Fans at sporting events: Maximum of 4,000 to be allowed in England
Up to 4,000 fans will be allowed at outdoor events in the lowest-risk areas when the four-week national lockdown in England ends.
Month: November 2020
Despite Shorter Meet, Indiana Grand Sets Several New Wagering Records
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville, Ind., completed its 18th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing Thursday, Nov. 18. The abbreviated 96-day season offered 92 days of combined Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing along with four days dedicated directly to the sprinters to set a new wagering record of $198,960,722.
Record numbers were posted throughout the season. The track recorded its highest single program handle on the Indiana Derby Wednesday, July 8, with a total of $5,979,952 wagered on the 12-race card. The Indiana Derby race alone garnered $1,026,395, which was a single race record for the track. The four-day race period also marked the best week ever in the 18-year history of racing for Indiana Grand with a total of $13,176,192 wagered.
Overall, the track saw an increase of 60.93 percent over 2019. A total of $198,960,722 was wagered from all sources in 2020 compared to $123,635,376 in 2019 – with 26 fewer days in 2020.
Quarter Horse racing also saw a 17.33 percent increase in 2020. Total handle for Quarter Horse racing in 2020 was $20,143,348.30 compared to $17,168,338 in 2019 with two fewer all-Quarter Horse days held in 2020 compared to 2019. The track recorded its largest single card handle on an all-Quarter Horse day with $819,708.35 wagered on the Saturday, Aug. 8 program.
The final week of racing also established some records as a total of $3,869,898 was wagered on the final program of the year, Thursday, Nov. 19, marking the largest handle on a non-Indiana Derby racing card in the history of the track.
In all, a total of six days in 2020 showed handle in excess of $3 million. Only one card all season containing Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing did not eclipse $1 million in total handle, which was a shortened two-race day due to weather cancellation. The total of 91 days with handle in excess of $1 million is also a track record for Indiana Grand.
“To get 96 racing days in during these unprecedented times is a real credit to the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) staff, our horsemen and our very dedicated group of employees,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. “When you consider that we did all of that while breaking every handle record on the books makes the season a success by any measure.”
Racing dates for 2021 will be reviewed and expected to be approved by the IHRC at their monthly meeting in December. Indiana Grand hopes to return to its regular 120- racing season including six days dedicated to Quarter Horse racing.
The post Despite Shorter Meet, Indiana Grand Sets Several New Wagering Records appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Tough Competition Projected At Tampa Bay For Upcoming Meet; Races Return Wednesday
The smell of freshly cut grass drifted across the grandstand apron shortly after 9 a.m. today, as track maintenance workers groomed Tampa Bay Downs' renowned turf in preparation for Wednesday's Opening Day program.
Although no one was around to savor the sweet fragrance, that scenario will change in two days when spectators are allowed to view the races in person for the first time since March 15. A nine-race card that includes four races on the pristine grass course begins at 12:25 p.m. The gates open at 11 a.m.
Wednesday's feature race is the Happy Thanksgiving Purse, an allowance/optional claiming event carded as the eighth race. A field of nine colts and geldings will sprint 6 ½ furlongs on the main dirt track. The 3-1 morning-line favorite is 3-year-old colt Hauntedbythemusic, trained by Baltazar Galvan, with Samy Camacho named to ride.
Officially, Wednesday is the second day of the 2020-21 Thoroughbred meeting, which began on July 1, the second day of the track's two-day Summer Festival of Racing. Tampa Bay Downs will race on a Wednesday-Friday-Saturday schedule before adding Sundays to the mix on Dec. 20 (the track will race Thursday, Dec. 24 and be closed Christmas, Dec. 25).
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, fans will be required to wear masks both inside and outside the facility, unless they are eating or drinking. Social distancing is encouraged and will be enforced, as necessary.
Gerald Bennett, who has won five consecutive Tampa Bay Downs training titles and six overall, has entered seven horses for Wednesday. He described the vibe on the grounds as upbeat as horsemen, jockeys and backstretch personnel get ready to launch the track's 95th anniversary season.
