TVG Live On Site For Hambletonian, Del Mar Stakes, Ellis Park Derby

TVG, America's horse racing network, will be live on site at racetracks across the country covering a loaded weekend of racing that includes the $1 million Hambletonian, one of harness racing's most prestigious events, alongside major graded stakes races from Del Mar and the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, a prep race for the Kentucky Derby (GI) in September.

At the Meadowlands, Ramona Hill will go to post as the 5-2 morning line favorite with driver Andrew McCarthy as TVG will provide live, on-site coverage of the first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown. TVG's Tom Cassidy will be live on-site with analysis and interviews as the track hosts the $600,000 Hambletonian Oaks as well as the 95th renewal of the $1 million Hambletonian. Hypnotic AM has been tabbed as the morning line favorite in the Oaks at odds of 5-2 with driver Brian Sears.

At Del Mar, there will be expert analysis and exclusive interviews on-site by Todd Schrupp, Mike Joyce, Britney Eurton, and Joaquin Jamie while Simon Bray and Christina Blacker will also be contributing to the broadcast. There are four graded stakes races scheduled at Del Mar from Friday through Sunday. Juveniles will be showcased in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (GII) for fillies on Friday and in Saturday's $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (GII). The $150,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares on the turf is also scheduled for Sunday and the stakes action concludes on Sunday with the $125,000 La Jolla Handicap (GII) for sophomores on the turf.

TVG will also be live on site at Ellis Park on Sunday for the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby which will offer points towards a berth in the Kentucky Derby (GI) which will be run the first Saturday in September. The race will feature Art Collector, the impressive winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) at Keeneland in July for trainer Tommy Drury. Brian Hernandez, Jr. will be aboard. Scott Hazelton and Gabby Gaudet will be trackside with interviews and analysis for the full card.

In addition to the Meadowlands, Del Mar and Ellis Park, TVG will also be broadcasting racing from Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Monmouth Park and more all weekend.

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NYRA To Host Cross Country Pick 5 With Woodbine On Travers Day At Saratoga

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 with graded stakes action from historic Saratoga Race Course as well as three races from Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, Runhappy Travers Day.

Live coverage of all the sequence's races will be available with Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Woodbine will start the sequence in Race 8 with a full field of fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on the main track in Race 8 at 4:49 p.m. Eastern. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will see Roman d'Oro, who ran fifth in the Grade 3 Mazarine in October at the Rexdale, Ontario-based track, break from post 2. Trainer Kevin Attard will send out Princess Fabiana from the inside post.

The stakes action will start at the Spa when six fillies and mares compete in the Grade 3, $150,000 Waya for older fillies and mares going 1 ½ miles on the inner turf in Race 9 at 5:02 p.m. Fools Gold will look to defend her title in the turf marathon and become the first repeat Waya winner since Source in 1993-94. The Chad Brown trainee will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano from the outside post. Her stablemate, the French-bred My Sister Nat, earned North American graded stakes black type in her last two efforts when finishing a close second in the Grade 3 Long Island on November 30 at Aqueduct and the Grade 2 New York in June at Belmont Park.

Action returns to Woodbine in Race 9 at 5:22 p.m. when 10 3-year-olds and up compete in a 7 ½-furlong inner turf challenge. Federal Law, who won the Queenston last year at Woodbine, will be sent out by Casse. Florida Won, condition by Martin Drexler, has ran second in two of his last three starts.

Race 10 at Woodbine, a 5 ½-furlong maiden sprint set to go off at 5:56 p.m., will see Marjorie's Dream, who ran a competitive second last out on July 12 going 6 ½ furlongs at Woodbine, break from post 3 for trainer Randy Thompson. The 12-full horse field also includes Trading Bay, who was third in his debut on November 16 at Woodbine.

The concluding leg will be the 151st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers for some of the country's top 3-year-olds at the Spa in Race 11 at 6:15 p.m. on FOX.

