the $2 tri at Monticello paid over $8k while the $2 super returned more than $67,000.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The Arkansas Derby is now boasting a $1.5 million purse. That was the purse of last year's Belmont Stakes. Oaklawn is such a potent track. The fun starts tomorrow.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, December 8, 2023

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 6: Mad Banker (Katie Davis/Mark Hennig) gave the jockey her first win since October 16 at Finger Lakes which snapped a 71-ride skid.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Friday Night Lights: The Russells teamed once and were victorious. There really is something magical about their Friday strike rate. Happy home I suppose.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Paco Lopez, who will be one of about a half dozen U.S. riders headed to Panama for Saturday's card, had an exceptional afternoon going 5 4-1-0. He is rolling right now, 32% and leading the meet with 11 victories.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• Opening Day: The popular meet ends in May 2024.
• Handle: $6.4 million.
• Race 9: Valentine Candy (Ramon Vasquez/Steve Asmussen) won the $150,000 Advent Stakes which was the day's feature.
• Steve Asmussen had 63 career wins as a jockey. His son Keith also has 63 wins and rode for his father today as he will in the days to come. Steve also is the winning trainer in North America history with over 10,000 victories.
• Francisco Arrieta hit the board more than any other rider -- 5 times but failed to win.
• David Jacobsen sent out two horses and both won.

Los Alamitos (California):

• Opening Day: The meet ends December 17 and then after a few days in seclusion, Santa Anita opens December 26 and carries southern Cal into June perhaps.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

NYRA has announced the following for the Aqueduct winter meet

• Length: 47 days.
• Stakes: 26.
• Starting Date: January 1, 2024.
• Closing Day: March 30.
• Days of the Week:
  • Thursday-Sunday for the first three weeks of January.
  • Friday-Sunday from January 26 through the first week of March.
  • Four-day race weeks resume on March 7.
• Holiday Cards: January 1 and February 19.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Aqueduct (New York):

• Race 9: The $1 Pick 6 returned a staggering $115,000+ with just one winner considered "a price" at 10-to-1.
• Dylan Davis rode the entire card and finished with three wins.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Saturday Night Lights: The Russells teamed once and won. The impressive hubby-wife duo have a modest but perfect 3 3-0-0 streak this past week.

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Gulfstream (Florida):

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode three winners including both $100,000 stakes. He rides in Panama tomorrow (Sunday).

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Card: The 33rd edition of Louisiana Champions Day. Seven of the 13 races held $100,000+ purses.
• Race 9: Free Like a Girl (Vincente Del-Cid/Chasey Pomier) wired the field and won by more than four lengths. The 4-year-old filly is 32 15-8-5 lifetime with over $1,000,000 in lifetime earnings, a big total for a LA-bred.
• Jose Guerrero-Shane Wilson won three times as a tandem.

Oaklawn (Arkansas):

• What a Track!: Just two days into the meet and already stunning payouts.

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• Race 1: Hern (Keith Asmussen/Steve Asmussen) won the opener. The jockey, son to the trainer, passed the father on the all-time wins list 64-63. As stated yesterday, the father, who rode briefly, is the winningest trainer of all-time in North America with more than 10,000 wins.
• Race 7: Billy Jack (Keith Asmussen/Steve Asmussen) won at 21-to-1. The father-son combo won twice on this card.
• Race 9: The $.50 Pick 3 was $10,000+. However even that paled to the $.50 Pick 5 which returned an enormous $261,000. Winners were sent off at 3-to-1, 11-to-1, 20-to-1, 21-to-1 and 1-1.
• Martin Chuan-Brad Cox teamed twice for wins.

Los Alamitos (California):

• Race 9: Nothing Like You (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) gave the trainer his 10th Starlet victory and that includes the past seven years. The race is worth 10 points towards entry into the Kentucky Oaks. However, it appears Churchill Downs will not permit any Baffert-trained horses onto its properties in 2024 due to ongoing court drama and suspensions.

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