Tag: People

Twenty-five students, including five added fresh for the 2022-23 school year, were awarded scholarships from the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation following the organization's annual board meeting Dec. 2, at which long-time owner Bill Strauss was added to the Foundation's board.

The five new students, who attend such prestigious schools as the University of California at Davis, were awarded a total of $23,000 for the current school year.

They join 20 students who were already in the program and who were given continuing grants for the current year. Those students, who are studying at universities including Cornell, Iowa State, the University of Oklahoma, Stanford, Tulane, and UCLA, were given a total of $164,000.

All Gregson Foundation scholarship recipients are children of backstretch workers at California racetracks. The parents are employed as hot walkers, exercise riders, grooms, foremen, and assistant trainers.

Strauss, the newest board member, is a long-time owner best known recently for his top-class runner Hot Rod Charlie, whom he owns in partnership. Hot Rod Charlie has won $5.6 million during a career that has seen him win the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at 3 and Grade 2 Lukas Classic at 4. He also was runner-up at 2 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and at 3 was second in races as the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes and third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Strauss was also co-owner of the multiple Grade 1-winning filly Turbulent Descent, who won the Hollywood Starlet at 2 and the Santa Anita Oaks and Test at 3.  In addition, he campaigned two-time Breeders' Cup winner Mizdirection, who successfully took down the boys in the Turf Sprint.

Strauss is a serial entrepreneur whose businesses have included the wildly successful Shari's Berries and Pro Flowers. He and his brother, Jeffrey, own the highly acclaimed Pamplemousse Grille in Solana Beach, across the street from Del Mar racetrack.

About Edwin J. Gregson Foundation

The Edwin J. Gregson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to develop programs to benefit and enhance the quality of life of California thoroughbred horse racing's backstretch workers and their family members. Named in memory of veteran trainer Edwin J. Gregson, who was the initial driving force in its establishment, the Foundation has been in existence since 2000. The major focus of the Foundation is to provide scholarship grants to college-bound individuals, as well as supports other important programs for backstretch workers, such as English as a Second Language and literacy classes, and recreation, sports, and social activities. For more information please visit: www.gregsonfoundation.com  or follow us on twitter @calgregson

The post 25 Students To Receive Nearly $200,000 In Scholarships From Edwin J. Gregson Foundation appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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To say James MacDonald had a solid night at the office on Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park would be a major understatement.

All he did was pound out a track record-setting eight wins on the 10-race card including a track record-equaling performance with trotter Locatelli in the $34,000 Preferred Trot.

MacDonald hardly needs to make a late-season push to drum up support from the O'Brien Award voters, but it was pretty cool to sit back and watch the show.

The parade to victory lane kicked off with White Tiger, who produced a 1:53.2 triumph in Race 2. He later returned to take the checkered flag with Looks Like Moni in Race 4 following his 1:53.4 score.

A wire-to-wire triumph in 1:51.4 in Race 5 with Pointomygranson completed the hat trick, and from there it turned into a Grand Slam when he guided Resolute Bay to a 1:54.2 victory in Race 6.

Obtaining the five-bagger was next, and he did that with heavily favoured P L Opportunity in 1:55 in Race 7. He rallied Quan Blue Chip to a 1:52.3 triumph in Race 8 to give him his eighth win on the program.

MacDonald then wrote a new chapter in the track record book thanks to a track record-matching mile with Locatelli in the $34,000 Preferred Trot. The 1:50.4 clocking tied the record set earlier by older male trotters Mister Herbie (2012), Musical Rhythm (2019) and Guardian Angel AS (2019).

Locatelli sat a two-hole trip behind HP Mama B. She laid down big fractions of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.2 before being hauled down. Locatelli fired home in :28 to win by a length over Logan Park. Race favourite HP Mama B had to settle for third prize.

Harry Poulton, who celebrated a three-win performance on the card, trains the four-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Girlie Tough for Thestable Locatelli Group and Hutchison Harness LLC. He's won seven of 25 starts this season for earnings of over $140,000. The 11-time winner has banked just shy of $350,000 in his career.

The seventh victory on the card helped MacDonald tie Chris Christoforou's single night win record at a Woodbine Entertainment oval.

But he wasn't in the mood to share. He established a new record in the Monday finale with Never Mind N, who front-stepped to a 1:55.2 triumph in the $30,000 Pop Up Series Final.

Never Mind N got away fourth before quarter pole-moving to the engine. He sailed through fractions of :57 and 1:26.1 before scooting home in :29.1 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Serenity Cruise in 1:55.2. Wishyoudtellme was third.

Carmen Auciello trains the nine-year-old for M T Stables Ontario Inc of Scarborough, Ont.  The 18-time winner boosted his lifetime earnings to $184,268 with the win.

