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Kentucky Downs: Reserved Seating Tickets, New VIP Chalet Acces Now On Sale

Kentucky Downs will be back to full capacity for live racing in September with its most upscale option yet for reserved seating and dining and the return of free general admission.

The fastest six days in horse racing will be staged Sept. 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12, kicking off on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend and concluding the following Sunday. Tickets for the unique all-grass meet are available for purchase now at kentuckydowns.com/racing or kentuckydownstickets.com.

New will be the VIP Chalet, a glass-enclosed, air-conditioned facility with an outdoor terrace providing a spectacular view of the race course and located mere yards from the rail. The expansive structure will feature more amenities, high-end cuisine, open bar and betting windows.

The popular Finish Line Pavilion once again will be expanded. The venue will have enhanced food options, dedicated cash bar and betting windows.

COVID safety restrictions limited the 2020 meet to horsemen and their guests. For 2021, free general admission will be back in front of the Mint Gaming Hall and with tailgating at the top of the stretch.

Ticket pricing is tiered according to the day of the week and will be sold in tables of eight only.

Finish Line Pavilion tables are available for $495 on Sept. 5 (Sunday), Sept. 6 (Labor Day Monday) and Sept. 12 (Sunday); for $795 on Sept. 11 (the showcase Saturday card) and $369 on Wednesday Sept. 8 and Thursday Sept. 9.

Tables for eight in the VIP Chalet can be purchased for $995 on Sept. 5, 6 and 12 and for $549 on Sept. 8 and 9. No tickets are available for Sept. 11, with the venue limited to sponsors, invited guests and horsemen in the track's five graded stakes.

Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs Vice President for Racing, encouraged buying tickets early, saying: “History tells us they'll go quickly, especially on the weekends.”

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Tapeta Installation Begins Monday At Gulfstream Park

The installation of a Tapeta racing surface began Monday at Gulfstream Park.

The third racing surface will be positioned over what is currently the outer third of the turf course. To allow for the installation of the new surface, Gulfstream has cut back beginning this week from a four-day race week to a three-day race week. The Silks simulcasting room will remain open seven days a week.

The Tapeta surface is just one of several projects Gulfstream is working on to enhance the racing and customer experience. Along with the installation of a new all-weather surface, Gulfstream is renovating the drainage system on the inside of the turf course and installing a new infield tote board.

Work on the third racing surface is expected to continue through August. Turf racing will continue throughout the project except for races at five furlongs.

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Indiana Grand Set All-Quarter Horse Card Handle Record June 5

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino recorded its highest all-sources handle during the first of six All-Quarter Horse racing programs Saturday, June 5. A total of $1,000,393 was wagered to establish a new track record. The day featured 13 races, including two stakes races and trials for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with the top 10 heading to the $75,000 final set for Monday, June 28.

The seventh running of the $95,900 Harley Greene Derby was a good preview of 3-year-olds in the state with Beach Blast turning in a very impressive performance in the 350-yard dash. The sorrel son of Escondido Beach broke on top and never looked back for jockey Sammy Mendez, cruising under the wire for a one and three-quarter length advantage in a time of :17.650. WH Imastreakinbeach and Jose Ruiz finished second over Jess Bringin It On and Cesar Esqueda for third.

Owned by Keith Bode and Brock Hutchinson, Beach Blast is now four for eight lifetime and increased his career bankroll over the $200,000 mark. It was one of six wins on the card for Trainer Randy Smith, Indiana Grand's leading trainer.

“That horse can run,” said Smith of Beach Blast. “He could be one of the fastest ones I've ever had. We'll probably get him ready for the Blue River (Derby) next.”

The second Quarter Horse stakes of the day was a first for both horse and jockey. Erik Esqueda guided Jess a Flyin Beach to his first stakes win in the $83,200 Born Runner Classic. Starting from post two, the duo had good positioning early and was able to take over midway through the 400-yard dash to get a nose under the wire first for the win. Beach Mercedes and Sammy Mendez finished second followed by Beach Cartel and German Rodriguez for third.

Owned and trained by Tony Cunningham, Jess a Flyin Beach earned his fourth career win and increased his career bankroll to more than $119,000. The four-year-old son of Escondido Beach was making his second start of 2021.

“He's been second or third in stakes action but never quite got his head in front at the wire,” said Cunningham. “He has a lot of class. He's had some issues over the past couple of years but was able to put it all together today. I'm happy for Erik (Esqueda) to get his first stakes win. We have a great team and can't do it without all of them.”

Earlier on the card three trials were held to determine the final field for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby. The quickest qualifier of the day was Cartel Creek from the Randy Smith barn. Owned by Debbie Smith, the three-year-old son of The Louisiana Cartel scored the win in :20.215 for jockey Jose Beltran after grabbing an early lead.

