Tag: The Biz

Canterbury Park's request for a 54-day 2023 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing season, Saturday, May 27, through Saturday, Sept. 16, was unanimously approved Thursday by the Minnesota Racing Commission. Four days of racing per week will be conducted at the Shakopee, Minn., track from July 12 through Aug. 20 with racing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. CT and Sunday at 1 p.m. Three-day weeks will begin and end the season with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday racing. Racing will also be conducted on three Mondays: Memorial Day, July 3, and Labor Day.

The 54-day season and an average daily purse distribution of $220,000 including both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse purses were agreed upon by track management and the Minnesota HBPA which represents Thoroughbred racehorse owners and trainers.

For 2022, the racing commission approved a 65-day meeting that projected average daily purses exceeding $230,000.

“In 2023 we have a schedule that I am confident will be successful based on available purse money and race-ready horses that will be at Canterbury throughout the summer season,” Canterbury Park CEO Randy Sampson said.

“Canterbury Park and the Minnesota HBPA have worked successfully during challenging times to create a racing program that provides opportunities to horse owners and breeders while also becoming increasingly popular with the wagering public,” Sampson said. “We are investing significant dollars in our racing infrastructure including new barns, dormitories to house staff and safety enhancements as we plan for the future of horse racing in Minnesota.”

A new 100-stall barn is under construction while nine smaller barns built in 1985 are scheduled for demolition as the result of a land sale making way for an outdoor amphitheater. Other improvements include a reconfiguring of the training track, construction of a 34-room dormitory and complete replacement of main track and paddock lighting.

The 2023 stakes schedule along with the first condition book will be available in early January. Stall applications will be available in March and are due April 13. The stable area will open for arrivals May 5 with training on the main track and training track beginning May 8.

The Minnesota Racing Commission is a nine-member panel appointed by the state's governor tasked with overseeing the integrity and safety of horse racing at Minnesota's two pari-mutuel racetracks.

Canterbury Park's 24/7 card casino and simulcast racebook remain open daily. For more information, visit www.canterburypark.com. Complete race dates can be found here.

The post Canterbury Park Approved For 54-Day Mixed Meet In 2023; $220,000 In Daily Purses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Churchill Downs, Inc., new owner of Colonial Downs, has requested permission from the American Graded Stakes Committee to move a trio of Grade 1 races, including the Arlington Million, to the New Kent, Va. racetrack. According to the Thoroughbred Daily News, the Million, the Beverly D., and the Secretariat are slated to be run on Aug. 12, 2023.

The trio of races were held at Arlington Park until that track closed at the end of 2021; this year, the Million and the Beverly D. were held at Churchill Downs (the Secretariat was not held due to the state of Churchill's turf course).

The AGSC hopes to have a meeting to review CDI's request prior to Christmas.

“We consider moves on a case-by-case basis,” Andy Schweigardt, secretary for the American Graded Stakes Committee, told TDN. “The basic requirements are that the new venue has to be in the same region as the old racetrack and the name, conditions, calendar date and purse of the relocated race have to be substantially similar to previous years.”

Schweigardt told TDN he was “not sure Virginia would be considered the Midwest” region.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post Churchill Requests Permission To Host Arlington Million At Colonial Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In a meeting held at the Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County, the Virginia Racing Commission approved today a robust racing schedule at one of the nation's premier Thoroughbred racetracks for 2023.

Beginning on July 13, 2023, and running through Sept. 9, 2023, live racing will be held every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Colonial Downs in contrast to the traditional Monday through Wednesday schedule of past meets. Post time for each race day will be at 1:30 pm.

The annually anticipated $300,000 Virginia Derby will run on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. The 2023 live race meet will be the first at Colonial Downs under the operation of new owners, Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”).

“CDI is proud to enter Virginia with an expanded race offering that will allow for more Virginians to attend and enjoy live racing,” said Jack Sours, VP of Gaming Operations for CDI. “Since our acquisition of Colonial Downs, we have remained steadfast in our goal to bring top quality racing and entertainment to New Kent with a product that will attract the best horses, trainers and jockeys and by increasing the flow of purse revenue from historical racing.”

Colonial Downs will announce purses, special events and other features of the 2023 season as the racing season draws closer next year.

About Colonial Downs Group

Colonial Downs Group is a proud business operator in Virginia employing more than 1,000 team members in the Commonwealth, paying over $30 million in annual salaries, wages, and benefits. Rosie's Gaming Emporiums® in Richmond, Hampton, New Kent, Vinton, and Dumfries offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming technology and full card simulcasting. Colonial Downs Group also operates a Rosie's Game RoomTM in Collinsville, which features a limited selection of some of their best HHR titles. Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 11/4-mile dirt track, second in length to only the world-famous Belmont Park.