A talented eight-horse field is highlighted by morning-line even-money favorite Tiz the Law, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner for trainer Barclay Tagg and to be ridden by Manny Franco. Tiz the Law, who drew post 6, is the leader on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard and will look to add more points as the Travers will award 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will send Uncle Chuck, 2-for-2 in his career, into the Travers, breaking from post 3 with Luis Saez aboard. Max Player, the third-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes conditioned by Linda Rice, drew post 4. Others in the field for the 1 1/4-mile Runhappy Travers include Country Grammer, Shivaree, South Bend, Caracaro and First Line.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, August 8:
Leg 1 – Woodbine, Race 8: (4:49 p.m.)
Leg 2 – Saratoga, Race 9: Grade 3 Waya (5:02 p.m.)
Leg 3 – Woodbine, Race 9: Grade 1 Whitney (5:22 p.m.)
Leg 4 – Woodbine, Race 10: (5:56 p.m.)
Leg 5 – Saratoga, Race 11: Grade 1 Runhappy Travers (6:15 p.m.)

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Woodbine’s Top Jockeys, Drivers Team Up In Heinz Challenge For Charity

Woodbine Entertainment, in partnership with Kraft-Heinz Canada, today announced the launch of the Heinz Challenge, a six-week series to be contested during Racing Night Live on TSN.

The Heinz Challenge pairs a top Woodbine Racetrack jockey with a top Woodbine Mohawk Park driver to create four teams competing for a $5,000 charitable donation from Woodbine.

Every time one of the participating jockeys or drivers competes during a race aired on Racing Night Live, they have the opportunity to earn points towards their team's challenge score.

All eight participating athletes are ranked among the best in their sport and are well-known personalities at Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park. The four competing jockeys are Rafael Hernandez, Kazushi Kimura, Justin Stein and Emma-Jayne Wilson, while the participating drivers are Jody Jamieson, Bob McClure, Doug McNair and Louis-Philippe Roy.

The team with the best 'Points Per Race' average at the end of six weeks will win the challenge. The point system is as follows: 10 points for a win, 5 points for a second-place finish and 2 points for a third-place finish.

(Example: Team A earns 50 points over 10 races: Team A's Points Per Race is 5)

Each member of the winning team will select a charity and Woodbine Entertainment will make a $2,500 donation on their behalf to make up the $5,000 winning prize.

Woodbine Mohawk Park driver James MacDonald was originally scheduled to participate in the Heinz Challenge. MacDonald unfortunately suffered an injury in a racing accident on August 1 and will be unable to participate. Louis-Philippe Roy has been selected to replace MacDonald and the two will split the donation should their team win.

Here are the teams for the Heinz Challenge:

Team E=MC²
Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson
Driver: Bob McClure
#TeamEMC2

Team Club DJ
Jockey: Justin Stein
Driver: Doug McNair
#TeamClubDJ

Team Island Boyz
Jockey: Rafael Hernandez
Driver: James MacDonald (unable to participate due to injury)
Driver: Louis-Philippe Roy
#TeamIslandBoyz

Team Double Double
Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
Driver: Jody Jamieson
#TeamDoubleDouble

The Heinz Challenge is the latest feature on the weekly Racing Night Live program on TSN.

Racing Night Live, which airs every Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on TSN, showcases the world-class racing from the Thoroughbreds at Woodbine Racetrack and Standardbreds at Woodbine Mohawk Park over an action-packed two hours.

The Heinz Challenge will run from August 6 to September 10.

Fans can join the conversation, track the leaderboard and cheer on their favourite team through social media by using the hashtag #HeinzChallenge. All eight of the participating athletes can be found on various social media platforms and will be engaging with fans over the course of the six-week event.

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Sottsass Pleases In Gallop; Gontaut-Biron Next

Last-out G1 Prix Ganay winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on course for the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on Aug. 15 after pleasing connections in a route piece of work on Thursday.

“He did a simple work, as we are accustomed to do,” said trainer Jean-Claude Rouget of Peter Brant’s 4-year-old. “The goal is not to have a hard work; once they have made their seasonal bow, we do maintenance work. They worked over 1,800 metres-all went well. The horse has a good action and he behaves as he does when he is in good form.

“After the Ganay, we left him alone for three weeks. His work picked up for a comeback in mid-August. We didn’t know if he would go to York [for the Juddmonte International] or to Deauville. Apparently, we are going to Deauville. He still had a fairly long break and the York race would be difficult for a semi-return to racing.

The long-term aim for last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner is the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 4.

“Sottsass will then have several options before running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe–either the Prix Foy or, if we stay over 2000 metres, the Irish Champion S.,” Rouget said. “The latter test would be more rewarding for his future stallion career. I am not the only deciding voice. There are also his connections–Peter Brant and Coolmore. We will discuss after the Gontaut-Biron.”

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