Tag: The Biz

Following last weekend's thrilling conclusion to the 2022-2023 Championship Meet, courtesy of Forte's late-rallying triumph in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, live Thoroughbred racing at Gulfstream Park will resume Thursday on the first day of the Royal Palm Meet.

The Royal Palm Meet will get underway with live racing conducted Thursday through Sunday with a first-race post time set for 12:40 p.m.

The Royal Palm Meet will offer horsemen and fans an extensive and innovative stakes schedule that will include 42 stakes worth $3.945 million through Dec. 2.

The $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies will be contested on May 13 with an international flair. The winners of each of the five-furlong turf stakes will earn an automatic berth into one of six stakes for 2-year-olds at Royal Ascot in June, as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend, in addition to the winner's share of the purse.

The $200,000 Princess Rooney (G2), which has been customarily featured on the Summit of Speed program in early July, has been repositioned on the schedule for the upcoming meet. The seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, a traditional 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), will be renewed on Sept. 30.

The schedule for the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida has also been adjusted to allow more spacing between races. The FFS series will kick off Sept. 9 with the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies and $100,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs. The $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies and the $200,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs will be contested Oct. 21, while the $300,000 My Dear Girl for fillies and $300,000 In Reality at 1 1/16 miles will be run Dec. 2.

The $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3), a six-furlong dash, will be run July 1, supported by the $75,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint, a five-furlong turf sprint.

Full-scale simulcasting will complement the live thoroughbred racing program with Silks open seven days a week. Gulfstream patrons will be able to watch and wager on the full cards of the upcoming Triple Crown events, the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1), for which Forte rates as the early-favorite, the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1) and the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1). Daily simulcasting of the Saratoga season will also be offered, in addition to racing signals throughout the country.

On Thursday's opening day program, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by Greatitude, the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a well-balanced field of seven in Race 7, a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares. The 4-year-old daughter of Dialed In hasn't raced since finishing off the board in the Forward Gal (G3) in February 2022. In her debut at Aqueduct, she set the pace and held gamely to finish third, just a neck behind eventual Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner Kathleen O. She came back to graduate at Gulfstream by 2 ¾ lengths to earn a start in the Forward Gal. Carlos David-trained Peachy Weachy, who has finished first or second in 10 of 16 career starts, holds a considerable experience edge over the Pletcher trainee.

Ailsa Morrison, a very promising 7-pound apprentice who has been idled since October, returns to action aboard Matthew Williams-trained Extra Indy in Race 2.

The wagering menu for the Royal Palm meet mirrors that of the Championship Meet, featuring the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (last six races), 50-cent Early Pick 5 (first five races), and 50-cent Late Pick 5 (last five races). Multiple Pick 4, Bet 3, and Super Hi-5 wagers, as well as Daily Double, Trifecta, Superfecta, win, place and show, are also on the menu.

The post Gulfstream’s Royal Palm Meet Begins Thursday; G2 Princess Rooney Moved To Sept. 30 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The popular Maker's Mark Bourbon Keeneland commemorative bottles return to shelves across the Bluegrass State this Friday, April 7, opening day of the Keeneland Spring Meet. Less than 10,000 of the limited-edition bottles of bourbon will be available and generally sell out in one day.

Through a strategic partnership with LexArts, greater Lexington's premier cultural development, advocacy and fundraising organization, the proceeds from this year's commemorative bottle release will benefit the creation of a permanent public art legacy project. Miniature bronze horses will be creatively placed through downtown Lexington to create an interactive tour that heralds past and present stories of Kentucky culture.

“Keeneland and Maker's Mark continue to be excellent partners of the arts and their significant corporate support is to be commended,” said LexArts President & CEO, Ame Sweetall. “In this community-building legacy project, cleverly hidden miniature horse sculptures will continue to celebrate Lexington as the Horse Capital of the World and will include additional educational engagement opportunities for Lexington's residents and visitors.”

For the third year, the commemorative bottles will showcase three distinct label designs featuring the work of artists Sandra Oppegard, Andre Pater and Tyler Robertson. The label art depicts winning jockeys from the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships held at Keeneland.