MacDonald is just over $400,000 away from surpassing the $10 million mark in seasonal earnings in this year's 430-win campaign.  The career winner of 3,059 races has potted lifetime earnings in excess of $53 million.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The post Magical Night For MacDonald: Driver Wins Eight Of 10 Races On Woodbine Mohawk’s Monday Card appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) has announced the winner of the 2022 Pete Pedersen Award, which is presented to stewards who have demonstrated professional excellence, integrity, and benevolent consideration in the performance of their duties. Contributions of time and expertise to the horse racing industry on the local and national levels are also significant factors in the selection of Pedersen award winners.

The award is named in honor of Pete Pedersen, the nationally recognized California steward and accomplished journalist who set a standard of excellence to which all stewards should aspire. This year's recipient will be recognized at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's Global Symposium on Racing and Gaming Awards Luncheon in Tucson, Arizona on Dec. 6, 2022.

Bernard J. “Bernie” Hettel

Hettel has a long history at the track going back to the 1970's when he worked at Churchill Downs as an assistant Identifier. He has been a steward for more than 40 years, working at numerous racetracks in five states. Hettel also served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Racing Commission and the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Racing Commission.

He is described by those who know him and have worked with him, as professional, knowledgeable, fair and consistent in the enforcement of racing rules and regulations with complete dedication to preserving, protecting and defending the integrity of the horse racing industry. Bernie was accredited by ROAP in 1992.

The Pete Pedersen Award special selection committee is composed of five members: Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day; former The Jockey Club steward and NYRA track veterinarian Dr. Ted Hill; Dan Metzger, TOBA president; Scott Wells, former president of Remington Park and Lone Star Park; and former leading trainer and ROAP accredited steward Hal Wiggins.

Pete Pedersen, for whom the award is named, worked as a steward in California for 50 years before retiring at the age of 85 in 2005. The Seattle native became the second steward to receive the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2002. He was also the recipient of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award in 2008 for serving the racing industry with integrity, dedication, determination, and distinction. Pedersen worked at nearly every track on the West Coast, and his reputation for objectivity and kindness was widely known.

***ROAP, which receives primary funding from The Jockey Club and is based in its Kentucky office, is a 501(c)(6) organization whose board of directors is made up of representatives from 15 industry organizations and 10 at-large representatives. Stewards and judges receive their accreditation and continuing education credits through this program. The website address for ROAP is www.horseracingofficials.com.

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After a four-year absence from racing, jockey Jamie Theriot, 43, has returned to the saddle at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La. On Sunday, Nov. 27, Theriot returned to the winner's circle after giving Imindycatbirdseat a perfect ground-saving trip before tipping out and charging home to score in the day's finale.

“It's a great feeling that's indescribable,” Theriot said walking back from the winner's circle. “(Imindycatbirdseat) looked live on paper. I drew the one hole so I was like you know what, I'm going to give him the shortest trip, and if I have horse at the quarter pole, he'll be the best today. And he was.”

Theriot now has 615 career wins at Fair Grounds, the fourth most of all active jockeys in the colony behind James Graham, Corey Lanerie, and Brian Hernandez, Jr. One of many brilliant riders from the Lafayette area, he rode his first race at the original Evangeline Downs, also known as the cradle of jockeys.

Taller than most riders, gaining the necessary fitness while maintaining weight off an extended time away was a challenge.

“Of course the last two pounds were the hardest thing,” Theriot said. “It was a very tall mountain to climb, but when I got to a certain weight, at a point in time you've got to finish the dance. It was a grind and is still a grind day-in and day-out.”

From riding six winners on June 8, 2008 at Churchill Downs to winning two Breeders' Cup races in 2010 with Chamberlain Bridge in the Turf Sprint and Dubai Majesty in the Filly and Mare Sprint (both saddled by Bret Calhoun), Theriot has proven his talent on our sport's biggest stages time and again. He's also won leading rider titles at Evangeline Downs (2001), Oaklawn Park (2003), and Fair Grounds (2008).

“My first day back in the saddle breezing in the morning it was like I had stopped just yesterday,” Theriot said. “Don't get me wrong there were little things I had to adjust, but my timing was there. I knew I'd be a little rusty, the cobwebs would be there, but for the most part I was ready.”

In 2018, Theriot served a short stint riding for Ramapatee Gujadhur at Champ de Mars Racecourse in Port Louis, Mauritius. He rode the rest of 2018 based in Lone Star Park and Remington Park where he last rode Dec. 5, 2018, before hanging it up to pursue other career opportunities.

“His attitude, his enthusiasm to come back and ride again is through the roof,” said Theriot's agent David Heitzmann. “We're working for a variety of trainers. A lot of Kentucky guys are still coming down and we expect to ride for some of those. The feedback has been really really good. We're going to do our best to start off fast. And if he can ride the card, he'll ride the card.”

Through Sunday Dec. 4, Theriot's record is 18-1-3-4. His win came riding for trainer Tanner Tracy. Through his prime when based at Fair Grounds, Theriot took a lot of mounts for trainers Bret Calhoun, Al Stall, Tom Amoss, Mike Stidham, and Joe Duhon.

“I'm thankful for the trainers who are giving me the opportunity and who believe in me.” Theriot said. “This is another step to show them I can still do this.”

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