Tag: The Biz

New York Racing Association racing secretary Keith Doleshel will appeal a $2,000 fine for “failing to conduct business in a professional manner,” reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. Doleshel will be represented by attorney Drew Mollica for the appeal against the New York State Gaming Commission's Oct. 20 ruling.

TDN reports that the fine dealt with an incident at Saratoga in which an unauthorized agent was allowed to claim a horse; a claimant must be both licensed by the NYSGC and registered with The Jockey Club.

“Anyone who knows Mr. Doleshel during his tenure at NYRA knows that he always conducts business in a professional manner,” Mollica told TDN, “and he denies that he has not done so in this case. He has never been able to confront this charge, because he has never been told what he did wrong. As such, the scarlet letter of unprofessionalism cannot stand and we must appeal.”

“Mr. Doleshel had a confident person acting as the claims clerk,” said Mollica. “A mistake may have been made in the office or by The Jockey Club, but it had nothing to do with him acting unprofessionally.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post ‘Scarlet Letter Of Unprofessionalism Cannot Stand’: NYRA Racing Secretary Will Appeal $2,000 Fine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Laurel Park will greet the new year with a total of 17 stakes worth $1.7 million in purses, led by the $250,000 General George (G3) and $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3), during its 2023 winter meet that kicks off Jan. 1.

The 40-day winter meet will see live racing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 31, which special Monday holiday programs Jan. 16 and Feb. 20. Post time will be 12:15 p.m. (ET) before moving to 12:40 p.m. March 12.

Stakes action begins Saturday, Jan. 21 with six stakes worth $550,000 in purses topped by the $100,000 Spectacular Bid, a seven-furlong sprint that launches Maryland's series of stakes for 3-year-olds leading up to the 148^th Preakness (G1), middle jewel of the Triple Crown, May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

Also on the Jan. 21 program will be the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies and $100,000 What a Summer for older fillies and mares, both sprinting six furlongs; $100,000 Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs; and a pair of one-mile events for Maryland-bred/sired horses – the $75,000 Jennings for 3-year-olds and up and $75,000 Geisha for fillies and mares, each going one mile.

The 69^th Barbara Fritchie for older fillies and mares and 48^th General George for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs, co-headline a Winter Carnival program of six stakes worth $700,000 in purses Feb. 18. They are the first graded events on Maryland's 2023 stakes calendar.

Winter Carnival will also feature the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds going a mile and $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies sprinting seven furlongs; and the $100,000 John B. Campbell for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Nellie Morse for older fillies and mares, each at 1 1/16 miles.

Sophomores will be in the spotlight again in the $100,000 Private Terms and $100,000 Beyond the Wire as part of a Saturday, March 18 program featuring five stakes worth $450,000 in purses. The Private Terms is contested at 1 1/16 miles while the Beyond the Wire, for fillies, is run at one mile.

Joining them on the March 18 card are the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up going one mile and two $75,000 stakes for older Maryland-bred/sired horses, the six-furlong Not For Love and seven-furlong Conniver, the latter for females.

Laurel's subsequent spring meet will feature back-to-back stakes Saturdays starting April 15 highlighted by the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies. Once again, the 1 1/8-mile Tesio will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness, while the 1 1/16-mile Weber City Miss offers the winner an automatic berth in the 99^th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Preakness Eve May 19.

Capping the April 15 program are the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley for 3-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs and $100,000 Heavenly Cause for fillies and mares 3 and up going one mile, which returned to the Maryland stakes calendar in 2022.

The first turf stakes of 2023 are scheduled for Saturday, April 22 – the $100,000 Henry S. Clark for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Dahlia for fillies and mares 3 and up, each scheduled for one mile, and the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury, a 5 ½-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up.

Also on the April 22 program are a pair of $100,000 dirt stakes, the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer for 3-year-olds and up and six-furlong Primonetta for fillies and mares 3 and older.

The post Laurel Park’s 2023 Winter Meet Offers 17 Stakes Worth $1.7 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Kentucky Derby (G1) winner is always a fan favorite in the Bluegrass State and especially at Churchill Downs, where this year's winner, Rich Strike, dubbed 'America's Horse' following his fairytale upset at 80-1 upset in the Run for the Roses, was the center of attention Saturday morning at a Meet and Greet.

The son of Keen Ice had no shortage of fans and admirers despite finishing a last in the Clark (G1) the previous day in his final start of the year as he was brought out to the Churchill Downs paddock for the “Rich Strike Golden Ticket,” event, staged by track photographer Coady Photography in partnership with the colt connections.

A limited number of fans were allowed access to the paddock to have their picture taken with the Derby winner after purchasing a ticket online. All profits from the event are earmarked for the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Eric Reed, trainer of RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike, was on hand to autograph pictures.

The post Fans Flock To Churchill Paddock For ‘Golden Ticket’ Photo Ops With Derby Winner Rich Strike appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

It's been 13 years since Churchill Downs' Trackside Louisville remained open for winter training and several outfits are eager to keep horses in Louisville to run at Turfway Park when the Florence, Kentucky track begins its Holiday Meet on Wednesday night.

“It's great to be able to keep a string of horses home for the winter,” trainer Greg Foley said, who was mainstay at Turfway for several years prior to spending the winters at Fair Grounds. “We'll keep about 12 horses here and still have a full barn down in New Orleans at Fair Grounds. This gives us an option to see if some of our horses will like the Tapeta surface, and you can't argue with the purses up at Turfway. They're great.”

Churchill Downs Inc. acquired Turfway Park in 2019 and replaced its Polytrack with a new $8.1-million Tapeta surface. In addition, there was an additional $31 million invested in the track's backside stable area to improve dormitories for track workers, add five new barns, and install new storm water collection systems to improve the environment around the facility.

Among the trainers joining Foley at Trackside include Juan Cano, Brad Cox, Michael McCarthy, Helen Pitts-Blasi, and Dale Romans. Trainers already based at Trackside such as Whit Beckman, Cherie DeVaux, Tim Glyshaw, and Mike Maker are all scheduled to keep horses there this winter.

Winter training hours at Trackside will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (ET).

Among the regular Churchill Downs jockeys scheduled to remain at Turfway include Rafael Bejarano, Vince Cheminaud, Gerardo Corrales, Jack Gilligan, Chris Landeros, and Joe Rocco Jr.

The Turfway Park Holiday Meet will run Nov. 30-Dec. 31. The Winter Meet will then continue from Jan. 5-April 1.

The post ‘It’s Great To Be Able To Keep A String Of Horses Home’: Trainers Begin To Settle Into Trackside Louisville For Winter Training appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post