All-sources daily wagering was down slightly at the Turfway holiday meet that ended last Saturday night, according to figures released by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Per-day wagering averaged $1,583,827 during the 20-day meet, which began Nov. 30. That was down 3.6 percent from the $1,642,549 averaged during a 15-day holiday meet in December 2015.
Turfway Park will recognize the remarkable career of Perry Ouzts during a ceremony between races Friday night at the northern Kentucky track. Perry Ouzts Day is an effort to heighten awareness of a fan-driven initiative to get the 62-year-old jockey into the Racing Hall of Fame.
With 6,712 career victories, Ouzts ranks 11th all time among North American jockeys and third among active riders behind only Edgar Prado (6,932) and Mario Pino (6,777).
PHOENIX – Turf Paradise canceled live racing Tuesday after a spill and fatal breakdown in day’s first race. The track had canceled the racing cards of Jan. 1 and 2 after heavy rain hit the Phoenix area over the weekend.
Running for Annie, ridden by Jake Barton, was well back while racing wide into the lane in Tuesday’s opener, a maiden-claiming sprint, when she broke down and fell. The Paulick Report reported that Barton did not suffer any serious injury, though Running for Annie had to be euthanized.
Trainer Brendan Walsh is running a Fair Grounds string for the first time this winter, and his horses, particularly two older dirt-route horses, have been doing well.
The 5-year-old Honorable Duty won the Tenacious Stakes around two turns on dirt Dec. 17 and is set to make his next start in the Jan. 21 Louisiana Stakes. The 4-year-old Egyptian scored in a sharp first-level, two-turn dirt allowance Dec. 29 and, while not as advanced as his stablemate, also seems headed in the right direction.
Saturday was a good day – almost great – for the Brad Cox stable’s 3-year-old filly grass horses.
At Fair Grounds, Believe in Bertie ran off the screen in the $75,000 Pago Hop, setting a course record for one mile in an eye-popping performance. At Santa Anita, Sassy Little Lila ran an excellent race but was nipped at the wire by Decked Out in the Grade 1 American Oaks.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Chad Brown, Jose Ortiz, and Michael Dubb were the dominant connections on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2016.
Brown was the leading trainer at NYRA tracks with 135 winners and $15,041,606 in purse earnings. It was the second straight year that Brown was the leading trainer at NYRA tracks; he won 131 races in 2015. Rudy Rodriguez finished second in wins last year with 127 and was followed by Todd Pletcher (112), Linda Rice (91), and David Jacobson (60).
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Following Send It In’s victory in Saturday’s Alex M. Robb Stakes, owner Paul Pompa Jr. mentioned the possibility of shipping the horse to south Florida for either the $12 million Pegasus or the $400,000 Poseidon, both Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park.
On Monday, however, Pompa said Send It In will stay in New York for the time being.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Wonder Gal, a 5-year-old stakes-winning New York-bred mare, was recently sold privately. She will attempt to recoup some of her new owner’s investment in Saturday’s $100,000 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct.
The Clearview Stable of Bernard Cleary purchased Wonder Gal over the weekend from owner Jeff Treadway. Though Wonder Gal was purchased primarily as a broodmare prospect, she was being trained for the Ladies, which closed Monday with a five-horse field.
ARCADIA, Calif. – One day after Midnight Storm’s win in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, the 6-year-old was being considered for two races. One thing is likely – Midnight Storm’s next race will be a Grade 1 on the main track.
Midnight Storm won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf last June and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile here in November. His last two starts have come on dirt, and he won them both – the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 27 and the San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.
ARCADIA, Calif. – John Shirreffs not only trains Gormley, he’s a bit of a fan.
When Gormley walked off the track after a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita on Monday, Shirreffs took a moment to take a few photos.
“I got a new camera for Christmas,” Shirreffs said. “I love photography anyway.”
Gormley could be the subject of many photos in the coming months. Already a Grade 1 winner, having won the FrontRunner Stakes here on Oct. 1, Gormley will have his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Sham Stakes at a mile.
