Tag: Racing

The 2022 Thoroughbred racing season at Louisiana Downs will commence on Saturday, May 7. The 84-day live racing season will run four continuous days with a post time of 3:05 pm (Central) through Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The Bossier City racetrack just completed its annual Quarter Horse meet on April 6 under new ownership. Kevin Preston, who has over 30-years of experience in the casino industry is president of Louisiana Downs and is committed to integrating the racetrack and onsite and casino into one entity.

The personable and outgoing Preston has wasted no time in learning more about horse racing. He has been very active in talking with horsemen and understanding their needs. Improvements on the backside have been made, including a new toteboard, security gate, foliage and signage. Preston is highly committed to increasing purses and maintaining the safest track surfaces.

“I respect the investment that each owner has in running a horse at Louisiana Downs,” said Preston. “Trainers work extremely hard caring and training for their horses and competitive purses and quality track surfaces are extremely important.”

Entertainment and attracting attendance are also top priorities for Preston and his team. Promotions including a New Year's Eve fireworks show, t-shirt and cap giveaways, food trucks and family-friendly activities were very well-received during the Quarter Horse meet. Several promotions are planned for opening day, which will also include the simulcast of the 148th Kentucky Derby.

“Bringing back fans to enjoy the thrill of live horse racing is important for us,” added Preston. “There is a special thrill to seeing these amazing athletes in action and cheering on the winner! Plus, it's been great to see families spending Sunday afternoons together on the track apron.”

Louisiana Downs also opened its long awaited Sports Wagering hub in the casino recently with plans to open their permanent space within the next six months. It will be a dynamic, state-of-the-art venue comprised of a live brick and mortar sportsbook fused with a sports bar and grill.

With high definition televisions, comfortable seating, and a new restaurant, sports fans will be able to watch and wager on their favorite teams. Also, coming soon are 100 new machines as well as Historical Horse Racing betting terminals.

The first condition book for May 7-29 is available on Equibase. Louisiana Cup Day, featuring six stakes for Louisiana Thoroughbreds, will be contested on Saturday, August 6 and an announcement on the return of the Super Derby will be forthcoming.

Nominations for Louisiana Cup Day will close on 23. The stakes are as follows:

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile 2 YO LA-Bred Six furlongs

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies 2 YO Fillies LA-Bred Six furlongs

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint 3 YO & Up F&M, LA-Bred Six furlongs

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint 3 YO & Up LA-Bred Six furlongs

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic 3 YO & Up LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)

$50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff 3 YO & Up F & M LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)

The 84-day meet will feature live racing on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday through Sept. 27. Post time will be 3:05 pm (Central). For details on simulcasting and special events, visit ladowns.com.

The post Thoroughbred Season At Louisiana Downs Begins On Saturday, May 7 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Grants Pass Downs announced today it will not hold the 2022 commercial race meet as planned. The race meet was originally announced in February.

“As a result of the Oregon Racing Commission's vote to deny an operating license to The Flying Lark, Grants Pass Downs has lost its economic engine,” said Travis Boersma, owner of Grants Pass Downs. “While we remained hopeful we would be able to host a viable race meet, the uncertainty here and across the industry has resulted in a drastic reduction of race horses at Grants Pass Downs. At this point, it's clear running the meet isn't feasible.”

Grants Pass Downs became privately funded by Boersma beginning in 2019. The track, race meet and purses were intended to be funded by profits from The Flying Lark entertainment venue. Despite going on record outlining its disagreement with the motion, the Oregon Racing Commission denied a license for The Flying Lark at the urging of Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Oregon's attorney general.

“This is the result of the state and its leadership's lack of understanding of, and appreciation for, the equine industry and the needs of rural Oregon. I believe this is just the beginning of a ripple effect that will be felt in communities throughout the state due to the actions of leadership.” said Boersma.

The cancellation of the race meet will lead to the elimination of approximately 50 jobs during the racing season. Employees were notified Tuesday, as were the horsemen and horsewomen on site. Those jobs are in addition to the more than 200 lost with the denial of The Flying Lark.

“Saving horse racing in Oregon has always been one of my top priorities,” Boersma said. “Moving forward, it's my sincere hope the horsemen's associations, private investors and the state can come together to find a path to continuing this sport.”

The post Grants Pass Downs Cancels 2022 Commercial Race Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Following on from the first Classic of the year last week, when the 3-year-old fillies ran in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin, it's the turn of the colts this week, when the action switches to Nakayama Racecourse for the first leg of the Triple Crown. The race is run on the inner turf track at Nakayama over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 mile), and all the colts (no geldings are permitted to run in the race) are set to carry 57kg, with a 2kg allowance for fillies, although there are no fillies among this year's nominated horses.

