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Pennsylvania: Continued Casino Closures Would Make Racing Dependent On Break-Even Handle

Penn National's current purse account will allow the Grantville, Penn. track to race through the end of January whether or not Hollywood Casino remains closed, according to a Tuesday memo from the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Todd Mostoller.

Should Gov. Tom Wolf extend the casino closure past the current Jan. 4 expiration date, however, racing at Penn National will become contingent on track handle.

“Penn National has agreed to continue live racing through [January], provided the handle generates a break-even scenario for the company,” Mostoller wrote. “This is estimated to be a handle of roughly $1.4 million per night.”

Mostoller's memo indicated that both the track and the Pennsylvania HBPA are confident that level of handle is achievable, but added that if it is not, Penn National management will “likely wish to temporarily shut down racing.”

The memo concluded with an encouragement to bet the races through HollywoodRaces.com: “A bet placed on Penn National races through this ADW is treated the same as a wager placed on track, resulting in considerably higher revenue for both horsemen and the track.”

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‘Looking Forward To Running Her Longer’: Gulf Coast Gets Class Test In Friday’s Cash Run Stakes

WinStar Stablemates Racing's Gulf Coast, stakes-placed in one of two juvenile starts, will step up and stretch out for her sophomore debut in Friday's $75,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.

The one-mile Cash Run for 3-year-old fillies is among three $75,000 stakes on the New Year's Day program along with a pair of five-furlong turf sprints, the Abundantia for fillies and mares 4 and older and the Janus for 4-year-olds and up featuring the 7-year-old debut of multiple graded-stakes winner Imprimis.

First race post time is 12:05 p.m.

Gulf Coast, a bay daughter of 2012 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags, will be racing beyond six furlongs for the first time in the Cash Run, her second straight stakes after running second in the Sandpiper Dec. 5 at Tampa Bay Downs, overcoming some early trouble to get within two lengths of the winner.

The Sandpiper came barely three weeks after Gulf Coast debuted with a come-from-behind half-length maiden special weight triumph at Indiana Downs.

“She ran huge there. She wasn't settled perfectly in the gate and broke maybe a step slow and got bumped pretty hard,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “We don't think the six furlongs is what she wants to do but, at that point, the black type is very attractive.

“She's very well-bred and she was showing all the signs she was ready to run again,” he added. “We decided to go in there and had a rough trip. Were we the best? Maybe, but I think she showed us that she can take the kickback [and] she can come from out of it, so we're really looking forward to running her longer.”

Purchased for $240,000 as a yearling in September 2019 and sold again for $300,000 as a 2-year-old in training in March, Gulf Coast began her career on the West Coast with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Out of the Candy Ride mare Sweet Success, she trained at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita before being sent to Brisset in Kentucky.

“She seemed like she was working OK when she was at Los Alamitos and when [Baffert] moved back to Santa Anita maybe she didn't like the track, but it didn't look like she was working good enough to run there. So, the ownership and Mr. Baffert decided to send her to us,” Brisset said.

“She actually arrived at our Turfway Park division first, thinking maybe we would run her there,” he added. “I worked her on the synthetic and I don't think she really cared for it, so we just decided to run her at Indiana and she won first time out pretty impressive.”

Brisset said despite her belated start, he wasn't surprised that Gulf Coast won first time out.

“Her works at Santa Anita were good enough where she was fit enough off the plane. I just worked her once and she went an easy three-eighths and just went in,” he said. “She just was showing every sign she was ready to run. Where she belonged we did not know and Indiana was a really good spot. We gave her a chance to show what she can do and she did it. She won pretty nice.”

Brisset was aboard when Gulf Coast breezed four furlongs in 48.55 seconds Dec. 23 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, the fastest of 11 horses. Two-time defending Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount in the Cash Run from Post 2 in a field of nine.

“We were keeping all our options open in the coming stakes for 3-year-olds. Actually the Cash Run was not really in the plans at first, but when the nominations came out, we thought we were pretty competitive in there,” Brisset said. “Then we worked her and she worked extremely good, and she came out of the work in good shape. We've got Irad, so all the signs are going where we should run. When you have a good jock and you have a horse show you she's doing good I just think it's time to go.”

