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Pair of Incidents Mar Saratoga Turf Marathon, Late Turf Races Transferred

One horse was pulled up and eventually vanned off the track, while another suffered a catastrophic injury during the running of Sunday's fourth race at Saratoga.

A field of six went to the post in the 11-furlong allowance on a turf course officially labeled 'good' for Sunday's racing after riding yielding Saturday following heavy rains that canceled the last four races on Friday. The Graham Motion-trained Frivole (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) saved ground from her inside draw and maintained that position through the stretch for the first time, but her action became choppy nearing the entrance to the clubhouse turn and she was pulled up and out of the race by jockey Manny Franco and eventually vanned off the track, according to a tweet from NYRA's Keith McCalmont. Motion told Daily Racing Form that Franco pulled her up “out of an abundance of caution” and that the filly was back in her stall.

Ever Summer (Summer Front), favored off a narrow defeat in a soft-turf renewal of the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. July 1, sat in third position as they raced down the backstretch and was making a menacing three-wide move nearing the quarter pole when she took a bad step and fell. Irad Ortiz, Jr., who had picked up the mount when Joel Rosario took off his Sunday rides, was cast to the turf course. According to McCalmont's tweet, the Brereton Jones homebred, trained by Christophe Clement, suffered an injury to her left fore and could not be saved. Ortiz, Jr. visited first aid on site and was passed fit to accept his remaining mounts.

Prior to the running of the day's sixth race, NYRA officials announced that the three remaining turf race on the program would be run on the main track instead.

“NYRA moved the final three turf races (7,9,10) of Sunday's card to the main track in consultation with the jockeys, who expressed concern with the overall condition of the courses following heavy rains throughout last week,” said Patrick McKenna, vice president of communications for NYRA. “NYRA will be evaluating both turf courses over the next two days and will adjust the temporary rail positions for Wednesday's live racing program.”

The late decision caused an uproar on social media, given that a Pick 5 including those three races was to begin in race six. For wagering purposes:

• Pick 4 starting in Race 4: Race 7 is ALL
• Pick 6 starting in Race 5: Races 7,9,10 are ALL
• Pick 5 starting in Race 6: Races 7,9,10 are ALL
• Cross Country Pick 5: the 5th Leg (SAR9) is an ALL
• Grand Slam starting in Race 6: Races 7,9 are ALL

The two race four incidents come in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's GI Test S., in which the undefeated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) suffered a life-ending injury.

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Fair Hill Races to Skip 2021

Officials with Fair Hill Races, which annually holds jump racing events in Elkton, Md., announced Thursday the decision to skip the 2021 season and not schedule any races. Traditionally held in May, the Fair Hill Races are extremely popular with both the racing segment and the general public.

While uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and safety regulations came into play, the cancellation was also an opportunity to let the newly installed turf surface mature. Through a $20 million public-private partnership between the state of Maryland and the Fair Hill Foundation, upgrades to the historic one-mile track were completed last year. Among the upgrades were a new irrigation system, distance poles, finish pole and running rails, and widened turns. The course is part of the newly constructed equestrian Special Event Zone at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area. The venue also features a new cross-country course, updated timber course, and new competition arenas built within the turf track's infield. The inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, to be held in October, will be the first event to take place in the Special Event Zone this October.

“While it is disappointing that we will not be able to host the races this spring, we know that holding off and letting the new surface develop properly is the right decision,” said Fair Hill president and CEO Charles C. Fenwick, Jr. “We want to ensure the course will be stable and secure for many decades to come. When the course was first constructed in 1928, William du Pont, Jr. waited six years before allowing horses on the track for the same reason. With today's technology, we do not expect the maturing process to take nearly that long.”

The Turf Course at Fair Hill was modeled after the original design of England's Aintree Racecourse and hosted its first race in 1934.

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Laurel: Turf Maintenance Necessitates Adjusting Distance Of Two Stakes Races

Required maintenance of Laurel's world-class turf course has necessitated adjusting the distances for the first two scheduled grass stakes of the season.

