The New York State legislature has unanimously approved a bill that will reduce the takeout on most wagers at Saratoga, Belmont, and Aqueduct to the lowest rates in the country.
The bill, which passed the Senate 40-0 on Tuesday and the Assembly 140-0 on Thursday, is expected to be signed by Gov. George Pataki. The reductions will take effect on July 25, opening day of the Saratoga Race Course meet.
SALEM, N.H. - Hap, who overcame a troubled start in his only race this year to win the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico, will face six rivals, including Gander, in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 New Hampshire Sweepstakes Handicap on turf at Rockingham Park.
Gander, while clearly Hap's main rival, has never won on turf and hasn't raced over it since 1999.
Hap has been pegged at 123 pounds for the 1 1/8-mile race and will break from post 4. John Velazquez will ride for trainer Bill Mott.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The name Hennig has become well known in racing circles primarily because of the overwhelming success experienced by Mark Hennig, who has become a high-profile trainer in New York and elsewhere after having served an apprenticeship under D. Wayne Lukas.
But it was John Hennig, Mark's father, who initially put his son on the road to stardom. The father-son training team collaborated in Ohio in the 1980's before Mark, now 36, began working elsewhere at age 22.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Will it be Win City, or the Sam-Son Farm entry of Dancethruthedawn and Lucky Scarab?
That question concerns not only who will win Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate, but also whom the wagering public will make the favorite in the 142nd running of the 1 1/4-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
A field of 10 was drawn for the Plate here Thursday morning at the annual Queen's Plate breakfast.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Owner Paul Reddam paid $700,000 for Swept Overboard at an auction last summer.
Already a two-time stakes winner as a sprinter when he was purchased, Swept Overboard has been on the sidelines with a minor injury for much of the last year.
Saturday, in his second start of 2001, Swept Overboard starts as the 120-pound topweight in the $70,000 Robert Kerlan Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Can lightning strike again in the Journal Handicap at Northlands Park Saturday afternoon?
Run Joey Run came here three years ago as a Canadian Derby hopeful, and thus earned a reputation as a route runner. He enhanced that reputation by winning the Derby prep, the Governor-General's, at 1 5/16 miles.
A year later, he won the 1 1/16-mile Klondike Handicap, and so it was a surprise last year when Run Joey Run was nominated to - and then won - the Journal, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Angies Kin figures to be a solid choice over four other fillies and mares in a $50,000 optional race Saturday at Hastings Park. The 6 1/2-furlong race figures to set up perfectly for the classy Angies Kim, who is just $23 short of going over the $200,000 mark in total earnings.
Angies Kin has been a consistent sprinter throughout her career. She has finished in
AUBURN, Wash. - Fleet Pacific will be looking to extend her streak of six straight stakes wins at Emerald Downs when she takes on eight challengers in Saturday's $40,000 King County Handicap at one mile.
Fleet Pacific, a 7-year-old daughter of Colonel Stevens who races for Rocking B Thoroughbreds, closed out last year's Emerald meet with four consecutive, wire-to-wire stakes wins. She began her current campaign with a hard-fought neck victory over Miss Pixie in the
AUBURN, Wash. - Ted Martin, Playfair's director of racing, died on Tuesday evening when he had a heart attack while feeding horses at his farm in Spokane, Wash. He was 65.
Martin entered racing as an owner, breeder, and trainer in the 1970's and later served in nearly every capacity from mutuel clerk to general manager of both Portland Meadows and Playfair. He was lured out of semi-retirement to serve as director of racing at Playfair when Lilac City Racing Association took over the track last year.
