Sunday, June 13 2010

Calder CASINO & RACE COURSE Announces 10% Purse Increase

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 12, 2010) – Calder Casino & Race Course, its parent company, Churchill Downs Incorporated, and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (FHBPA) are pleased to announce a 10 percent purse increase effective with next Thursday’s card.

Calder has not been immune to declines in pari-mutuel wagering occurring across the country; however, this increase is made possible by alternative gaming purse supplements and the Florida gaming tax reduction going into effect on July 1.

Pica Slew Wins Leave Me alone Impressively

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 12, 2010) – Terra Di Sienna Stables’ 3-year-old filly Pica Slew was an easy winner of the Leave Me Alone Stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday, leading the field from start to finish to win by 1 ¾ lengths over Hot Hot Mama. Yournotthebossofme was 3 ¼ lengths back in third place.

Trained by Joe Calascibetta and ridden by Manoel Cruz, Pica Slew covered the six furlongs in stakes record time of 1:10.96. It was the filly’s second consecutive victory, her first an impressive 10-length maiden win at Calder on May 7. At the mutuel windows today, Pica Slew returned $3.80, $3.20 and $2.10.

Calder Barn Notes: 6-12-10

Remarkable Lord Robyn Comes Home to Calder a Winner for Fawkes

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 12, 2010) – Alex Lieblong’s 8-year-old gelding Lord Robyn was a game nose winner of Friday’s 10th race optional/claiming feature at Calder Casino & Race Course for trainer David Fawkes, five-and-a-half years after scoring a 4 ½ lengths victory in the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby (G3) as a 3-year-old on New Year’s Day of 2005 for the trainer.

A roan/gray Florida-bred by Robyn Dancer, Lord Robyn was returning to Calder and the Fawkes barn after spending most of the last two years in other stables and racing at tracks coast-to-coast since being claimed by trainer Rick Dutrow at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 28, 2008 for $75,000 and claimed again by Mike Maker for Ken and Sarah Ramsey later that season.

Portillo Taken to Memorial Hospital after Paddock Accident

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 12, 2010) – Jockey Douglas Portillo was taken to Memorial Hospital in Hollywood after getting kicked by his mount prior to the third race at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday. His horse, Sucker Plucker, kicked Portillo in the right thigh before getting a “leg up” in the walking ring.

Portillo’s agent, Ed Fyffe, described it as “a freak accident” and said that the first X-rays show that bones have been shattered in three places below the hip. He added that Portillo is alert and conscious, but understandably, in a lot of pain.

Friday, June 11 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 6-11-10

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 11, 2010) – Owner-trainer Steve Dwoskin’s 5-year-old gelding Mean Sax put his rivals to sleep while he led wire-to-wire after posting moderate fractions last out in the $55,000 Mecke overnight stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course on May 22, and will bid to repeat that good performance Sunday in the $55,000 Blazing Sword overnight in a field of 11 that includes five coming back from the Mecke.

Jockey Jeffrey Sanchez gets a return call on Mean Sax in the Blazing Sword at one mile on turf, a sixteenth shorter than the Mecke when they got away on the lead with a half-mile in 49 3/5 and three-quarters in 1:13 over the ‘firm’ course. A son of Smooth Jazz, Mean Sax is highly-consistent, particularly over the Calder turf course with a 9-3-3-2 record.

Thursday, June 10 2010

“Summit Preview” – Stakes Advance

Big Drama & How’s Your Halo Clash in Ponche Handicap, Highlight of Summit PREVIEW Saturday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 10, 2010) – A match-up between Harold Queen’s 4-year-old Florida homebred colt Big Drama, a winner of $1.2 million with a national reputation, and Brian Prichard’s highly-accomplished 7-year-old sprint stakes star How’s Your Halo in the $65,000 Ponche Handicap will highlight Saturday’s Summit Preview program at Calder Casino & Race Course.

The Ponche is one of four six-furlong stakes worth a total of $300,000 to be run on Saturday’s 13-race card as an opportunity for Calder home team sprint prospects to tune-up over the track and distance of the rich races to be run on this year’s $1.35 million Summit of Speed Day on Sat., July 10.