There are 21 nominations for a maximum 18 runner field, and last year Efforia became the 19th undefeated horse to come out of the race the winner. Several among the entries this year have similar profiles.

In the last 10 years, just three favorites have won the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), and the last one to do so was Contrail in 2020. Record time for the race is held by Al Ain, who won in a time of 1 minute 57.8 seconds in 2017. This year's winner's check amounts to JPY150 million (around USD1.3 million).

The 82nd running of the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Nakayama, with a post time locally of 15:40. The final declarations and the barrier draw will be available later this week.

Here is a look at some of the exciting young colts lining up for the first leg of this year's Triple Crown:

Killer Ability: Young jockey Takeshi Yokoyama again gets a big chance on the son of Deep Impact here, after riding him to a good win in last year's Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes over the course and distance of this week's big race. It will be the colt's first run of the year, but trainer Takashi Saito is pleased with him.

“He ran well last time in the Hopeful Stakes, and got into a good position going into the first corner. He ran smoothly after that, and the jockey gave him a good ride. After his break at Northern Farm Shigaraki, he came back to the stable at Ritto on March 15. He looks good, and has been training well since,” the trainer said.

Do Deuce: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi has already claimed a Grade 1 victory this year, and looks to have another good chance with this son of Heart's Cry. He won last year's Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, and is now three wins from his four career races. Despite having to settle for second behind Ask Victor More last time in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho (Deep Impact Kinen), the trainer is looking forward to a good run here.

“Although he finished second last time, it was a good run to lead him into this next race. There's no damage from that run and he seems his usual self. In recent work, without overdoing it, he clocked 82.8 seconds, with a final furlong time of 11.1 seconds,” he commented.

Equinox: There is a lot of anticipation about the next run for Equinox, an unbeaten colt by Kitasan Black, and he'll be making his first appearance of 2022 here. He was last seen winning the Grade 2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes last November over 1,800 meters at Tokyo.

Assistant trainer Yu Ota commented: “He showed a completely different style of racing last time out, when he settled well and ran smoothly on the inside, before unleashing a great run down the homestraight to go on and win well. It took us quite by surprise, and we now realize what a lot of ability he has.”

Jockey Christophe Lemaire teams up once more with Equinox.

Danon Beluga: He is another colt who's yet to taste defeat, but as an expensive purchase, connections will be hoping he continues his winning ways. In just his second start (and his first as a 3-year-old), the Heart's Cry colt landed the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) at Tokyo in February over 1,800 meters.

His trainer Noriyuki Hori said, “After his last race, he's been at the stable, and his hindquarters have recovered. We have to check that his balance is alright. Previously he worked on dirt, but now he trains on the woodchip course, and he looks better for this, however it's necessary to keep checking on the way he runs.”

Ask Victor More: The Shadai Farm bred colt, another by Deep Impact, has had five career races, and has three wins to his name, all of them coming at Nakayama. His latest victory was in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho (Deep Impact Kinen) in March.

“Race by race he's been improving,” trainer Yasuhito Tamura said. “I thought it was a good win last time. After sending him off for a break at the farm, he returned to the stable on March 23. With the care taken with him at the farm, he's come back looking refreshed. We are just making sure not to overdo things, but there doesn't seem to be any change with him, and he's been moving very well in his work so far.”

Desierto: Although two of Desierto's wins have come on dirt, he proved that he could also handle turf last time, when he won the Listed Wakaba Stakes over 2,000 meters at Hanshin in March.

The colt by Drefong is trained by Takayuki Yasuda, and the trainer recently commented: “He can get a little uptight if he gets into a challenge with other horses, so last time when he went to the front and made his own pace was the best situation for him. It was also good that he managed to win on turf. He was quite full of himself after, so we've given him a short break at Northern Farm Shigaraki.”

Jockey Yasunari Iwata has ridden him in all his races so far, and looks set to take the ride again.

Be Astonished: The colt by American Patriot is getting plenty of good experience, having run in three Grade 3 races already, and took another step-up last time when winning the Grade 2 Fuji TV Spring Stakes over 1,800 meters at Nakayama in March. Trainer Yuzo Iida was satisfied with that run.

“It was a gutsy performance in the race last time, and he managed to pull out a bit more at the end to win. He was a little excited in the preliminaries, but he handled the transportation to the track well, and overall, I was pleased with the way things turned out,” the trainer said.

Justin Palace: His two wins as a 2-year-old were also followed up by a good run in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at the end of last year, when jockey Cristian Demuro got him to stay on and take second behind Killer Ability. He is another by Deep Impact, and he's trained by Haruki Sugiyama.

The trainer stated: “He is still a bit immature, but it was good to see him handle a race with a lot of runners last time. That and the way he didn't lose any weight on the way to the track for that run were things I could feel good about as he heads into this next race.” This time jockey Mirco Demuro will partner Justin Palace.

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