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Presque Isle Cuts Four Dates from 80-Day Season

Presque Isle Downs will eliminate four dates from its 80-day racing season this year by slicing four late-summer Thursdays off its schedule.

The track received unanimous permission to do so during Tuesday's Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission meeting.

Presque Isle's director of racing, Matthew Ennis, described the track's reasoning for dropping the dates.

“We always take a hard look at our purse funding as we're going throughout our offseason to make sure that we have competitive purses for the upcoming meet,” Ennis said. “We suffered a very poor January as a result of weather, mainly. [And] coming out of January we had discussion with [Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Todd Mostoller]. In doing some simple math, it was determined that if we were able to eliminate those days we could stay competitive for our daily purses.”

Ennis said it is possible that Presque Isle will consider carding additional races on certain cards to make up for the relinquished dates.

“We have agreed to look at, as we go through our season, adding races to give them back to the horsemen,” Ennis said. “We're hoping for improved results here with our slots revenue.”

The dates that have been abandoned are Aug. 22 and 29 plus Sept. 5 and 12.

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Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Success Stories: The Perfect Wedding Gift

Sam Taylor was searching for an ideal hunter-style horse for a client of hers when she discovered Perfect Harmony at New Beginnings Thoroughbred Rescue. Sam was aware that Nikki McKinley, co-director of New Beginnings Thoroughbred Rescue, had a reputation for receiving many well-minded off-the-track Thoroughbreds and decided to contact her. She inquired about any calm hunter-type horses available in Nikki's barn as a potential match for her client. Nikki knew right away which horse to set her up with.

First Foal Arrives for Sacred Life

MGSW & MGISP Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}–Knyazhna {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) has sired his first reported foal.

Bred by Blazing Forest Stable, a colt out of Fire Assay (Medaglia d'Oro) was born Feb. 21 at Millford Farm. The foal is a half-brother to last year's GIII Holy Bull S. runner-up Shadow Dragon (Army Mule).

Sacred Life commands a $2,000 stud fee at War Horse Place in Lexington.

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BHA ‘Encouraged’ By Parliamentary Debate On Affordability Checks

The British Horseracing Authority has welcomed the “valuable contributions” made by several ministers in Monday's parliamentary debate into affordability checks.

It was the first chance for MPs to properly interrogate proposals of the implementation of the supposedly “frictionless” checks after 100,000 people signed an e-petition to trigger the debate.

Matt Hancock, who has Newmarket within his constituency, Connor McGinn, whose St Helens North constituency includes Haydock, and Philip Davies were among MPs to lay out arguments against the checks during the debate at Westminster Hall. The BHA's chief executive Julie Harrington said she was encouraged by the discussions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Harrington said, “Yesterday's debate on the impact of affordability checks on British racing has shone a light on a hugely important issue for our sport.

“It was vital that MPs were given proper parliamentary time to thoroughly interrogate the Government's proposals and we were encouraged by the high turnout for a Westminster Hall debate.

“Many MPs made valuable contributions to the debate, and we are sure that Sports Minister Stuart Andrew will have listened with interest to the views expressed.

“From MPs of all parties and all sides of the debate, there was a clear recognition of the need for the Government to protect and support British racing when reviewing gambling legislation.

“If our sport is to remain a healthy industry, supporting jobs in the rural economy and remaining competitive with our international rivals, we hope that Government will heed this advice.”

She added, “We were encouraged by Minister Andrew ruling out the use of job titles and postcodes in the implementation of enhanced spending checks and confirming that these changes will at least be subject to a genuine pilot.

“We will continue to make the case into the heart of Government that the impact of these checks both on our industry and racing bettors needs to be carefully considered and look forward to further discussions on this important issue for British racing with the Gambling Commission and DCMS.”

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