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

[CHRDANHUTCH]

final article/photos from the Spring/Summer Meet @ Cumberland Raceway; Fall/Winter meet resumes in and around Fryeburg's dates ending in October;

First Tracks Cumberland – Maine Harness Racing

www.firsttrackscumberland.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Meadowlands after today resumes their schedule at the end of August;

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment -

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is a modern facility featuring live horse racing, dining, sports betting, private events, and more.

playmeadowlands.com

Maine Sire Stakes/Fair schedule (starts SUN);

Maine Standardbred Breeders & Owners Assoc. – Maine Sire Stakes

www.mainesirestakes.com

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

you guys brought up the hambletonian. i haven't looked at a meadowlands card in well over 15 years. some of the riders i was familiar are no longer listed in the entries. john campbell, jack moiseyev, and brian sears.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, August 3, 2024

• Off The Turf/Canceled: Tracks affected today included Belterra (OH), Colonial (VA); Saratoga (NY), Laurel (MD) and Delaware (DE). No track canceled a full card.

Saratoga (New York):

• Handle: $26.9 million, stunted by the cancellation of two stakes and the removal of all turf races.
• Junior Alvarado has turned into an exceptional rider in big races. He is 15th in North America in purse money earned this year but of those 15 riders, he has the second least mounts.
• Irad Ortiz, Jr. holds a 1-win advantage over Flavien Prat for meet leader among jocks.
• Race 11: Arthur's Ride (Junior Alvarado/Bill Mott) wired the field to win the $1,000,000 Grade I Whitney Stakes at 6-to-1 in his first graded stakes test. National Treasure (Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert), the favorite, finished off-the-board for the third time in three lifetime starts on a wet track. The $.50 tri paid a handsome $479.25 with 11-to-1 and 25-to-1 completing the ticket. The Florida-bred cost $250,000 at auction and now sports a mark of 7 4-2-0 with over $700,000 earned. The race was a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819854335880155343

• Race 8: Ways and Means (Flavien Prat/Chad Brown) won the Grade I $500,000 Test Stakes. The colt won a graded stakes for the first time in four tries among his six lifetime starts. He is 4 3-1-0 in four starts at the Spa.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819830354414354823

• Race 6: Ferocious (Javier Castellano/Gustavo Delgado), a $1.3 million Flatter colt, made his debut a very successful one. Sent off the favorite but at an attractive 7-to-2, won by more than seven lengths. More here: Ferocious Lives Up To His Name In Spa MSW

Meadowlands (New Jersey):

• Handle: $7.2 million.
• Dexter Dunn, a driver, won six times.
• Ake Svanstedt trained five winners.
• Race 14: Warrawee Michelle (Ake Svanstedt/Ake Svanstedt) pulled an upset at 13-to-1 to win the $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks in its 99th edition.
• Race 13: Nancy Takter trained the top three finishers in a $240,000 purse.
• Race 12: Karl (Yannick Gingras/Nancy Takter) won the $1.05 million Hambletonian in its 99th edition. Karl was sent off the favorite and closed strongly on a wet track. The trainer won this race last year.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819838635996504109

​

• Race 8: A 68-to-1 shot winner in a $220,000 purser.

Delaware Park (Delaware):

• Race 8: A field of four was four across in the stretch and almost as close at the wire.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Card: Three races at $250,000 billed as Kentucky Downs Preview.
• Race 7: Awesome Treat (Sophie Doyle/Justin Wojczynski) was the longest shot on the board at 25-to-1 and was victorious in the $250,000 Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes. Doyle returned to racing this year following a lengthy break for motherhood which she saw no racing in 2022 or 2023. Unofficially, the most recent stakes win for her came at Arlington (IL) in 2021. The race was marred by Ova Charged (Corey Lanerie/Shane Wilson), the Louisiana-bred sent off the favorite who fell and was subsequently humanely euthanized following the devastating injury. Ova Charged entered on a 7-race win streak and 15 wins in 18 career starts,
• Race 8: Cameo Performance (Luan Machado/Brendan Walsh) won the $250,000 Nashville Derby.
• Race 9: Tut's Revenge (Ricardo Santana, Jr./Michael Maker) won the $250,000 Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes.

Del Mar (California):

• Handle: Roughly $22 million.
• Race 10: Adare Manor (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) was sent off the favorite and won the $400,000 Grade I Clement Hirsch Stakes. The race was a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819912625058443282

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Today's TDN;

European Home

The European home page of the TDN is available via geolaction to our European subscribers, with all of the horse racing news and information you need.

www.thetdn.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

you guys brought up the hambletonian. i haven't looked at a meadowlands card in well over 15 years. some of the riders i was familiar are no longer listed in the entries. john campbell, jack moiseyev, and brian sears.

