Thu, 05/22/2025 - 12:57

Bigger fields, turf racing in focus as Canterbury opens meet

Coady Photography

There are three grass races on the eight-race opener.

Canterbury Park is making a concerted effort to appeal to horseplayers during its 51-date meet that opens Saturday night in Shakopee, Minn, and runs through Sept. 20.

The track is focused on increasing field and pool sizes, and it will again offer both a strong dose of turf racing and a reduced takeout on its pick five wager.

“I think what’s kind of become our calling card is the 10 percent takeout pick five,” said Jeff Maday, spokesman for Canterbury. “We’re going to offer that and we’ve moved it to start in race 2 every race day.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 21:16

Margie's Intention pointing for Delaware Oaks

By Patrick Moquin

Barbara D. Livingston

Margie's Intention wins the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan last Friday at Pimlico.

Margie’s Intention, winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 16, will most likely make her next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on June 14, Elliott Walden, president and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm said.

Walden said he favored the Delaware Oaks over a race like the Grade 1 Acorn in part because it gives Margie’s Intention one more week and the field won’t include undefeated Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer, who is pointing to the Acorn at Saratoga on June 6.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 14:13

California betting handle down in first four months of 2025

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

A portion of revenue from simulcasting and account wagering from Northern California has been redirected to purses at Santa Anita.

Handle at all racetracks in California showed a 5 percent decline through April compared to the first four months of 2024, according to figures announced by the California Horse Racing Board last week.

All-sources handle, including ontrack, satellite, and account wagering sources, was more than $816.3 million compared to more than $863.3 million in 2024. Compared to the first four months of 2023, when all-sources handle was $932.9 million, the amount wagered has declined 12.5 percent over the past two years.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 13:58

Purse redistributed after horse tests positive for banned drug

By Steve Andersen

The $23,450 purse of a starter allowance at Santa Anita on March 8 has been ordered redistributed after race winner Cee’s the Image tested positive for the banned muscle relaxant methocarbamol.

Cee’s the Image won the six-furlong race by 2 1/4 lengths at 15-1 and earned $14,040 of the purse. The prize was ordered forfeited by owners Laurie and Steven Hill, trainer Felix Rondan, and jockey Alfredo Bautista.

Last month, Rondan was fined $1,000 and suspended seven days for the infraction. The suspension was served in April.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 13:52

Fort Washington getting better and better

By David Grening

Justin N. Lane

Fort Washington won his second straight stakes in the Dinner Party on the Preakness undercard.

Fort Washington was one of the few New York-based horses to win at Pimlico last weekend, taking the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes by a length.

It was the second straight stakes win for Fort Washington, who in March won the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 13:52

Phileas Fogg targeting Suburban for next start

By David Grening

Debra A. Roma

Awesome Aaron (left) ran down Phileas Fogg (right) in the Pimlico Special on the Preakness undercard.

Phileas Fogg, second to Awesome Aaron in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 16, will be pointed toward the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban at Saratoga on July 4, trainer Gustavo Rodriguez said Wednesday.

Rodriguez noted that Phileas Fogg won last summer at Saratoga in an optional $62,500 claimer at 1 1/8 miles in his first start off the Rodriguez claim.

Though disappointed Phileas Fogg couldn’t win the Pimlico Special, Rodriguez overall was pleased with the performance.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 13:19

Capuano's 2-year-olds ready to get started

By Patrick Moquin

Sacred Thunder wins James Lewis at LRL Nov 9 2024

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

Sacred Thunder won the James Lewis III Stakes at Laurel Park last year as a 2-year-old for Gary Capuano.

Trainer Gary Capuano will send out his first juvenile runners of 2025 at Laurel Park in maiden special weights on Friday and Saturday. After an astounding campaign in the local 2-year-old division last year, Capuano is grappling with high expectations and is doing his best to manage them.

“Last year was crazy,” Capuano said. “Everything really fell into place. I told my help and my owners, I said, ‘Don’t expect that to happen again this year.’ That was just one of those years. Every 2-year-old I ran, except for one, won, and a lot of them kept going.”

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 12:38

Revamped infield ready for all-Quarter Horse meet

By Steve Andersen

Ty Wyant

Natural disasters last June and July led to the cancellation of the final six weeks of Ruidoso's meeting.

For the most part, racing life at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico has returned to normal in advance of Friday’s opening day, a change from the natural disasters last June and July that led to the cancellation of the final six weeks of the meeting.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 10:41

Trainer Neil Pessin retires

By Nicole Russo

Coady Photography

Neil Pessin's best horse was the Grade 1 winner Bell's the One, who earned over $2 million in her career.

Trainer Neil Pessin has announced his retirement from training, effective immediately. His retirement was first reported by the Thoroughbred Daily News.

“I’d like to keep training, but financially it’s very tough, and I was down to two maiden turf horses, one maiden-claimer, and it’s just not financially feasible to keep going,” Pessin told TDN, while also indicating that he plans to remain involved in the industry in some capacity. “I didn’t want to quit, but I really have no choice but to do so.”

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 10:39

Walsh weighs his top 3-year-olds' options after big Preakness weekend

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Brendan Walsh won a $50,000 bonus last weekend at Pimlico for having the highest point total among trainers in stakes run Friday and Saturday.

Kentucky-based trainer Brendan Walsh came home without the hardware from Pimlico’s major 3-year-old stakes, but with a hefty check, as his barn’s consistency through the weekend earned him top placing in the trainer bonus system offered by 1/ST Racing to horsemen in stakes races over Preakness weekend, May 16-17.

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