Horse Racing
Officials at the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the Race For Education (RFE) have announced the recipients of scholarships for 2020. A total of $21,000 in scholarships was approved by the KEEP Foundation board of directors and will be distributed among 18 students attending 10 institutions within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. All are currently enrolled in an equine and/or, agriculture related major or a horse-related program. In addition to the 18 Kentucky students, RFE awarded its Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to New York student Elsa Loriel. The Frankel Award...
BetMakers Technology Group will sponsor a $1-million bonus for any horse that manages to sweep the GI TVG.com Haskell S., the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The promotion will be known as the 'BetMakers Bonanza.' Todd Buckingham, CEO of BetMakers, confirmed that they will offer the bonus structure for the next three years. "We are delighted to sponsor this bonus for the next three years and hope it can attract the best horses to attempt the lucrative quest beginning with the Haskell at Monmouth Park this year,"...
Officials at Monmouth Park have announced that 500 general admission tickets will be put on sale at noon Saturday, July 11, for the GI TVG.com Haskell S. Priced at $100 apiece, the cost includes admission, a Haskell hat a program and parking. Ticket holders will also have access to limited seating. This will be the only public offering of tickets. "In meeting our commitment and obligations to our sponsors, horsemen and season box holders, we're limited to offering 500 tickets to the general public at this time," said Dennis Drazin,...
Looking for his first trip to the winner's circle since annexing the GI Preakness S. some 14 months ago, Gary Barber's War of Will (War Front) did it toughest, but called on all his class and determination to scratch out a short-head success in the GI Maker's Mark Mile as the Keeneland summer meeting reached its mid-point Friday. Drawn widest in the field of 10, the handsome blaze-faced bay raced three off the fence leaving the stretch for the first time and punched the breeze from up close as High...
Hammered into heavy favoritism with a recency edge over the come-backing 'TDN Rising Star' Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map), Whitham Thoroughbreds's Four Graces proved the easy winner of Friday's GIII Beaumont S., stopping the clock in a stakes and track-record clocking of 1:24.90 for the extended seven-furlong distance. Ridden for speed by Julien Leparoux over a track that had been playing kindly to front-end types, the homebred half-sister to McCraken (Ghostzapper) set a pressured pace from last year's GI Frizette S. winner Wicked Whisper, as they whistled through an opening half-mile...
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will debut its online summer program series July 15. The first program in the series is a comprehensive preview of the upcoming Saratoga meet. The discussion and analysis will be moderated by Brien Bouyea, the Museum's Hall of Fame and Communications Director, and will include the editorial staff of The Saratoga Special newspaper. The program is free and begins at 1 p.m. The event can be accessed here. Additional Museum virtual programs this summer include: - Museum Exhibit preview: Friday, July...
Akiko Gothard, who trained K One King (Apalachee) to an eighth-place effort in the 1999 GI Kentucky Derby and a victory in the 2000 GI Oaklawn H., passed away July 6 in Lexington, the Blood-Horse reported. She was 89 years old. Born Akiko Ozeki, she was married to Don McVarish, an American soldier, in her native Japan, relocating to the United States in 1956. Gothard served as a liaison in helping Japanese buyers at Keeneland. She became a trainer in the 1990s, saddling 347 winners from 2,008 starters for earnings...
'TDN Rising Star' Guarana (Ghostzapper), already a two-time Grade I winner from only five career starts, will look to remain undefeated around one turn in Saturday's GI Madison S. at Keeneland. Accorded 'Rising Star' status after romping by better than 14 lengths through the local slop last April, the bay defeated GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) by a half-dozen lengths in the GI Acorn S. last June and successfully stretched to two turns in the GI CCA Oaks at Saratoga the following month. She suffered her first loss...
Already a four-time stakes winner at Keeneland, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds's 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) looks to add to that total in defense of her title in Saturday's GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Winner of the GIII Jessamine S. at two and the GIII Applachian S. and GI QE II Challenge Cup at three, Rushing Fall controlled the pace in last year's Jenny Wiley, her one-length victory belying the ease with which it was accomplished. The $320,000 FTSAUG acquisition repeated the dose in the GI Just A...
Due to heavy rain and high winds that hit the Jersey Shore all day Friday, Monmouth Park canceled its six-race program slated to commence at 5p.m. Live racing resumes at Monmouth Park July 11 with a first post of 12:50 p.m. for the 12-race card.
Early Thursday, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners tweeted that Speech (Mr Speaker), second to GII Toyota Blue Grass favorite Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GII Santa Anita Oaks June 6, would be withdrawn from Friday's GIII Beaumont S. in favor of Saturday's GI Ashland S., leaving a competitive field of five 3-year-old fillies for the seven-furlong affair. 'TDN Rising Star' Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) kicks off her sophomore campaign Friday afternoon and should vie for favoritism. Impressive in breaking her maiden by 6 1/4 lengths over future SW & GSP Highland Glory...
In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hakodate and Hanshin Racecourses, including the first Japanese runner for the expatriated California Chrome: Saturday, July 11, 2020 5th-HAK, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT CAL FRAGRANCE (f, 2, California Chrome--Right There, by Eskendereya), a $180K purchase out of last year's...