Ben Creed became the first graduate of the North American Riding Academy to lead a race meet in victories when the 26-year-old apprentice ended the holiday meet Thursday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., with 25 winners.
The riding academy is run by Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron in Lexington, Ky., and Creed was among the second graduating class in May 2009.
"I'm incredibly proud of him," said McCarron.
Negotiations on a simulcasting contract between the owner of Gulfstream Park and a consortium of racetracks and simulcast sites on the Eastern Seaboard remained at a standstill on Friday, making it extremely unlikely that customers at the sites would be able to wager on Gulfstream's opening-day race card on Sunday, officials for both sides said.
Funny Feeling, a well-bred debut winner at Churchill Downs, heads a field of five 3-year-old fillies set to contest six furlongs in Sunday's $65,000 Ruthless Stakes.
A daughter of Distorted Humor out of the Grade 1 winning mare Hookedonthefeelin, Funny Feeling won her debut by 2 3/4 lengths for owner Randy Gullat and trainer Mike Maker. She ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.54 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78. Funny Feeling will break from post 4 under Gabriel Saez.
Tiger's Rock, the least accomplished of trainer Todd Pletcher's trio of entrants, roared past stablemate and 4-5 favorite Nite Light just outside the eighth pole and cruised to a 4 3/4-length victory in Thursday's $72,800 Gallant Fox Handicap. Nite Light, the 2007 Gallant Fox winner, held second by a length over longshot Giant Chieftain.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - If Sunday's opening-day program is any indication, the 2010 Gulfstream Park meeting should be an unequivocal success.
A total of 105 horses were entered for Sunday's nine-race program, including a field of nine in the main event, the $100,000 Hal's Hope, which features the return of 2009 Florida Derby winner Quality Road. The card also features a pair of high-level optional claiming races for older horses and three maiden special weight tests, two of which are carded for 3-year-olds.
Mountaineer Park and its horsemen have reached a three-year agreement that will allow trainers to remain at the track during a two-month dark period this winter and put in place a per-start fee to fund backstretch operations, according to the track.
Lava Man, the seven-time Grade 1 winner who finished last in Sunday's Grade 2 San Gabriel Handicap in his first start in 18 months, was scheduled to be sent to the Alamo Pintado Equine Clinic in Los Olivos, Calif., on Wednesday for a precautionary examination, trainer Doug O'Neill said.
Lava Man was retired in summer 2008 and underwent stem-cell therapy to regenerate cartilage tissue in an ankle earlier this year. Dr. Doug Herthel, of Alamo Pintado, oversaw the procedure.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Take Control, a $1.9 million purchase out of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, won his career debut in Wednesday's third race, rallying in the final furlong to score an impressive victory.
Take Control ($7.80) ran a mile in 1:37.64 under jockey Martin Garcia. Fifth in a field of seven on the backstretch, Take Control made up 3 1/2 lengths in final furlong to finish 1 1/2 lengths in front of pacesetter Ivory Fudge.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Chris Emigh, who for years has been among the top Chicago jockeys, had his foray into Kentucky racing cut short by a spill in November at Churchill Downs. Now, Emigh is back at Hawthorne Race Course, but his stay here will be brief, according to Emigh's agent, Jay Fedor.
Emigh suffered a slight fracture of his collarbone when he went down at Churchill. Fedor said the injury was minor enough that X-rays failed to detect it and that the fracture only showed up on a CT scan.