OLDSMAR Fla. - With slightly more than half of this 94-day race meeting in the books, Peter Berube, the vice president and general manager of Tampa Bay Downs, said he's pleased with the track's business figures.
"We've been fortunate to increase our ontrack handle some 5.6 percent to $306,400 through Friday's racing, and our combined handle totals are up some 9.3 percent to $3,533,000, which is very good," he said. "We're up on average $320,000 per day," he said
Although ontrack handle on live races at the 31-day Bay Meadows Holiday meeting from Dec. 26, 2005, through Feb. 5 rose compared with the 31 corresponding days of northern California racing in 2004-2005, it was offset by a decline in offtrack betting, resulting in drop of 4.9 percent in average overall daily wagering on live Bay Meadows races.
Smokey Glacken left little doubt about who is the top filly-and-mare sprinter in south Florida this winter after cruising to an easy 3 1/2-length victory over Atlas Valley in Saturday's $100,000 at Gulfstream Park.
Smokey Glacken, a 5-year-old daughter of Forestry, added the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie to her similarly easy victory here four weeks earlier in the Grade 3 First Lady Handicap.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Like Now sprinted to the front, was able to carve out moderate fractions, then drew clear to a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $69,095 Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes at Aqueduct.
Sunshine Alpine, the slight 2-1 favorite, split horses in the stretch and rallied to be second by 3 1/4 lengths over Strummer. Sing'n Shout and Book Bishop completed the order of finish.
Oaklawn Park canceled Saturday's races because of freezing temperatures, and it has brought back the feature, the $50,000 Pippin Stakes, for Monday. The 1 1/16-mile race drew the same eight fillies and mares who were originally entered, with Private Gift the probable favorite.
Saturday, there was freezing rain and sleet in the Hot Springs, Ark., area, with the temperature in the 20's. The decision to race Sunday, as well as Monday, was to be made on a day-to-day basis, said Eric Jackson, general manager of Oaklawn.
ARCADIA, Calif. - When Shadow of Illinois won the San Simeon Handicap on the hillside turf course last April, the victory was not without its toll. He was a disappointment in four subsequent starts and later in the year missed nearly three months of racing.
"He pulled a muscle in the San Simeon, and it took a few races to figure it out," trainer Anthony Saavedra said.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Faced with two choices Sunday for his good sprinter Slew's Prince - the $125,000 Sensational Star Handicap for California-breds, or the $80,000 Daytona Handicap for open company - trainer Cliff Sise employed a modern selection method.
"I might enter in the open and cross my fingers," Sise said, referring to a weather forecast that calls for weekend rain. Inclement weather threatens both downhill turf stakes Sunday at Santa Anita, and if they are switched to the main track, Sise will look like a genius.
ARCADIA, Calif. - After years of losing business to offshore bookmakers and betting services that offer rebates, California's racetracks, the California Horse Racing Board, and the account-wagering company Youbet.com discussed on Thursday the possibility of offering rebates to lure large bettors back into racetrack pools.
Several officials at Thursday's CHRB meeting said the issue was urgent, and it was referred to the board's parimutuel committee for further discussion. The issue was brought before the board as part of a discussion on ways to combat illegal offshore wagering.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Todd Pletcher has given the best 3-year-old turf filly stabled in south Florida, J'ray, a little break before launching her campaign later this winter. But the meet's leading trainer appears to have an ample replacement for the division leader in Dyna's Destiny, a well-traveled turf specialist who could be the one to beat in Sunday's $60,000 Gaily Gaily Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Baghdaria took down the richest race for her division in Louisiana last out, and on Sunday will attempt to push her win streak to four in the $50,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park.
The one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies is the first of two local preps for the Grade 2, $250,000 Fantasy on April 14. It drew of full field of 12, including stakes winners Gasia, Wildcat Bettie B, Kat Nan Do, Rich Fantasy, and Brownie Points.
