APRIL 2011 Horse Racing News

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-04-11, 06:44 AM

MONDAY APRIL 4, 2011

From Sunday running of the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park......

Dailed In won the race at the wire ...but the story is

Shackleford, finishing second, rewarded his loyalists with mutuels of $36.60 and $15.20 for his monster effort.

"That's a real tough beat," trainer Dale Romans said. "He ran super. I'm very proud of him. If $200,000 (the runner-up's share of the purse) is enough to get into the (Kentucky) Derby, I think we'll have to go. He's a horse that keeps improving.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-04-11, 06:50 AM

MONDAY APRIL 4, 2011

4-3-2011 THE FLORIDA DERBY

Dialed In had commenced his patented rally on the far turn, and straightening into the stretch, took aim on the unheralded leader. A determined Shackleford dug in and threatened to spring the massive upset, but Dialed In was relentless. Collaring the longshot in the final strides, Dialed In thrust his head in front and completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 on Gulfstream Park's fast track, paying $7.80, $4.80 and $4.

Shackleford rewarded his loyalists with mutuels of $36.60 and $15.20 for his monster effort.

"That's a real tough beat," trainer Dale Romans said. "He ran super. I'm very proud of him. If $200,000 (the runner-up's share of the purse) is enough to get into the (Kentucky) Derby, I think we'll have to go. He's a horse that keeps improving.

"We drew a line in his last race. We had no excuse for it. He came back and showed us he's better than his last race showed. He just dug back in and galloped out real strong. He's doing everything right."

Another 6 3/4 lengths adrift in third was To Honor and Serve. Flashpoint checked in fourth, 2 1/4 lengths clear of Soldat, who outfinished Arch Traveler by a nose for fifth. After another 6 1/4-length gap came Stay Thirsty, and Bowman's Causeway was eased.

Soldat's worst career effort left trainer Kiaran McLaughlin at a loss.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-10-11, 08:07 AM

SUNDAY APRIL 10, 2011

Calder Casino & Race Course, which is gearing up to celebrate its 40th anniversary season, released its stakes schedules April 8 for this year’s Calder and Tropical meets. The South Florida track's 2011 season starts April 25. The 101-day Calder meet will run from then through Sept. 30 and the 45-day Tropical meet will run from Oct. 1 through Dec. 2. The Calder meet will offer 34 stakes worth $3,550,000 and the Tropical meet will feature 21 stakes with purses totaling $2,675,000 for a combined stakes program worth $6,225,000. The back-to-back meets will feature long-standing special stakes events such as the Summit of Speed (July 9), which includes the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I); Juvenile Showcase (Aug. 27); Festival of the Sun (Oct. 15), which includes the finals of the Florida Stallion Stakes series; and Florida Million (Nov. 12). Also scheduled to be introduced are several new stakes for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds that were kept eligible for the 2010 Florida Stallion Stakes program.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-10-11, 08:08 AM

SUNDAY APRIL 10, 2011

Hollywood Park will have live racing Thursday through Sunday for a majority of its 54-day Spring/Summer meet, which begins April 21. The two exceptions are special Monday racing on May 30 for Memorial Day and July 4 for Independence day. Regular post time will be 1 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with the traditional 7:05 p.m. start Friday nights. The lone variation to the Friday night schedule is a 1 p.m. post time May 6 — Kentucky Oaks Day and eve of the Kentucky Derby. Post time will be 11 a.m. on the three Triple Crown Days: Kentucky Derby Day (May 7), Preakness Day (May 21) and Belmont Day (June 11). Grade I races on the spring/summer schedule are the $250,000 Gamely Stakes (Monday, May 30); $250,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap (Saturday, June 11), $250,000 Vanity Handicap(Saturday, June 18), $300,000 Shoemaker Mile (Saturday, July 2); $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap, (Saturday, July 2), $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (Saturday, July 9), and the$250,000 American Oaks (Saturday, July 16).

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-10-11, 07:34 PM

MONDAY APRIL 11, 2011

Attendance and on-track handle posted huge gains at Aqueduct April 9 as Dianne Cotter’s homebred Toby’s Corner provided a stunning upset victory in the $1-million Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial (gr. I). A crowd of 12,144 witnessed the victory by Toby’s Corner in New York. The total was an increase of 42% over last year’s crowd of 8,553 on hand to see Eskendereya’s impressive performance and a 68% increase from the 7,209 that attended the Wood in 2009. On-track handle for Aqueduct’s races was $2,690,054, an increase of 48% over last year’s total of $1,813,360 and a 59% increase from the $1,688,226 that was wagered on-track on Aqueduct’s card in 2009. Total all-sources handle on Aqueduct’s races was $16,566,255, up 5% over last year’s total of $15,721,375 and a 2% decrease from the $16,869,772 million wagered in 2009.

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my comment...bet this made Charlie happy... but did you notice the whole race card was filled with HUGE fields. Why can't they do that every race day.

One reason ..not enough horses...recommend going to a four (4) day race week (weekend).....or going to an eight race card to see if this makes things financially better.......of course, when Saratoga opens in July it becomes a whole new game.... IMO

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-12-11, 06:57 AM

TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2011

Kentucky Derby (gr. I) hopeful Mucho Macho Man dazzled during a morning workout at Gulfstream Park April 9, breezing five furlongs in :58 1/5 seconds under exercise rider Mike Herra. The clocking was the fastest of 14 recorded at the distance.

