LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Saving the best for last is a concept rarely employed by racing secretaries, given that the last race of any given program typically is not of very high quality.
But an exception to that rule arises Thursday at Churchill Downs, where the last race happens to be the best one on a nine-race program. It’s a $54,000, second-level turf sprint that drew a terrific field of 10 older horses, most of them with stakes experience.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Jeter is back in the lineup Thursday!
No, not New York Yankees’ star shortstop Derek Jeter, but rather the Thoroughbred version, who will be in action for the first time since November for new trainer Kelly Breen in Thursday’s seventh race at Belmont Park.
Like his namesake, Jeter has been something of a fan favorite. He went to the post as the public’s choice six times for former trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., beginning with a lengthy maiden triumph last year off a layoff of nearly six months.
Suffolk Downs has begun withholding 5 percent of the winnings on any bet generating a net payout of greater than $600 in order to comply with an order by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, according to track officials.
Suffolk, which opened on June 1, was notified on May 20 about the requirement to withhold the money, according to a memo from the Department of Revenue provided by Suffolk. The memo said that a change to tax laws regarding gambling winnings passed by the Massachusetts legislature in 2011 required the withholding as of the start of 2013.
The Grande Dame of Northern California racing will make start No. 85 in Friday’s first race at Golden Gate Fields, a $20,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Two Thirds Victory, an 8-year-old mare by Peteski’s Charm, has 10 wins, 18 seconds, and 10 thirds while earning $276,835. She ran nine times as a 2-year-old, and with the exception of 2009 when she went to the sidelines for 14 months because of a broken left ankle, she has double-digit starts in every year. Friday’s start is her eighth of this year.
ELMONT, N.Y. – After having their works postponed 24 hours by heavy showers here Monday, Vyjack and Giant Finish became the last two members of this year’s bulky Belmont Stakes field to turn in their final official trials following the renovation break Tuesday.
New York Racing Association officials would have loved to be able to bottle up Tuesday’s weather and save it for Saturday, with sunny skies, no humidity, and temperatures hovering around 60 degrees when training began at 5:30 a.m.
There will be two memorial services held in Florida for Charles W. Camac, a longtime starter in New Jersey and south Florida, who died May 24 at the age of 78 because of Alzheimer’s Disease.
On June 13, a service will be held at Calder Race Course. A second service will be held June 15 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in Ocala.
Chris Camac, a son of Charles, is assistant racing secretary for the New York Racing Association.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Zenyatta’s undefeated baby sister Eblouissante moved another step closer to her much-anticipated local debut after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.43 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.12 here at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Eblouissante opened her career with two popular victories, the first a 4 1/4-length maiden win at Hollywood Park last November, the second a 1 1/4-length entry-level allowance race in her only 4-year-old appearance on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita. Both victories came at 1 1/16 miles.
ELMONT, N.Y. - It’s not just in the Belmont Stakes where trainer Shug McGaughey will try and reload. In addition to sending out Kentucky Derby winner Orb, the beaten favorite in the Preakness, McGaughey on Saturday will run Point of Entry in the Manhattan, Hungry Island in the Just a Game, and the vastly improved sprinter Reload in the True North.
ELMONT, N.Y. - When it comes to his undefeated New York-bred filly Lovely Syn, owner Michael Parisi said he’s just “enjoying the ride.”
Lovely Syn made it 4 for 4 with a devastatingly easy 10 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies.
Despite being eased late by jockey Javier Castellano, Lovely Syn ran seven furlongs in 1:21.58, a full second faster than the 4-year-old filly Clear Pasaj did winning the Dancin Renee and .06 of a second faster than Amberjack ran winning the Mike Lee for 3-year-old males, both on the same card.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Saginaw emerged from his half-length victory in Saturday’s Affirmed Success Stakes here at Belmont Park “excellent,” according to trainer David Jacobson, who is now looking ahead to running the game 7-year-old gelding at Saratoga this summer.
“The race before took more out of him than this race,” said Jacobson, referring to a starter allowance race Saginaw won by a nose carrying 130 pounds on May 12.
