INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Fearing a downturn in mutuel handle because of poor economic conditions, Santa Anita has cut overnight purses by approximately 10 percent for its winter-spring meeting that begins Dec. 26.
The purse reduction is the latest in a string of stinging cuts for Southern California horsemen in recent months. During the summer, Del Mar cut purses. At the current Hollywood Park meeting, purses were cut before the meeting began Oct. 29 and twice since.
Fair Grounds Race Course canceled its Thursday racing program because of a rare New Orleans snowstorm. Snow began falling Thursday morning, causing training to be halted after the regular renovation break, and shortly after 10 a.m., track officials decided to scrap the afternoon's race card.
A Fair Grounds press release said that a combination of the weather itself and its effect on the racing surface spurred the cancellation.
"Safety, both for equine and humans, is always going to take first priority," said Fair Grounds president Austin Miller.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There will be a little West Virginia flavor added to this weekend's stakes races at Aqueduct.
Researcher, a 4-year-old gelded son of Two Smart, will bring a three-race winning streak into Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Queens County Handicap. Meanwhile, Julie B, who has earned more than $800,000 in a career spent mostly at Charles Town, brings a three-race win streak of her own into Sunday's $75,000 Ladies Handicap.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Ava Mae just finished her 2-year-old season last weekend, winning for the first time in her career when she captured the $107,650 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante. And already trainer Michele Boyce is casting an eye to next year, when she expects Ava Mae to be an even better prospect.
"She's going to the farm very shortly, but it won't be a terribly long downtime," Boyce said. "I'd like to have her ready for the first of May, or even earlier."
Beulah Park canceled its last three races on Wednesday because of unsafe track conditions. The cancellation occurred after the fifth race when a horse broke down and threw her rider as the horses were galloping out.
Abbyanne, a 3-year-old second-time starter, finished third and then apparently broke a front leg, falling and throwing jockey Christian Pilares. Pilares was taken to a local hospital for examination but was awake and alert. Abbyanne was euthanized on the track. It was the third spill in less than a week at Beulah.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine's total all-sources handle and average daily handle showed slight declines for its its 2008 live Thoroughbred meet, while the average handle per race remained steady compared with last year.
An all-sources total of $337,734,635 was wagered on live racing during the 167-day meet that ended this past Sunday, compared with the $343,059,524 recorded from the 169 dates offered in 2007, a 1.5 per cent overall drop.
This year's average daily handle of $2,022,363 was down 3.7 percent from last year's average of $2,029,938.
The first horse New Orleanian Bobby Asaro ever owned, Genuine Meeting, won the Louisiana Champions Day Classic back in 1992.
"I've been trying to win that race again ever since," said Asaro, who grew up blocks from Fair Grounds and operates a popular wedding reception venue, Southern Oaks Plantation, in New Orleans.
That's why Louisiana Champions Day, scheduled for Saturday at Fair Grounds, can't come soon enough for Asaro, who thinks he has a prime contender for the race in Southern Invasion.
MIAMI - Presious Passion surprised just about everyone - except trainer Mary Hartmann - a year ago when he sprung a 67-1 upset in the Grade 2 W.L. McKnight Handicap. Presious Passion returns to defend that title here Saturday, and while another victory wouldn't be quite as shocking, it will still be regarded as an upset of sorts considering the gelding's recent form.
Sunland Park is pushing for graded status for its $800,000 Sunland Derby and has made aggressive changes to the 1 1/8-mile race that will highlight a 77-date mixed meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses that opens Friday.
The New Mexico track's 50th season will get off to a rousing start with the undefeated Peppers Pride scheduled to make what could be the final start of her career Sunday. She will be looking for her 19th straight win when she starts in the $125,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap.