Brisset said the Cash Run, named for the multiple graded-stakes winning mare whose victories included the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Gulfstream, is an ideal spot to launch Gulf Coast's season.

“We even feel like she got bigger and stronger and the extra time has been really good for her. I think we're going to bring her there with some confidence and see where she belongs,” he said. “If we think the added distance is going to be good for her, we kind of want to find out in the next two months where to point after that. So, Friday is going to be a good test distance-wise and probably quality-wise, too. She's going to have to face some better fillies, I'm sure, but we will bring her there and see what happens.”

Gulf Coast will face a pair of stakes winners in Quinoa Tifah and the undefeated Shea D Summer. Arindel's Quinoa Tifah won twice in two starts over Gulfstream's main track in 2020 including the seven-furlong Our Dear Peggy in front-running fashion Sept. 26 over Con Lima, who is being pointed to the $75,000 Ginger Brew on turf Jan. 2 at Gulfstream.

Luis Saez rides Quinoa Tifah for trainer Juan Alvarado from Post 6 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.

Shea D Boy's Stable's Shea D Summer, by Summer Front, will try open company for the first time after winning her only two starts of 2020, both against fellow Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park West. She debuted Oct. 7 with a one-length triumph going six furlongs and returned to capture the 6 ½-furlong Juvenile Fillies Sprint Nov. 14 over a sloppy track.

Jose Ortiz gets the riding assignment on Shea D Summer from Post 1.

Rounding out the field are last out maiden special weight winners Adios Trippi, Gladys, Honorifique and Orbs Baby Girl; Lucifers Lair, unraced since running last of five in the Adirondack (G2) Aug. 12 at Saratoga; and Sky Proposal, most recently third to Shea D Summer in the Juvenile Fillies Sprint.

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Hold The Salsa Seeks Start To Kentucky Derby Campaign In Jerome Stakes

Two-time stakes winner Hold the Salsa has already displayed superiority against his New York-bred counterparts during his juvenile campaign, but will seek a first triumph against open company when he takes on a field of four other newly turned 3-year-olds in Friday's 151st running of the $150,000 Jerome going one mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Inaugurated in 1866, the Jerome has been won by all-time greats Tom Fool (1952), Bold Ruler (1957), Kelso (1960) and Carry Back (1961). The Jerome is also a Kentucky Derby qualifier, offering 10-4-2-1 points to the top-four finishers.

Trained, owned and bred by Richard Lugovich, Hold the Salsa posted three wins in six starts in his 2-year-old year, including a last-out triumph in the seven-furlong NYSSS Great White Way on Dec. 6 at the Big A.

The Hold Me Back colt tracked the pace in mid-pack, came under urging approaching the quarter pole, and made a winning four-wide move in the stretch while fending off late challenger It's Gravy.

Two starts prior, the son of Hold Me Back won the Bertram F. Bongard on Oct. 2 at Belmont Park, also a seven-furling event, by 1 3/4 lengths. Hold the Salsa has been training forwardly at Lugovich's stables at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, breezing five furlongs over the all-weather training track in 1:01.40 on Dec. 23.

“He's been training super. I know he'll run well, it just depends on how well,” Lugovich said. “I want him to go a little farther and I think longer distances are going to suit him. He gallops beautifully every day. He's a very kind and nice horse.”

Boasting $237,775 in career earnings, Hold the Salsa was a 26-1 upset winner of his debut on July 12 at Belmont, defeating subsequent stakes winner Thin White Duke.

“It's always exciting to get good horses and I can tell he's getting better and better,” Lugovich said. “Even though he's quiet he's very good looking and a very handsome horse. Watching him gallop is when you can tell he's a nice horse. He always drops his head. That's good when you're coming to the finish line.”

Hold the Salsa will be ridden by Romero Ramsay Maragh, who piloted the horse to his maiden triumph, from post 3.

“He won on him the first time and I like him,” Lugovich said. “He also rode [upset maiden winner] Copper Chalice and he paid over $100 earlier in the Belmont meet. He was a first time starter as well.”

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez earned himself his first Kentucky Derby starter when New York-bred Vyjack won the 2013 Jerome and hopes that E.V. Racing Stable's Eagle Orb will take a similar path when breaking from post 4.

