LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs officials initially wanted a Downs After Dark theme that had something to do with the jungle, but why not pay homage to your latest Kentucky Derby winner at the same time? Thus was born a clever “Animal Kingdom” idea that thousands of racegoers will revel in Friday evening, more than six months since a colt by the same name thundered home a winner in Derby 137.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Activity around the racetrack, grandstand, and barn area at Gulfstream Park is in full swing, with the Dec. 3 opening of the 2011-2012 meeting just around the corner.
Construction crews are working feverishly to complete the track’s $3 million capital improvement program in time for the opener, which comes one month earlier than Gulfstream’s traditional Jan. 3 opening date.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Kiss in the Forest is drawn outside the other speed in Friday’s seventh race at Woodbine, which could give her an advantage in the six-furlong allowance for 2-year-old fillies.
Kiss in the Forest placed in all three of her starts for trainer Mark Frostad. She led the way before weakening to third in her Aug. 1 debut, and subsequently finished third again after flashing speed, in another six-furlong maiden special on the grass.
Portland, OR—The big story out of Leg 1 of the McFadden Memorial Sprint Claiming Series at Portland Meadows was the big performances from the two classy runners from Canada, Rallying Cry and Colonel Courtney. Flying under their shadow, was the winner of the second division, a humble claiming runner named D Devil who swept up from far behind to get up and win on November 2nd. D Devil is a 9 year old Oregon bred who has competed at the races 99 times in his career that as of Wednesday November 16th, Leg 2 of the Sprint Claiming Series,
Portland, OR— The two divisions of Leg 1 of the McFadden Memorial Sprint Claiming Series presented handicappers with some unique circumstances for wagering, and with Leg 2 coming up on Wednesday November 16th, we wanted to take a look at each race and some of the leading contenders and talk about the trips and circumstances that each runner had in Leg 1. First of all, the track that day appeared to have been hindering to early speed as 8 of the 9 races on November 2nd were won from off the pace, with the lone wire-to-wire winner coming in race 1 as Ma
Charles Town has been granted 235 live racing dates for the 2012 season by the West Virginia Racing Commission.
The track will race four days a week during July, August, and September, and five days a week in the remaining nine months.
Three fillies and a colt who combined to win 19 races this season at Finger Lakes are the four finalists for the horse of the meet at the western New York track.
The 4-year-old fillies Lisa’s Booby Trap and Turned to Gold, 3-year-old filly Nicole’s Miss El, and 3-year-old colt Winners Laugh are the finalists for the award, which will be announced, along with the best performers in various categories, at the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association’s annual dinner on Saturday.
Locally based Lay Line Force, whose most recent victory came 2 1/2 months ago in a nonwinners-of-three-lifetime allowance, outran recent Grade 3 winner Matthewsburg to win Tuesday night’s $75,000 Sophomore Sprint for 3-year-olds at Mountaineer Racetrack.
Racing over a sealed, muddy surface, Lay Line Force ($11) rushed up to challenge Charles Town shipper Aaron’s Way after a half-mile in 45.56 seconds, took the lead at the top of the stretch, and drew off to win by 4 3/4 lengths under Pablo Tolentino. The winning time was 1:10.49.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Charlie Livesay took out his first trainer’s license late in the year 1958. More than five decades later, he will have a decent chance to win the first graded stakes of his career when Cherokee Lord starts Saturday in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Livesay, 78, will drive his horse, last-out winner of the $125,000 Remington Green, from Hawthorne to Churchill by van late this week.
“He’s doing fine right now,” Livesay said. “I think he deserves to run in there.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Ron McAnally doesn’t have the large stable he once had, but the Hall of Fame trainer hasn’t lost his touch. He will send out Goldwaki in Saturday's Hollywood Turf Cup, is readying All Star Heart for the Matriarch Stakes on Nov. 25, and has one of the most promising 2-year-old fillies on the West Coast in Charm the Maker, who is headed to the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 10 following her victory Sunday in the Sharp Cat Stakes.
