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Stakes From Laurel, Aqueduct Highlight Coverage On America’s Day At The Races

Exciting live racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Laurel Park, Fair Grounds and Tampa Bay Downs will comprise nine hours of live coverage this weekend on America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will air Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Eastern on FS2, including live coverage on Saturday of the Grade 3, $250,000 General George and Grade 3, $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie from Laurel Park and the $100,000 Maddie May at the Big A.

The Runhappy Barbara Fritchie, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, attracted a field of eight led by popular Maryland-bred Hello Beautiful for trainer Brittany Russell. The 4-year-old Golden Lad filly, to be piloted from the outside post by Sheldon Russell, enters from a trio of wins in stakes company at Laurel Park including a last-out score in the What A Summer. Steep opposition will be provided by Sharp Starr, trained by Horacio DePaz for owner-breeder Barry K. Schwartz, who won the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap in December at Aqueduct.

The Grade 3 General George, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up, will feature Gatsas Stables, R.A. Hill Stable and Swick Stable's New York-bred Funny Guy. Trained by John Terranova, the 5-year-old Big Brown bay, bred in the Empire State by Hibiscus Stables, boasts a record of six wins and six seconds from 17 starts with purse earnings of $638,645. A wide-open field of 10 also includes 2020 Grade 3 Fall Highweight-winner Share the Ride; 2020 Grade 3 Bold Ruler-victor Majestic Dunhill; and 2020 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash winner Laki.

America's Day at the Races will also feature live coverage of stakes action on the Laurel Park undercard including the Miracle Wood, John B. Campbell, Nellie Morse, and Wide Country.

Stakes action at the Big A on Saturday is led by the Maddie May, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomore fillies. The field of nine is headlined by OXO Equine's impressive maiden winner Brattle House, who is trained and co-bred by Christophe Clement. The Malibu Moon bay earned a 65 Beyer Speed Figure in her 5 1/4-length debut romp on November 22 at Aqueduct. She will have to fend of the multiple graded stakes placed Make Mischief, who completed the exacta in the Grade 3 Schuylerville and Grade 2 Adirondack last summer at Saratoga. Last out, Chris Englehart saddled the Into Mischief bay to an impressive score in her seasonal debut in an optional-claiming sprint on January 31 at the Big A.

Weekend coverage will also include live racing action from Tampa Bay Downs and Fair Grounds Race Course.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 64,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

For the current broadcast schedule and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com.

The post Stakes From Laurel, Aqueduct Highlight Coverage On America’s Day At The Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Equibase Analysis: Red Lark Appears The One To Beat In Buena Vista

A field of 10 is entered to run in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes, a one mile turf test for fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park. Many of them are quite accomplished, including winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last summer, Red Lark (IRE), who most recently finished fourth in the Grade 1 American Oaks following two and one-half months off.

Mucho Unusual enters the Buena Vista Stakes off wins in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes and the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes and won the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes over the course last summer. Going to Vegas, who finished second in the American Oaks, and Sedamar, who finished second in the Megahertz, are both trying to move up a notch into the winner's circle in this grade 2 event.

Warren's Showtime was victorious in the similar Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile over the Santa Anita turf last October and is yet another with a serious chance at success. Nasty enters the race off a win over the course at the distance in the Lady Shamrock Stakes in December and was close at hand behind Warren's Showtime in the Autumn Miss two races prior to that so adds to the depth of the entrants in this race.

Charmaine's Mia just won the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs and is stretching out to this distance and to two turns for the first time in a stakes. Sloane Garden (GB) won a pair of stakes on grass last spring and summer at Golden Gate Fields including the Luther Burbank Stakes and returns from four months on the bench so could need a race before being competitive against this field. Bohemian Bourbon showed she belongs at the level when third in the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes last summer but her recent fifth place effort in the Las Cienegas following three months off may indicate she's not yet back in top form. Heather's Grey moves into stakes company off a sixth place effort in a sprint and may be overmatched.

Red Lark (IRE) has won only two times in 14 career starts including nine since importing to North America 13 months ago in January, 2020. After moving to turf in her second stateside start and winning, Red Lark (IRE) lost four races in a row, although she was competitive and never worse than fourth in any of those races. Then last summer came a breakout performance in the Del Mar Oaks with a visually impressive stretch run and upset at 19 to 1 odds. That effort yielded a career best 109 Equibase Speed Figure. Sent to Keeneland to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes as a prep for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Red Lark (IRE) ran creditably against some of the top turf fillies in the country, ending up fourth and improving to a 111 figure.

Rested two and one-half months and returning at a distance she had never run previously, one mile and one-quarter, Red Lark (IRE) rallied from ninth of 10 to get fourth at the end in the American Oaks and was only beaten a nose for third and less than a length for second. The 104 figure earned in the American Oaks was pretty good considering the layoff and distance. Cutting back to one mile for the Buena Vista, it must be noted Mucho Unusual finished second in the 2019 American Oaks before a big effort when third to multiple stakes winners (Keeper of the Stars and Jolie Olympica) in the 2020 Buena Vista. As such, Red Lark should improve considerably in her second start off a layoff and appears to be the one to beat in this race.

