Ron Walker Appointed The Jockey Club Steward At Finger Lakes

Ron Walker has been named The Jockey Club steward for Finger Lakes Racetrack. He takes the place of Samantha Randazzo, who was appointed as The Jockey Club steward for The New York Racing Association tracks.

The appointment was announced by Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club.

“Ron's many years of experience in the racing industry make him an excellent candidate to fill the role of steward at Finger Lakes,” Janney said.

Walker's appointment was official on April 20, 2023, and his duties as steward will begin on April 24, the opening day of the race meet.

Walker has been involved with horse racing since 1981 and has been an owner, breeder, trainer, and racing official. Prior to becoming steward at Finger Lakes, he was the state steward for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. Before that position, Walker spent nine years as the presiding steward for the New Mexico Racing Commission. He also worked as a steward at Mahoning Valley Race Course and Calder.

Walker is a Racing Officials Accreditation Program certified steward.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

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Zarak’s Crown Princesse Wins The Cleopatre

Providing another boost to TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Haras de Saint-Julien and Regula Vannod's Crown Princesse (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}–Lovemedo {Fr}, by Zafeen {Fr}) stepped up on two prior efforts to capture Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. Four-lengths second to that Fabre giant on debut over 9 1/2 furlongs on Chantilly's Polytrack in February, the Fabrice Chappet-trained homebred went back to the same track, trip and surface to break her maiden last month and entered this 10 1/2-furlong Prix de Diane pointer only as a lukewarm 11-1 shot.

Anchored with one behind early by Ioritz Mendizabal, the chestnut had to wait for room at the top of the straight as the eventual runner-up Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) ran into a dead end on the rail. In the open in time to get to the front approaching the furlong pole, she stayed on strongly to score by half a length from the unlucky second, with 3/4 of a length back to the long-time leader Heartache Tonight (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) in third.

“You can't really fault this filly since her debut when she was beaten by one with great potential, as she has since proven,” Chappet said. “We will enjoy that, see how she comes out of the race and take it day by day before deciding on her next race. She is not in the [G1 Prix] Saint-Alary, not in the Diane. We shall see.”

Pedigree Notes

Crown Princesse's dam Lovemedo, who was runner-up in the Listed Prix la Sorellina, is a half-sister to the Listed Prix de Bagatelle winner Mary's Precedent (Fr) (Storming Home {GB}) who produced another Sorellina runner-up in Mary's France (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}). The family features the G1 Prix
de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and his half-sister, the multiple grade I-winning Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf heroine and champion Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). Lovemedo's 2-year-old filly by Meshaheer is named Love Her (Fr).

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 4-21, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:19.25, sf.
1–CROWN PRINCESSE (FR), 126, f, 3, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Lovemedo (Fr) (SP-Fr), by Zafeen (Fr)
2nd Dam: Suvretta Queen (Ire), by Polish Precedent
3rd Dam: Allwaki, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Haras de Saint-Julien & Mme Regula Vannod (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €58,900. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Elusive Princess (Fr), 126, f, 3, Martinborough (Jpn)–Elusive Action (Fr), by Elusive City. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Ecurie Victoria Dreams; B/T-Jean-Philippe Dubois (FR). €16,000.
3–Heartache Tonight (Fr), 126, f, 3, Recorder (GB)–Salvation (GB), by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€160,00 P/S Ylg '21 ARQOCT). O-Chris Wright & Andy MacDonald; B-Sylvain Vidal (FR); T-David Menuisier. €12,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 11.40, 3.70, 5.00.
Also Ran: Forelsket (Ire), Ottery (GB), Higgle (GB), Amelielympique (Ire), Solaire (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Sunday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Races From Aqueduct, Keeneland

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Sunday with action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Keeneland.

The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from tracks across the country. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each week featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Aqueduct Racetrack and partner tracks across the country.

The sequence begins at 1:32 p.m. Eastern in Race 2 at Keeneland, a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. The overflow field will see the debut of the Ignacio Correas-trained All I Want Is You, who enters from a sharp April 15 half-mile breeze from the gate in 46.80 seconds over the Keeneland dirt, the fastest of 100 works that day. Glamour Anna also enters from an April 15 bullet work when covering a half-mile in 47.84 over the Skylight Training Center Dirt for trainer Anna Navarrete. The Wesley Ward-trained Cowichan has hit the board in each of her four lifetime outings and enters from a close third in a September maiden at Saratoga Race Course.

