Turfway Park

Kelsey Danner probably didn't look at the tote board prior to Thursday's first race at Kentucky Downs. She's not a bettor, she says. But she thought her starter, Repentless (Violence), could run a bit, something the bettors obviously didn't pick up on. They sent the first-time starter off at 25-1. With Adam Beschizza aboard, the colt won by three lengths and paid $52.08. It was not her longest priced winner at the meet. Fellow first-time starter Ground Support (Army Mule) won Saturday's second race for the Danner Stable and paid...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has established a Racing Office Advisory Group comprised of senior racing officials from racetracks across the country, the organization announced Wednesday. The group will provide feedback to HISA's executive team and Standing Committees on rules, processes and operational practices affecting Thoroughbred racing officials nationwide. "Racing offices are integral to the successful implementation of HISA safety and integrity rules," said HISA Director of Racetrack Safety Ann McGovern. "By establishing this group, we are making a direct channel available for racing office professionals to share their...

Caleb Hays, interim starter at Churchill Downs during the Spring Meet, will move into the role of head starter at the Louisville oval as well as at Turfway Park,  while Todd Stephens, after more than 25 years at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows, has been named head starter at Ellis Park. Churchill Downs owns all three Kentucky tracks. Hays has been on the gate crew for 17 years at Churchill after getting his start at River Downs. He is the son of the late former assistant starter Danton "Danny"...

Dr. Mary Scollay has retired from her full-time duties as the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's chief of science, effective immediately, HIWU announced Tuesday. While Scollay will continue to serve as a consultant to HIWU, Dr. Michael Hardy has assumed the position of acting chief of science. "Dr. Scollay was integral to the creation of HIWU and the launch and enforcement of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program," said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. "In the three-plus years since our first introduction at Turfway...

Ellis Park is projecting a significant boost for maiden special weight (MSW) purses at its upcoming 25-date summer meet, up from $71,000 last year to "in the $100,000 range" according to Gary Palmisano, Jr., the vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the gaming company that is the corporate owner of the Western Kentucky track. Palmisano also projected that planned transfers of Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money from Kentucky Downs and the allocation of funding from other sources within CDI's in-state gaming operations would bridge a gap...

8th-Keeneland, $120,000, Alw, 4-17, (NW2L), 3yo, f, 6f, 1:12.66, ft, 1 length. MILA ROSE (f, 3, Vekoma--Lucky Lady Lawyer, by Lawyer Ron) was a 3 1/2-length winner in her first start at Turfway Park Mar. 6. Ready to prove that making the transition from the all-weather to the dirt would be no issue, the 7-5 favorite was shuffled towards the middle of the pack after the bell despite a promising start. The 3-year-old went on the hunt around the far turn and at the quarter pole Mila Rose kicked into...

With just three weeks remaining to the GI Kentucky Derby, a trio of probable starters turned in workouts over the Churchill main track, while another continued his preparations at Turfway Park. Trainer Steve Asmussen sent out his GII Louisiana Derby romper Tiztastic (Tiz the Law) for a five-furlong move in the company of maiden stablemate Publisher (American Pharoah). Taking to the track around 5:45 a.m., the pair went the distance in 1:00.80 in fractional times of :13, :24.80 and :36.60 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.40 and up seven-eighths...

Luan Machado secured his second straight riding title--and fifth overall--at Turfway Park's Winter/Spring Meet, which concluded Saturday. Mike Maker earned his record-extending 24th trainer's title at the Florence, Kentucky oval. Machado finished the meet with 51 wins from 277 starts and more than $2.5 million in purse earnings. "It was a great meet," Machado said. "I'm so thankful for everyone who's helped support me to get to this point. My agent Cory [Prewitt] has worked hard to keep our business going strong. There were so many people on the backside...

Juddmonte homebred Final Gambit (c, 3, Not This Time--Pachinko, by Tapit), an impressive last-to-first maiden winner at third asking at Turfway Park Feb. 15, ran by them all once again to pull off a 15-1 upset in Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks in Florence, good for 100 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. Flying Mohawk (Karakontie {Jpn}), a winner of two straight on grass, was a good second. Maximum Promise (Maximum Security) was third. Final Gambit was bumped at the start and broke in a tangle and...

Bless the Broken (Laoban), last seen finishing third behind Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks winner Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Fair Grounds Feb. 15, made a successful transition to Turfway Park's Tapeta surface over the same trip. Biding her time under a patient John Velazquez, the 6-1 fourth choice in the field of 11 sat in seventh early behind White Rocks (Frosted)'s even pace set in :24.24, :49.02 and 1:13.69. Advancing while four-wide on the far turn, she swept past White Rocks, Bracelet...

A year after recording a GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby-GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks double with Catching Freedom and Tarifa, trainer Brad Cox will saddle the morning-line favorites in both races Saturday. The rail-drawn John Hancock (Constitution), a game wire-to-wire winner over next-out GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty (Speightstown) in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 8, will put his two-for-two record on the line in the Louisiana Derby. The WinStar Farm and CHC, Inc. colorbearer is the 7-2 program favorite. The stretch-running...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's pair of GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks. GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby - After being offered in a pair of maiden claimers at two, #9 Instant Replay (Maximum Security) really elevated his game for Brad Cox in his 3-year-old debut, closing impressively (albeit into a hot pace) from last of six to win with authority (came home in :31) by five lengths in an optional claimer at Fair Grounds Feb. 17. He should...