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Live Racing Returns To Laurel With Special, Rescheduled Thursday Card

McElmore Avenue, riding a four-race win streak, and Grade 2 winner Shotski highlight the second of three straight allowance events as live racing returns to Laurel Park with a special Thursday program Feb. 25.

Thursday's 10-race card was rescheduled in its entirety when Laurel's Feb. 19 program was postponed due to inclement weather. First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

Trained and co-owned by Mary Eppler, McElmore Avenue has put together three straight victories after being claimed for $16,000 out of a victory last November. After winning on or near the front end, the 4-year-old gelding had to rally from off the pace after being shuffled back early.

Alexander Crispin, the 2020 Eclipse Award winner as champion apprentice, will be aboard for the fourth straight time in the second-level optional claiming allowance for older horses going about 1 1/16 miles in Race 8.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable and Mike Karty's Shotski is making his first start at Laurel Park since a maiden triumph in October 2019, and just his second anywhere in nearly a year. He won the 2019 Remsen (G2) at 2 and was second in the Withers (G3) and fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at 3 before going to the sidelines. Eleven months later he faded to eighth in a Jan. 15 optional claimer at Aqueduct.

The 9-5 program favorite is Siena Farm's homebred Dudley Square, trained by seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher. Dudley Square is coming out of a three-quarter-length triumph in an open, entry-level allowance going one mile Jan. 22 at Laurel.

Also on Thursday's card are an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies in Race 7 that drew a field of nine led by Wonderwall, a winner of her last two races at Laurel by a combined 17 ¾ lengths; and a 5 ½-furlong allowance for Maryland-bred/sired older horses in Race 9 which attracted a wide-open field of 10 led by lukewarm favorite Stone Courageous.

There will be a carryover of $823.25 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Race 2. The 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 5-10) starts anew after being solved by one lucky bettor for a jackpot payout of $15,173.12 during Laurel's last live program Sunday, Feb. 21.

Live racing continues at Laurel Friday through Sunday, Feb. 26-28.

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Stewart Taking Another Shot At Dubai World Cup With ‘True Grinder’ Title Ready

For the third consecutive edition of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), prominent North American owner Charles Fipke and his go-to trainer Dallas Stewart will take a swing at the world's second-richest race. This round is slightly different for the affable team, as they do not bring a known champion like Forever Unbridled (2018) or a Breeders' Cup- and Pegasus World Cup-placed runner like Seeking the Soul (2019). Instead, an improving sort getting very good at the right time will head to Dubai in the form of an appropriately named Title Ready.

A homebred like the aforementioned, the son of More Than Ready is from the immediate family of Seeking the Soul and is a grandson of one of the greatest race-mares of all time, undefeated Breeders' Cup-winning champion Personal Ensign. Title Ready exits a smart victory for Stewart in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Jan. 16 at New Orleans' Fair Grounds over G2 winner Wells Bayou, a culmination of six starts focused on refining the dark bay since he was received in the spring of 2020.

After competing 19 times for Steve Asmussen, he was switched to Stewart, resulting in a pair of good-looking wins, an excellent third to Mr Freeze in the Fayette (G2) and unplaced efforts in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Clark Stakes (G1).

“Chuck is excited to come and I am too,” Stewart said. “We ran him in the Breeders' Cup and there wasn't enough pace, so he really ran pretty good that day. I probably ran him back a little quick in the Clark at Churchill, but I think he's good enough for those, so I gave him a little time after that and took him down to the Fair Grounds. Then he won in New Orleans and he looked really good that day. He's just doing great and he looks awesome.

“He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree, by More Than Ready and with Personal Ensign on the bottom side, and is related to Seeking the Soul. That whole family is so strong. ” Stewart continued. “He's training great and is a wonderful horse to have in the barn, so I really wanted to give him a shot in this race.”

Blunt and charismatic, as always, Stewart knows he is diving once again into deep waters with the good-looking 6-year-old, but that has not stopped him from taking home a big check before. His proficiency with aiming toward a big race and placing with long-odds runners has been document ad nauseam, so his eagerness to send Title Ready should be noted.

Stewart: “He doesn't look six, that's for sure. He's a young-looking dude. He's a true grinder and really just keeps coming and keeps trying. He's a real happy horse and trains well.

“I think we got outrun the two times we were there so far, but I believe the approach we have is solid. We just have to get there and run the race. It's $12 million, it's a mile and a quarter, we're hoping he will be better at that distance and we're game to try.

“It's the only way I know to approach races. You have to be game to do it, train for it and then you go for it. We really want to thank Sheikh Mohammed for having the race and allowing us back to run. We really appreciate it.”

