Federal tax authorities have issued a notice saying that they intend to consider changes to the tax laws that are applied to parimutuel winnings, a step that could lead to a steep drop in the tax liabilities for horseplayers.
Wagering on U.S. races in February dropped 3.7 percent compared with the same month last year, while the number of races held at U.S. tracks dropped a similar amount, 3 percent, according to figures released Wednesday by Equibase.
Twentytwentyvision will have his first start against winners in a first-level optional $40,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Friday. Mandella is hoping the 4-year-old Twentytwentyvision can duplicate his recent win and move closer to a stakes.
Silentio has not raced since finishing last of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here last November. The layoff does not bother trainer Gary Mandella. It’s the competition and an expected big field for Saturday’s $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf that are greater concerns.
A murky pace scenario in the Santa Anita Handicap became clear Wednesday when trainer Eric Guillot confirmed that front-runner Moreno will make his 2015 debut Saturday in the Big Cap.
Ocho Ocho Ocho, unbeaten in three starts at age 2, is among a bulky field entered on Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes, an important prep at Santa Anita Park for both the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 and the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2.
Keen Ice, third most recently in the Risen Star Stakes, nudged his way onto this week’s top 20 of Derby Watch when a single spot opened up.
Representatives of the Jockeys’ Guild met on Tuesday with riders at Parx racetrack to stress that the jockeys should not sign a waiver sought by the track’s management as a condition of being covered for accident insurance, according to Guild officials.
Whereas the Thursday card at Gulfstream Park didn’t offer so much as one allowance race, Friday is tilted in the opposite direction: a $60,000 handicap and three allowances are part of an alluring 11-race program at the south Florida track.
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