The son of Orb, who defeated Vyjack in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, will be stretching back out to a mile after capturing the six-furlong Notebook on November 14 at Aqueduct and registered a 74 Beyer. His prior effort in the Sleepy Hollow on Oct. 24 at Belmont Park was his lone start at one mile, where displayed frontrunning dimensions but was passed up nearing the sixteenth pole by Brooklyn Strong, who subsequently won the Grade 2 Remsen.

“The mile won't be a problem. The first time we ran at a mile he did well and now he has more seasoning into him,” Rodriguez said. “He's been very good. It's a step up for him and we're going to see what we got. We always can come back against New York-breds. Right now, it's the start of 3-year-old season so we have to see what he can do.”

Eagle Orb won his debut, besting eventual two-time stakes-placed It's Gravy going six furlongs on Aug. 21 at Saratoga. Bred in New York by Barry Ostrager, Eagle Orb is out of the stakes-placed Harlan's Holiday mare Lady On Holiday. Eagle Orb will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Trainer John Terranova will attempt a second victory in the Jerome when saddling maiden winner Original for owner Eric Fein. The son of Quality Road was a gate-to-wire winner last out in his second start when breaking his maiden over a yielding Aqueduct outer turf course by two lengths on Nov. 14.

Original was obtained for $425,000 from the 2020 OBS April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the Empire Maker mare Unforgettable. Breaking from post 5, Original will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Ten Strike Racing and Kueber Racing's Swill cuts back to one turn following a fourth-place finish in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox. Third time was the charm for the son of Munnings, who broke his maiden by three lengths in September going seven furlongs over the Churchill Downs main track.

Swill will be piloted by Kendrick Carmouche from post 2.

Completing the field is Big Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto's Capo Kane, who broke his maiden in wire-to-wire fashion on Nov. 25 at Parx Racing going a mile and 70 yards for trainer Harold Wyner. Capo Kane will break from the inside post under Dylan Davis.

The Jerome is slated as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.
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Swot Analysis Big Favorite In Saturday’s Louisiana Futurity At Fair Grounds

A talented septet has assembled for Saturday's $100,000 Louisiana Futurity at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., though there's little doubt as to the horse to beat in the six-furlong state-bred dash for 2-year-olds. D.J. Stable LLC, Cash is King LLC, and West Point Thoroughbreds' Swot Analysis, off an overpowering 9 ¾-length local debut win, will be tough to deny if he can deliver an encore.

Swot Analysis (post 6 at 5-2 on Mike Diliberto's morning line, with Declan Carroll to ride), a son of Anchor Down, didn't fire when a distant sixth in an open-company MSW debut Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs, as he tired badly after dueling for the lead early. Trainer Mark Casse regrouped and sent him to Fair Grounds where he met fellow state breds Nov. 27, and the result was in stark contrast to the run in Louisville, as Swot Analysis pressed the pace from the outside, took charge off the far turn, and blew clear for a dominant win. Swot Analysis, purchased for $62,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company July 2-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age Sale 2020, clearly took to his new surroundings at Fair Grounds, which was no surprise to Casse's local assistant Dave Carroll.

“We were expecting him to win, to be honest, based on the tough maiden he came out of, though we weren't expecting him to win like that,” Carroll said. “We got a race into him at Churchill and it was a tough race, but he was able to build off it.”

The Futurity is a definite step up in class, with a trio of impressive local winners, as well as a stakes-placed runner, so Carroll knows Swot Analysis will need to answer the bell one more time, regardless of how impressive he looked last time.

“We're taking everything with a grain of salt, sometimes you draw off and win like that against Louisiana breds,” Carroll said. “It's a good spot for him and we're hoping he runs a big race.”

Trainer Ron Faucheux will saddle a pair of local debut winners, with Flurry Racing Stables LLC's Guice (post five at 4-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.) the more highly regarded off a sharp two-length MSW score December 12. The son of Half Ours went a long way in making back his $52,000 purchase price as a yearling when he pressed the pace in the mud and drew off late, and is perfectly drawn for his style. Picard Thoroughbreds Racing Stable LLC's Perfect Perigee (post two at 6-1 with Florent Geroux) dueled and pulled clear in a Dec. 11 $25,000 maiden-claimer and could be the controlling speed. The son of Court Vision takes a significant rise in class, though he figures to make the front after setting a :45 4/5 half-mile split last time.