The action continues at Keeneland in Race 5 [3:08 p.m.] with an overflow field in a one-mile turf allowance for older fillies and mares. For the Flag made a winning debut for her new trainer Jimmy Toner last out, scoring a fourth-out graduation in frontrunning fashion in a one-mile maiden special weight in March at Gulfstream Park. The effort garnered a 77 Beyer Speed Figure. Dual stakes-placed Pioneer's Edge will vie to return to winning ways for conditioner Josie Carroll, while four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown sends out Lakota Spirit for her first start since a distant fourth-place finish in the June 25 Wild Applause at Belmont Park.

The middle leg features a salty second-level six-furlong outer turf allowance for older horses in Race 7 [4:34 p.m.] at Aqueduct, led by the return of multiple stakes-placed Grooms All Bizness for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. The son of Fed Biz drops in off two consecutive stakes starts, most recently finishing a game second in the Carle Place on October 23 at Belmont at the Big A.

The Rafael Romero-trained Surprise Boss was last seen posting a runner-up effort on March 19 where he was bested a neck by Joey Freshwater, who exited that effort to win the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 8. Other stakes-performing challengers include Saint Selby, who finished third in the state-bred John Morrissey in August for trainer Rob Atras, and the Tom Morley-trained Seven Scents, who won the Pulse Power Turf Sprint last January.

The penultimate leg will offer stakes action from the Big A in Race 8 [5:06 p.m.], the $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue for eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs. Impressive maiden winner Clover Street will look to build upon a 5 1/2-length romp last out for trainer Mark Hennig in a seven-furlong state-bred maiden special weight. The daughter of Teuflesberg will face a trio of stakes performers in the Linda Rice-trained multiple stakes-winner Les Bon Temps, the Brad Cox-trained NYSSS Fifth Avenue runner-up Midtown Lights, and Little Linzee, who has hit the board in three consecutive stakes for conditioner Domenick Schettino. The undefeated Honest Banker also looks to make a successful stakes debut for trainer Rob Atras and boasts a 2-for-2 record over the Aqueduct main track.

The sequence closes out in Race 9 [5:16 p.m.] from Keeneland as a full field of sophomore fillies look to notch their first victory in a one-mile maiden special weight on the turf. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will hope to see Boltoro finish one better than her last outing when she finished a game second in an off-the-turf maiden on March 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course, an effort that garnered a field-best 73 Beyer Speed Figure. Her rivals include Rosy Tomorrows, who finished a prominent fourth on debut in March for trainer Mike Maker, and the Sarah Hamilton trainee Golden Runner, who tries dirt for the first time after a pair of third-place finishes over the Turfway Park synthetic.

The Wesley Ward-trained Tactical Joke could provide interest should she draw in off the also-eligible list. The daughter of Practical Joke finished third in her January 27 debut sprinting five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park turf and was defeated 1 1/4 lengths after rallying from seventh-of-9.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct spring meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Sunday, April 23

Leg A: Keeneland, Race 2 – MSW (1:32 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Keeneland, Race 5 – allowance (3:08 p.m.)

Leg C: Aqueduct Racetrack, Race 7 – allowance (4:34 p.m.)

Leg D: Aqueduct Keeneland, Race 8 – NYSSS Park Avenue (5:06 p.m.)

Leg E: Keeneland, Race 9 – MSW (5:16 p.m.)

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Lexington Public Library Foundation Gifted $100,000 from Keeneland

Keeneland has gifted $100,000 to the Lexington Public Library's capital campaign for the Marksbury Family Branch to open on Versailles Road in late 2023. The library broke ground last August on the new branch–which will replace the former Village Branch, and provide more educational and civic resources for the neighborhoods it serves.

The new structure will reflect the community's vision for a state-of-the-art hub, one that offers robust resources and a myriad of program and service offerings. The Village Branch pioneered bilingual library services in Lexington, and the new facility–nearly triple the amount of space as its predecessor–will expand resources available to Lexington's Latino, immigrant, and refugee families. The expansion will add community and study rooms; a dedicated classroom; makerspace; an outdoor reading area; expanded adult and children's areas; and a drive-thru window where customers can pick up and return borrowed materials.

In recognition of their donation, a 16-seat meeting room on the first floor of the Marksbury Family Branch will be named in Keeneland's honor. “It's been exciting for Keeneland to have a hand in making the Marksbury Family Branch a reality,” Keeneland Senior Director of Operations and Community Relations Kara Heissenbuttel said. “As a state-of- the-art space, this facility offers tremendous potential to both welcome visitors to Lexington and to serve people of all backgrounds.”

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