ELMONT, N.Y. – Has Father Time caught up with the 8-year-old New York-bred Banrock, or is the eight-time stakes winner ready for a renaissance? That’s the question handicappers will have to debate when trying to decipher Sunday’s $100,000 Kingston Stakes at Belmont Park.
The Kingston, for New York-bred males, shares billing with the $100,000 Mount Vernon, for New York-bred females, on Belmont’s 10-race card. Both turf races have been shortened to one mile from 1 1/16 miles.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Not too long ago, handicappers would have scoffed upon learning there were four New York-breds entered in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. But not only is one of the New York-breds the potential favorite for Monday’s 119th renewal of the Met Mile, but it’s difficult to readily dismiss any of the quartet’s chances in the race.
MEMORIAL DAY RACING: Stakes schedule, contender replays, and news updates »
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Lone Star Million Day has traditionally been a big afternoon for trainer Steve Asmussen, who in 2004 won four of the six stakes that make up the richest Thoroughbred card in Texas.
Monday, he will be hoping for more Memorial Day success. Asmussen has starters in three of this year’s Million Day stakes, chief among them Thiskyhasnolimit in the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. Asmussen’s other stakes starters will be Expansion in the $150,000 Dallas Turf Cup and Awesome Bet in the $200,000 Lone Star Derby.
A field of nine has been drawn to contest Monday’s $75,000 Memorial Day Handicap at Calder, led by topweights Hear Ye Hear Ye and Mambo Meister, both of whom will carry 120 pounds. They will be joined in the gate by Jackson Bend, Motovato, Bernie the Maestro, Dream Maestro, Star Player, Where’s Sterling, and El Kingdom.
MEMORIAL DAY RACING: Stakes schedule, contender replays, and news updates
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Feel That Fire has the least experience among the eight fillies and mares in the $75,000 Red Cross Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park, a byproduct of design and happenstance.
While the 4-year-old lacks seasoning, Feel That Fire has the most upside potential in the six-furlong race.
MONMOUTH PARK: Live video for every race day of the 2011 meet »
FORT ERIE, Ontario – The first month of the Fort Erie season comes to a close this weekend, and a new condition book has been issued that sets out the upcoming races.
Racing secretary John Whitson was in a buoyant mood as he passed over a copy of the new book.
“The first month went well enough, considering the number of rainy days,” said Whitson. “We hope Mother Nature will cooperate as turf races are now on the schedule.”
Forest Mouse will have to run down Oops and a Half in order to win his fifth straight race Sunday in the $40,000 Inaugural at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Col. The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds is the first Thoroughbred stakes of the mixed meet that runs through Aug. 21.
Average daily handle on races at Pimlico Race Course during the track’s recently concluded 29-day meet fell 24.1 percent compared to average daily handle during a 20-day live meet last year, according to figures distributed by the track.
Average daily handle fell from $5.85 million in 2010 to $4.45 million, according to the figures. As a result of the increased number of live racing days however, total handle on the track’s races rose from $117.1 million over 20 days to $128.9 million over 29 days this year.
MIAMI – The lives of Juan Arias and Kathleen O’Connell have returned to normal again after the pair experienced the rush that comes with participating in their first Kentucky Derby earlier this month. Now the two locally based trainers must decide on what will be next for their Derby participants, Decisive Moment and Watch Me Go.
Northlands Park has announced the appointment of Chris Roberts to the post of venue director.
For the past five years Roberts has been director of Great Canadian Gaming’s Ontario operations at Georgian and Flamboro Downs. Great Canadian is also the parent company of Hastings.
“Chris brings valuable industry experience that will complement Northlands collaborative work in the community to create a balanced and sustainable gaming program,” said Richard L. Andersen, Northlands president and CEO.
