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Turf Paradise Commences 2021 Race Meet With Increased Purses, Limited Fans

Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Ariz. commences its 84-day live race meet on Monday, running from Jan. 4 thru May 1, 2021. Racing will be conducted on a 5-day-a-week schedule, Monday thru Friday.

Opening day attracted 88 entries for the nine-race program with a first post time of 12.30 PM (MST.) The highlight of the opening day is the $30,500 Hank Mills Sr. Stakes (6 ½ Furlongs), which has drawn a full field of twelve including three from the barn of Justin Evans: Pendleton, Raagheb and Black Ops.

The Hank Mills Sr. Stakes continues to honor the long time Turf Paradise starter and kicks off a series of 15 Thoroughbred stakes throughout the meet. March 12, 2021 is the date for some of the most eagerly awaited stakes races during the meet – the Phoenix Gold Cup and Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap both with $75,000 guaranteed purses, and the Arizona Oaks and Turf Paradise Derby, both with $50,000 guaranteed purses will be run on the same day.

Quarter Horse racing is a long-term staple at Turf Paradise, and the 2021 meet features 10 stakes races, commencing with the $12,500 guaranteed Turf Paradise 870 Challenge on Jan. 8, 2021. The most valuable QH race of the meet is the $30,000 added Desert Classic Futurity scheduled for April 28, 2021. However, Quarter Horse fans will welcome the first QH races of the meet on Jan. 5.

Purse money is up from $80,000 to $110,000 per day, given that the meet is starting with an estimated $4 million. Although there have been many challenges in 2020, the 2021 Turf Paradise race meet is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent years.

Track General Manager, Vincent Francia said: “We are running this race meet primarily for the horsemen. It has been an incredible effort by everyone in very challenging times to pull everything together. Individual horsemen and women, the HBPA, state officials, and the Turf staff, all continue to play their part in making this meet a success.”

Fans will be limited initially to just 50 (though that may increase); only the ground floor and outside apron will be accessible to the public. The Clubhouse and Turf Club will not open for the duration of the meet. There will be no food or beverage service.

“Wearing of masks and social distancing is mandatory when on track,” said Francia. “We will adhere to all Coronavirus protocols as set forth by the State.”

With more than 50 OTB locations across the state and Turf Paradise able to be wagered on many platforms across the country, Turf Paradise will be increasing its social media presence and interaction with fans on their Facebook page and Twitter account. (@turf_paradise)

Additionally, fans everywhere will be pleased as no one won the Grand Canyon Pick 6 Jackpot at the end of the abbreviated meet on March 14, so the Pick 6 carryover pool will open at $28,009.06.

For further information, go to www.turfparadise.com.

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Pennsylvania: Continued Casino Closures Would Make Racing Dependent On Break-Even Handle

Penn National's current purse account will allow the Grantville, Penn. track to race through the end of January whether or not Hollywood Casino remains closed, according to a Tuesday memo from the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Todd Mostoller.

Should Gov. Tom Wolf extend the casino closure past the current Jan. 4 expiration date, however, racing at Penn National will become contingent on track handle.

“Penn National has agreed to continue live racing through [January], provided the handle generates a break-even scenario for the company,” Mostoller wrote. “This is estimated to be a handle of roughly $1.4 million per night.”

Mostoller's memo indicated that both the track and the Pennsylvania HBPA are confident that level of handle is achievable, but added that if it is not, Penn National management will “likely wish to temporarily shut down racing.”

The memo concluded with an encouragement to bet the races through HollywoodRaces.com: “A bet placed on Penn National races through this ADW is treated the same as a wager placed on track, resulting in considerably higher revenue for both horsemen and the track.”

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‘These Idiots Think That Is Going To Move The Needle’: Peter Miller Against California Stakes Lasix Ban

Trainer Peter Miller expressed his frustration with the 2021 ban of Lasix in all California stakes races in an interview with the Blood-Horse this week, as he is preparing to run both Texas Wedge and Hembree in Friday's Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Santa Anita. Neither horse has ever run without Lasix, according to Equibase.

Miller said asking the six and 7-year-olds (respectively) to do so is “inhumane,” because Lasix helps to prevent exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH).

Miller believes the Lasix ban in California stakes races was enacted as a response to anti-horse racing activists in the state, and argued that images of horses visibly bleeding from the nostrils will be now be publicized by those same groups.

“Talk about just shooting yourself in the foot. These idiots think that is going to move the needle. It's going to move it the wrong way,” Miller said. “The people that like horse racing like it. People that don't—Lasix doesn't matter.”

Arizona Gaming Department Announces Wellness Program Targeting Substance Abuse

At the December meeting of the Arizona Racing Commission, Steward Magdaleno Perez announced the start of the Healthy Humans, Healthy Horses track wellness program. This program was created to address the growing substance abuse problem at Arizona racetracks by supporting racing participants who may be suffering from the serious issues of addiction.

“I commend Magdaleno and the entire Racing team in their diligent efforts to move this project forward,” said Arizona Department of Gaming Director, Ted Vogt. “The Healthy Humans, Healthy Horses program will directly support Arizona horsemen and create a safer and healthier backside, driving us forward in meeting our mission to ethically and effectively regulate horse racing, while ensuring it is conducted in a socially responsible manner.”

In the upcoming racing meet scheduled to begin on Jan. 4 at Turf Paradise, the Arizona Department of Gaming – Racing Division will be implementing the following measures to help curb substance abuse at Arizona racetracks:

• Suspension reductions for those who seek help with substance abuse
• Random drug testing for licensees on horseback
• Partnering with subject matter experts to address the influx of substance abuse
• Adjusting fines and suspensions for repeated drug-related offenses
• Proactively connecting those seeking help with substance abuse to available resources statewide

“A big thank you to the Racing Division for their hard work to support the Arizona racing community,” said Racing Commission Chair, Rory Goreé. “It is a priority for the Commission to help ensure the health and safety of racing participants, and this project furthers that goal while providing necessary aid to those in need.”

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