ARCADIA, Calif. – The idea was discussed in earnest among four Southern Californians during a regular Saturday golf game on May 19, the morning of the Preakness Stakes.
By the end of the round, the four men, all devoted sports fans, decided to buy a pick six ticket at Santa Anita. By the end of the afternoon, the quartet had invested $960 and collected $714,919.
“I’ve hit the pick sixes through the years,” said Doug, one member of the group. “None as big as this one.”
Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colo., has added Monday racing to its calendar for the 39-date meet that opens Saturday. The track features Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. The meet runs through Aug. 12.
Arapahoe will race every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and also plans to race on the Fridays of June 1, June 29, July 27, and Aug. 10. The cards on Fridays will largely be for trial races, said Bill Powers, plant manager and racing secretary for Arapahoe.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Diversify, last as the 6-5 favorite in the $1.2 million Charles Town Classic April 21 in his 5-year-old debut, will drop back into New York-bred company in Monday’s $200,000 Commentator Stakes as part of the New York Showcase Day program.
Diversify was beaten a nose by Weekend Hideaway in last year’s Commentator, but then went on a three-race winning streak that culminated with a front-running score in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Veteran racing official Pat Pope has been hired as racing secretary at Belmont Park, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday.
Pope will continue to be the racing secretary at Oaklawn Park, where he has served in that capacity since 1995, and holds that same position at Prairie Meadows, which is running a Thoroughbred meet through Aug. 11. Pope will come to Belmont on May 30 and work here for three weeks before returning to Prairie Meadows to complete that meet.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Trainer Wayne Catalano has entrants in five races on an appealing nine-race card Friday at Arlington, and all of them appear to have at least a decent chance, including One Liz, who starts in the featured fourth race.
The feature, set for 4:37 p.m. Central, has multiple high-end allowance conditions, an $80,000 claiming option, and is carded for six furlongs on Polytrack.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Jim Gulick left Arlington in 2012 and didn’t train a string here again until 2017. He had some early-season success last year, but nothing like this May.
Gulick has run five horses at the meet, and all have won. His lone loss came with a maiden named Speared, who promptly returned to capture the first race Saturday at odds of 46-1. Later on that card, things got even better when Princess La Quinta won the Grade 3, $100,000 Arlington Matron, the first graded stakes score in Gulick’s long career.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The best 3-year-old grass horse stabled at Arlington won’t be running in the first 3-year-old turf stakes this season at Arlington.
To put it another way, Captivating Moon isn’t starting Saturday in the Arlington Classic.
“I think we’re going to pass that and wait for the American Derby,” said Chris Block, who trains Captivating Moon for owner and breeder Bob Lothenbach. The American Derby will be run July 7.
Sweet home Louisiana.
Monte Man has fit right into the Pelican State program since relocating from New York, and on Saturday night he will be seeking to win his fifth straight race in Louisiana when he runs in the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Sprint at Evangeline Downs.
“He’s a Louisiana-bred . . . this is where he’s meant to be for sure,” said trainer Ron Faucheux.
The Sprint, which is for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs, is one of seven statebred stakes on a card worth $600,000.
Fear the Cowboy has earned almost $1.2 million in his three starts this year – but he has yet to win a race. It’s a statistical oddity and one the multiple stakes winner will carry into Sunday’s running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap.
Ruidoso Downs has undergone extensive changes since its new ownership took over in October. Patrons returning for the 47-date meet that opens Friday will find upgrades to the grandstand and its casino, as well as updated wagering technology. There also are expanded racing integrity protocols in place, and a pair of bonuses tied to the meet’s top races for Quarter Horses, led by the $3 million All American Futurity.
The moves have been made by new owners John Andreini, Narciso Flores, Stan Sigman, and Johnny Trotter.
