Purses for Kentucky-breds at Ellis Park got another big boost during opening weekend at the western Kentucky track when an additional $1 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund was transferred from Kentucky Downs.

Maiden-specials with a maximum purse of $50,000 now are worth as much as $60,000, with allowances also getting an identical $10,000 hike, according to Ellis racing secretary Dan Bork. The raises became effective Sunday and do not apply retroactively to the first two cards of a 23-day meet that began July 8.

Average daily handle was up but all-sources handle was down at the 2022 Belmont spring/summer meet compared to last year.

With 44 days of racing - and 35 fewer races - this year compared to 48 days in 2021, all-sources handle was $591,250,409, down 6.4 percent from last year’s figure of $632,208,251. The average daily handle was $13,437,509, a 2 percent increase over last year’s daily average of $13,171,005.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Marceline looks like a 3-year-old filly with a bright future based on both her pedigree and a dominant maiden special weight win earlier this month at Lone Star Park.  

The daughter of Into Mischief rolled by 7 1/2 lengths in her two-turn debut July 2, and galloped out strongly following the race. She is out of the Grade 2-winning mare Authenticity, making her a half-sister to $4 million earner Charlatan.  

Trainer John Ortiz said Joyful Cadence has stakes options at Del Mar and Saratoga following her cruising win in the $100,000 Saylorville on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.

Joyful Cadence rolled by more the five lengths, while winning in hand. The daughter of Runhappy is a half-sister to Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer.

“She’s the queen,” said Ortiz.

Tyler’s Tribe put up one of this year’s top Beyer Speed Figures for a 2-year-old when he earned an 86 for a more than eight-length romp in Saturday night’s $100,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows.

“That’s pretty big for a little Iowa-bred,” said Tim Martin, who co-owns and trains Tyler’s Tribe.

The number ranks third among 2-year-olds in North America, with filly Munnys Gold leading the charge with a 101 on June 17 at Monmouth Park and Gulfport next with a 91 on July 4 at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Six jockeys broke horses out of the starting gate in the reconstructed Wilson Chute at Saratoga on Tuesday in a sort of trial race and walked away feeling a bit more comfortable about the logistics of running a race from there. However, the riders were not willing to commit to a definite maximum number of horses to run in a race until after they ride a real race from the chute on Thursday.

The veteran trainer Kelly Von Hemel has been in racing long enough to know how difficult it can be for plans to come together with a horse. But when they do, it can be, well, grand. 

Ain’t Life Grand hit a major target set by owner RPM Thoroughbreds and Von Hemel when he won Saturday night’s $300,000 Iowa Derby at his home track of Prairie Meadows. He defeated a notable field at 11-1 and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ontario Racing’s Thoroughbred Improvement Program Committee has continued its commitment to the Ontario Sire Heritage Series by increasing the purse for each leg to $100,000, raising the total purse value of the series to $800,000.

Established in 2021, the Ontario Sire Heritage Series is comprised of three opening legs and a $100,000 final for two divisions: 3-year-old colts and geldings and 3-year-old fillies. In 2022, as a result of the increase, all three legs of the series will be worth $100,000 each.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar, which previously announced it was going to limit capacity for its opening-day card on July 22 to better accommodate customers, on Tuesday announced that the event was a sell-out.

Del Mar has had upward of 40,000 on some opening days in the recent past, but those crowds strained both the facility and the nerves of customers. Track officials, exiting restrictions necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, decided to do a reset, in the belief that having a more manageable crowd would make for a better customer experience.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There will be some new wagers offered sporadically throughout the Saratoga meet, which begins Thursday.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, NYRA will offer the Triple Play, a $3 minimum pick three wager on specially selected races. NYRA debuted a similar wager at the Belmont spring/summer meet. The takeout is 19 percent.

NYRA will offer a two-day daily double on the Aug. 6-7 Saratoga Derby and Saratoga Oaks. The $1 base wager has an 18.5 percent takeout.