Meadowlands are getting coverage here because of the Standardbred/Harness angle which is what Maine has been forced to go to since the transition from Thoroughbreds to Standardbreds.... Saratoga also has a separate Harness division.... there's also Yonkers in New York alongside the NYRA Tracks and the Hambeltonian is like the Kentucky Derby of Harness Racing; there's also Plainridge in MA, that has taken the reins from Rockingham in NH AND Suffolk Downs.... Pocono also has their track in PA, which I've experienced before.... they kinda got lucky that those races that Saratoga had cancelled earlier in the day set Fox up for an extra bonus coverage .....

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

Meadowlands are getting coverage here because of the Standardbred/Harness angle which is what Maine has been forced to go to since the transition from Thoroughbreds to Standardbreds.... Saratoga also has a separate Harness division.... there's also Yonkers in New York alongside the NYRA Tracks and the Hambeltonian is like the Kentucky Derby of Harness Racing; there's also Plainridge in MA, that has taken the reins from Rockingham in NH AND Suffolk Downs.... Pocono also has their track in PA, which I've experienced before.... they kinda got lucky that those races that Saratoga had cancelled earlier in the day set Fox up for an extra bonus coverage .....

just brought back memories when i attempted betting on the trotters. those 3 riders if i remembered correctly were in the top 10 standings nationwide in earnings. i see that dave little is still riding. back then he was getting started and was really holding his own. almost every night he was bringing in horses paying $15 or more.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Meadowlands are getting coverage here because of the Standardbred/Harness angle which is what Maine has been forced to go to since the transition from Thoroughbreds to Standardbreds.... Saratoga also has a separate Harness division.... there's also Yonkers in New York alongside the NYRA Tracks and the Hambeltonian is like the Kentucky Derby of Harness Racing; there's also Plainridge in MA, that has taken the reins from Rockingham in NH AND Suffolk Downs.... Pocono also has their track in PA, which I've experienced before.... they kinda got lucky that those races that Saratoga had cancelled earlier in the day set Fox up for an extra bonus coverage .....

Canada seems to be plentiful with harness especially in the East. Red Shores is an hour ahead of Eastern Time Zone. I don't follow the sport like T-breds. It also seems that France has an ample supply.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

weather delays Fair season meet @ Topsham.... opening day of Fair meet cancelled; all cards drawn previously will be flipped to the next day; so today's card will be tomorrow, etc..... they couldn't reschedule to Wednesday so this is plan B;

Maine Standardbred Breeders & Owners Assoc. – Maine Sire Stakes

www.mainesirestakes.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Bloodhorse-SUN;

BloodHorse: Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Breeding, and Sales News, Data, Analysis, Photos, and Videos - BloodHorse

News and Analysis on Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Breeding, and Sales.

www.bloodhorse.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Erik Johnson (now of the Flyers) is part owner of Boston Phinest who is making a debut in Saratoga's sixth race. I believe another part owner is Sol Kumin who is from the Boston area.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

3rd race in saratoga just showed me how clever irad is at being a crook. dart to the inside, do enough to clear away from the horse that finished 3rd, and then look back to see if prat is behind and outside. a couple of taps, switches hands with the whip to then not show it in front of his horse's eyes. waits for prat to pass by.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, August 4, 2024

• Saffie Joseph, Jr. had a 5-win day which consisted of three wins at Gulfstream and two at Saratoga.

Saratoga (New York):

• Current Standings:

​

• Race 2: Next (Luan Machado/Doug Cowans) romped by 22 1/4 lengths to repeat a victory in the $150,000 Birdstone and extend his sin streak to six. The second place finisher was ahead of the next horse by 96 lengths per the chart. The 6-year-old winner has 12 wins in 22 starts.
• Race 9: The Queens M G (Dylan Davis/Saffie Joseph, Jr.) dominated the $200,000 Grade 3 Adirondack Stakes by nine lengths. Fresh off a win at 44-to-1 at Saratoga, the 2-year-old Thousand Words filly has had quite the meet. She cost a miniscule $3,500 with her career earnings now $254,000 after four races.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820217033620852945

Mountaineer (West Virginia):

• Card: Nine races highlighted by two graded stakes. No double wagering allowed as indicated on the charts. Hmmm.
• Florent Geroux-Brad Cox teamed to win both graded stakes, their only pairings.
• Race 8: Dragoon Guard (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) won the Grade 3 $500,000 West Virginia Derby.
• Race 7: Hit Show (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) won the Grade 3 $200,000 West Virginia's Governor's Cup Stakes.

