March, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘I Truly Believe It Is Worth Saving’: Michael Weiss Named General Manager Of Arizona Downs

A longtime racing industry leader, with deep ties to Arizona horse racing, has been named the new General Manager at Arizona Downs.
Michael Weiss will lead preparations to restore the track and operate the 2021 return of live racing to the Prescott Valley facility. He most recently served as General Manager of Rillito Park Racetrack in Tucson and is well-known for pioneering the PRISE educational program for the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program. He is also a former student in the RTIP and currently serves as a career advisor to program graduates.

“I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to efforts to save Arizona horse racing because I truly believe it is worth saving,” Weiss said. “I look forward to rebuilding the team at Arizona Downs and assembling a safe environment for horsemen and a memorable experience for fans.”

Over the years, Weiss has worked at a wide array of racing venues, including Beulah Park Racetrack, Birmingham Race Course, Thistledown Racetrack, Hialeah Park, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park and North Dakota Horse Park, where he re-instituted live racing after a long absence. He has held virtually every position at the racetrack, from starter to racing secretary and executive vice president in thoroughbred and quarter horse environments. Off the track, he pioneered, operated, and grew on-line wagering platforms, including AmericaTab and Darkhorsebet.com, both later acquired by TwinSpires and Xpressbet.

“Mike is the perfect fit to lead the revival of racing at Arizona Downs,” said Leroy Gessman, President of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. “He has a genuine passion for a successful future of all of Arizona Racing and we are very fortunate to have him.”

His hiring comes at a pivotal time for horse racing in the state, as the Arizona Senate is now considering a bill to modernize wagering at horse tracks and OTBs. Senate Bill 1794 would bring more than $300 million in capital investment to Arizona horse racing, including a new track at Arizona Downs, while generating more than $100 million in new state tax revenues.

Live racing returns to Arizona Downs on June 1, with a 1:30pm post time and racing will take place every Tuesday and Wednesday through September 15.

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Training Schedules Return To Normal At Laurel Amidst EHV-1 Quarantine

Training hours at Laurel Park will return to the regular schedule Monday, March 29, upon the recommendation of Dr. Michael Odian, Chief State Veterinarian for the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

For the past several weeks, horses in barns that had been under quarantine because of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) have trained on the track at Laurel after regular training hours. Laurel is now considered one quarantine facility, as is Pimlico Race Course, and as of March 28 there were no positive EHV-1 cases at either facility.

Horses that are positive are housed at the former Bowie Training Center or at private farms. Each of the three barns being used at Bowie is considered a separate quarantine facility given their spacing on the property.

Training hours at Laurel are as follows: 5:30 to 10 a.m. on race days and 5:30 to 10:30 a.m. on dark days, with renovation breaks from 7-7:30 a.m. and 9-9:30 a.m.

The current 21-day quarantine at Laurel and Pimlico calls for only symptomatic horses or those with a temperature of 101.5 degrees or higher to be tested. If there are no more EHV-1 cases, the Pimlico quarantine will end April 12, and at Laurel, the date is April 18, according to Odian.

Live racing at Laurel was canceled March 27-29 and also April 1-3. No racing was scheduled for April 4, Easter Sunday. As of now, racing is scheduled to resume Thursday, April 8, subject to there not being additional EHV-1 cases. Only horses stabled at Laurel will be permitted to race until the Pimlico quarantine expires.

Horsemen are encouraged to continue taking horses' temperatures and to report any above 101.5 degrees to Dr. Libby Daniel, the Maryland Racing Commission Equine Medical Director, or Dr. Heidi Thomas, MJC Senior Veterinarian.

All backstretch employees are urged to continue various disinfection practices for barns and equipment and to refrain from interaction with other barns at MJC facilities. Veterinary officials said it's important to open up barns as much as possible to allow fresh air to circulate. It not only helps the horses but helps reduce the chances of spread of the virus in barns. It is also important to limit horse-to-horse contact and to keep stress on horses at a minimum.

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Toast To Vino Rosso: Colt Out Of Differ Brings ‘A Lot Of Size And Scope’

Throughout the breeding season, the Paulick Report will be sharing photos of foals from the first crop of Spendthrift Farm's Breeders' Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso in the “Toast to Vino Rosso” series.

Over the past few weeks, we've spoken to several breeders about what Vino Rosso brings to the table as a stallion, and plenty of them have said they wanted to add some leg to their mare.

We've got another example of that, with this colt out of the winning Pulpit mare Differ. He was born on March 15 at Burleson Farm, and his second dam is the Grade 3-placed stakes winner Contrast.

“We're extremely happy with him,” said breeder Lyn Burleson. “He's got a lot of leg, got a lot of size and scope, really good hip. Just a really nice foal.”

Burleson said the decision to send Differ to Vino Rosso was swayed by the stallion's generous leg, and what that could contribute to the ensuing foal.

“She mated well with him, and their physical types matched up well,” he said. “She's a Pulpit mare with a really big hip, not so much leg, and he was a scopier type of horse, so we thought they'd compliment each other well.

“He's got more of Vino Rosso's leg and scope, but he's the color of the mare,” he continued.

Vino Rosso, a 6-year-old son of Curlin, stands at Spendthrift Farm for an advertised fee of $25,000.

Vino Rosso won won six of 15 starts and earned $4,803,125 on the racetrack. In addition to his signature Breeders' Cup Classic score, the stallion picked up victories in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, and the G2 Wood Memorial Stakes.

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Keeneland Maker’s Mark Bottle Fundraiser to Benefit LexArts, Isaac Murphy Memorial Garden

This year, the annual release of a commemorative Maker's Mark Bourbon bottle in partnership with Keeneland will benefit LexArts, greater Lexington's premier cultural development, advocacy, and fundraising organization, to support its initiatives at the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden in Lexington. Murphy was a Hall of Fame jockey who remains the only rider to win the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Clark H. in the same year (1884). The Art Garden is the first park in the U.S. to honor African American jockeys, who were the earliest Black professional athletes.

For the first time, the fundraiser will feature three distinct bottles, each with its own label featuring the work of artists Sandra Oppegard, Andre Pater, or Tyler Robertson. The bottles are all pre-signed by the artist who created each label along with Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin, Maker's Mark Managing Director Rob Samuels, and one of three active Hall of Fame jockeys who have won the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. at Keeneland multiple times: Javier Castellano, Edgar Prado, and John Velazquez.

The three bottles will go on sale Friday, Apr. 2. This begins a three-year series benefiting LexArts initiatives, with the same three artists creating new labels each year for the commemorative release.

“To have the immeasurable support of these two iconic brands, Keeneland and Maker's Mark, is meaningful in so many ways for LexArts and our entire arts community,” said Ame Sweetall, LexArts President and CEO. “The support of the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden this partnership will further engage and enrich the East End community and build upon the early work of those who made the art garden a reality more than ten years ago.”

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