Nasty is a lightly raced, newly turned four year old filly, who has won three of six races on grass to date in her career. The first of the trio was a rousing eight length win last June in her turf debut at Indiana Grand and another win one month later. Following a poor effort in August, Nasty was shipped to California and to the barn of Richard Baltas and she nearly won the Autumn Miss Stakes as she made the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and was beaten a neck and a half-length on the wire off a two month layoff, earning a career-best 104 figure. After a poor effort one race before last, Nasty rebounded in the Lady Shamrock Stakes at the distance of the Buena Vista at the end of December. In that race Nasty duplicated the 104 figure she earned two races earlier while setting a strong pace and holding on gamely over Counterparty Risk, who flattered her when winning the Endeavour Stakes two weeks ago in Florida. The race also produced another next out winner and a near winner so it turns out to be a “KEY RACE” from which Nasty has potential to improve upon and win again.

Mucho Unusual has four wins in eight career tries at this mile turf trip. The most recent of those came just last month in the Megahertz Stakes, her fifth career win in nine races on the Santa Anita turf course she's shown a fondness for. Although the Megahertz effort only resulted in an 88 figure, Mucho Unusual has run well enough to be competitive with Red Lark (IRE) and Nasty if they repeat or improve upon their best efforts. One of those efforts which would make Mucho Unusual a strong contender in this year's Buena Vista came when she earned a career-best 110 figure when third, beaten just one length, in last year's Buena Vista. Mucho Unusual ran similarly well when taking the Rodeo Drive Stakes last September with a 107 figure and then two races later when winning the Robert J. Frankel Stakes with the same 107 figure. Given that strong record of success at the distance and currently in the best form of her career, Mucho Unusual has every right to succeed in this year's Buena Vista Stakes.

The rest of the Buena Vista Stakes field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Bohemian Bourbon (101), Charmaine's Mia (115 sprinting), Going to Vegas (108), Heather's Grey (105), Sedamar (109), Sloane Garden (GB) (99) and Warren's Showtime (107).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Red Lark (IRE)
Nasty
Mucho Unusual

Buena Vista Stakes – Grade 2
Race 7 at Santa Anita
Saturday, February 20, 2021 – Post Time 6:30 PM E.T.
One Mile on Turf
Fillies and Mares, Four Year Olds and Upward
Purse: $200,000

The post Equibase Analysis: Red Lark Appears The One To Beat In Buena Vista appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Meadowlands’ Handle Exceeds $7 Million For Third Straight Weekend

Last weekend (Feb. 12-13) was the third straight that saw total handle exceed the $7-million plateau at The Meadowlands – a lofty level reached three times during all of 2020 – and much of the recent wild wagering at the mile oval is due to the popularity of the track's low 15 percent takeout bets.

The Big M has seen great results since changing the Hi-5/Pentafecta format. Formerly, it was a 20-cent base with a 'jackpot', meaning it paid out only when there was one winning ticket. The response has been vigorous since management changed it to a 10-cent base that pays out on all winning tickets.

Through Feb. 12, the updated Hi-5 was averaging $31,794 per pool, compared to $8,807 over the same period a year ago. Much like the superfecta more than a decade ago, lowering the minimum to 10 cents has given the bet a new lease on life, as the average payoff during 2021 is $1,535. On Feb. 6, a rare Hi-5 carryover resulted in a total pool of $79,254, which led to a payout of $10,094.

Another wager that has been performing at a high level is the 20-cent Pick-5 – the track's most popular puzzle in terms of average pool – which is currently seeing $105,977 a night, almost double what the action was a year ago ($56,331). Thus far in 2021, the P5 average payout has been $2,989. The bet serves as a catalyst for the first race, which saw $367,134 of wagering Saturday, and has been averaging over $300,000 a night thus far this year.

The Big M's signature wager – the 50-cent Pick-4 – gives bettors two chances to make a score every live racing night. The Early P4 has averaged $94,294 per pool and the Late P4 has seen $90,586 a throw. Players of all kinds got to cash in last Saturday. The Early Pick returned $17,959.80 after 20-1 shots served as winning bookends, while the Late Pick came back $78.55 after two favorites, one 5-2 and one 3-1 scored during that extremely formful sequence.

The Pick-5 is not the only wager that has come up roses with a new twist. The Pick-6 is not a jackpot bet, so the low 20-cent minimum has made the P6 playable even when there is no carryover. During 2021, the average pool has been $14,581, leading to a payoff of $3,831.

The last of The Big M's 'Super Six' wagers that offer the low 15 per cent takeout is the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7, which has a mandatory payout every night. It is another bet that generates some big payouts, as the average return of $3,846 proves.

