Author: News

Real Rider Cup Kentucky Raises $78,000, Woodall Repeats as Champion

The Real Rider Cup–a showjumping event featuring off the track Thoroughbreds ridden by racing industry participants–returned to Kentucky and Mereworth Farm for the second year this past weekend and the event raised more than $78,000 for Thoroughbred Aftercare. Six teams comprised of 26 riders donned silks representing their employers, colleagues, and clients within the racing industry and completed a jumps course with the fastest clear rounds taking home top honors.

Some notable participants and sponsors included Aaron Gryder, Adena Springs, Richard Mandella, Calumet Farm, Godolphin, Bonne Chance Farm, 1/ST Racing and Margaux Farm. Celebrity equine participants included Cozmic One (Bernardini), the first foal out of Hall of Famer Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}); MGSW The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}); and millionaire United (Giant's Causeway).

Defending 2022 Kentucky champion Jesslyn Woodall clinched a repeat victory with Storm Threat (Midnight Storm), who won his Young Event Horse class earlier in the day and is headed to the Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park in October. The Backside Beauties (Keira Nygaard, Brooke Baker, Lucy Hoeppner, Kara Lee, Sophie Doyle) took home top honors in the team division.

Junior rider Aurea Dove won the Highest Earner Award, having raised over $17,000 and eclipsing the record previously held by her mother, Larkspur Carroll.

“When the event began in 2017, none of us could have imagined it would have the impact or touch as many lives as it has,” RRC founder Anita Motion said. “We're honored and humbled to be the stewards of this phenomenal cause and it brings us so much joy to hear members of our community say that the Real Rider Cup is on their bucket list.”

The second leg of the Real Rider Cup set to be held at Fair Hill Sept. 15. Rider registration is open through Sept. 8.

For full results and to learn more, visit the Real Rider Cup website.

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Amplify Horse Racing Announces Dates For Saratoga Educational Experiences

Amplify Horse Racing has announced four upcoming educational experiences at Saratoga Race Course, on Thursday, July 27; Thursday, August 10; Thursday, August 17; and Thursday, August 31.

Launched in 2019 and conducted in collaboration with NYRA and NYTHA, these immersive behind-the-scenes tours are tailored to high school and college students, and aim to educate about the number of career opportunities in racing.

The all-day experiences run from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, beginning on the backstretch with morning training. This segment includes visiting a trainer's barn, speaking with a veterinarian, a discussion about aftercare, and learning about racetrack maintenance. After a break for lunch, participants reconvene in the afternoon for live racing, where they learn how to read a racing program while watching horses saddle in the Saratoga paddock, visit the silks room, and hear from additional presentations including the racing office, communications department, and more.

Each event is limited to 20 participants. Interested individuals can learn more and register HERE. Please contact Annise Montplaisir at info@amplifyhorseracing.org with questions.

About Amplify Horse Racing: Amplify Horse Racing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that amplifies Thoroughbred industry education, mentorship, and career opportunities with horse programs for youth and young adults. It creates pathways to involvement for newcomers, highlights existing initiatives, and creates new resources to lead the Thoroughbred industry into the future.

The post Amplify Horse Racing Announces Dates For Saratoga Educational Experiences appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Old Friends To Host Retirement Part For Hall Of Fame Jockey Edgar Prado On July 15

Old Friends' Belmont Stakes winners, Sarava and Birdstone, are pleased and honored to host a retirement celebration for their Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado.

When: Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held rain or shine.

Where: Old Friends Dream Chase Farm, 1841 Paynes Depot Rd., Georgetown, Ky.

Admission: Free. Interested attendees must RSVP to: barbara@oldfriendsequine.org

Prado, 56, who announced his retirement via a tweet on June 20, rode Old Friends resident stallions Sarava and Birdstone to Belmont Stakes victories in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He has been a longtime supporter of the farm and its mission of Thoroughbred aftercare.

Prado looks back on a prestigious 37-year career. After relocating from his native Peru to the United States in 1986, he began riding first in Florida and then in Massachusetts and Maryland, where he became the leading rider in that state in 1991-1993, and 1997-1999.

He got his big break in 1999 when an accident sidelined jockey Richard Migliore and trainer John Kimmel offered Prado his mounts.