The post Virginia Racing Commission Approves Weekend Racing At Colonial Downs In 2023 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lucrative purse money and Kentucky Derby qualifying points will be on the line during Turfway Park's annual Winter/Spring Meet, which will begin Sunday, Jan. 1 and feature the Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks on Saturday, March 25.

Led by the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, Turfway Park will offer a total of 20 stakes races across the 48-day stand. Racing will be held Wednesday-Saturday in January-February and Thursday-Saturday March 2-April 1.

Along with the plentiful stakes calendar, Director of Racing Tyler Picklesimer's condition book will offer an average of $188,000 per day. 

Jeff Ruby Steaks Day will highlight the meet and feature a total of six stakes events – the Jeff Ruby, the $300,000 TwinSpires Ky Cup Classic (Listed), the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks – a Road to the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series Race, the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes, the $250,000 Latonia Stakes and the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby's first stop at the Florence oval will be Saturday, March 4 for the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial. The card will also feature the $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Many of the top trainers in the Kentucky region have stayed home this winter to compete at Turfway including Juan Cano, Greg Foley, Michael McCarthy, Kenny McPeek, Dale Romans and Mike Tomlinson. They will join annual Turfway mainstays Brad Cox, Mike Maker, Bill Morey and Wesley Ward. Cox won the 2021 title 15-12 over Maker and Morey. Ward finished fourth with 11 wins.

Jockey Gerardo Corrales, who dominated the 2021 Winter/Spring Meet with 54 wins, will return to defend his title. Other top jockeys that are scheduled to ride at the meet include Declan Cannon, Vince Cheminaud, Fernando De La Cruz, Jack Gilligan, Chris Landeros, Luan Machado, and Joe Ramos.

Tony Calo will serve as the interim track announcer while regular caller Jimmy McNerney recovers from neck surgery. Kaitlin Free will offer selections and analysis each race day on the simulcast feed.

The 19-day Turfway Park Holiday Meet will run through Sunday, Dec. 31. Racing is Wednesday-Saturday with first posts Wednesday-Friday at 5:55 p.m. and Saturday at 12:45 p.m.

Wagering is available on every race on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Ticketing and more information can be found on www.TurfwayPark.com.

Below is the full stakes schedule (purse totals include funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund):   

Date	Stake	Running	Age	Distance	Purse
Sunday, Jan. 1	The Holiday Cheer	27	4yo & up	6f	$125,000
Saturday, Jan. 7	The Turfway Prevue	28	3yo	6.5f	$125,000
Saturday, Jan. 14	The Likely Exchange	25	F&M 4&up	1m	$125,000
Saturday, Jan. 21	The Leonatus Stakes	33	3yo	1m	$125,000
Saturday, Jan. 28	The Wishing Well	30	F&M 4&up	6.5f	$125,000
Saturday, Feb. 4	The Forego	39	4yo & up	6.5f	$125,000
Saturday, Feb. 11	The Valdale	36	F 3yo	6.5f	$125,000
Saturday, Feb. 18	The Dust Commander	32	4yo & up	1 1/16m	$125,000
Saturday, Feb. 25	The Wintergreen	37	F&M 4&up	1m	$125,000
Saturday, March 4	The Cincinnati Trophy	41	F 3yo	1m	$150,000
Saturday, March 4	The John Battaglia Memorial	41	3yo	1 1/16m	$150,000
Saturday, March 11	The Big Daddy	2	4yo & up	6f	$125,000
Saturday, March 18	The Queen	27	F&M 4&up	6f	$125,000
Saturday, March 25	The Jeff Ruby Stakes (GIII)	52	3yo	1 1/8m	$700,000
Saturday, March 25	The TwinSpires Ky Cup Classic (Listed)	23	4yo & up	1 1/8m	$300,000
Saturday, March 25	The Bourbonette Oaks	41	F 3yo	1 1/16m	$300,000
Saturday, March 25	The Rushaway	36	3yo	1 1/16m	$250,000
Saturday, March 25	The Animal Kingdom	37	3yo	6f	$250,000
Saturday, March 25	The Latonia	41	F&M 4&up	1 1/16m	$250,000
Saturday, April 1	The Serena's Song	2	3yo	6f	$125,000

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