Lone Star Park, whose sale from MI Developments to Global Gaming has been delayed, has laid off some employees since the close of its Quarter Horse meet in November. Dan Leary, the director of communications for Lone Star, and John Records, who oversaw operations at the track’s simulcast pavilion, were the highest-ranking positions laid off, confirmed Drew Shubeck, president of Lone Star.
The cuts were made because of the delay of the sale, in an effort to preserve cash, Shubeck said.
The Arkansas Racing Commission adopted several amendments to its rules at a meeting Wednesday, including one that provides for the maximum toe grab height on front shoes to be increased from two to four millimeters.
Another amendment allows superfecta wagering with at least seven betting interests. The minimum number of betting interests had been eight. The new rules go into effect Jan. 1.
Clubhouse Ride, third in the Delta Jackpot Stakes on Nov. 20, and Ronin Dax, fifth in his first two stakes races, worked at Hollywood Park on Friday in advance of the $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 18.
Clubhouse Ride worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds, while Ronin Dax was timed in 1:00.40.
Farallon, who was claimed for $80,000 from Thursday’s third race but did not finish because of a tendon injury, has been retired but is not in grave condition, trainer Mike Puype said on Friday.
Acting on behalf of Skyline Stables and Tom Lenner, Puype's claim was one of four submitted for Farallon, who was the 2-1 second choice in an optional claimer over 5 1/2 furlongs.
Endorsement, won the first graded running of the $800,000 Sunland Park Derby in March then was forced to miss the Kentucky Derby because of an injury, is about a week from having his first work back, said his trainer, Shannon Ritter.
John Kimmel has always been high on the New York-bred filly Risk a Chance. After losing her first two starts, Risk a Chance finally displayed the talent Kimmel thought she had when she won a maiden race by 10 lengths over the inner track.
The win earned her a trip to south Florida, where she is likely to compete in the 3-year-old filly stakes program at Gulfstream Park.
“I think further is obviously going to be better,” Kimmel said Friday from Florida. “She doesn’t like the dirt hitting her in the face.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Quiet Giant may never have a better chance to win a stakes race than she will have on Sunday at Aqueduct.
Quiet Giant, a daughter of Giant’s Causeway and a half-sister to 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam, looks like the potential main speed in Sunday’s $60,000 Cheap Seats Stakes at a mile over Aqueduct’s inner track. She will face five rivals in the two-turn, one-mile race.
“This should be right her up alley, a two-turn mile and the filly’s been training well,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Quiet Giant for owner/breeder Edward P. Evans.
In the month since Caracortado won an optional claimer on turf at Hollywood Park in his first start since May, the gelding has left trainer and co-owner Mike Machowsky delighted with his training.
Machowsky is hoping those morning exercises can translate to a coveted Grade 1 win in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. The Malibu Stakes is run over seven furlongs on Santa Anita’s new clay and sand main track, which was installed in late October and November.
Glory Be Mine will be facing some of her toughest rivals to date on Sunday, when she attempts to win her eighth straight race in the $120,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission. The six-furlong handicap drew 12 fillies and mares and will be part of a stakes doubleheader at Sunland Park. The $120,000 Johnie L. Jamison is for 3-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs, and like its co-feature, it is restricted to horses bred in New Mexico.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of I Want Revenge haven’t given up hope on the colt returning to his former glory.
I Want Revenge, the morning-line favorite for the 2009 Kentucky Derby before he was scratched the morning of the race due to an ankle injury, is preparing for his second comeback of the year. After returning from a 15-month layoff with third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap and Grade 3 Philip Iselin Stakes, I Want Revenge disappeared again.