His career highlights include the 2006 Kentucky Derby aboard Barbaro, the two Belmont Stakes riding Sarava and Birdstone, and five Breeders' Cup victories, including the 2010 Breeders' Cup Sprint aboard Runhappy.

He has been awarded numerous accolades, including the 2006 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey, the 2006 Mike Venezia Memorial Award, and the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2003.

Prado leaves the sport as the eighth winningest jockey in the sport's history with a record of 7,119 wins, 6,245 seconds, 5,490 thirds, and over $272 million in purse earnings in 39,725 career starts.

He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2008.

“It's an honor to be present at Old Friends,” said Prado. “They really take care of the horses after their careers, giving them the best life possible every single day. I'm very proud to be part of that organization.

“It's an honor for me, also, to share this celebration with my buddies, Birdstone and Sarava,” Prado added. “I'm very excited to see them again. I wish them a good, long life. I know they are in a very beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful people who really care about the horses.”

Michael Blowen, President and founder of Old Friends, has known Prado for a long time and is looking forward to holding the event in honor of his friend.

“Edgar Prado has exuded class and integrity ever since I first met him at Suffolk Downs in the mid-80s,” Blowen said. “When he decided to retire sound, I thought it'd be a lot of fun to share his decision with his Belmont buddies Sarava and Birdstone. Like all of his other fans, I can't wait to see him.”

Celebration Highlights

  • Meet jockey Edgar Prado
  • Add your name to a book of well wishes
  • Edgar Prado collector card giveaway
  • Lite lunch and beverages
  • Trivia contest
  • Items available for purchase:
    • Sarava and Birdstone bookmarks: package of 2, $10 each.
    • Sarava and Birdstone cards: package of 2, $10 each
  • Old Friends Edgar Prado Commemorative T-Shirt Fundraiser

The celebration is free and open to the public.

Please RSVP to: barbara@oldfriendsequine.org

The post Old Friends To Host Retirement Part For Hall Of Fame Jockey Edgar Prado On July 15 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fifth Annual ‘Beat Byk NHC Challenge’ Set To Launch On July 15

For the 5th consecutive year the “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will return this summer as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Steve Byk, host of the Thoroughbred radio news magazine “At the Races” on Sirius XM, once again partner to send one NHC Tour member to Las Vegas to compete in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in March 15-17, 2024.

The “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will be conducted over eight weeks beginning July 15 and concluding September 4. The popular promotion drew more than 2,000 entries in 2022.

“I am always excited for the 'Beat Byk' season because it means some of the best racing of the year and a chance for a NHC hopeful to earn a free seat to Vegas,” Steve Byk said. “It's become a great introduction to contest play for many players and I'm proud to be part of the NTRA's ongoing effort to bring people into the sport.”

Each Thursday throughout the promotion, Byk will select the weekend stakes races to comprise that week's promotion and announce them on “At the Races” and on his twitter page, @Steve_Byk. Byk's selections will be announced no later than each Friday. There will be 17 chances to qualify to the Beat Byk NHC Online Qualifier on September 16 during the promotional period. Listeners will be encouraged to log into https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/ where they will either use Byk's selection to win the featured race or try to 'Beat Byk' by selecting another horse.

All who correctly select the winning horse in each round will advance to a NHC “Beat Byk” online qualifier on September 16. Participants may qualify only once during the promotional period. The winner of the “Beat Byk” online qualifier will represent “At the Races” at the 2024 NHC where qualifiers will be celebrating the NHC's 25th anniversary at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.

NHC Tour membership is required to compete in the September NHC online qualifier. Complete rules for the Beat Byk Challenge can be found at https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/. “At the Races with Steve Byk” is Thoroughbred racing's only national daily news and talk show. The show also streams live on www.stevebyk.com.

About the NHC

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities, and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. There are no bye-ins to the NHC. Each year, the NHC winner joins other human and equine champions as an honoree at the Eclipse Awards and is named Horseplayer of the Year. For more information on the NHC, visit NTRA.com/nhc.

ABOUT THE NTRA

The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky. and Washington, D.C., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. For more information visit NTRA.com.

The post Fifth Annual ‘Beat Byk NHC Challenge’ Set To Launch On July 15 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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