In an exhibition of pure sprinting prowess, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) brought all his power to bear on his rivals on Friday to register back-to-back successes in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. Despite the contrasting ground conditions to the easy turf he encountered 12 months ago and the obvious questions posed by defeat in the June 19 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, the bay attracted heavy support as the 8-11 favourite and was in front before he had raced two...
The 17th edition of the Claiming Crown, held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, generated total handle of $10,118,000--up 0.57% from 2014 despite rainy conditions which caused four races to be taken off the turf. Gulfstream was hosting the event for the fourth year. "We're extremely pleased with the success of Saturday's Claiming Crown," said P.J. Campo, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group. "We had big fields and tremendous participation from horsemen throughout North America. We're confident the numbers would have been even more...
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Caesars Entertainment have entered into a multi-year agreement that will keep the Horseshoe Las Vegas as the host venue for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) through 2029. The dates for the upcoming NHC are: Mar. 5-7, 2027; Mar. 3-5, 2028; and Mar. 9-11, 2029. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Caesars Entertainment and Horseshoe Las Vegas," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "Since moving to Horseshoe in 2020, the NHC has seen tremendous growth in player participation, sponsor involvement, and...
I have been reading the opinions of many respected people who have invested greatly in the racing industry and have been involved in it for decades. Many of their observations about the state of the sport and the organizations that are supposed to lead it are correct. I would like to share what I have discovered over the past few years. I have been involved in breeding and racing Thoroughbreds for more than 40 years, and I care deeply about the future of this industry. Like many others, I have...
The NTRA will match all horseplayer donations up to $5,000 to support Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at the upcoming NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC). The event will take place at the Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel and Casino from March 13-15, 2026. "Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance plays a vital role in promoting responsible aftercare across our sport," said Tom Rooney, President & CEO, NTRA. "We're proud to feature their mission at the National Horseplayers Championship and to support initiatives that strengthen racing's long-term integrity."