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Racing Canceled At Multiple Northeastern Tracks Due To Snow Storm

Racing has been canceled on Thursday at multiple tracks in the Northeastern portion of the United States due to extreme winter weather conditions. Among those announcing cancellations are: Aqueduct in New York, Charles Town in West Virginia, and Laurel Park in Maryland.

Press releases from each track follow:

– The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Thursday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to a powerful winter storm currently impacting the New York metropolitan area with heavy winds, accumulating snow and coastal flooding.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm warning for the downstate New York region extending through 1 p.m. Thursday. The current NWS forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, calls for sustained high winds with gusts up to 50 mph and total snow accumulations of 9-12 inches. In addition, the NWS has issued a coastal flood watch for southern Queens as of Thursday morning.

As a result, NYRA has canceled Thursday's eight-race card in the interest of the safety of all participants. Live racing at Aqueduct is scheduled to resume on Friday, Dec. 18, with a nine-race card kicking off at 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

For additional information on the 2020-21 winter meet at Aqueduct, as well as a complete stakes schedule, visit NYRA.com.

– Due to a winter storm that moved across the region bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain, the Maryland Jockey Club announced live racing at Laurel Park has been cancelled Thursday, Dec. 17. The Maryland Jockey Club's simulcast locations will remain open. Live racing will resume Friday at Laurel with a nine-race program beginning at 12:25 p.m. The eighth and ninth races will be part of the popular Stronach 5. Laurel's eighth race will serve as the opening leg of the Stronach 5 at approximately 3:49 p.m. Eastern.

Fans can watch and wager on Laurel Park and the Stronach 5 at www.1st.com/bet and xpressbet.com.

– Due to the continued impact of the winter weather moving through the area over the past 24 hours, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has cancelled its live racing program for Thursday, Dec. 17. The track will remain open for limited simulcasting until mid-afternoon. Live racing is currently slated to resume on Friday, Dec. 18, with a first race post time of 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

The post Racing Canceled At Multiple Northeastern Tracks Due To Snow Storm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Aqueduct and Laurel Cancel Racing Due to Winter Storm

Aqueduct and Laurel both canceled their race cards Thursday after a winter storm hit the east coast Wednesday evening and continued into Thursday morning with rain, snow and heavy winds.

In New York snow totals of 9 to 12 inches were expected with wind gusts reaching 50mph. There was also a coastal flooding warning for Queens. Racing will resume at Aqueduct Friday with first post at 12:20 p.m.

Living racing also resumes in Maryland Friday with first post at 12:25 p.m.

The post Aqueduct and Laurel Cancel Racing Due to Winter Storm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Argentine Group 1 Winner Mirinaque To Make First Start For Wesley Ward In Queens County Stakes

Parque Patricios Racing Stables' Mirinaque will attempt to parlay a strong runner-up effort against graded stakes company into his fourth start in North America in Saturday's $100,000 Queens County for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Argentinian-bred son of Hurricane Cat will make his first start for trainer Wesley Ward, who took over training duties from Maria Munoz.

Mirinaque arrives off a sharp second-place effort at 33-1 odds in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Marathon on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, where he secured a stalking position along the rail, made a four-wide move around the far turn and briefly took command just inside the eighth-pole.

Mirinaque was unable to fend off Rocketry's devastating late turn-of-foot, finishing one length back in the 1 5/8-mile route, but still earned black type for the first time in the United States.

A G1 winner in his native country when taking the one-mile Polla de Potrillos in September 2019, Mirinaque made his first start in the country on Aug. 22 when fifth to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and subsequently shipped to Keeneland for the G2 Fayette on Oct. 10, where he finished eighth.

“Maria asked if I could take over the training when she went back to Argentina,” Ward said. “She was stabled in our barn at Keeneland and I got to know her going into the Fayette.”

Ward said that Mirinaque began flourishing in his training when being introduced to some new surroundings and moved to Ward's barn located right next to Keeneland.

“I have a tobacco barn that's adjacent to Keeneland. It sits up on the hill where the breeze blows through it,” Ward said. “That's where all my Royal Ascot horses go; all my horses going to Europe all stable there. Horses that go up there seem to relish it a lot and demolish their feed tub and that's really what happened to this guy. We look forward to hopefully a good run. He ran well last time.”

Mirinaque recently worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Dec. 11 at Keeneland.

“I kept sending word to Maria that the horse was doing better,” Ward said. “He's stayed in the same stall. He's had some great breezes and he's been doing great. He ran wonderful on Breeders' Cup day and is carrying it into this race.”

Jockey Dylan Davis will ride from post 2.

Multiple stakes-winner Forewarned has attempted victories in some of the most marquee races on the NYRA circuit, but will gain class relief in his next New York endeavor.

Owned by trainer Uriah St. Lewis' Trin-Brook Stables, Forewarned has earned more than a half-million dollars through a 31-8-4-4 record.