Ellis Park (Kentucky):

• Card: Four stakes among 10 races. Three consecutive stakes -- beginning with the seventh race -- were determined by a head.
• Brian Hernandez, Jr., winner of this year's Kentucky Derby, rode three winners including two stakes.
• Race 7: Charcoal (Axel Concepcion/Tracey Wisner) was out for the 40th time yet won at 26-to-1 in the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint. The trainer is based in Indiana.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820187959833796943

• Race 8: Walkathon (Brian Hernandez, Jr./Ian Wilkes) won the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile Stakes as the favorite.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820197325899264072

• Race 9: Waves of Mischief (Brian Hernandez, Jr./Brendan Walsh) won the $400,000 Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820206868867973355

• Race 10: Highway Robber (Jareth Loveberry/Brian Lynch) won the $300,000 Kentucky Downs preview Turf Cup Stakes.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820212898540441690

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saratoga's (NY) card for Saturday, August 10.:

Highlights:

• The Fourstardave, the New York bred who ran exactly 100 times and won 21
• Two canceled stakes from Aug. 3.

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	7 F	Dirt	7	12:35 PM ET
2	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 F	Dirt	7	1:07 PM ET
3	$60,000	Claiming	6 F	Dirt	7	1:40 PM ET
4	$50,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	Turf	12	2:13 PM ET
5	$35,000	Claiming	6 1/2 F	Dirt	8	2:46 PM ET
6	$600,000	Saratoga Derby Invitational S.	1 3/16 M	Turf	8	3:20 PM ET
7	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 M	Turf	12	3:54 PM ET
8	$200,000	Saratoga Special S.	6 1/2 F	Dirt	9	4:29 PM ET
9	$300,000	Troy S.	5 1/2 F	Turf	13	5:04 PM ET
10	$500,000	Fourstardave H.	1 M	Turf	7	5:43 PM ET
11	$40,000	Starter Allowance	6 F	Dirt	7	6:17 PM ET
12	$150,000	Galway S.	5 1/2 F	Turf	13	6:50 PM ET

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Colonial Downs (VA) card for Saturday, Aug. 10:

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$56,250	Maiden Claiming	1 M	Turf	10	1:00 PM ET
2	$80,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 F	Dirt	8	1:30 PM ET
3	$60,000	Maiden Special Weight	5 1/2 F	Turf	8	2:00 PM ET
4	$70,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/16 M	Turf	11	2:30 PM ET
5	$100,000	Petramalo Mile S.	1 M	Dirt	7	3:05 PM ET
6	$100,000	Penny Chenery S.	7 F	Dirt	8	3:35 PM ET
7	$150,000	Andy Guest S.	5 1/2 F	Turf	8	4:05 PM ET
8	$150,000	Van Clief S.	5 1/2 F	Turf	12	4:40 PM ET
9	$500,000	Secretariat S.	1 M	Turf	9	5:20 PM ET
10	$500,000	Beverly D. S.	1 3/16 M	Turf	6	5:50 PM ET
11	$1,000,000	Arlington Million S.	1 1/4 M	Turf	6	6:40 PM ET
12	$70,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	5 1/2 F	Turf	11	7:20 PM ET

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Today's TDN;

European Home

The European home page of the TDN is available via geolaction to our European subscribers, with all of the horse racing news and information you need.

www.thetdn.com

Today's Bloodhorse;

BloodHorse: Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Breeding, and Sales News, Data, Analysis, Photos, and Videos - BloodHorse

News and Analysis on Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Breeding, and Sales.

www.bloodhorse.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

CANADA RACING TONIGHT​

Assiniboia Downs (MB)

• The Pick 5 pool could exceed $1 million.
• Live Stream --
  https://asdowns.com/racing/live-racing/

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$10,300	Claiming	5 1/2 F	Dirt	7	7:30 PM CT
2	$16,500	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 M	Dirt	7	8:00 PM CT
3	$18,000	Allowance	1 M	Dirt	8	8:25 PM CT
4	$13,200	Claiming	7 1/2 F	Dirt	8	8:50 PM CT
5	$50,000	Escape Clause S.	1 M	Dirt	9	9:15 PM CT
6	$50,000	Harvey Warner Manitoba Mile S.	1 M	Dirt	9	9:40 PM CT
7	$125,000	Manitoba Derby	1 1/8 M	Dirt	9	10:05 PM CT
8	$16,500	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 F	Dirt	9	10:35 PM CT

Hastings (BC)

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820520180004565178

Race	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
1	$50,000	BC Cup Debutante S.	6 1/2 F	Dirt	4	2:30 PM PT
2	$50,000	BC Cup Nursery S.	6 1/2 F	Dirt	5	3:00 PM PT
3	$25,000	Allowance	6 1/2 F	Dirt	5	3:30 PM PT
4	$50,000	BC Cup Hong Kong Jockey Club H.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	6	4:00 PM PT
5	$50,000	BC Cup Distaff H.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	6	4:30 PM PT
6	$50,000	BC Cup Classic H.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	6	5:00 PM PT
7	$50,000	BC Cup Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial H.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	8	5:30 PM PT
8	$15,000	Starter Optional Claiming	1 3/8 M	Dirt	7	6:00 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

$6.9 billion bet on North America racing through July is down about 3% from last year. Weather and external factors contributed to a decline but last year was more damaging from what I recall. That number isn't strong but the average number bet per day is up as average handle is $3.18 million on a daily basis. There have been 40 less race dates this year than last.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The 2-day Saratoga yearling sale is underway.

