Tag: The Biz

Santa Anita Park has announced that its 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule will offer fans and horsemen a total of 93 stakes, 10 of them Grade 1 events, including the $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 8, and 58 graded races beginning with the track's traditional opener on Monday, Dec. 26 through closing day, June 18.

“We're pleased to be able to announce our Winter/Spring stakes schedule at this time and to once again let everyone know that our 'Ship & Win' program will be available to those out of state horses that qualify throughout the meet,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “We feel there is something for everyone in this stakes schedule and we are excited to offer it. We worked diligently with trainers and other industry stakeholders to create a program that suits our horse population and caters to the needs of our owners and horsemen.”

One of the biggest days on the Southern California sports calendar, opening day will again feature a total of six graded stakes, highlighted by three Grade 1, $300,000 events, the Runhappy Malibu, for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, the La Brea, for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs, and the American Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and one quarter on turf.

Additionally, three Grade 2, $200,000 races will be run on opening day, the Mathis Mile, for 3-year-olds on turf, the San Antonio, for older horses at a mile and one sixteenth and the San Gabriel, for older horses at a mile and one eighth on turf.

Santa Anita's prestigious roster of Grade 1 stakes will resume on Saturday, March 4, as the $500,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino and the $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf) will take center stage along with one of America's most important Derby preps, the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes.

Named for Spendthrift Farm's four-time Eclipse Award Champion and three-time Breeders' Cup winner, the Grade 1, $500,000 Beholder Mile will be run on March 11.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, a race that has produced 19 Kentucky Derby winners, will be run on Saturday, April 8, and be complemented by four other stakes, including the Grade 2, $200,000 Charles Whittingham and the Grade 2, $200,000 Monrovia.

Three Grade 1 stakes, the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile (turf), the $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup and the $400,000 Gamely, will all be contested on Labor Day, Monday, May 29.

Santa Anita's traditional closing day feature, the Grade 3, $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes, at a mile and three quarters over the Camino Real Hillside Turf Course, will highlight proceedings on June 18.

Santa Anita's complete 2022-23 Winter Spring Stakes Schedule can be viewed here. For additional information, please contact the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-6352.

The post Santa Anita Releases Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule With 10 Grade 1 Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mitch Dennison has resigned as general manager of racing at Louisiana Downs and Kato Moy, recently hired as general manager of the casino side of the Bossier City track, also is no longer employed there, the Shreveport Bossier Journal reports.

In further disarray on Louisiana Downs' front side, the BloodHorse reports that almost $2 million reserved for the horsemen's purse account is unaccounted for and that the matter has been turned over to the state's Attorney General and the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Dennison, a former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen who oversaw mutuels, facility projects, and sponsorships in addition to racing, resigned Tuesday, three months after being hired, replacing longtime Director of Racing David Heitzmann.

He confirmed his resignation to the Shreveport Bossier Journal.

“Mitch is a fantastic person, but right now I really can't comment,” Kevin Preston, founder and president of Premier Gaming Group, which bought Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack in January, told the publication. “We have a fantastic racing team…I had a great meeting with them (Wednesday) morning. We will not miss a beat on the racing side.”

A Shreveport Bossier Journal  Twitter post Friday reported that almost $2 million in purse money was “missing” and included a link to a story, but the story has since been deleted. However, the BloodHorse reported Sunday that the money in question, generated from slot machines and pari-mutuel wagering, has yet to be located.

“It's a legal issue, and it is in the hands of the Attorney General and Racing Commission in our state,” Benard Chatters, president of the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, told the BloodHorse. “Hopefully, we can get a quick resolution. There are a lot of things going on in the (Thoroughbred) industry right now that are upsetting to the industry, and we certainly hope this can be resolved as soon as possible.”

Louisiana Downs' current Thoroughbred meet ends September 27.

The post Turmoil At Louisiana Downs Includes Resignation Of Racing General Manager, Uproar Over Horsemen’s Purse Account appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Owners and trainers with runners in Laurel Park's five stakes Saturday gave high marks to the custom saddle towels they received as gifts.

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association started providing custom saddle towels for non-graded stakes in Maryland July 2 at Laurel Park.

The upgraded saddle towels for most stakes feature the horse's name with logos for the Maryland Jockey Club, stakes race name, and Beyond the Wire, which is Maryland's Thoroughbred aftercare program. The connections of each horse are notified that the saddle towels are a gift and should be taken after a horse is unsaddled.

Saturday's 10-race card was anchored by the $100,000 Deputed Testamony won by Ridin With Biden and supported by four $75,000 stakes for Maryland-bred or -sired runners. Divine Huntress won the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies, Spun Glass took the Jameela for fillies and mares 3 and up on the grass, Alottahope captured the Star de Naskra for 3-year-olds, and Justwaveandsmile won the Ben's Cat on turf for 3-year-olds and up.

The MTHA Board of Directors at a meeting in May discussed the idea of the custom saddle towels as part of an ongoing effort to improve the racing experience for owners.

Organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) this year began putting each horse's name and the MATCH logo on the saddle towels for all series stakes.

The personalized saddle towels have been popular with MATCH Series participants, some of whom have ordered extras after the race, particularly when there are multiple partners.

In conjunction with the personalized saddle towels, the MTHA has launched an online store at which merchandise can be ordered. The site (mdhorsemen.com/store) initially will offer personalized saddle towels, custom caps with a Maryland horse and MTHA logos, and personalized MATCH Series caps and bronze trophies.

The post Custom Saddle Towels Get Thumbs Up From Owners, Trainers At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Horse racing industry leaders will examine the implementation, regulatory climate, and performance impact of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) when the Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga (RGCS) convenes August 15-17 at the Saratoga Hilton.

Joseph Appelbaum, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and board member of the New York Racing Association (NYRA), will deliver opening remarks regarding the state of the industry on August 17. That will be followed by the HISA panel, which will be moderated by Alan Foreman, chairman and CEO of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Inc.

Presenters included are:

John C. Kimmel, New York V.M.D., trainer; Lisa Lazarus, CEO, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority; Ed Martin, president and CEO, Association of Racing Commissioners International; and Rob Williams, executive director, New York State Gaming Commission.

RGCS will also offer a broad agenda addressing critical horse racing and gaming-industry topics, including:

• Responsible Gaming: Are Programs and Funding Keeping Pace with Industry Growth?
• State Lotteries – Finding Avenues for Growth
• Sports Betting: What's Next?
• Downstate Casino Expansion
• Online Casinos
• The Rise (or Scourge) of Unregulated Gaming Machines
• M&A Investment Trends in Sports Betting and Online Gaming
• Gaming Regulation in the Digital Age: Are “Analog” Regulations and Regulators Sufficient to Police the Digital Gaming Market?
• Horse Racing, NFTs, and the Metaverse
• Aftercare for Race Horses: Who Pays?
• Fixed Odds and the Future of Horse Betting

To register, view the RGCS agenda, and reserve a room at the host hotel, visit www.racingandgamingsaratoga.com.

The post Racing & Gaming Conference At Saratoga To Examine HISA, Future Of Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post