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Vitali Resurfaces at Turf Paradise

Trainer Marcus Vitali started a horse Monday at Turf Paradise, finishing third in the Hank Mills Sr. S.s with Be Gone Daddy (Scat Daddy) in what was his first start since July 21, 2019.

Vitali’s career has been marked by numerous drug violations, suspensions and bans. His career stalled in 2019 when, in mid-July, he was suspended for 365 days by the Delaware Racing Commission for “interfering with and impeding an investigation being performed by the DTRC investigator along with Delaware Park Security staff.” Delaware racing officials alleged that Vitali removed an item from a refrigerator in a dorm room during a search and fled. The item was never recovered.

In 2016, Vitali relinquished his Florida trainer’s license to avoid being penalized for seven medication violations between October 2015 and January 2016. Vitali and Florida regulators eventually agreed on a 120-day suspension for the trainer. He made only 29 starts in 2017, but rebuilt his stable and made 334 starts and won 49 races in 2018, the majority of them coming at Gulfstream and Gulfstream Park West.

Vitali’s name resurfaced in August when the Maryland Jockey Club alleged that trainer Wayne Potts was acting as a program trainer for Vitali, who was banned at the Maryland tracks at the time. Because of his alleged association with Vitali, Potts was ordered to vacate the grounds at Laurel.

The TDN reached out to Vitali Tuesday and the trainer claimed that because of bad reception, he could not hear the phone call. He said he would call back, but did not do so.

In a story that ran in February in the Attleboro (Mass.) Sun Chronicle detailing Vitali’s plans at the time to open a marijuana growing business, Vitali downplayed his many suspensions.

“Every trainer has been suspended at one time or another,” Vitali said. “There are so many different rules. Each track has different rules.”

When reached by the TDN, Turf Paradise General Manager Vince Francia referred questions to the Arizona Department of Racing

Vitali has two more horses entered Wednesday at Turf Paradise, as well as one horse each on the cards of Jan. 8 and Jan. 11.

For his career, which began in 1990, Vitali has made 5,636 starts and has won 888 races.

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Craig Braddick Named Race Caller At Turf Paradise

Turf Paradise announced Wednesday that veteran and international race caller Craig Braddick has been hired for the 2021 Winter meeting, starting on Jan. 4, 2021. Braddick, who has called Arizona his adopted home for the past five years, is excited to call races at his “hometown” track and calling races at Turf Paradise fulfills a career goal of race calling in his own community.

“It's an exciting challenge to call five days per week, but I've always enjoyed that,” Braddick said. “I want to do all I can to positively promote Turf Paradise and grow a fan base for horse racing in my adopted home state of Arizona! We have some great horsemen and I expect the racing to be extremely competitive! I also want to be able to interact with horseplayers online, during racing, and get their opinions.”

Braddick, a native of Cambridge, England, grew up watching horses gallop on the world-famous Newmarket training grounds where he watched some of the greatest Thoroughbreds of the 1980's and 1990's. He also had the good fortune to learn race calling from some of England's best race callers, including Jim McGrath, Simon Holt and the late, Robin Gray. Finding his passion early allowed him to begin learning his chosen profession at a young age, eventually leading him to his first race call in 1991 at Cottenham Point to Point racecourse at the age of only 15.

Since then, Braddick has called all types of horse racing, including Thoroughbred, Quarter-Horse, Arabian, Standardbred, and Jumps racing both in the U.S. and overseas. Most recently, Craig has been the race caller at historic Rillito Park, in Tucson, Arizona since 2018 as well as calling several races at National Steeplechase Association sanctioned events, including races at historic Fair Hill, MD and Camden, SC.

Braddick's extensive social media and web design experience have garnered him note for his tireless and effective promotion of Arizona Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, particularly over the past two years. Recognizing Braddick's skills in these areas, Turf Paradise has also hired him to maintain the track's social media presence for the 2021 Winter meeting. Braddick will maintain the track's Facebook and Twitter (@turf_paradise).

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Braddick New Racecaller at Turf Paradise

Turf Paradise has hired veteran and international race caller Craig Braddick for the 2021 Winter meeting, starting Jan. 4, 2021, the track announced Wednesday.

“It’s an exciting challenge to call five days per week, but I’ve always enjoyed that,” Braddick said. “I want to do all I can to positively promote Turf Paradise and grow a fanbase for horse racing in my adopted home state of Arizona. We have some great horsemen and I expect the racing to be extremely competitive. I also want to be able to interact with horseplayers online, during racing, and get their opinions.”

Braddick, a native of Cambridge, England, has called all types of horse racing, including Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Arabian, Standardbred, and Jumps racing both in the U.S. and overseas. Most recently, he was the race caller at Rillito Park in Tucson, AZ.

The post Braddick New Racecaller at Turf Paradise appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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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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