Emerald Downs will offer 52 days of live racing in 2023, beginning May 6 and continuing through Sept. 17. The 2023 season features 20 Saturdays, 19 Sundays, 11 Fridays, and two Mondays. The meet's stakes schedule, which will be released in full in December, is highlighted by the 88th running of the Longacres Mile. Live racing dates were approved at last week's monthly meeting of the Washington Horse Racing Commission.
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) Holiday Giving Campaign kicks off tomorrow, Nov. 29, on Giving Tuesday and runs through Dec. 31, 2022.
Those wishing to support accredited Thoroughbred aftercare can visit the TAA's website to make a donation and send digital holiday cards to colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
Throughout the year-end campaign, the TAA will host special one-day only donation matching with some of horse racing's biggest names, including Denali Stud, West Point Thoroughbreds, Bob and Jill Baffert, and more. Watch for announcements of TAA Holiday Giving match sponsors on the TAA's social media, website, and industry advertisements.
“While we gear up for the holidays, it is my hope that those of us in the Thoroughbred industry consider donating to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance during its Holiday Giving Campaign,” said TAA President, Jeffrey Bloom. “The horses give us so much, and every donation to the TAA helps support a network of 81 accredited organizations, 180 facilities, and over 4,000 Thoroughbreds. Keep holiday giving simple, donate to the TAA.”
“The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance helps alleviate fundraising stress for their accredited organizations and provides much-needed funding to aftercare organizations who are doing the good work caring for the horses,” said TAA Funding and Events Manager, Emily (Dresen) Scandore. “Choose the TAA as your charity of choice during this season of giving where one gift from you helps thousands of off-track Thoroughbreds.”
Offered as lot 1622 at the midway stage of the first of two Sceptre Sessions during the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in Newmarket, the Archangel Gabriel (Arch–Princess Kris {GB}, by Kris {GB}) fetched a final bid of 800,000gns from Hunscote Stud to dissolve the partnership between that operation and Chris Humber. The 9-year-old, a full-sister to US Grade I winner Prince Arch and a half-sister to G1 National S. winner Kingsfort (War Chant) and to the dam of Group 3 winners Pincheck (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Valeria Messalina (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) was consigned by Norris Bloodstock. Archangel Gabriel, already the dam of G3 Pride S. heroine Ville de Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), was sold carrying to St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). “We were one of the partners so obviously we were paying 50p in the pound,” said successful purchaser Andy Lloyd of Hunscote Stud. “She is a gorgeous mare, you don't get many chances and we had one. I think she is decent buy for us on what she has bred. She has got a good cover and the family is very active, very lucky to keep her.” Archangel Gabriel's foals have performed well as yearlings in this ring, her son King of York (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) having fetched 350,000gns before her current 2-year-old, the filly Foederati (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) made 325,000gns. Archangel Gabriel foaled a full-brother to the latter this season.
The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Fawning and Midnight Bella had the distinction of being the first horses to breeze over Gulfstream Park's new turf course Monday morning, three days prior to the long-awaited return of turf racing on Thursday's program.
Fawning, ridden by veteran jockey Julien Leparoux, and Midnight Bella, guided by former jockey Aaron Gryder, worked a half-mile in company on the outer part of the course. Fawning raced outside Midnight Bella before getting the better of her workmate nearing the wire. The official clocking for the easy breeze was 53.40 seconds.
“It was very nice. It obviously was great looking, but it felt good to be on it too. The horse got over it very nicely,” Leparoux said. “There's a nice cushion and when we came back there weren't very many divots.”
Gryder, who rode 3,905 winners before stepping away in 2020 and taking a management position with Gulfstream's parent company 1/ST Racing, was equally pleased with the condition of the turf course.
“They skipped over nicely. There's a good cushion to it and they weren't cutting into it much,” said Gryder, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations.
Joseph, the leading trainer during the current Sunshine Meet after claiming his first Championship Meet title last winter and capturing the spring/summer Royal Palm Meet title, is obviously looking forward to the return of turf racing that came to a halt in June for the construction of the new course that is virtually identical to the one at sister track Santa Anita.
“Tapeta has been a good filler, but you obviously want to have the turf as an option,” Joseph said. “Fawning worked on it and she's going to run on it on Sunday. Midnight Bella is going to run next week. Both of them are going to run on the grass, so it was good to get a work on it.
“It's a firm turf, but you're not hearing any noise,” Joseph added. “Sometimes you hear horses rattle, but this has a good cushion. It's in great shape.”
Fawning, who finished third in the March 26 Melody of Colors in her only turf start before coming off a seven-month layoff to finish second in an Oct. 29 optional claiming allowance on Tapeta, is entered to run in Sunday's Race 5, a mile optional claiming allowance on turf. Midnight Bella, a three-time winner on turf, was claimed for $25,000 in her most recent outing, an Aug. 12 optional claiming allowance on Tapeta.
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