Churchill Downs Inc., one of the most influential racing companies in the U.S., has rejoined the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, seven years after dropping out of the organization.
As a result of the decision to rejoin, Churchill’s chief operating officer, Bill Mudd, has been appointed to the NTRA’s board of directors, the NTRA said.
A public-comment period on proposed new rules for the tax treatment of parimutuel winnings expires on Thursday, and 4,000 comments in support of the rules have been logged so far, according to an official with the association that organized the lobbying effort behind the rules.
The Downs at Albuquerque has boosted the purse of its signature race for Thoroughbreds to $200,000, according to a Wednesday announcement of the track's $2.5 million stakes schedule. The track opens its meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses on June 24.
The Downs at Albuquerque Handicap, which will be for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/8 miles Aug. 5, received a boost of $25,000.
"Our goal is to eventually get this race and the Fall Quarter Horse Championship graded," said Albuquerque director of racing Don Cook.
Dan Dufford, the stakes coordinator at Monmouth Park, died in his sleep following a short illness on Tuesday at age 66.
Dufford, a former trainer, won 139 races between 1976 and 1998. He went to work in the Monmouth racing office the following year. Dufford was instrumental in lining up horses to compete in Monmouth stakes, especially the Haskell Invitational.
Saturday is the final nomination deadline for the New York Breeders’ Futurity series at Finger Lakes. A $150 fee will make a 2-year-old eligible for two races, the $200,000-estimated Futurity and one of two $100,000 preps, either the Aspirant for colts and geldings or the Lady Finger Stakes for fillies.
Horses who were nominated before the early Dec. 31 deadline do not have to make a payment at this time. The owners of all nominated horses will have to make a $425 sustaining payment by May 31 and another $650 payment by July 31 to remain eligible.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Longtime Ontario owner-breeder William Gierkink, the father of Daily Racing Form handicapper Ron Gierkink, died last Sunday at age 85.
Gierkink managed James Sabiston’s Longview Farm for 30 years before retiring in the mid-1990s. He subsequently raced the popular Moonlight Beauty, a six-time stakes winner of nearly $900,000. He also bred stakes winners Bodust and Barath.
Last year, Gierkink campaigned Toronto Cup Stakes runner-up Rocket Plan, who wound up eighth in the Queen’s Plate.
Barbara D. Livingston, chief photographer of the Daily Racing Form, was one of three finalists announced Monday for the 11th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award.
The award was founded in 2006 by Ryan, the late owner of Castleton Lyons in Lexington, Ky., to recognize the best book focused on any aspect of Thoroughbred racing published in the previous year. The winner receives a $10,000 prize, the remaining two finalists receive $1,000 each, and all three receive Tipperary crystal statuettes of Castleton Lyons’s stone tower.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Tepin, the two-time reigning champion turf female, was scheduled to breeze for the first time in eight weeks Monday morning at the Palm Meadows training center, but the workout was aborted after the 6-year-old mare refused to go forward.
After approximately 30 minutes on the turf course - and several attempts to coax her into breezing by jockey Julien Leparoux - Tepin simply jogged the opposite, or wrong way, and was returned to her barn.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The single ticket jackpot carryover pool has reached $496,486 at Santa Anita after 98 ticketholders hit the pick six on Sunday.
The carryover sum is certain to attract attention for Thursday’s eight-race program, the next day of live racing.
ARCADIA, Calif. - There are two carryovers in Sunday’s pick six at Santa Anita - $126,168 in the main pick six pool and $413,075 in the single ticket jackpot pool.
The carryover was clinched when Itsinthepost ($15.60) won Saturday’s final race, the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes. Going into the race, Ashleyluvssugar, the 6-5 favorite, was covered in the single ticket pool and would have produced a payoff of $539,244 with a win. Ashleyluvssugar led to the turn but faded to finish third.
