Thursday, September 09 2010
J P’s Gusto Romps In Del Mar Futurity
Gem, Inc.'s J P's Gusto, the 4-5 betting choice ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, staked his claim as one of America's best two-year-olds with an impressive triumph Wednesday in the Grade I $250,000 Del Mar Futurity before a crowd of 12,252 on the final day of Del Mar's summer season of Thoroughbred racing.
Prominent from the start of the seven-furlong sprint for juveniles, J P's Gusto, winner of the Best Pal Stakes early this season, shook loose at the top of the stretch, responded generously to Valenzuela's urging and pulled away authoritatively to win by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:22.95.
Del Mar Finds Much To Be Grateful For In 2010 Race Meeting
"When you look around at the challenges that seem pervasive in our industry, and then see the sort of response we've gotten at our meet from our horsemen and our fans, you just know there's much we've got to be grateful for." -- Craig Fravel, president and general manager, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Del Mar tucked in another season -- its 71st -- Wednesday on a positive note and with high hopes for better days ahead for the people and horses that make it one of America's foremost racing centers. Track officials pointed to an increase in attendance at the 37-day stand, an increase in per-race betting, a retroactive purse payment and a series of "big" days that showed that the sport and the Del Mar "scene" are still powerful drawing cards both locally and nationally.
Del Mar Might Not Take My Money, But It Surely Stole My Heart This Summer
You stop for a second every now and again, casually observe some of the scenery at Del Mar, and wonder why sane human beings would want to spend summer days at the track. There's the smell of horse manure near the paddock and from the way each defeated soul tells it, winning tickets are the stuff of fables. Rodney Dangerfield would fit in nicely here.
25 minutes of down time separate 70 seconds of fleeting entertainment while palm trees and big boards obstruct a good chunk of the action. Tacky jackets and hats the size of boogie boards are always in vogue for some inexplicable reason.
DAY 37—CLOSING DAY ANOTHER SEASON, ANOTHER REASON FOR TURFIN’ AT THE SURF
The curtain is coming down on another sterling season of racing "where the turf meets the surf" so your stable guy, as he does each season-ending day, is reflecting on the season. Here are some of the highlights that come to mind, in no particular order of importance:
* Another brilliant performance by the super mare, Zenyatta, who each time she runs makes us wish she could stay in the game forever. She has been one of the great ambassadors for racing and we have owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs to thank for honoring us with her presence. Her third straight victory in the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes made her the fourth in Del Mar's history to win the same race three times, joining Native Diver, Flawlessly and Track Gal.
Turfway Fall Meet Opens Thursday
Florence, Ky., Sept. 8, 2010 . . . The 2010 Turfway Park fall race meet begins tomorrow, September 9. First post on Thursdays and Fridays is 5:30pm. First post on Saturdays and Sundays is 1:10pm. Admission and parking are free.
Featured Saturday, Sept. 11: the $100,000 Turfway Park Fall Championship (G3), a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G3) at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 and 6.
MONMOUTH FALL MEET KICKS OFF THIS SATURDAY; REVIDERE STAKES HEADLINES FIRST FALL MEET CARD
Right off the heels of the ultra-successful Elite Summer Meet, presented by IZOD, Monmouth Park kicks off the Fall Meet this Saturday, Sept. 11, with the $75,000 Revidere Stakes leading the way for a 22-day stand.
With racing on Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 21, Monmouth Park is set to offer $375,000 in average daily purses. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m., with post time set for 12:50 p.m. Highlights of the Fall Meet include:
LEADING TRAINER MOREY BAGS TWO MORE VICTORIES
ALBANY -- William E. Morey saddled a pair of winners Wednesday to maintain his position atop the trainer standings at Golden Gate Fields.
Morey, who is winning races at an amazing 43 percent clip, captured the third race with No Illusions ($9.00) and the sixth with Griffinstown ($3.60). Morey leads his colleagues with 14 victories through 12 days of racing at the summer meeting.
Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) and Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3)
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Sept. 8, 2010) – Two-year-olds of both sexes take the spotlight Saturday at Arlington Park with the 76th edition of the Grade III $100,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity and the 76th edition of the the Grade III $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie sharing top billing on the nine-race card. Each of these prominent fixtures on the racing calendar will be contested at one mile on Polytrack.
An overflow field of 13 2-year-old fillies were entered for the Lassie, a race captured last year by eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine and Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly She Be Wild.
Wednesday, September 08 2010
“Secretariat Day” at Calder
“Secretariat Day,” named in honor of the 1973 Triple Crown winner, legendary racehorse, and upcoming Walt Disney Co.’s new film, “Secretariat,” will be held on Saturday, September 18th at Calder Casino and Race Course. Secretariat was the only horse to run the Kentucky Derby in under two minutes and his record still stands today. The day at the track includes:
* Chances for race goers to win screening tickets to local theatres, posters, movie promotional items, and Kentucky Derby videos. Entries will be collected until 12pm noon on Saturday, September 18 at the second floor Twin Spires Club, with drawings held all afternoon.
DELPARK NEWS & NOTES - OWNERS DAY - DTHA GOVERNORS DAY STAKES - ROSENBERGER
Owners’ Day
Edgewater tops DTHA Governors Day Stakes
STANTON, DELAWARE, September 7, 2010 - Lazy Lane Farm’s Edgewater tops a field of ten entered in the mile and an eighth $75,000 DTHA Governors Day Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday. The race for 3-year-olds and upward is restricted to horses who have started at Delaware Park this year (stake races excluded).
DTHA Owners Day at Delaware Park this Saturday
Stanton, Del., September 7, 2010 — A total of 152 horses have been entered on the thirteen race $670,250 18th annual Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (DTHA) Owners Day card at Delaware Park this Saturday. First race post time for the card, worth a total of $670,250 in purses, is 1:15 p.m.
Secret Gypsy looks to continue comeback success in Endine Stakes
Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy will be looking to continue her comeback success when she meets seven rivals in the $150,000 Grade III Endine Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday. The six furlong event for fillies and mares is named after the two-time Delaware Handicap winner (1958 & 1959) who was locally owned by Christiana Stables.
Day three for on-track exacta pool bonus having impact for on-track patrons
Stanton, Del., September 7, 2010 — Day three of the on-track exacta pool bonus experiment has made a impact for most horse players who came to Delaware Park today. The on-track exacta bonus is a unique promotion in that it rewards horse players based upon handicapping skill and level of play who place Delaware Park exacta wagers at the track.
The total approximate amount of on-track exacta bonuses returned to winning players was $1,202.40.