Sunday, June 06 2010

Calder barn notes 6/6/10

Big Drama Drills Sharp Half-Mile for Ponche Handicap

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 6, 2010) - Harold Queen’s 4-year-old Florida homebred colt Big Drama, a winner of more than $1.2 million, worked a solid half-mile in 48 flat Sunday morning at Calder Casino & Race Course for trainer David Fawkes as he prepares to shoulder top-weight of 121 pounds as the likely favorite in Saturday’s $65,000 Ponche Handicap.

The Ponche is expected to be a highlight of four six-furlong stakes to be run on the Summit of Speed PREVIEW program Saturday as Calder home team sprint stars tune-up for the track’s $1.35 million Summit of Speed day race on Sat., July 10 with stakes stars from coast-to-coast expected to be flown in for the rich annual event.

Saturday, June 05 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 6-5-10

Summit of Speed Watch This Weekend at Belmont & Monmouth

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 5, 2010) – The Calder home team sprint stars pointing for the $1.35 million Summit of Speed card at Calder Casino & Race Course on Sat., July 10 will get their final tune-ups in four over the track and distance stakes next Saturday (June 12) while track officials will be watching several other sprint stakes to be run this weekend at Belmont Park and Monmouth Park for potential contenders.

The $250,000 True North Handicap (G2) to be run on the Belmont Stakes (G2) undercard Saturday has frequently yielded contenders for the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) on Summit day at Calder as last Saturday’s renewal of the $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap (G2) there has for the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1).

FATHER FOLLOWS SON’S LEAD AS STUTES WIN BACK-TO-BACK RACES

ALBANY -- The phrase "like father, like son" was reversed Saturday at Golden Gate Fields when the Stutes - son Gary and father Mel - won back-to-back races.

Gary set an example for his father when he captured the third race, a one-mile event for 3-year-olds and up, with General Dan ($5.00). Not to be outdone by his son, 82-year-old Mel promptly won the fourth race, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, with Aquicksting ($13.20).

Friday, June 04 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 6-4-10

Lord Juban & Sweettrickydancer Overnights Highlight Calder Weekend

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 4, 2010) – J D Farm’s 3-year-old star Bim Bam takes a step toward a major summer campaign in the $55,000 Lord Juban overnight stakes to highlight the ‘live’ action at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday along with simulcast wagering on the 142nd edition of the Belmont Stakes (G1) and other major Graded stakes that afternoon from New York.

Sunday, Rose Family Stable’s highly-accomplished Florida homebred filly Joanie’s Catch gets her second chance on turf in the $55,000 Sweettrickydancer overnight stakes, the 3-year-old filly companion event to Saturday’s Lord Juban, both races scheduled for one mile on turf.

Tuesday, June 01 2010

Mambo Meister Wins Calder’s Memorial Day Handicap (G3) Easily

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 31, 2010) – Quantum Racing Team #1’s 5-year-old gelding Mambo Meister won the $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap (G3) at Calder Casino & Race Course on Monday easily, drawing off under jockey Manoel Cruz to win by 7 ¾ lengths over Causeway’s Kin.

Sent off as the 4-to-5 favorite, Mambo Meister raced off an easy pace set by Cinnamon Road and jockey Luis Saez. Nearing the quarter pole, Mambo Meister was asked to run and he seized the lead, eventually opening up in the stretch to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.70. Cinnamon Road finished third, a neck behind Causeway’s Kin.

Calder Barn Notes: 5-31-10

Bim Bam Drills on Turf for Lord Juban Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 31, 2010) – Trainer David Brownlee had considered shipping J D Farm’s homebred 3-year-old colt Bim Bam to Texas to run in the $100,000 USA Stakes at Lone Star Park on Memorial Day Monday, but decided to keep him home at Calder Casino & Race Course where he drilled a sharp half-mile in 48 flat on turf Monday morning.

Brownlee’s back-up plan is to run in the $55,000 Lord Juban overnight stakes to be run over the Calder course Saturday as a tune-up for engagements later this summer in the northeast with rich stakes opportunities for 3-year-olds at Colonial Downs in Virginia and Monmouth Park in New Jersey.