The West Virginia Racing Commission has approved a 220-day racing season at Charles Town in 2015, although a shorter meet likely will be run.
Under state law, Charles Town must apply for at least a 220-day season. The track reported that it has reached an agreement with the local division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association to reduce the number of days to 193 and has requested the commission amend the schedule.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – At age 94, Jerry Bozzo may well be the oldest active trainer in North America. What is certain is that Bozzo will be the oldest trainer to win a stakes race at Gulfstream Park in 2014 if his homebred 3-year-old filly Flutterby can repeat her last race and defeat nine rivals in Wednesday’s $50,000 Golden Beach Handicap.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The popular Sunshine Millions program will undergo some changes when contested at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 17. Purses for the five stakes races on the card have been reduced by $350,000 in total, that money withdrawn by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association to be reallocated to other Florida-bred stakes during the year.
As a result, the Sunshine Millions will no longer be carded exclusively for Florida-breds but will also be open to horses bred in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Atreides bounced back from his only loss in five career starts and earned a berth in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope on Jan. 10 by overcoming early trouble to register a 4 1/2-length victory over Dudeman and six other overmatched 3-year-olds in Sunday’s $50,000 Aventura Handicap.
Atreides, now 4 for 4 at Gulfstream, suffered his only setback in his previous start, finishing a disappointing sixth as the even-money favorite following a rough trip in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby.
La Verdad raced 13 times between November 2013 and this Thanksgiving, using her blazing speed to win five stakes. Trainer Linda Rice is giving La Verdad some time off but intends to race her in 2015.
La Verdad, 4, tired while facing males in the slop in the Fall Highweight Handicap on Thanksgiving. She has since been sent to Patty Hogan’s Fair Winds Farm in New Jersey for a breather and is scheduled to rejoin Rice’s stable in February.
As the week began, New York Racing Association stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes had five probable starters for the $100,000 Queens County Stakes on Saturday.
The expected runners are Micromanage and Percussion for Todd Pletcher, Stormin Monarcho (David Jacobson), Elnaawi (Kiaran McLaughlin), and Don Dulce (Jason Servis).
Stormin Monarcho enters in sharp form, having won stakes at Penn National, Laurel Park, and Delaware Park since September. Jacobson also could start Wealth to Me, an optional-claiming winner in the slop at Laurel Park last Saturday.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – People in racing, whether they are owners, trainers, or bettors, have learned through painful experience that one dazzling performance does not necessarily qualify a horse as a star. But those who were on hand at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, when Catalina Red demolished his eight rivals in the $66,000 Inaugural Stakes, had to come away thinking that this horse has a very bright future.
Golden Gate Fields said it will offer 12 stakes during its 97-day winter-spring meet, which begins Dec. 26.
The stakes schedule is identical to that offered during the 2013-14 meet, with the exception of date changes for a pair of $100,000 turf races for 3-year-old California-breds.
The Campanile for 3-year-old fillies and Silky Sullivan for 3-year-olds will be run on April 26, the day after the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile is run. The Campanile and Silky Sullivan were run in June in 2014.
Acceptance, the unbeaten winner of the Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, worked seven furlongs in 1:23.80 on Sunday, preparing for a start in the $200,000 King Glorious Stakes for California-breds over a mile next Sunday at Los Alamitos.
“He seems to be doing really well,” said co-owner and breeder Bud Johnston. “He’d never been around there. The track is pretty fast and he worked well. He seemed to handle everything beautifully.”
Maybellene, second in the four-runner Desi Arnaz Stakes over seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 16, will be trainer Bob Baffert’s lone hope in the $350,000 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles next Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Sunday at Santa Anita, Maybellene worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds.
“She’s all set,” Baffert said. “She’s been solid so far.”
