Hoosier Park begins its 18th season Wednesday, and patrons will immediately see what is new when they look at the infield. A new, state of the art video board has been installed, as well as new LED lights on the toteboard.
"It is a high quality picture that is just unbelievable," said general manager of racing Brian Elmore. "It is a16-foot by 24-foot LED board, it is really something to see."
DEL MAR, Calif. – The idea of being a Breeders’ Cup participant instead of a Breeders’ Cup spectator has fueled horse owner Jerry Durant’s increased investment in racing in the last year.
Through 2-year-olds in training sales in the spring, the recent paddock sale at Del Mar, and a bargain acquisition at the Keeneland horses of all ages sale in January, Durant has put together a team that could have runners in the Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on Nov. 2-3.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Divine Fortune has won the last two renewals of the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase. The 9-year-old gelding will try for a three-peat when he heads a full and talented field of jumpers that includes the multiple-Grade 1-winning Tax Ruling in the second of two hurdle races scheduled to kick off Thursday’s 11-race program at Saratoga.
The undefeated Cardiffbythesea, a 4-year-old Five Star Day gelding, scored an impressive victory in a second-level optional-claiming sprint at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sunday to run his record to three wins. His Beyer Speed Figure from Sunday’s race, an 88, comes on the heels of an 89 in his debut and a 93 in a Golden Gate allowance sprint in June.
Hansen has been assigned post 9 as the heavy favorite among a field of 10 3-year-olds entered in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby, the Grade 2 race that will be run Saturday for the 43rd time at Mountaineer Park in Chester, W.Va.
Hansen will be ridden by Mike Smith in the 1 1/8-mile West Virginia Derby, replacing regular jockey Ramon Dominguez, who is committed to ride instead at Saratoga. Le Bernardin, winner of the Grade 3 Pegasus at Monmouth Park in his last start, drew post 7 and will be ridden by Mike Luzzi as the logical second choice to Hansen.
The break will be key for Where’s Cain in Thursday’s fourth race at Louisiana Downs. The second-level allowance sprint is one of three high-end races on the card, which begins the meet’s most important week to date. On Saturday, four stakes will be run, led by the $100,000 Prelude, which is the prep for the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby on Sept. 8.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Isn’t He Perfect just can’t wait to get on the road again.
After running one of the fastest 1 1/8-mile races ever at Penn National in a losing cause Saturday night, the Aqueduct-based Isn’t He Perfect heads up the Northway to run in Thursday’s $100,000 Birdstone Stakes, where he will face the Todd Pletcher-trained trio of Alma d’Oro, Colizeo, and San Pablo; 2010 Ohio and Oklahoma Derby winner Pleasant Prince; and Hello Lover, third in the recent Greenwood Cup for Butch Reid.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The 2012 Saratoga meeting is only 10 days old, but New York Racing Association officials are already smiling, with both the business and attendance figures up from the corresponding dates of a year ago.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs officials on Tuesday revealed details for the new deluxe seating concept that will be built in the sixth-floor space that has served as the Joe Hirsch Media Center and the Gold Room for high-volume horseplayers since the track underwent a massive renovation completed in 2005.
AUBURN, Wash. - Mike Man’s Gold remained unbeaten in two Emerald Downs starts with an upset victory Sunday in the $45,000 Premio Esmeralda Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Confidently ridden by Javier Matias, Mike Man’s Gold moved readily to collar front-runner Cariboo Road midway around the turn and then held off fast-closing Finallygotabentley, with Gallyn Mitchell riding, to prevail by a half length. Mike Man’s Gold ran six furlongs in 1:10.04 and paid $20.20.