The $100,000 Henry S. Clark for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Dahlia for fillies and mares 3 and older will each be contested at 1 1/16 miles. Both stakes were originally scheduled for one mile.

Topping the Saturday, April 17 stakes program are the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies. Once again, the Tesio will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course, and the Weber City is a 'Win and In' event for the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Preakness weekend.

Also on the April 17 card are the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley for 3-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs and $100,000 King T. Leatherbury, 5 ½-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up.

Nominations for all seven stakes close Saturday, April 3.

Notes: Trainer Claudio Gonzalez and jockey Angel Cruz teamed up for a pair of wins Sunday with Start the Parade ($4.40) in Race 4 and Tayler's Chrome ($18.60) in Race 7. Jockeys Sheldon Russell and five-pound apprentice Charlie Marquez both rode back-to-back winners, Marquez with Bahama Channel (5.60) in Race 2 and Bean Indiscreet ($3.60) in Race 3 and Russell with Princess Corey ($3.20) in Race 5 and King Mauro ($9) in Race 6. Both Bahama Channel and Princess Corey are trained by Brittany Russell … There will be a carryover jackpot of $10,762 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 3-8) when live racing returns Friday, March 12. Multiple tickets with all six winners Sunday were each worth $119.04.

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Kentucky Downs’ Turf Course Receives First Major Renovation

Kentucky Downs–whose unique all-grass meet in September offers among the highest purses in the world—recently completed the first major renovation of its turf course since the track was laid out in a field as a steeplechase course in 1990.

The project involved nearly half of the 1 5/16-mile kidney-shaped course. A swath five-eighths of a mile long and 63-feet wide around the spacious far turn and into the stretch was replaced with sod featuring a blend of 90 percent Kentucky 31 fescue and 10 percent Kentucky bluegrass. Kentucky 31, named for the state and year it was discovered (in this case, in 1931 by a University of Kentucky professor), is noted for its deep roots, resilience and disease resistance — all critical with the wear and tear of turf racing.

The project was overseen by track consultant Butch Lehr, whose 30 years as track superintendent at Churchill Downs included building the Louisville track's turf course in 1985. Iron Bridge Sod Farms of nearby Bowling Green provided and installed the sod for the Kentucky Downs course.

The Iron Bridge crew killed off and dug up the existing grass in the impacted area, added new material to the soil and tilled it thoroughly to make the surface smooth and eliminate inconsistencies that can develop over the years. Soil analysis was then conducted, with the appropriate fertilizer applied before the sod was installed in strips from massive rolls.

“Obviously we face unique challenges with the Kentucky Downs course, racing exclusively on grass and with our unusual configuration and elevation variances,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' Vice President for Racing. “Over the years, Kentucky Downs made improvements to the course, but this is the most ambitious overhaul we've had. Safety is the No. 1 priority. With Kentucky Downs now having six race dates compressed into eight calendar days, we want to ensure we have a course that is of high quality and safe for horses and riders throughout the meet.

“We're thrilled with how it's turned out. We were able to put down the sod during Kentucky's amazing November weather and feel confident that the course will be spectacular for our 2021 meet. In addition, we will be installing a new rail system that will allow for four racing lanes throughout the six dates.”

Lehr said that sod, compared with the seeding previously used, will make the grass grow evenly and will mature and establish a root network more quickly, with sod also providing erosion protection and weed defense.

He emphasized that the redone portions, from the three-quarters pole to the eighth pole, blend in seamlessly with the rest of the course. The only races configured around two turns are at 1 5/16 and 1 1/2 miles. The vast majority of Kentucky Downs races are staged at a mile or shorter, involving only the far turn.

“We concentrated on the heavily-used part of the track,” Lehr said. “This track is so different than traditional tracks in the United States with its up and downhill. What we tried to do is get a uniform material underneath, then made it really smooth. We're fortunate that Iron Bridge had the ideal type of sod, which is not easy to find. I'm really feeling good about it.”

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