Month: April 2021

Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists Announced

Six finalists have been announced for the 2021 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which recognizes the year's best long-form writing on racing. The award is presented annually by Castleton Lyons.

A Hole Through the Wind, by Alan Patterson, reveals the lives of twin colts through the diary and remembrances of an old horseman.

Diane Crump, A Horse-Racing Pioneer's Life in the Saddle, by Mark Shrager, is a biography of the first woman to ride in a pari-mutuel race in the U.S.

First-Time Starter is a novella written by former owner and jockey's agent Stan Jensen.

Good Things Come is the first novel by equine artist Linda Shantz and mixes hope, heartbreak and romance on the Canadian racing scene.

Ruffian, by Precious McKenzie, is a fictional account of the life of the champion filly as seen through a young racing fan.

Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop Had a Way With Horses, by Vicky Moon, is the biography of the first black woman to obtain a trainer's license in the U.S.

The Tony Ryan Book Award winner had been announced at a Castleton Lyons reception in April since 2006, but the 2021 announcement was by necessity moved back to November and was conducted remotely for the first time, via Zoom conference. A similar format is expected this year with a tentative target date of late April.

The post Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kilroe Winner Hits the Road for First Time in Maker’s Mark Mile

The winner of four straight races and six of nine overall, including a first-ever Grade I triumph for his trainer last out, progressive Hit the Road (More Than Ready) will travel outside of California for the first time in his career to face eight rivals in a competitive renewal of the GI Maker's Mark Mile Friday at Keeneland.

Capturing his first two turf tries, the latter coming in the Zuma Beach S., as a 2-year-old, the bay ran seventh before being disqualified to last in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and was fourth in the GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. That's the last time Hit the Road has tasted defeat, as he followed up a Santa Anita allowance score last spring with a tally in the restricted Oceanside S. July 10 at Del Mar. Given the rest of his sophomore campaign off, he's come back better than ever, dominating the GIII Thunder Road S. by 3 3/4 lengths and squeezing through a narrow opening to take the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. to give conditioner Dan Blacker a career high Mar. 6 at Santa Anita.

Given the narrow nod at 7-2 on the morning line is the lone other Grade I winner in the field, Peter Brant's Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Rallying to a victory in the GI Hollywood Derby in December of 2018, the now 6-year-old has had a difficult time finding the winning thread since then, scoring just once in his subsequent 10 tries, albeit at the highest level in last spring's GI Shoemaker Mile S. at Santa Anita. The Chad Brown trainee ran a close third in this event last year and was runner-up in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. here in the fall before running 10th in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile.

Lightly-raced Darain (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) intrigues as he takes a steep class hike. Starting his career two-for-two last summer in his native land for John Gosden, he failed to hit the board in the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. or G3 Darley S., but was a narrow second and registered a sharp allowance score in two tries for Brad Cox this winter at Fair Grounds. Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) also commands respect, as his twin 105 Beyers from his runner-up finish in Pimlico's GII Dinner Party S. and victory in the New York-bred Mohawk S. last fall are tied with Raging Bull's Shoemaker figure for field best.

The post Kilroe Winner Hits the Road for First Time in Maker’s Mark Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Indiana Grand Adds ‘Innovative Views’ From Drone Camera, Televised Stewards’ Explanations

When racing resumes for the 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing Tuesday, April 13, racing fans will notice some new features added to the television production of the live racing broadcast. A drone will be implemented into the current lineup of camera shots, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for enhanced camera angles at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

“Our team has been challenged to take Caesars' racing to the forefront in technology and a drone is one step in doing so,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “As we began to pull this new concept in, we started realizing how this drone could really showcase our racing program and set our TV production apart from others. It's important to note we do not plan on changing the way people watch our races but rather complement our current production with innovative views that nobody else is offering in their daily broadcasts. Lastly, we also view this as a potential way to assist the stewards in reviewing races, especially in areas where current camera angles are more difficult than others to see the full action of a race.”

The Matrice 200 Drone is engineered and equipped with all the latest options available in aerial production. The device is a little less than three feet in width and stands 16 inches high. It's capable of zoom options with adjustable speed and is programmable from location to location. Operators are required to be licensed with the Federal Aviation Administration with a Remote Pilot Certificate. Three of Indiana Grand's audio-visual department team members recently completed training and are now licensed to fly the drone.

A special landing and takeoff pad has been constructed near the back of the paddock. Plans are in place for the drone to use the home base between assignments.

In addition to the drone, Indiana Grand has also implemented a new audio and visual system for the IHRC Stewards. Upon completion of any ruling regarding a decision made on a race, Senior State Steward Eric Smith will be televised live with an explanation from the steward's room on how they made their decision during an infraction.

“We feel providing an explanation directly from the stewards is a great way to inform fans watching and wagering on our product,” noted Halstrom. “They will now be able explain how they came to a conclusion on a specific ruling and give insight on the information they reviewed and gathered from the jockeys involved in the incident.”

Both the drone and the steward's audio/video option is on track to be unveiled in the first week of racing at Indiana Grand.

Live racing returns to Indiana Grand Tuesday, April 13 and extends through Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Racing will be conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. In addition, six all-Quarter Horse racing dates are set on select Saturdays starting June 5 at 10 a.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30 beginning at 12 p.m. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

The post Indiana Grand Adds ‘Innovative Views’ From Drone Camera, Televised Stewards’ Explanations appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights