When American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes on June 6, he became only the 12th Triple Crown winner, and the first since 1978. Of the previous 11 horses, 10 continued to race, and in most cases they only further embossed their gold-plated accomplishments.
Each week DRF Harness will bring you PA Harness Week. This 30-minute show highlights the best of Pennsylvania harness racing as well as what is happening on the national scene.
As fans of harness racing we are always on the lookout for that special horse. Broadway Donna, one of many 2-year-old trotters competing in eliminations for rich finals to be contested on Hambletonian Day (Aug. 8), could be such an animal. She easily won the first of three Jim Doherty Memorial eliminations on a card that also featured two Peter Haughton Memorial elims.
Obey, the winner of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at Del Mar on Friday, is a 2-year-old who does not act her age. This has been highly beneficial this summer.
Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux will appear before Del Mar stewards on Aug. 15 for a hearing regarding a failed Breathalyzer test on Wednesday, the racing board announced on Friday.
Adding spice to an already solid card at Saratoga, there will be a pick six carryover of $309,846 into Saturday’s 11-race program.
Jerry Dutton, who owned, trained, and bred Thoroughbreds for more than 60 years in California, died on Thursday in Idaho, Del Mar publicity officials said on Friday. Dutton was 87.
Hall of Fame driver John Campbell suffered a broken wrist as a result of an accident during a 2-year-old baby race Friday morning at the Meadowlands.
Jill Jellison, part of the second wave of successful female jockeys in Thoroughbred racing, died Tuesday of breast cancer in a Rhode Island hospital at the age of 51, according to family friends.
Lesser company, more distance and an ideal trip combined to make Smart Transition a winner in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga.
