Fair Grounds

America's Day at the Races returns Saturday in what will be the first of 22 days of the telecast to air throughout January, February and March on FOX Sports. It will air on FS1 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature live racing from Fair Grounds, including the GIII Lecomte S. and Silverbulletday S. Presented in 2021 by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, the telecasts will feature live racing from the Aqueduct winter meet as well as partner tracks, including Fair Grounds Race Course, Oaklawn Park, Tampa...

Graded stakes winner Bobby's Wicked One (Speightstown--Wicked Charm, by Ghostzapper) will stand the 2021 season at Acadia Equine at Copper Crowne in Opelousas, LA. One of the few horses to beat champion Mitole (Eskendereya) when winning his debut by five lengths, Bobby's Wicked One scored a victory in the 2019 GIII Commonwealth S. at Keeneland before running second to Mitole in the GI Churchill Downs S. He went on to add two more stakes victories at Fair Grounds and retired with a record of 18-6-4-1 and earnings of $547,673 for...

For the second time in the young 2020-21 meet, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has announced a 10% purse increase across the board. Much like the first, the boost was inspired by strong simulcast handle during the first seven weeks of the 149th racing season, which includes solid bettor response to the newly implemented traditional early and late Pick 5 wagers. "Despite losing multiple days of turf racing, handle has remained quite strong," Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. "Condition book four will be released the beginning of...

GSW Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby--True Kiss, by Is It True) has been retired from racing after exiting his breeze Monday with a soft tissue injury. The story was originally reported by the Daily Racing Form. A $50,000 FTSAUG buy turned $245,000 OBSMAR juvenile purchase, the Crawford Farms Racing colorbearer opened his career with a trio of impressive wins, including Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S. in 2019. Third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. there next out, he was second in the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. and completed the exacta...

10th-Fair Grounds, $50,000, Msw, 1-2, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.06, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. Making his first career trip to the post, DEFEATER (c, 3, Union Rags--Internal Affair, by Orientate) spoiled the debuts of the Godolphin favored entry of Colonel Bowman (Curlin) and Gershwin (Distorted Humor) to take out the Saturday finale at Fair Grounds. A firming proposition to be off as the 8-5 second favorite, the $210,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate raced last but one as Gershwin conducted his business up front. That half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper)...

Leave it to one of the darkest days of the year to deliver two glimmering equine efforts that could combust into shining stars for the 2021 racing season. On the cusp of the winter solstice, breakout races book-ended the Saturday Fair Grounds card. One was a smart, step-wise progression by a juvenile colt in a NW2L allowance who now has credible GI Kentucky Derby aspirations. The other was an admirably impressive comeback by a still-undefeated 3-year-old whose own chance at the 2020 Derby got derailed by injuries and untimely setbacks....

The Tenacious S. at Fair Grounds was the site of the eagerly anticipated return of MAXFIELD (c, 3, Street Sense--Velvety, by Bernardini), whose stop-and-start nature of his career due to injury has done nothing to diminish the excitement surrounding the undefeated colt. Bursting onto the scene in September of 2019 in a one-mile Churchill maiden, he won like a good horse and promptly made the jump to the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, winning by 5 1/2 lengths to be slated as one of the top contenders for the...

Quick Tempo (Tapizar), a debut winner over the Arlington synthetic Aug. 20 and off the board after dueling in the grassy Ontario Racing S. at Woodbine Sept. 19, posted a big figure allowance win at Parx at third asking Oct. 20. He lost little in defeat staying on for second after setting a hot pace in the Nyquist S. on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard at Keeneland Nov. 6. Favored at 4-5 to post a career high here, the dark bay broke like a rocket from his rail draw, was...

1st-Fair Grounds, $48,500, Alw, 12-19, (NW2L), 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.56, ft, 2 1/2 lengths. PROXY (c, 2, Tapit--Panty Raid {MGISW, $1,052,380}, by Include) missed by a neck in his off-the-turf debut at Monmouth Oct. 24 and broke through next out here Nov. 26. Hammered down to 3-5 favoritism in this four-horse affair, the Godolphin homebred seized the early advantage as he did in his graduation and was hounded by his rivals through a :24.97 first quarter. Briefly headed by Assumption (Medaglia d'Oro), the bay regained command as the half went...

7th-Fair Grounds, $47,000, Msw, 12-18, 2yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:44.37, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. DIVINE COMEDY (f, 2, Into Mischief--Via Strata, by Street Cry {Ire}) could only manage sixth in her 6 1/2-panel unveiling at Churchill Downs Sept. 17 and received Lasix for this first try at two turns. Going straight to the front, the 3-1 shot walked the dog through a half-mile in :48.40 and continued unchallenged into the lane, cruising clear to a 5 1/2-length success. Wicked Bisou (Wicked Strong), the half-sister to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute),...

Sun Path (Munnings) was heavily favored at 1-5 to improve off a good-looking maiden breaker last time and ran to the money with an ultra-impressive victory at Fair Grounds Friday. The Juddmonte homebred stalked from second, keeping a close eye as Rock Star Parking (Upstart) clicked off opening splits of :24.05 and :47.72. Taking control at the three-eighths pole, the chestnut ran with her head cocked to the right as she ran on the wrong lead in early stretch. Once she swapped leads midway down the lane, Sun Path took...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency SIX-FIGURE MEDAG COLT MAKES FIRST START AT TAMPA 3rd-TAM, $27.5K, Msw, 2yo, 1m 40yds, 1:12 p.m. Godolphin's NEW DAWN (Medaglia d'Oro), a $600,000 KEESEP buy, will face the starter for the first time Saturday at Tampa. She is out of SW Wait Til Dawn (Giant's Causeway), who is a full-sister to GSW Excited, who in turn is the dam of SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo). This is also the family of MGISW Spain (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY 'CHROME' COLT 5th-AQU,...