Month: July 2023

Ellis Park To Host ‘Rein In Breast Cancer’ Event Saturday

Ellis Park Racing & Gaming will celebrate Breast Cancer Survivors on Saturday with its annual Horses and Hope Day at the races.

Race fans are encouraged to visit the Pink Tent located on the track apron to learn about cancer prevention and screening resources. A limited number of free gifts will be available to cancer survivors. Horses and Hope will also have merchandise available for purchase.

“We want to send a message to all cancer survivors, especially our patrons, our community and our very own team members that no one fights alone,” Ellis Park General Manager Matt Pressley said. “Ellis Park is all about community and family and this is a great opportunity to celebrate and spend the day with friends and family.”

Horses and Hope is a project started by former First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program. Their mission is to reach men and women throughout Kentucky to increase cancer screening, especially among Kentucky's horse industry workers and their families.

Ellis Park will have a giveaway for the first 50 survivors through the main gate on Saturday, as well as the opportunity for survivors to enter a drawing for one of three self-care packages generously donated by Massage Therapy by Cherie Williamson LMT and Sixth and Zero.

Race fans are encouraged to “chalk the walk” between the terrace and paddock tents in honor of their loved ones and to wear pink to the races to create a brightly colored sea of support.

Horses and Hope will also have their one-of-a-kind pink Ford Mustang available for fans to take photos. The unique car was used as the pace car in a 2011 NASCAR Cup Series race.

The first of nine races will get underway at 11:45 a.m. (CDT) For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

The post Ellis Park To Host ‘Rein In Breast Cancer’ Event Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Canterbury: Hall Of Fame Saturday Card Features Four Stakes Races

Saturday's Hall of Fame Night racing program at Canterbury Park will bring together many of the best Minnesota-bred thoroughbreds in four $50,000 stakes races. Three-year-old fillies run in the Frances Genter and 3-year-old colts and geldings in the Victor S. Myers, both at six furlongs on the main track. Older fillies and mares race on the turf in the Minnesota Turf Distaff while males run in the Ralph Strangis Stakes. Both grass races are contested around two turns at a distance of 7 1/2 furlongs.

Potentially the most heavily bet favorite in the four stakes will be Cupids Crush in the Frances Genter. She has four wins, a second and a third from six career starts. Cupids Crush is undefeated in 2023 with one win at Oaklawn and two at Canterbury including an allowance victory by 8 1/4 lengths over Lover Girl who had defeated her last season in the $100,000 Northern Lights Debutante, and a win in the $79,500 Curtis Sampson Oaks. Lover Girl also is entered in the Frances Genter.

Owned by Vicki and Mike McGowan's Xtreme Racing Stables LLC, Cupids Crush is now trained by Nate Quinonez after trainer Mac Robertson was provisionally suspended by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) following a positive test in a June 4 race for a substance banned for use in male horses but allowed in fillies and mares. While Robertson awaits adjudication the entirety of his 70-horse stable has been transferred to the care of Quinonez. Eduardo Gallardo has the mount on Cupids Crush.

The Victor S. Myers attracted an evenly matched field of seven. Sir Sterling, off a front-running win in the $54,000 MTA Stallion Auction Stakes, is the 2 to 1 morning line favorite. He is trained by Tony Rengstorf and will be ridden by Lindey Wade for owner and breeder Chad Kuehn. Rengstorf also trains West Island for Suzanne Stables. West Island led gate to wire to break his maiden in his first start of the year on June 17.

Crocodilehunter, bred and owned by trainer Tim Padilla and Pete Mattson, is 9 to 2 in the Myers. He is one of three horses that will be racing in stakes Saturday night out of the mare Garden Gloves. Half-sister, 4-year-old She's My Warrior, is entered in the Minnesota Turf Distaff and 5-year-old half-brother Thealligatorhunter is entered in the Ralph Strangis. All three are owned by Mattson and Padilla.

Canterbury's 2022 horse of the meet Midnight Current defends her Turf Distaff title as the 8 to 5 morning line favorite for trainer Joel Berndt and owner Bob Lothenbach. The 5-year-old mare was an undefeated in five starts last season and began 2023 with consecutive second-place finishes, most recently in the $76,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes. Leading rider Harry Hernandez will be aboard. Berndt also trains Let's Skedaddle in the same race.

Thealligatorhunter finished first in the 2022 Strangis but was disqualified and placed third for interference in the stretch. Saturday he faces the improving Stagecoach Boys, trained by Berndt and owned by Lothenbach, who most recently lost by a nose in the $76,000 Brooks Fields Mile. Thealligatorhunter will likely be forwardly placed in the early stages with Stagecoach Boys and the Qunionez-trained Xavey Dave chasing.

First post for the nine-race card is 5:07 p.m. CT. The wagering menu includes four 10 percent takeout pools: the Post Time Pick 4 beginning in race 1, two traditional Pick 5s beginning in races 2 and 5, and an All-Turf Pick five encompassing races 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.

The post Canterbury: Hall Of Fame Saturday Card Features Four Stakes Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Emily Upjohn Exits Eclipse Well, King George Still The Aim

Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who ran a strong second to Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Eclipse S. earlier this month, has emerged from the race in good order and will continue preparing for the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. on July 29, co-trainer John Gosden confirmed on Thursday.

The G1 British Champions Fillies And Mares S. winner, who won the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on her seasonal bow, was giving her rival seven pounds on the day.

Gosden, who trains with his son Thady, said, “After a race like that you take stock, but I couldn't be more thrilled. She's in great form with herself, I had to canter her again quickly.

“I'm very pleased with her and there's no reason at the minute why she wouldn't go to the King George.”

One of the filly's rivals, 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), is not certain for the race after recovering a setback which kept him out of the Royal Ascot meeting, and trainer Sir Michael Stoute said, “We don't know if we will get him ready in time [for the King George]. He is back in fast work, so we will decide closer to the time. It's a little bit tight time-wise.”

Gosden also confirmed plans for another of his stable stars in Mostahdaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who was ranked second in the world on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on Thursday. The 2023 G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero will point to the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Aug. 23.

“He goes to the International, he should enjoy York as he likes to play around before the races like Stradivarius used to,” he told Racing TV.

“We've had to space his races, he ran in the [G3] Neom Cup in Saudi which he won in February, he came back and then went to the [G1] Sheema Classic in March, in which he took on the world champion in Equinox (Jpn) and tried to race with him, which is a mistake.

“He came back to a mile and a quarter and showed us what he could do in the Prince of Wales's in which he was very impressive. He came out of it super, he's very full of himself every morning.”

The post Emily Upjohn Exits Eclipse Well, King George Still The Aim appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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