Officials at Keeneland Race Course on Tuesday released the stakes schedule for the 17-day fall meet with little change from the status quo, with the notable exception of a 10th Win and You’re In event toward the Breeders’ Cup.
As usual, the meet is front-loaded with key preps toward the Breeders’ Cup, which is set for Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs. In all, the stakes schedule comprises 18 races worth nearly $5.6 million.
Delaware Park assistant starter Jesse Kisilewski has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission regarding an incident that occurred in the starting gate prior to the beginning of race 5 on June 14.
Kisilewski, who has been suspended by Delaware Park since the date of the incident, will be reinstated to his position, according to John Mooney, the executive director of racing at Delaware Park.
Since the start of 2016, and until this past Saturday, only 15 horses had earned a triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure over synthetic surfaces in North America. Hotshot Anna became the 16th when she got a 101 Beyer out of her win in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap, in which she set an Arlington seven-furlong track record of 1:20.93.
A reporter called and cursorily asked the Canterbury Park-based trainer Gary Scherer how he was doing Sunday evening.
“After today if I said I was doing bad you’d have to say I was a complete jerk,” Scherer said. “I guess I’m ecstatic right now.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In December 2014, owner Ron Paolucci put up $62,500 to claim Sr. Quisqueyano, turned the horse over to trainer Peter Walder and less than four weeks later they were all standing in the winner’s circle together celebrating an improbable victory as a 20-1 longshot in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic.
Solomini, who was 10th in the Kentucky Derby and third as a heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes on June 10 at Santa Anita, has been turned out at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, trainer Bob Baffert said over the weekend.
“He went off his form,” Baffert said.
Jerry Hollendorfer has the hot stable in California this summer.
Last Saturday and Sunday at Santa Anita, Hollendorfer won with six consecutive starters. Hollendorfer had four winners Saturday, the sixth occasion a trainer has had a four-timer at Santa Anita since the start of 2013.
Hollendorfer had two starters in Saturday’s second race, winning with Graycaster ($4.40) and finishing fourth with Italiano. Later on Saturday, Hollendorfer won with his next three runners – Sheer Flattery ($58.60), Facts Matter ($22.40), and Our Slick Chick ($9).
Prominent owner Charles Fipke has been ordered by the California Horse Racing Board to pay jockey Joel Rosario $110,000 as a result of a situation that developed last fall when Rosario was given the call to ride Forever Unbridled in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, but was replaced days before the race by John Velazquez.
Forever Unbridled won the BC Distaff, earning $1.1 million in prize money.
The National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization founded by prominent owner Rick Porter has announced both Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs, the sister tracks in Louisiana operated by Boyd Gaming, have committed funds to assist with the “rehoming” of horses in Louisiana.
