Santa Anita for its upcoming meeting has revamped its list of stakes leading to the Santa Anita Handicap in March, increased purses for 20 graded stakes, and boosted the purse of the Santa Anita Derby to seven figures for the first time since 2011.
Santa Anita will run from Dec. 26 through June 29, but the track has released its stakes schedule for only the winter-spring meeting, covering racing through April 20. The stakes schedule for late April through June will be published in early 2014.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The incentives implemented by the New York Racing Association for Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile certainly worked, as 11 horses – led by Breeders’ Cup winners Groupie Doll and Goldencents – were entered Wednesday for the one-turn, one-mile race at Aqueduct.
Because it is the only graded stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, the Demoiselle Stakes, which will be run for the 92nd time Saturday at Aqueduct, is closely watched by followers of the sport looking for future stars.
A year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher won his fourth Demoiselle with Unlimited Budget, who was making only her second career start.
Five veteran jockeys, including Scott Stevens – the older brother and early mentor of Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens – and Aaron Gryder, whose major wins include the Dubai World Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, are the finalists for the 2014 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, it was announced on Wednesday by Santa Anita.
The other finalists are David Amiss, Dennis Carr, and Corey Lanerie, who, like Gryder and Stevens, are respected veterans with more than 20 years of experience each.
The documentary “Breeders’ Cup 30-1: Greatest Moments in Breeders’ Cup History,” which aired on NBCSN last month and chronicles the best races of the 30 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, will be available on DVD at www.breederscupshop.com beginning Dec. 16.
The original one-hour documentary, produced by the Breeders’ Cup, The Hennegan Bros., and NBC Sports, has been updated and expanded to include Mucho Macho Man’s thrilling nose victory over Will Take Charge in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Aqueduct and Finger Lakes have both canceled their Wednesday cards because of inclement weather.
Aqueduct canceled its nine-race card due to rain and high winds. Both Aqueduct and Belmont were scheduled to be open for simulcasting.
It was the second straight live racing card canceled at Aqueduct as Sunday’s card was scrapped due to high winds.
Over an inch of rain had fallen in the area overnight, and up to another inch was possible throughout Wednesday. Sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour were forecast with gusts up to 40 miles per hour.
Penn National in Grantville, Pa., and Charles Town in Charles Town, W.Va., each canceled their Tuesday race cards as a major storm moved northeast toward the East Coast. The storm is scheduled to begin Tuesday, intensify Tuesday night, and bring a mix of rain and snow to the area through Wednesday afternoon. Both tracks are scheduled to resume racing Wednesday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The pick six paid $169,375 at Betfair Hollywood Park on Sunday after a two-day carryover of $226,598 led to a seven-figure pool.
The winners of the pick six races, the fourth through ninth, were Indianapolis ($8.20), Magic Number ($11.40), My Secret Affair ($10.40), Rousing Sermon ($6.60), Luxuriance ($10.60), and Valarta ($38.20).
Going into the final leg, a maiden claimer for sprinters, the outsider Ilovefools was the only horse not covered on a pick six ticket.
Bettors added $1,161,097 to the pick six pool Sunday.