The lineup of The Meadowlands' 15 percent takeout wagers:

· Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5

· Race 3: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7

· Race 6: 50-cent Early Pick-4

· Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6

· Race 10: 50-cent Late Pick-4

· Race 15 (or final race): 10-cent Hi-5/Pentafecta

“Wagering last week was over $7 million,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “Which was up $2.36 million from the same two nights last year. What we are seeing is that low take outs and low minimums help to keep The Meadowlands horseplayer in action longer.

“If the player can stay in action, they are capable of making a score on any number of our wagers that are generating big payoffs. In any successful gambling business, customer satisfaction is the name of the game. Judging by our 2021 results, where we have seen handle exceed $3 million on five consecutive programs, we can reasonably assume that the customer thinks The Meadowlands is providing an excellent and improved product.”

THE SCHEDULE: Live racing at The Meadowlands takes place every Friday and Saturday evening. Post time is 6 p.m.

The track's live “Racing from the Meadowlands” pre-game show begins at 5:27 p.m.

FREE PPs FOR ALL: Thanks to an agreement between The Meadowlands and TrackMaster, past performances for every race of every Big M program are now available at no cost.

To access the free PPs, go to playmeadowlands.com.

GET SOCIAL: You can always check in with the team at The Meadowlands on Twitter.

For early changes, racing information and staff selections, go to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.

On race nights, stay in touch with the Big M's Dave Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover), Shades Demsky (@shadesonracing) and Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1).

$100,000 GUARANTEED: Every night, The Meadowlands guarantees big green on both editions of its signature wager, as each 50-cent Pick-4 sports a $50,000 guaranteed pool.

CHECK OUT THE PICKS: For those who need to get a leg up on the action, go to playmeadowlands.com to see track oddsmaker and analyst Brower's selections and commentary. Click on the “handicapping” tab and go to “race reviews”.

Brower's input is generally available 48 hours before every card.

Additionally, track announcer Warkentin's blog is available on the site and offers his picks and analysis.

GET YOUR SPORTS ACTION: Pro and college sports betting is available at The Meadowlands' FanDuel Sportsbook every day.

Bets can be placed on the NBA, NHL, college basketball and many other sports any time the wagering windows are open.

The sportsbook is open Sunday-Friday from 10 a.m.-midnight and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 a.m. The cash counter is open from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

The post Meadowlands’ Handle Exceeds $7 Million For Third Straight Weekend appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Races From Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs

The New York Racing Association will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Tampa Bay Downs.

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

A field of eight sophomores seeking a first career win get things started in Race 5 at Aqueduct with a scheduled post time of 3:20 p.m. Eastern. Harrell Ventures' Good Culture looks to make his career debut a winning one for trainer George Weaver. The son of Anchor Down is out of the Kodiak Kowboy mare Lady Fifty Two – a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Lady of Fifty. Trainer Jonathan Thomas will saddle million dollar-purchase Will E Sutton in hopes for a successful second start. Last out, the son of Curlin out of stakes-placed Yes Liz was fourth going seven furlongs on February 8 at the Big A.

Action shifts to Tampa Bay Downs for the second leg, where a field of ten will assemble over the main track for a $5,000 tag. Leading Tampa Bay trainer Gerald Bennett sends out Malio's, who seeks a career fifth lifetime victory over the Oldsmar oval. Larry Cronin and Joseph Keenan's Irish Major was second beaten a length under the same conditions last out and seeks to come out on top this time for trainer Tim Padilla. The race is carded as Race 8 with a 3:47 pm. post.

Aqueduct takes the reins for the middle leg of the sequence where fillies and mares bred in the Empire State seek an allowance victory at six furlongs. Repole Stable's More Glitter will make her first start since December 2019, where she was fifth in an off-the-turf edition of the Tepin at the Big A. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the daughter of More Than Ready broke her maiden in October 2019 at Belmont Park going 1 1/16 miles. Carded as Race 7, the third leg of the sequence will go off at 4:20 p.m.

Just two minutes later, Tampa Bay Downs will run the penultimate leg and the final event of their nine-race program featuring a field of 11 maiden claimers running six furlongs for a $10,000 tag. Four-time starter Himelstein, who notched his best result in his most recent effort when second, is the lukewarm 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Stakes action concludes the Cross Country Pick 5 in Aqueduct's featured $100,000 Maddie May for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at a one-turn mile. OXO Equine's promising filly Brattle House faces stakes company for the first time after an impressive November 22 victory for trainer and co-breeder Christophe Clement. She faces accomplished stakes winners Secret Love and Vacay, both of whom scored at said caliber at Aqueduct. The Maddie May has a scheduled post of 4:50 p.m.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, Feb. 20:
Leg A: Aqueduct-Race 5 (3:20 p.m.)
Leg B: Tampa Bay Downs-Race 8 (3:47 p.m.)
Leg C: Aqueduct-Race 7 (4:20 p.m.)
Leg D: Tampa Bay Downs-Race 9 (4:22 p.m.)
Leg E: Aqueduct – Race 8, $100,000 Maddie May (4:50 p.m.)

The post Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Races From Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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