The top 10 qualifiers for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with jockey and times, includes: Cartel Creek (Jose Beltran, :20.215); WRs Moonin the Wagon (Sammy Mendez, :20.261); Jess Over Yonder (Natasha Fritz, :20.358); Jess Good Reason SA (Uriel Cervantes, :20.450); Paint Me Brown (Uriel Cervantes, :20.473); CC Moonflash (L.D. Martinez, :20.532); Lone Cartel (L.D. Martinez, :20.603); Apollitical Tools (Giovani Vazquez Gomez, :20.623); Shez Bodacious (Cristian Reyes, :20.638); and AA Storm the Mozoomo (Erik Esqueda, :20.655). Tony Cunningham will saddle three in the final (CC Moonflash, Lone Cartel, AA Storm the Mozoomo) while Randy Smith (Cartel Creek, WRs Moonin Thewagon), Jose Aguirre (Jess Good Reason SA, Paint Me Brown) and Tim Eggleston (Jess Over Yonder, Shez Bodacious) will all saddle two in the final.

Another first was also recorded on the day as Trainer Shawna Martin not only scored her first career training victory but scored a double on the card. Martin kicked off the day with a win from Delightful Dahlonega, ridden by Cristian Esqueda, with a win in the first race followed by a win by Easy Torero, also ridden by Cristian Esqueda, in the afternoon's sixth race. Easy Torero was a surprise winner to bettors, paying $85.80 for the win.

The next all Quarter Horse Day at Indiana Grand is set for Saturday, July 3 followed by racing Saturday, July 24, Saturday, Aug. 14, Saturday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 9. The track will also host two regional qualifiers for the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships this fall. The John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Q-Racing Videos Distaff Challenge trials are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 4 with the finals set for Monday, Sept. 20. All Saturday Quarter Horse racing begins at 10 a.m.

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Defendant In Federal Doping Case Sentenced To 12 Months Of Home Detention

Sarah Izhaki, one of the defendants in the March 2020 federal indictment surrounding illegal doping rings in horse racing, was sentenced to 12 months of home detention and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil on Monday. Izhaki entered a guilty plea at the end of 2020 on a charge of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute adulterated and misbranded drugs.

According to federal documents, Izhaki was a distributor of illegal drugs which were neither approved for sale in the United States nor provided pursuant to prescriptions. Izhaki sold products directly to trainers, sometimes out of her car in various parking lots. The primary drug she was accused of peddling was a Mexican-produced erythropoietin (EPO) which was originally formulated by an unidentified source to treat cancer in pets. Izhaki sold the EPO to an undercover source and an undercover officer and also suggested that she could provide a masking agent she called “The Devil,” as well as amphetamines. Izhaki said The Devil was so strong a horse could be given cocaine and not test positive.

Izhaki appeared before the court during Monday's sentencing proceedings, which took place over video conference.

“I am very sorry for the bad decisions I made against the poor animals,” said Izhaki, speaking through an interpreter. “If I could do it again, I would have made different decisions.

“I know that my being remorseful and being sorry is not enough. The only thing I can do now is make the right decisions moving forward.”

Prosecutors had requested a prison sentence of 12 to 18 months in the case per presentencing guidelines, while the defense requested a ruling of time served. Izhaki had previously agreed to a forfeiture of her proceeds from the drug sales, which were alleged to take place between February 2018 and November 2019. The forfeiture totaled over $103,000 but attorneys had agreed Izhaki would be made to pay only $20,000, citing a failure to pay the full amount.

Vyskocil was very clear that other defendants in the federal case should not feel emboldened by her decision not to send Izhaki to prison.

“I recognize that many people in the horse racing industry and other cases that are pending may well be looking at what the court does today, paying attention to this case and viewing it in effect as a benchmark or bellwether for other horse doping cases and for the abuses in the industry in general,” said Vyskocil. “I want to say on the record that if you're doing that, you're making a mistake. I say that because in the court's view, the circumstances in this case are somewhat unique.”

Vyskocil said she believed Izhaki was manipulated into selling the illegal substances after a difficult upbringing made her overly inclined to please the people around her. Sentencing documents describe a strict orthodox Jewish upbringing in Mexico for Izhaki, followed by an arranged marriage at the age of 14 and a divorce when she was 16 that resulted in estrangement from her family. Izhaki became a naturalized United States citizen in part to seek better medical care for a degenerative condition that has significantly impaired her vision and is expected to leave her legally blind. Additionally, defense counsel cited numerous physical ailments and surgeries, mobility challenges, chronic pain from multiple serious car accidents — one of which delayed her sentencing by several months — and mental health challenges. The uncertainty over her impending sentence is believed to have worsened her health conditions. These factors, Vyskocil stated, made it likely that a prison sentence would cause significant deterioration of her physical and mental health.

Vyskocil said she thought it unlikely that Izhaki would reoffend, given her apparently genuine remorse and almost immediate interest in entering a guilty plea in the case.

Izhaki was indicted alongside her daughter, Ashley Lebowitz. Prosecutors chose in December to defer prosecution in Lebowitz's case.

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