Each label is signed by the artist who created the design, plus Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin and Eighth Generation Whisky Maker & Maker's Mark® Managing Director Rob Samuels. The labels will also be signed by one of three winning jockeys from the Breeders' Cup World Championships: Flavien Prat (Classic), Tyler Gaffalione (Juvenile Fillies and Turf Sprint) and Hall of Famer John Velazquez (Distaff).

“Keeneland is proud to team up with Maker's Mark and LexArts on this unique initiative to celebrate public art and Central Kentucky's signature horse industry,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We all share a mission to enhance life in the local community, and supporting the arts is fundamental toward that goal.”

Maker's Mark and Keeneland have collaborated on a commemorative bottle release for 26 years, every year since 1997, raising millions of dollars for a variety of worthy causes throughout Central Kentucky.

“Maker's Mark shares LexArts' enthusiasm for celebrating and sharing Kentucky culture. It's why we invite thousands of visitors to come to our home in Loretto each year, and why lasting partnerships with organizations like Keeneland are so important to us,” said Eighth Generation Whisky Maker & Managing Director Rob Samuels. “We are honored to use the funds raised through this year's commemorative bottles to support LexArts and public art projects throughout the state.”

About LexArts

For over half a century, LexArts has worked for the development of a strong and vibrant arts community as a means of enhancing the quality of life in central Kentucky. LexArts is Lexington's official local arts agency and United Arts Fund, creating opportunities for quality arts experiences in central Kentucky through leadership, funding, advocacy, programming, and communication. Through its annual Fund for the Arts campaign and other initiatives, LexArts raises millions of dollars in support of local arts. In turn, LexArts underwrites the operating expenses for a variety of Partner Organizations and awards program and project grants through its Community Arts Development program. Major support for LexArts programs and services is provided by the City of Lexington. The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to LexArts with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit LexArts.org

The post Maker’s Mark Bourbon Keeneland Bottle To Benefit LexArts Public Arts Project appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Maryland lawmakers are poised to consider extensive amendments to a bill that could jumpstart the planned improvements at Pimlico and Laurel Park.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee is examining the amendments to Senate Bill 720, which would relieve the Maryland Stadium Authority of its burden to oversee the complicated redevelopment plans, Maryland Matters reported this week. Instead, the proposed amendments would establish the Maryland Thoroughbred Operating Authority (MTOA), which would oversee a new Maryland Racing Operations Fund, including both money from the existing Racing and Community Development Facilities Fund and eventual funds from bond sales.

The nine-member MTOA would have sweeping powers over Maryland horse racing. Since inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain issues, and seemingly-endless site redesigns have effectively halted progress on the 2020 plans for redeveloping the state's racetracks, this new bill is the legislators' attempt to restart negotiations with the Stronach Group.

Lawmakers' initial plan in 2020 was to authorize $375 million in bonds for the Racing and Community Development Financing Fund — $180 million to Pimlico and $155 million to Laurel. A legislative budget analysis showed that the delay in bond sales and rising interest rates has cost more than $80 million in potential proceeds; overall, the estimated redevelopment cost would now be between $535 million and $725 million.

Read more at Maryland Matters.

The post Maryland Lawmakers Considering Bill To Create New Racing Authority, Jumpstart Redevelopment At Pimlico, Laurel Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keeneland has announced it will offer free digital race-day programs for download for its Spring Meet, which begins Friday, in an initiative to increase access to data for horseplayers and fans.

“Keeneland believes that access to data is an important step in both educating and engaging our fans,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We piloted a digital program during the pandemic that was incredibly well received when fans tuned into our racing product from afar.”

Complimentary race-day programs, which feature past performances from Equibase, will be available for download on Keeneland's website at Keeneland.com/program.

The program for opening day, which is headlined by the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), is expected to be available online for download on Wednesday.

“We as an industry have a collective responsibility to create lifelong fans of the sport,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Equipping the public with the tools and information to be successful participants is key to creating active interest in Keeneland racing.”

The 15-day Spring Meet continues through Friday, April 28. Fans can watch all Spring Meet races live and at no charge on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Select and Keeneland's YouTube channel.

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