**gman2114** · 04-12-11, 08:52 AM

DelMar, Saratoga best meets of the year.

**dugbug15** · 04-12-11, 11:10 AM

toga and delmar for me,also.the one knock i can,t get a handle on is the steeplechases.they somitmes get into legs of pick-3's and pick-4"s. i tried my friends system for steeples which is to narrow the contenders down by eliminating the two highest weights and the two lowest weights.this usually whittles the field down from,say 14, to about 6 or less. did'nt work last season with the races i tried this on.but,maybe this year i will catch a break.
good luck everyone

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-12-11, 05:00 PM

TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2011

Pluck sidelined with bruised cannon bones

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner PLUCK (More Than Ready), who has disappointed in both of his starts this season at three, will be turned out in a paddock for the next 60 days, as a result of bruising on both of his hind cannon bones. The colt underwent a complete lameness exam Tuesday morning 4/12/11, at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

"He was lame on both hind legs," Dr. Larry Bramlage said. "He has bone bruising on each cannon bone of his hind legs. The prognosis is favorable, as they will resolve with a break in training."

"We knew something had to be bugging him, because he shut down too quickly when he ran so poorly last week in the Transylvania S. (G3) at Keeneland," Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin said. "He is too much racehorse to just take himself out of the race after a couple of strides. Garrett Gomez and Graham Motion were puzzled after the race, but now we know why the colt did not want to extend himself."

Prior to his seventh-place finish in the Transylvania, Pluck was beaten as the 3-10 favorite in a March 12 allowance at Tampa Bay Downs.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-16-11, 07:07 AM

SATURDAY APRIL 16, 2011

The $200,000 guaranteed Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III) has been canceled according to Debby Lindsay, stakes coordinator at Hawthorne. The 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares was scheduled for Saturday, April 16. The track did not announce if the race will be rescheduled. The Hawthorne meeting ends April 30.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-21-11, 08:02 AM

Thursday april 21, 2011

note: $1.5 million dollar rainbow 10 cent pick-six carryover at gulfstream on thursday 4/21/2011 !

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-21-11, 08:04 AM

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2011

A group of mutuel tellers has agreed to meet April 20 with the would-be lessee of Meadowlands, offering some hope the New Jersey racetrack will remain open for live racing and full-card simulcasts. Developer and New York racetrack owner Jeff Gural put together a deal to lease Meadowlands from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which has been ordered by Republican Gov. Chris Christie to get out of the horse racing business. Gural put together financing to eventually build a smaller grandstand on the property, but other issues, such as deals with unions, needed to be in place by an April 15 deadline agreed upon by Gural and Christie. On April 14 the mutuel clerks’ union refused to vote on a proposal for wage concessions. “Thanks to the help of some of the Meadowlands’ major customers who have been talking to the tellers for the last few days, a meeting has been arranged with a representative group of tellers for (April 20) in my attorney’s office,” Gural said in an April 19 statement. “I think that many of the tellers did not understand our offer, and hopefully by listening to their issues and clarifying some of ours we can get this process back on track. “I personally met with many of the tellers prior to the vote, and I found most of them very supportive and willing to work with us, so I am cautiously optimistic.” The Meadowlands situation has huge ramifications for harness racing in New Jersey and the United States, as well as simulcast markets. Since it opened in 1976, Meadowlands has been known as the leading harness track in the country. The NJSEA is in negotiations with Morris Bailey, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder who owns Resorts Casino Atlantic City, for the lease of Monmouth Park.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-23-11, 06:46 AM

SATURDAY APRIL 23, 2011

The Georgia House of Representatives has created the House Study Committee on the Horse Racing Industry, a boost to those seeking to win approval for pari-mutuel racing in the state. The House voted 157-7 in favor of the resolution April 14.

“Expanding our state’s horse industry is a simple way to bring jobs to our state, jobs that are severely needed by the thousands of Georgians who continue to struggle to find employment,” said Republican Rep. Harry Geisinger in a statement. “The number of jobs created and revenue generated through horse racing in our state would give Georgia the economic boost we need. “Thirty-eight other states already reap the $39 billion in economic benefits that horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering bring to our country. Recent budget cuts have made it clear that Georgia can no longer afford to miss this economic opportunity.”

The study committee will be tasked with studying the effects horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering could have on Georgia’s economy. It would include any broad financial benefits for the state and Georgians from additional employment opportunities, capital investments, and real profits from increased breeding, raising, and quartering of horses.

**Gremlin Lad** · 04-28-11, 07:08 AM

THURSDAY APRIL 28, 2011

Jockey Ramon Dominguez will keep the mount on Stay Thirsty for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), owner Mike Repole said April 26. Though Dominguez had ridden Stay Thirsty in his previous two races, including a win in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III), he had not been confirmed for the Derby until Repole addressed it in a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference. Repole owns Stay Thirsty and Uncle Mo, who are both trained by Todd Pletcher. Had Uncle Mo, who has been battling a gastrointestinal tract infection, not turned in an encouraging work the morning of April 26, Pletcher’s first-call rider, John Velazquez, could have ended up on Stay Thirsty.

In other jockey news, Jerry Hissam, agent for Calvin Borel, said he is still in the process of trying to firm up a mount for his client. European invader Master of Hounds or Twinspired could both be options for Borel, who has won three of the last four Kentucky Derbys.