LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Star jockey Florent Geroux and his longtime agent Doug Bredar will soon part ways after more than 12 years during which Geroux amassed nearly $140 million in purse earnings.
Following the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, Geroux will be represented by New York-based agent John Panagot, who will continue to book mounts for Manny Franco on their home circuit.
The Prairie Meadows board of stewards has issued a summary suspension to a veterinarian after he was found to be “in possession of prohibited substances” and had allegedly falsified veterinary records that were submitted to state racing officials, according to a copy of the ruling provided by the state racing commission.
The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission has summarily suspended a jockey and two trainers after investigators conducted a sweeping surveillance operation at Parx Racing near Philadelphia on Sept. 23 and found illegal electrical devices and loaded syringes, according to rulings posted by the commission and the racing organization that led the effort.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The undefeated stakes winner Cave Rock and the expensive colt Hejazi will form trainer Bob Baffert’s powerful team in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita on Oct. 8.
The $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is a key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Nov. 4.
Cave Rock won his debut in a maiden special weight race by six lengths at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 13, and followed with an equally impressive win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity by 5 1/4 lengths at seven furlongs on Sept. 11.
Perhaps in another year, trainer Bob Baffert would enter the Breeders’ Cup Classic brimming with confidence after his talented 3-year-old Taiba rolled to a three-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby.
But in a year in which Taiba has to face the undefeated Flightline - a 19 3/4-length winner of the Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 - Baffert is measured in his optimism. He also believes that Flightline isn’t the only top older male pointing to the Classic.
CYPRESS, Calif. - The $2 pick six has a mandatory payout on Sunday’s closing day of the Los Alamitos September meeting, and starts with a carryover of $56,125 from Saturday.
The pool of new money on Sunday may exceed $300,000.
The pick six covers the sixth through 11th races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.
The hearing officer who was set to issue recommendations in an appeal filed by the connections of Medina Spirit over the colt’s disqualification from last year’s Kentucky Derby has recused himself after one of the lawyers in the case bought a horse at auction that the hearing officer co-owned, according to officials involved.
Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., experienced a more than 9 percent increase in average daily handle during its 64-date meet that closed Saturday night.
Canterbury handled an average $1,525,250 a card this season, according to a press release from the track. Canterbury brought back Saturday racing for the first time since 2019. The track’s total handle of $97,615,998 for the season was up 7 percent over last year and ranks as a record for Canterbury.
Canterbury’s meet includes races for both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
Handle at all racetracks in California have failed to keep pace with 2021 through August, according to figures announced at the California Horse Racing Board meeting last Thursday.
All-sources handle, including ontrack, simulcast and account wagering, was $2.11 billion, down 3 percent from $2.17 billion through August 2021. Account wagering, a source of growth in the last 20 years, was down 10 percent from $864.6 million in 2021 to $778.4 million this year.
Trainer Charlie Appleby won three Breeders’ Cup races last fall at Del Mar and it became quite evident Saturday that he will again be well represented at this year’s two-day Breeders’ Cup event Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland with at least two prominent players.
Appleby won three graded stakes in North America on Saturday with Mysterious Night and Modern Games dominating two Grade 1s at Woodbine and Nations Pride doing the same in the Grade 3, $1 million Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct.