All posts have since been merged after the conclusion of Day One.

Vinny Viola and a partnership bought right out of the gate: a $425,000 Liam's Map colt.

Gun Runner is among the sires that will be in the spotlight tonight.

SARATOGA SALES OF YEARLINGS
$700,000 is the high so far with eight head sold.

SARATOGA SALES OF YEARLINGS
$1,000,000 to an Into Mischief colt.

Hip 34 seems very light in weight.
Sold at $175,000 which is small so far.

Steve Asmussen just showed up as a Gun Runner filly is on stage.

$550,000 for the Gun Runner girl.

Hip #44
Holy moly. Look at this Gun Runner filly. She is huge and that color is striking. A blonde mane?

$400,000 for that Gun Runner girl.

Hip 46:
That Into Mischief filly looks agitated.
Sold: $400,000.

Hip 57: $1.5 million to a Charlatan colt. Sales topper so far.

Hip 65: This is one that caught my eye... let's see where it goes.

Hip 65 -- $750,000 to a Gun Runner colt.

Number 72....Not This Time colt goes for a stunning $3.4 million.

Number 75 -- Gun Runner with an Unbridled's Song dam named Lady Godiva.

Look out... here we go.

Gun Runner and Unbridled? Deep pedigree, two Masters!
$1,700,000

Hip 89 was very rambunctious in the ring. Auctioneer had to pause after a brief scare to the auctioneer's aide.

Hip 97 -- A Tapit colt. The old man still got it. $1.5 million.

Hip #100 is a Justify filly, make that new inductee Hall of Famer Justify.
$375,000.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

note for fans/bettors of the Maine Fair circuit;

to watch starting tomorrow @ Topsham (1 pm post time)

https://www.youtube.com/@mainefairharnessracing

Bettors:

https://www.wager.hollywoodraces.com

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Monday, August 5, 2024

Assiniboia Downs (Manitoba):

• Handle: $3.7 million bet of which $1.9 million was added to the Pick 5 Jackpot.
• Card: Highlight was the Manitoba Derby.
• Race 7: Bricklayer (Luis Fuentes/Larry Gourneau) won the $126,000 Manitoba Derby at 6-to-1, Bricklayer has won three in a row including a victory at Churchill Downs. The winner seemed overlooked by bettors. Awesome Road (Antonio Whitehall/Rick Wise), who finished sixth, was sent off the favorite but has been winless in now seven straight starts since a victory in his debut at Ellis Park (KY).

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820665652673204593

Hastings (British Columbia):

• Handle: $1 million.
• Card: Six of the eight races were stakes or handicaps.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Recap of Day One of the Saratoga sale. The yearling sale concludes tonight.

• $38.9 million spent on 77 horses purchased, up about $8 million from 2023.
• The average price of $505,000 was up 21% from 2023.
• Six horses sold for $1,000,000 or more.
• The chart topper was a $3.4 million Not This Time colt.
• The second highest price spent was $1.9 million on a Curlin filly.
• The third highest was $1.7 million on a Gun Runner colt.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saratoga racing total handle for the meet currently is nearly identical to 2023.

Per David Grening DRF:

According to figures provided by the New York Racing Association, all-sources handle was $380,201,041, a 0.1 percent decrease from last year’s figure of $380,474,297.​

​

There have been 194 races run so far this meet with 73 on turf and 21 off, compared to last year when there were 194 races run with 72 on turf and 26 taken off and run on dirt. The average number of betting interests at this meet has been 7.94 compared to 7.62 last year through this same point of the meet.​

 

[Orr Fourever]

• 
  
• Card: Highlight was the Manitoba Derby.
• Race 7: Bricklayer (Luis Fuentes/Larry Gourneau) won the $126,000 Manitoba Derby at 6-to-1, Bricklayer has won three in a row including a victory at Churchill Downs. The winner seemed overlooked .

I was looking at the 3 & 4. I went with the 4. Am I ever a dummy...Hahahahahaha

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I was looking at the 3 & 4. I went with the 4. Am I ever a dummy...Hahahahahaha

It happens to all of us.. Good handle for the track.