The Louisiana Racing Commission on Tuesday voted 11-0 to approve a request by Louisiana Downs in Bossier City to modify its live racing schedule for a potential June 6 opening, provided the track gets an all-clear from state government.
The Louisiana Racing Commission on Tuesday voted 11-0 to approve a request by Louisiana Downs in Bossier City to modify its live racing schedule for a potential June 6 opening, provided the track gets an all-clear from state government.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who like Chad Brown is awaiting word on when he can start shipping horses back to New York, will send out his first 2-year-old starter of the year in Friday’s second race at Gulfstream. Pletcher entered a pair of juveniles in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash, Prisoner and Restored Order, although the latter is buried well down the also-eligible list.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Chad Brown is still awaiting word from New York Racing Association officials on when he can return his powerful stable to New York for the remainder of the season. But before he leaves South Florida, Brown got a significant performance from Network Effect, who could be a force to reckon with in the sprint division. Network Effect registered an impressive two-length decision in Saturday’s $100,000 Big Drama Stakes.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – After setting handle records on back-to-back weekends last month, Oaklawn Park moved into a new stratosphere Saturday afternoon, when it handled $41 million.
It came on a 14-race card led by two divisions of the Arkansas Derby won by the Bob Baffert trainees Charlatan and Nadal.
Churchill Downs will open back up for spectator-free racing on May 16-17 with two cards heavy on claiming races while offering purses that are down slightly from when the track last raced, according to the track’s first condition book.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park has updated its coronavirus quarantine protocols for both humans and horses shipping from out of state either to the track or its training centers at Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows.
Horses from out of state must quarantine for a minimum of seven days, down from 14, in Florida prior to their arrival at Gulfstream Park, Palm Meadows, or Gulfstream Park West.
Bob Baffert had everything but the roses Saturday. The five-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer won the biggest 3-year-old races of the day on the first Saturday in May, and celebrated, as he would have in Louisville, with a steak dinner from his favorite restaurant.
The Arkansas Derby was split into two divisions, enabling Baffert to capture both, with Charlatan and then Nadal. Both were favored, both remained unbeaten, and both emerged from their races in good order, Baffert said Sunday morning.
Saturday was supposed to be the day Authentic and Honor A. P. took their places in the starting gate at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. Instead, the highly-promising 3-year-old colts worked at Santa Anita over the weekend in preparation for the rescheduled Santa Anita Derby on June 6.
Honor A. P. worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Saturday, a day before Authentic went the same distance in 1:00.40.