OZONE PARK, N.Y. - New compensation guidelines issued by the Jockeys' Guild are creating a rift between riders and their valets in New York.
The guidelines suggest that jockeys pay their valets 2.5 percent of their earnings for races run at a specific meet and nothing for purse money earned out of town. Also, the fee would be capped at the rider's winning share of a $250,000 gross purse.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The $250,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap on Sunday has drawn a field of eight, including Shamdinan, the runner-up in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park, and defending champion On the Acorn.
Their presence may not be enough to restore the race to a Grade 1 status, a distinction the race lost after its 2003 running. A bigger purse could be the answer, and will be discussed before the 2008-09 winter-spring stakes schedule is final, according to director of racing Mike Harlow.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Except in the case of jockeys, who can't clone themselves, having an embarrassment of riches seldom creates a dilemma. While Edgar Prado had to discard Monba and Tale of Ekati in declaring his Kentucky Derby mount to be Adriano, trainer Todd Pletcher gets to keep all his Derby horses to himself.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Based on his third-place finish in last Saturday's Blue Grass, Kentucky Bear would have as good a right as many to be in the starting lineup for the Kentucky Derby.
But, with graded stakes earnings of $75,000 looming well below the cutoff point, Kentucky Bear is very unlikely to earn a spot in the maximum 20-horse field.
"Our chances of getting in are pretty slim, but I'm going to try anyway," said Reade Baker, whose barn has been prominent in the early days of this Woodbine meeting while the trainer himself has looked on from Florida and Kentucky.
Delaware Park's slots-fueled economy is sufficient for the track to offer $40,000 for a maiden special weight race and $5.3 million worth of stakes for 2008.
Yet when entries were drawn for Saturday's season-opening card, Delaware's racing secretary, Izzy Trejo, had to scramble to come up with 52 horses for eight races, not counting the traditional card finale for Arabians.
Representatives of Calder Race Course and its horsemen said Wednesday that they had made progress on a purse contract for the 2008 meeting, which begins on Monday.
The Florida division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association said it would not sign a contract until agreement is reached on revenue splits from advance-deposit wagering handle and on future slot money generated at Calder, which is owned by Churchill Downs Inc. The track was given the right to operate slot machines when local voters approved them earlier this winter.
Oaklawn Park's business during its 53-day meet that closed last Saturday was on a par with the corresponding 52-day season a year ago. The track reported a 1.2 percent increase in average daily handle on its races from all sources, and slight declines in average daily attendance and ontrack handle during a winter in which storms plagued much of Arkansas.
Famous Gal may have flopped as the 8-5 favorite in last month's Princess of Palms, but the 4-year-old bounced back Monday at Turf Paradise, capturing the $30,600 Cactus Flower Handicap.
Owned by John Pendergast and trained by Joe Johnson, Famous Gal prevailed by three-quarters of a length in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares. Rita Katrina rallied from well back for second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Glorificamus. Wings of Justice, the 2-5 favorite, stumbled at the start and was never a factor, finishing another 5 1/4 lengths back in fourth in the field of six.
Undefeated New Mexico-bred Peppers Pride, on the verge of tying the record of 16 consecutive victories held jointly by Citation, Cigar, Mister Frisky, and Hallowed Dreams, is scheduled to make her next start April 26 at SunRay Park.
Trainer Joel Marr said the 5-year-old Peppers Pride, owned and bred by Joseph Allen, is expected to run in the $75,000 Russell and Helen Foutz Distaff Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs. Peppers Pride won her 15th successive race at Sunland Park on March 23, capturing the Sydney Valentini Handicap. The undefeated mare boasts career earnings of $816,665.
Apprentice jockeys have seldom been a very hot commodity in Nebraska, but the state has been producing its share of successful riders in recent years with Channing Hill, Tanner Riggs, and Dylan Williams all getting their starts on the Nebraska circuit.
The latest promising apprentice, 17-year-old Chris Fackler, enjoyed his best weekend of the Fonner Park meet with a riding triple last Saturday and two more wins on Sunday to move into the top 10 in the standings with 15 wins.