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Over $500,000 In Participation Incentive Awards Available At Canterbury Park

Canterbury Park racing officials, with support from the Minnesota HBPA, have announced new 2021 participation incentive programs designed to reward owners that send horses ready to race at the start of the meet. In addition, trainers and owners wishing to participate at the Shakopee, Minn. track may apply for a loan to be used for the transport of horses arriving prior to the start of the 65-day season. In total, more than $500,000 will be made available to assist and support the arrival of a race-ready horse population in advance of the 2021 season which runs May 18 through Sept. 16.

Owners of Thoroughbred starters in open-company overnight races during the first eight days of racing from May 18 through May 31 will earn an additional $1,000 participation bonus per start. This bonus applies to each start a horse makes during that time and will be paid directly into the owner's account through the bookkeeper's office.

“We want horses to arrive at Canterbury Park ready to enter and compete,” Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman said. “This participation bonus puts extra money in the hands of racehorse owners in addition to purse money they may earn and is designed to directly offset transportation expenses incurred to get to Minnesota.”

In 2020, Canterbury Park saw total handle increase by 68 percent despite running 21 percent fewer races. The $68.4 million in handle was a record for the track. Per starter handle was up 115 percent to $18,902. Field size averaged 7.24 thoroughbreds per race.

“It was important last year to start strong and make an impression on the national racing audience. Offering large and competitive fields accomplished that and we are prepared to build on this growth in wagering interest in 2021,” Offerman said. “The bonus not only assists owners in covering expenses at the start of the season, it grows field size and thus handle which in turn drive purses.”

Canterbury Park recently announced across the board increases in its overnight purse structure which meet or in some cases exceed 2019 overnight purses. In total, purses are anticipated to average approximately $230,000 per race day or a nearly 20 percent per day increase in 2021 as compared to 2020.

The shipping loan program is offered to qualified applicants who arrive prior to the start of the 2021 season. Shipping loan applications will be due with stall applications by April 2 and will be reviewed by the stall allocation committee which includes Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Robert Junk. The committee will authorize up to $25,000 per owner to cover the cost of horse transportation to Canterbury Park. The loan will be repaid through an agreement between the successful applicant and the track.

All pertinent documents are available at https://www.canterburypark.com/horsemen/ .

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Big Weekend, Milestone Net Flavien Prat Jockey Of The Week Honors

Jockey Flavien Prat had a very good week. In addition to winning all three stakes races at Santa Anita he also registered his 1,000th North American victory. The accomplishments earned Prat the Jockey of the Week award for Feb. 15 through Feb. 21. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Riding for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella in the Wishing Well Stakes, the feature on Presidents' Day, Prat guided Superstition to a 1-1/2 furlong victory in 1:14.22 over 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf.

On Saturday, trainer Phil D'Amato tapped Prat to ride Charmaine's Mia for the first time in the Grade 2 Buena Vista a one mile turf test. Stretching out for the first time, Charmaine's Mia got the distance in 1:33.93.

“She broke sharp,” said Prat. “She's really fast out of the gate and I wanted to be on the lead, but the inside horse (Bohemian Bourbon) was pulling very hard, so we were in second, which was a good place to be. When we made the lead at the quarter pole, she got a good breather and from there, she finished really well.”

Prat was given a leg up on Bella Vita by trainer Simon Callaghan in the Spring Fever Stakes on Sunday. Heavily favored in the field of six, Bella Vita was in control the entire trip making short work of her rivals as she powered to a 4-1/2 length win.

“I thought I was on the best horse and I was,” said Prat. She broke well and we got a good position up close. She was push button and she did it on her own.”

French-born Prat, Santa Anita's reigning Winter/Spring Champion Jockey and current meet leader, registered his 1,000th North American victory on Feb. 19. In a remarkable span of about six years, he has collected 11 Southern California riding titles and is currently tied for 13th with retired Hall of Famer Donald Pierce on Santa Anita's all-time Winter/Spring stakes won list with 99 to date.

“It means a lot, it's a big achievement,” said Prat. “(Looking to the future) I hope to do as good as I have done. I don't want to be satisfied with what I've done, I want to try to improve. I've been lucky to have been on a lot of good horses…They all have a place in my heart.”

Prat's weekly stats included 12 wins from 26 mounts for a win percentage of 46% and 73% in-the-money percentage. He led all jockeys in purses won with $553,440.

He out polled fellow jockeys Eric Cancel with a stakes victory, Isaias Enriquez with two stakes victories, Horacio Karamanos with a graded stakes win and Sheldon Russell with two stakes victories.

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