Parlo, one of the few fillies to ever win both the Delaware Oaks and Delaware Handicap, and Hall of Fame trainer Buddy Delp are among the sixth group of inductees announced Wednesday to Delaware Park’s Wall of Fame.
The other three honorees are former jockey Eldon Nelson, owners Walter and Sarah Jeffords, and Bayard Sharp, an original member of Delaware Park’s board of directors.
OMAHA, Neb. – Diamond Joe headlines a field of seven 3-year-old Nebraska breds going a mile in the $27,500 Skunktail Stakes on Friday as Horsemen’s Park begins the second weekend of its summer festival of racing.
This year’s festival was expanded from its traditional four-day, single-weekend format to two three-day weekends. The meet’s highlight is the $30,000 Omaha Stakes slated for Sunday.
Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, Royal Delta, and five-time graded stakes winner Awesome Maria will resume their rivalry in Saturday’s Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park.
The $750,000 Delaware Handicap is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In series, guaranteeing the winner a berth into thie fall’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.
Jockey Mario Gutierrez, who rode I’ll Have Another to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will be at Northlands Park this weekend. Gutierrez will meet and greet fans for an autograph signing session on Friday night. Saturday, he will ride Commander in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy. Commander figures to be a solid favorite in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.
Fans will be able meet with Gutierrez on the tarmac Friday beginning at 8 p.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As a former assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, Michelle Nihei knows a little something about winning races at Saratoga.
In the three summers she has spent here since going out on her own, however, success has not come readily for the 42-year-old Canadian-born trainer. That could change this year.
Nihei has brought 15 horses to Saratoga and has another 18 stabled at Belmont Park as she tries to establish some New York roots.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While there will be 54 stakes races run here this meet, not all will have the anticipation that comes with virtually every 2-year-old maiden race run at Saratoga.
The potential unveiling of racing’s next star is the backbone of each Saratoga summer, and this year there could be more 2-year-old races than in years past.
In the last month, the New York-based jockey Julien Leparoux has traveled to ride at tracks in Kentucky, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Canada, and California.
The one place he didn’t visit enough this summer was the Belmont Park winner’s circle.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – There is something about the majesty of Thoroughbreds that can bring grown men to tears and Herbie D had trainer Rob Gilker pretty choked up when he won an optional $40,000 claiming race at Hastings last Sunday.
BOSSIER CITY, La. – Louisiana Cup Day at Louisiana Downs is still over a month away and along with it the $100,000 Cup Turf Classic, but anticipation is already running high. The Turf Classic promises to be one of the most competitive of the eight events restricted to Louisiana-breds on the afternoon of Aug. 18.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – For the umpteenth time at the Woodbine meet, trainer Mark Casse will send out two contenders in a feature race, when he runs Eagle Hall and Silent Moon in the fourth on Friday.
Eagle Hall could be favored over Silent Moon in the second-level optional claimer on the grass. Thislilsoulofmine also figures to garner significant support, even though the nine-furlong distance is shorter than what she prefers.
