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The Great Secretariat. Photo by Rich Nilsen
Penny Chenery, who bred and raced 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat as well as realizing her disabled father’s dream to win the Kentucky Derby in 1972 with Riva Ridge, has died. She was 95. Louisville Business First news partner WHAS-TV reports …
“They’re all Kentucky Derby contenders,” Rake said, “until you find out they’re not.”
On the seventh day of his vigil, Scott Rake hovered over his laptop and rubbed his bleary eyes. His mare, Peaceful Sky, should have given birth by now — and with her pregnancy at 340 days and counting, he was trying his best not to worry. Rake, his wife, Angie, and farm manager Heather Haagenson began… [Read more…]
Source: Meadowlands
There’s only one thing every racehorse owner has in common: they started as a fan. As thousands assemble for the 92nd Hambletonian, the Meadowlands is eager to show interested fans that the path to ownership isn’t restricted to the wealthy.
“One of the great barriers to ownership is the perception that it’s for the rich,” said Jason Settlemoir, General Manager & CEO of The Meadowlands. “Anthony MacDonald has been gaining some real steam in with an innovative ownership concept, so we thought we’d allow him to share his experience as part of Hambletonian weekend.”
MacDonald will be on hand Saturday morning to discuss his fractional ownership website, TheStable.ca, with prospective owners and horsemen interested in duplicating his approach. In less than one year, MacDonald’s fledgling operation has attracted 279 clients from across the globe, many testing ownership waters for the first time. The seminar will take place in The Gallery on the second floor of the Meadowlands Grandstand 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. The seminar is free to attend.
“In all honesty, the response to our platform has been overwhelming,” said MacDonald. “My wife and I started TheStable.ca to sell percentages of horses. What we quickly discovered is that we’re selling an experience and when packaged right, there’s no end of consumers. We’re equal parts social network, investment, family farm and sport of kings.”
TheStable.ca markets horses of all ages, but mostly yearlings, to clients in increments as low as 1%. Owners receive weekly video updates on their horses and stay connected through social networks and training events at The Stable’s base of operations in Campbellville, Ontario.
“The lifeblood of the industry is owners. No owners, no horses. No horses, no anything,” said MacDonald. “We make ownership fun, accessible and stress-free. We didn’t start TheStable.ca to be a revolutionary change agent, but we’re seeing its potential – and not just for our operation. For trainers that want to understand our recipe, we’re happy to share.”
The Meadowlands will host an interactive conversation with MacDonald at the gallery on the second floor of the new Meadowlands. Former Trot Magazine editor and racetrack executive, Chris Roberts, will moderate the discussion and take questions from the audience. The seminar is open to both prospective owners and horsemen.
“You can’t argue with Anthony’s early results,” added Settlemoir. “Anyone that can create hundreds of new owners inside of a year is doing something innovative. And, the Meadowlands supports any initiative that grows our fan base or generates new interest from the general public.”
By ART PARKER
Last Saturday I notice the entry of a horse named Dance Floor Maniac in a $6,250 claiming race at Prairie Meadows. It has been a while since I ran across his name and I knew he was an older gelding. I looked at the past performances and remembered him more clearly. He is one of those that captures my admiration and respect as much as a graded stakes winner.
Dance Floor Maniac left the gate for the 100th time in the race at Prairie Meadows. He stalked and pounced and did his job with the same enthusiasm as a promising, high- priced, three year old. The best part of the race was that Dance Floor Maniac got to the wire first.
Dance Floor Maniac entered the Winner’s Circle for the 23rd time and certainly behaved like he had been there before. Winning 23 races out of a 100 is a pretty good percentage for any horse and he has won 3 of 8 this year.
Dance Floor Maniac is 10 years old. The Kentucky bred son of Eurosilver is 23-17-17 overall, which means he gets a check in 2/3 of his starts. He has over $250,000 in career earnings. He is owned by Greg Frye and trained by Karl Broberg.
No one will ever remember Dance Floor Maniac like famous geldings such as Kelso, Forego and John Henry. But guys like this are just as important, if not more so, because the racing game depends upon them a great deal. Whenever you see one of these old geldings run don’t look at them like a cheap horse. They are the warriors that keep the game going and their presence at the race track is just as important as any horse you do remember.
Huge Price Paid for Fast Two Year Old ColtA chestnut son of Ghostzapper from the consignment of Cary Frommer was purchased by Susan and Charles Chu for $800,000 late during the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale.
LAFAYETTE, LA — Growing up it was always school, sports and horses for Jake Delhomme. Now that the other two are out of the way, thoroughbred horses still consume Delhomme’s interest as he plans to enter several from his Set Hut stables during the racing …
Source: Former quarterback Delhomme now calls shots in horse racing
Tom McKenna was 12 years old when his beloved grandfather, a Texas judge with a passion for horse racing, helped fuel his own love of the sport by having him ride one of the quarter horses in a race at Cowboy Park in El Paso.
“I was scared to death,” McKenna, now 81, recalled this week.… [Read more…]
Press Release
Access to the paddock and winner’s circle, as well as a total prize pool of $50,000, were among the features that awaited registered participants for the inaugural Fantasy Owners Day Saturday at Laurel Park.
Designed as an introduction to prospective Thoroughbred owners, Fantasy Owners Day was presented jointly by the Maryland Jockey Club, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Maryland Horse Breeders, and attracted nearly 300 prospective owners.
“The attendance blew us away,” said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. “We were expected maybe 100 people, so 300 was incredible.”
The event began with an optional morning training session on the Laurel apron, followed by a 10 a.m. sign-in period where participants were randomly paired with a horse for the day. A prospective owner’s seminar held at 10:30 a.m. featured a Q&A session with top racing partnerships, racing officials and horsemen, followed by a luncheon in the Terrace Dining Room.
