Recent trends continued in the month of June, as wagering on U.S. Thoroughbred racing decreased slightly year over year while purses continued to rise, according to the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released Tuesday by Equibase. Q2 of 2022 also reflected the same trends compared to last year's second quarter.
The post Wagering & Purse Trends Continue in June appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Edited Press Release
Reserved seating is now on sale online for Kentucky Downs's seven-date meet, to be held Sept. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11 and 14.
Advanced purchase of reserved seating and dining in the Finish Line Pavilion are being sold only as tables of eight or groups of four here. Individual tickets will be sold as availability permits on race day both online and at the track.
The open-air Finish Line Pavilion has been expanded and this year will offer more amenities, with the ticket price including lunch buffet, afternoon snacks and open bar.
Ticket prices for groups of four range from $399 ($99.75/per person) on weekdays to $699 ($174.75/pp) on weekends and $799 ($199.75/pp) for Kentucky Downs' signature Sept. 10 card. Tickets for groups of eight range from $699 ($87.38/pp) on weekdays to $1,249 ($156.13/pp) on weekends and $1,499 ($187.38/pp) on Sept. 10, when the track features five graded-stakes races.
Horsemen with runners in that day will receive VIP seating and meal.
“As fast as our meet goes, our tickets sell out almost as quickly,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' vice president for racing. “We urge those wanting reserved seating and dining to go to our online box office as soon as possible to avoid being shut out. The good news is we do have a seventh day this year, including four weekend dates, that will allow more people to experience one of American racing's great spectacles.”
Free general admission will again be at the top of the stretch in the grassy area in front of The Mint Gaming Hall. Tailgating also returns, with guests able to park in close proximity to the course.
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The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation and The Race For Education (RFE) have announced their 2022 scholarship recipients.
KEEP granted 13 scholarships worth $30,000 to students attending nine different Kentucky universities for 2022. Eligible recipients for KEEP scholarships must be currently enrolled at a school in Kentucky in either an equine and/or agriculture related major or their parents must work in the equine industry.
Additionally, the RFE awarded its annual Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to two New York state students: Anitza Parilla and Francis Marrone. Named in honor of the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel and in its 12th year, the scholarship is open to any student attending a college in New York or California whose family is employed in the Thoroughbred industry.
“We had an excellent group of scholarship applicants this year,” said Alexandra Harper, KEEP Foundation's Executive Director. “I am excited for these students to embark on their collegiate careers and also for the future of the equine industry. These students are eager and ready to make a difference, and I'm glad that we can help take some of the financial burden off by awarding scholarships.”
The 2022 KEEP Foundation Scholarship Recipients are as follows: Connor Bermejo, Kentucky Horseshoeing School; Brant Brower, Midway University; Meghan Clancy, University of Kentucky; Audrey Dollase, University of Kentucky; Emma English, Transylvania University; Alysa Farrell, University of Kentucky; Terada Hiroto, Bluegrass Community & Technical College; Margaret Hollingsworth, Asbury University; Lauren Mullikin, University of Kentucky; Kaitlyn Praisler, Morehead State University; Eric Resendiz, Bluegrass Community & Technical College; Julia Sammet, Midway University; Samantha Versocki, University of Louisville.
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Wonder Wheel broke better and showed more speed than she did on debut to set strong splits and draw off impressively in Monday's Debutante S. at Churchill Downs. Having taken her local unveiling by 2 1/4 lengths from off the pace June 3, the $275,000 KEESEP acquisition emerged from between horses here to dole out an opening quarter of :21.52. Already well clear and threatening to run away from them after the half in :45.05, Wonder Wheel did just that as she cruised away to a facile score. Sabra Tuff) and Les Bon Temps rounded out the exacta and trifecta, respectively.
“When I first got on her the other month I thought she could be special,” said the meet's leading rider Tyler Gaffalione. “She did everything so professionally today. She left the gates really well today and did it all on her own. The [Mark] Casse team got her ready to fire a big effort today. I'm so thankful for all of the people and horses that have supported me this meet. Without them I wouldn't be in this position today. It's been a wonderful meet.”
Casse's assistant David Carroll added, “She's a special filly and we're so thrilled for [owners Len and Lois Green] that they were able to be here this afternoon for this win. She was very impressive in her debut and in her preparation for this race she couldn't have been any better. She's by Into Mischief so we were confident she'd be able to handle the extra distance.”
A juvenile daughter of the runner-up's sire gave the Green family's D J Stable perhaps their most noteworthy win when future champion Jaywalk aired in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies under the same Twin Spires.
Wonder Wheel's dam Wonder Gal was precocious enough to take her debut almost exactly eight years ago by 14 1/2 lengths in Belmont's Lynbrook S. for state-breds. She finished second in the GI Frizette S. and third in the Juvenile Fillies later that year. Hailing from the extended family of GISW turfer Force the Pass (Speightstown), Wonder Gal lost her Into Mischief foal the year after producing Wonder Wheel and was subsequently barren to Constitution.
DEBUTANTE S., $167,500, Churchill Downs, 7-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.26, ft.
1–WONDER WHEEL, 120, f, 2, by Into Mischief
               1st Dam: Wonder Gal (MSW & MGISP, $904,800),
                               by Tiz Wonderful
               2nd Dam: Passe, by Dixie Union
               3rd Dam: Gal On the Go, by Irgun
($275,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC & Clearsky Farms (KY);
T-Mark E. Casse; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $106,140. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $175,600.
2–Sabra Tuff, 120, f, 2, Cross Traffic–Cactus Cadillac, by Cactus
Ridge. ($38,000 RNA Ylg '21 LTBSYM). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Valene Farms LLC; B-Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson (LA);
T-Dallas Stewart. $29,400.
3–Les Bon Temps, 120, f, 2, Laoban–Winsanity, by Tapizar.
($65,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Deuce
Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson, & Brian Setzer; B-Southern
Equine Stables (NY); T-Norm W. Casse. $14,700.
Margins: 6 3/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 1.80, 9.20, 5.20.
Also Ran: Empire of My Own, Eyes of Gold, Frango Electrico, Crackalacking.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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