Andrus J Pellerin's Jimmy Two Times pressed the pace and drew off to an easy 4 ¼-length win here in a Nov. 29 N2L allowance in the slop. The Half Ours gelding won on debut at Evangeline Downs in June for trainer Kith Bourgeois then was off-the-board to Chu Chu's Legacy in a pair of state-bred stakes, but clearly rebounded in his local bow. Jimmy Two Times figures to be closest to Perfect Perigee early, though he's a bit of a question mark on a fast main track.

Completing the Louisiana Futurity field from the rail out: Patrick Lee Racing LLC's Adieu Le Chat (6-1 with Santo Sanjur), winless in four starts for trainer Tucker Alonzo; John F Earles' Bunkie's Song (post three at 15-1 with James Graham), no better than fifth in a trio of starts for trainer Allen Landry; and Horseplayers Racing Club LLC's Creole Charlie (post seven at 9-2 with Adam Beschizza), a distant third in both the Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs in September and Jimmy Two Times' allowance win for trainer Justin Jeansonne.

Ten state-bred 2-year-old fillies are scheduled to meet the starter in the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity, though if Valene Farms LLC's Big Time has anything to do with it, the other nine will be running for second-money in the six-furlong dash, as she looks for her second stakes win of the meet.

Big Time (post six at 5-2 on Mike Diliberto's morning line with Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride) may have stunned bettors when she paid $79.60 on debut in an open MSW at Churchill Downs in June for trainer Dallas Stewart, but she was a much more known commodity when she met state breds in the Dec. 12 Louisiana Lassie. The daughter of Astrology settled early over a muddy main track, snuck through up the inside off the far turn, then powered clear for an easy 3 ½-length win over seven rivals, a trio of which will try her against in the Futurity. Big Time led every step in her Churchill win but showed a newfound rating gear in the Lassie, which only adds to her appeal.

Allied Racing Stable LLC's Winning Romance (post two at 3-1 with James Graham) looks the main danger off a gate-to-wire allowance win here Nov. 27 for trainer Bret Calhoun. The First Samurai won on debut at Evangeline Downs in June then was left in the wake of state-bred star Mirabeau in her next two, though got untracked again in her local bow and could be the inside speed.

Spendthrift Farm LLC and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Rue Lala (post five at 6-1 with Adam Beschizza) was actually favored in the Lassie for trainer Steve Asmussen but drew the rail, struggled over the off going, and checked in a distant fourth. The daughter of Star Guitar aired on debut at Louisiana Downs in September then was a distant second to Mirabeau in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies there two weeks later, but could be a rebound candidate on a fast track, with a better post as well.

Horseplayers Racing Club LLC's Halfglamorous (post nine at 6-1 with Miguel Mena) was a good second on debut her in November and then built on that and wired locally Dec. 13 for trainer Danny Pish. The daughter of Half Ours has shown speed in both starts and figures to be pressing from an advantageous outside attack post.

Completing the Louisiana Futurity field from the rail out: Brittlyn Stable Inc's homebred Spirited Beauty (20-1 with Marcelino Pedroza), a distant seventh to Big Time in the Lassie for trainer Jose Camejo; Roger G Smith's homebred Smittys Barracuda (post three at 6-1 with Florent Geroux), a distant second on debut here to dominant maiden winner Australasia Nov. 26, and also cross-entered earlier on the card in and MSW Race 3 for trainer Ron Faucheux; Set-Hut LLC's homebred Mrs. Judy (post four at 10-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan), well-beaten in eight in the Lassis for trainer Jeff Delhomme; Gulf Haven Farms' homebred Inawic (post seven at 15-1 with Mitchell Murrill), winless in five starts for trainer Ronnie Ward; Keith Bonura and Rodney Virgadamo's Louleigh (post 8 at 10-1 with Miguel Mena), a distant third to Winning Romance for trainer Justin Jeansonne; and William and Carolyn Kline's Amoreena Star (post 10 at 20-1 with Colby Hernandez), claimed for $12,500 by trainer Joe Duhon out of a local Dec. 3 debut state-bred MCL win here.

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