“Everyone wants to get running. We have quite a few new outfits here and quite a few new riders, very competitive riders,” Bennett said. “We're eager to get started and see how everything unfolds, but I think we're going to have pretty competitive racing from the first day.
“You have the great weather and you have a dirt track that is the same consistency from day to day, so you don't have to over-train your horses. The turf track is probably as good as any turf track in the country, so you get (trainers such as) Chad Brown, Shug McGaughey, (Todd) Pletcher and (Christophe) Clement shipping horses in to run.”
That doesn't make it any easier to win races, but it draws attention – and wagering dollars – from bettors far and wide.
Camacho, who won the Oldsmar jockeys title in 2018-2019 and captured last season's Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby on 49-1 shot King Guillermo, expects to be tested by his rivals from the beginning. He can't wait.
“I had a good season at Gulfstream (in south Florida), but I love Tampa and I'm glad to be back with my family and my friends and the fans. I'm excited, and I want to start winning races and having fun,” Camacho said.
While Camacho is fired up to hear the shouts from the crowd as he rides a horse to victory, Bennett says having fans along for the ride gives everyone a boost.
“A lot of fans always talk to me and ask me if my horse has a shot, and I'll talk about the race and tell them which horse I think we have to beat,” Bennett said. “It's good having them back, and Tampa is a great area to race and live. It's a relaxed atmosphere and everybody knows each other in the barn area, so it gets to be like a family.”
A family with its share of intense rivalries.
While Bennett expects to have as many as 50 horses in his stable (including some trained by his wife, Mary Ann Bennett), he expects strong challenges for the top spot from last season's runner-up, Kathleen O'Connell, and third-place finisher Michael Stidham.
Newcomers likely to be heard from include Michael Maker, Jon Arnett and David Van Winkle.
The jockeys race should also be highly charged from the outset, with Camacho joined in the battle by defending champion Antonio Gallardo, a five-time title-holder; six-time winner Daniel Centeno; Pablo Morales; Jose Ferrer; Jesus Castanon; Ronnie Allen, Jr.; and newcomer Roberto Alvarado, Jr.
The 2020-21 stakes schedule kicks off on Dec. 5, Cotillion Festival Day, which features a card of mostly 2-year-old races. Stakes offerings that day include the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Both races are at a distance of 6 furlongs on the main track. The Inaugural closed Saturday with 25 nominations, while the Sandpiper attracted 24 nominations.
The 41st annual G2 $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, a showcase for Triple Crown prospects, will be held March 6 as part of a Festival Day program including four graded stakes and total stakes purse money of $1 million.
The post Tough Competition Projected At Tampa Bay For Upcoming Meet; Races Return Wednesday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Granddaughter of Magnificient Style Set for Deauville Debut
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday’s Insights features a granddaughter of Magnificient Style.
12.25 Lingfield, Mdn, £5,800, 2yo, f, 7f 1y (AWT)
Cheveley Park Stud’s UNDER WRAPS (GB) (Kingman {GB}), one of two nominees from the John Gosden stable, is a homebred half to two stakes performers out of G1 Prix de Diane heroine Confidential Lady (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). She encounters another hitherto unraced Cheveley Park representative, Puy Mary (GB) (Intello {Ger}), who is a Roger Varian-trained homebred half-sister to this year’s G3 Jersey S. victor and G1 Prix Jean Prat fifth Molatham (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}).
2.25 Deauville, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT)
Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred AL NAYEBA (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}), a Fabrice Chappet trainee, is a daughter of MGSW GI Flower Bowl Invitational second Changing Skies (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), herself out of GSW matriarch Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk). Drawn widest of 16 debutantes, her opponents include Erika Gilliar’s Ja Ja Ding Dong (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who is a Gavin Hernon-trained daughter of G1 Nassau S. heroine Favourable Terms (GB) (Selkirk).
The post Granddaughter of Magnificient Style Set for Deauville Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