Before going to the luncheon, Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Sal Sinatra surprised the participants by telling them they would be competing for cash prizes totaling $50,000 at the end of the year.Sinatra announced all fantasy horse earnings in U.S. races would be tracked from Saturday through Dec. 31, 2017, with $30,000 awarded to the participants assigned to the first-place fantasy horse, $10,000 for second, $5,500 for third, $3,000 for fourth and $1,500 for fifth.
If multiple participants are assigned to the same fantasy horse, the share of the prize will divided equally among the number of participants. Published earnings by Equibase.com will be the source of determining earnings for each fantasy horse.
“This was our way of giving people the experience of being an owner without any expense,” Sinatra said. “It will now be our job to treat them like owners, inviting them to events and making them feel a part of our group. This day was a success, and it couldn’t have been done without the help of horsemen and breeders.”
Participants will be invited to the paddock for the saddling of all starts of their fantasy horse at Maryland tracks between Saturday and Dec. 31, 2017, as well as being part of the winner’s circle photo should their horse win. Final awards will be distributed during a luncheon at Laurel in January 2018.
A weekly blog with updated news, entry information, results, race video, photos, current standings and more will allow participants to track their horses at www.fantasyownership.com. Participants will also receive regular e-mails and be invited to a fantasy challenge group on Facebook.
Also on Saturday, all fans will take home a long-sleeve Maryland Jockey Club T-shirt free with purchase of a racing program, while supplies last.
“The education, through seminars, speaking engagements and financials, has been more than expected and I can honestly say this is the beginning of a new journey for me in horse racing ownership and management,” said Stephens, who is also considering enrolling in the University of Louisville’s Equine Industry Program.
LITTLE ROCK — A passenger in a New Orleans-bound vehicle, the commercial airline pilot battled sporadic cell coverage in South Arkansas to sign up for the Churchill Downs Racing Club.
By Rich Nilsen
Not only will the finest Thoroughbred racing of the summer take place at Saratoga, but the upstate New York location is one of the best vacation getaways in the country. There’s plenty to do both before and after the races in the Adirondack region, so let’s take a peek at what is available to the lucky fans who get to venture north to one of the beautiful areas of the country.
Saratoga is a town of just over 27,000 inhabitants that lies 30 minutes north of Albany airport on Route 87. For six weeks out of the year, the area comes alive as racing enthusiasts converge from all over into the little city.
Hotels rates more than triple during this peak season, but there are two affordable alternatives. The first is to stay in Albany or Glen Falls, both nearby locations. Or, for adventurous souls, camping is available at several closer sites. Reservations should be made as soon as possible, regardless of where you will stay.
As for racing-related activities, the best is the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Located one block from Saratoga racetrack, the museum is devoted to U.S. racing history and the lineage of horses who competed here. There are tons of trophies and photographs among the many exhibits, and a free movie is offered to visitors. Inside the entrance of the museum is one of the finest gift shops ever devoted to racing. It’s not big but it’s jam-packed with many great items. The doors open at 9 a.m. during the racing season and admission is $7.
Another recommended activity is breakfast at Saratoga racetrack. With binoculars in one hand and a fork in the other, you can gaze at the beautiful Thoroughbreds at work while enjoying a fabulous meal. Does it get any better? An announcer usually narrates during the morning activities. There is no dress code, so any attire will do. Also, backstretch tours are available each morning. The walking tours are every day, expect Travers, cost $3 per person and begin at 9:30am.
For those of you who can’t get enough of the horses or gambling in general, Saratoga Harness, runs the entire month of August with a post time of 7:05 p.m. The only dark days are Sunday and Monday. This year marks the 75th annual race meet.
Evenings are the perfect time for non-racing related activities. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is celebrating its 50th Golden Anniversary this year. With its large, covered amphitheater, the SPAC features various types of entertainers, from pop and rock groups to classical ensembles. The National Museum of Dance and the Yaddo Gardens are two other popular attractions in Saratoga, especially for the ladies who are accompanying you to the region.
A trip here is not complete without an evening stroll through downtown Saratoga, browsing through the many stores. There are numerous good bars and restaurants, including the Old Bryan Inn, which I highly recommend.
Several fun events are scheduled during Travers Week, August 27. Taste of NY: Craft Beer is on the Friday before the Travers and, not surprisingly, a very popular event. “Street Fest,” which offers live entertainment and performances, runs from Wednesday through Saturday each night in downtown. The downtown is ‘hoppin’ and it’s a must visit for every racegoer.
The town of Lake George is less than 40 minutes away and is highly recommended for anyone visiting the Adirondack region. Fort William Henry, which played a big role in the French & Indian War, lies in the heart of the town overlooking the beautiful, crystal-clear lake that stretches for about 30 miles.
Besides sun-tanning or swimming on the local beaches, Lake George offers various water activities, including parasailing, water skiing, jet skiing, boat tours and steamboat trips. The main strip in Lake George has too many stores to count, as well as many excellent restaurants with great views. There are also outlet stores in the area that are ideal for a spouse who doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for racing. One of the best is the outlet center just off the N.Y. Thruway, entering into the Lake George area.
There is little doubt why visitors keep coming back year after year to the Adirondack region. Not only is the setting of upstate New York beautiful, but there are numerous activities to complement a fabulous race meet. If you have never been there, make plans to experience Saratoga and everything the region has to offer.
— Rich Nilsen, a native New Yorker, has written a report “Beat Saratoga – 7 Tips to Turning a Profit.” Download it today
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Rich Nilsen is a 13-time qualifier to the National Handicapping Championship (NHC), an event he has cashed in four times. He was the first player to finish in the top 10 twice. A former executive with Brisnet.com & Churchill Downs, Rich is also a graduate of the University of Louisville Equine Business Program.
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