Forewarned was unplaced in last year's G1 Whitney and G1 Woodward at Saratoga, as well as the G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, but returned to New York in June with a third-place finish in the G3 Westchester at Belmont Park.

Foreward was a distant fifth last out in the listed Richard W. Small on Nov. 28 at Laurel Park, and two starts ago was a repeat winner of the 10-furlong Best of Ohio Endurance at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

“He's training well. I think he has a very good shot,” said St. Lewis. “The biggest thing is that he likes the distance. The mile and an eighth is good for him. He relishes longer distances. This horse likes any kind of surface, so as long as you give him distance. I'm pleased with him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel rides from post 6.

Trainer Orlando Noda will saddle Danny California in an attempt for a second stakes triumph. Bred in New York by West Point Thoroughbreds and 3C Thoroughbreds, the 5-year-old chestnut son of Afleet Alex won the Miner's Mark on Sept. 11 at Belmont Park, his fourth triumph in 11 starts this season.

Danny California arrives at the Queens County off a week's rest, having run a distant fifth in the Alex M. Robb against his Empire State-bred counterparts.

Breaking from post 1, Danny California will be ridden by jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr.

Completing the field are Empty Tomb [post 3, Manny Franco], Backsideofthemoon [post 4, Jose Lezcano], Musical Heart [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] and So High [post 7, Andre Worrie].

The Queens County is slated as Race 9 on Aqueduct's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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Rodriguez Has Jerome Pencilled In For Notebook Winner Eagle Orb’s Next Start

E.V. Racing's Eagle Orb is training forwardly off a victory in the Notebook on November 14 and the Orb colt could make his next start in the $150,000 Jerome on New Year's Day at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Sunday morning.

The Jerome, for newly minted 3-year-olds going one-mile, is a prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1, offering 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Eagle Orb tied a personal-best with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure for his 2 3/4-length victory in the Notebook against fellow New York-breds going six furlongs, marking his first stakes win.

Eagle Orb won his debut on August 21 at Saratoga Race Course and stepped up to stakes company to run second to next-out winner Thin White Duke in the Funny Cide on September 4 at the historic track.

Bred by Barry Ostrager, Eagle Orb is 2-2-0 in five career starts and has been breezing at Belmont since the Notebook as he prepares to stretch back out to one mile for the first time since running second to Brooklyn Strong, another next-out winner, in the Sleepy Hollow on October 24 for state-bred juveniles.

Rodriguez said he's confident to see Eagle Orb compete against open company after a successful 2-year-old campaign.

“We want to stretch him out to the Jerome coming up,” Rodriguez said. “He always tries. He shows he can run good, so we want to give him the opportunity to try that. So far, so good. He's doing everything we asked him. He looks pretty good and if he can run well there, we'll have more confidence in him.”

“Right now, his options are open, but we need to keep dreaming. That's what we are here for,” he added.

On Saturday, Yankee Division earned black type in his stakes debut, running third in the Alex M. Robb at the Big A. Competing at the longest distance of his career at 1 1/8 miles for just the second time in 14 starts, the 4-year-old son of Midnight Lute was last-of-six through the opening half-mile before rallying for third under jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. finishing five lengths back to winner Bankit and runner-up and two-time defending Alex M. Robb-winner Mr. Buff.

Yankee Division, owned by Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and Andrew Gurdon, has registered three consecutive 86 Beyers, including for is win against allowance company on September 28 at Finger Lakes.

“He's looking good; it was a good performance,” Rodriguez said. “It came up a very tough race, but he was impressive. I think the distance was key for him. He's a big horse and he likes to run and run. The only time I tried to run him long before, it was at Finger Lakes and two turns. He was training good heading into the race, so I was happy.”

Rodriguez said he might try to maximize remaining conditions before returning to stakes company in 2021 for his 5-year-old year, but left open the possibility of higher competition for the gelding who was bred in New York by Carolyn Vogel.

Repole Stable's Backsideofthemoon was nominated to the $100,000 Queens County on Saturday, but Rodriguez instead entered him in an allowance optional claiming contest on Thursday in Aqueduct's Race 5.

The gelded son of Malibu Moon will complete his 8-year-old year in the one-mile contest looking to build on his win against optional claimers on November 13 at Aqueduct going 1 1/8 miles in a race that was moved off the turf.

Rodriguez said the veteran of 46 starts is planning to still run as a 9-year-old in 2021 and return to stakes company; a level at which he competed four times this year, including a second in the Jazil in January and third in the Stymie in March at Aqueduct.

“We're just trying to keep him happy and he's a good horse to be around,” Rodriguez said. “He always tries and he has a good body and good size. We nominated him to the [Queens County] because there aren't that many options this time of year, but we think he'll be in a good spot [Thursday] and then we'll see [what next year brings].”

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