A documentary film by Cam Miller is a fascinating early history on Old Latonia Race Track, which eventually became known as Turfway Park. This film is told through the eyes of former employee James Robertson as he takes us through the glory days and eventual demise of Old Lationa. It’s a must watch, especially for Mid-west horse racing fans.
AGOS Horses to Watch – April 4, 2017
April 4, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Horses to Watch for AGOS visitors. Put these runners in your Stable Watch email service.
Turfway Park
3/25/17
Race #6 – Classic Salsa – 6 1/2f all weather
Jack Gilligan in the irons and heavily backed at the windows. He was forced in tight and got knocked around at the half way point taking away some needed energy. The rider gave a good account by getting him back in the action finishing up with a solid show effort. A cleaner trip may have the Jeremiah O’Dwyer trainee right on the money next up.
Race #7 – Professor Snape – 6f all weather
Luis Saez in town for Wesley Ward for this mount on Spiral Day. First time starter sent off the odds-on chalk and made a game effort running second this day. Ward does magic with his second time starters back to the races, and the namesake of the Harry Potter series may have some added magic to offer next time he loads in the starting gate.
Race #10 – The G-3 Spiral Stakes- #8 Kitten’s Cat – 1 1/8 miles all weather
Luis Saez in the saddle for trainer Joe Sharp who was sent off the luke-warm favorite for the marquee race of the meet. He was in tight and knocked around quite a bit and forced to check. According to the Daily Racing Form, he bled and is being treated in Lexington, Kentucky. This may scrap plans to take him to Royal Ascot for owner Ken Ramsey, but I’m sure we’ll see good things to come when he returns to the races.
Race #12 – Curlin’s Lass – 6f all weather
Abel Lezcano was in the driver’s seat and started uncorking a rally. This daughter of Curlin was in full-stride six wide closing with a rush. This was her second start lifetime and she showed good promise this day for the Mark Thomas barn.
Sunland Park
3/26/17
Race #9 – The G-3 Sunland Derby – Hedge Fund – 1 1/8 on the main
Jose Ortiz had the call for Todd Pletcher as they shipped in from Gulfstream Park. Ortiz is known for being a solid gate rider and jumped to a quick lead and showed the way until the top of the stretch where he got a little leg weary and finished a game third. The pace may have been a little easier as the odds-on favorite Bronze Age from the Bob Baffert barn stumbled at the start and eased. I think we’ll see maturing three-year-old who can show the way right to the winner’s circle.
AGOS Claimer of the Week: Turfway Park 9yo
January 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Perfect timing
Timely Pursuit stalked the early leaders from the far outside post, was forced very wide in the far turn, made a late rally with determination to get to the wire in time and won the fourth race at Turfway Park last Thursday night. The bay gelding has been named the agameofskill.com Claimer of the Week. When the 5 ½ furlong event for $5,000 claimers was made official, the son of Purge returned $9.20 to his backer. Gabe Lagunes guided the 9 year old to victory and the pair completed the heat in 1:06.00. Trained by Noel Sanchez, Timely Pursuit has finished in the money (top three finishers) 19 times from 52 races. Owned by Paula Zamerski, Timely Pursuit has earned $223,000 in his career.
Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy featured on Spiral Stakes Day
March 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy, a division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, is among the two official named charities of the 2012 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park on March 24. Last year Animal Kingdom won the Vinery Spiral Stakes in his final prep before upsetting the Kentucky Derby.
The KRTC oversees chaplaincy programs at Turfway, Ellis Park, and Churchill Downs, and employs five full-time chaplains.
As an official named charity, KRTC will have a race named in its honor, and will receive matching gifts in the winner’s circle from Vinery and Turfway Park, in support of the Turfway chaplaincy. It will also be receiving cash donations, and auctioning a selection of premium artwork and electronics.
“What a great opportunity to showcase a wonderful ministry,” said KRTC president Pam Sears. Turfway’s chaplaincy has operated a successful food pantry and clothes closet for many years, as well as worship services and pastoral counseling for workers on the backside.
Turfway’s chaplain, Tom Farley, had a long and distinguished career before his recent retirement, his successor to be named in the coming months, according to RTCA director Paul Ransdell.
The other named charity of the Spiral Stakes is the Blue Grass Farms Charities.
For more information about the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy or to support this wonderful cause, go to www.kychaplaincy.org or contact RTCA’s National Service Center at (859) 410-7822.
Prosico named AGameofSkill.com Claimer of the Week
February 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
After stopping in his previous race, Prosico did just the opposite Friday night to win the fifth event at Turfway Park. The 9-year old son of Siphon grabbed the lead right out of the gate and kept going. Prosico easily led the six furlong procession into the stretch and held off the second choice in the final furlong stopping the timer at 112.59. The $5,000 claiming race was for non winners of two races in a year. Felipe Villeda, a 10 pound bug, managed the winner like an experienced journeyman and gave owner/trainer Ronald Burch his first training win of 2012. Prosico paid a generous $55.20 to win and triggered a $19,000 plus superfecta. Purchased at auction in 2005 for $110,000, Prosico has now won 13 times and holds 29 in the money finishes from 52 lifetime starts. The bay gelding has career earnings over $220,000 lifetime.
— Art Parker
Win Tucker named AGameofSkill Claimer of the Week
January 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Win Tucker, a 6 year old son of Nooo Problema, has been named the agameofskill.com Claimer of the Week after an impressive victory at Turfway Park last Friday night. In a field of tough $5,000 claimers, the gelding faced 9 others who had not won two races in the past 6 months; however the entire field had a collective tally of 89 career wins. In the 5 ½ furlong test, Win Tucker began passing foes with ease midway in the turn, and when asked for serious run by rider Ben Creed, he attacked the leaders and won without difficulty by nearly 2 lengths. The timer was stopped at 1:05.45. Win Tucker has been a gem of consistency and recorded 4 wins in both his 4 year old and 5 year old seasons. His first win of 2012 gives him a career record of 12-7-8 from 41 career starts with earnings just less than $100,000. Win Tucker is owned and trained by William Stinson, Jr.
13yo Racehorse named AGameofSkill.com Claimer of the Week
January 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
A true senior citizen captured the Claimer of the Week title. El Bomba, a 13 year old Maryland bred, won the first race at Turfway Park last Thursday night (1/12/12). The race was a remarkable effort by the Signal Tap gelding who claimed victory in his 100th career start. El Bomba made a persistent wide move between the half mile pole and the quarter pole and took command just before entering the stretch. El Bomba actually lost the lead in the stretch but fought back and held off a pair of foes half his age at the wire. The one mile race was for $5,000 claimers that were winless in 12 months, and El Bomba stopped the timer at 1:42.65. The winner paid $10.60. The Jeff Greenhill trainee is owned by Sherri Greenhill and is a Keeneland September 2000 sales graduate. Yes, a graduate of the 2000 sale! El Bomba has now won approximately $210,000 with 15 wins, 9 seconds, 16 thirds.
-Art Parker
Grand Daddy named AGameofSkill.com Claimer of the Week
December 26, 2011 by 1 Comment
It was a grand day for Grand Daddy at Turfway Park last Friday night (12/23/11). The Thomas Drury trainee was laid up from early July to mid-November when he returned to the track and just missed at the $25,000 level. His second race back was a winning effort as the son of Johannesburg captured a $40,000 optional event with his usual off the pace style. Grand Daddy was handled perfectly by top rider Victor Lebron, who kept the 5 year old in the clear on the outside and away from the pace. Grand Daddy was wide in the turn but had the opponents measured all the way. Owned by Pattons Creek Farm, Grand Daddy has made a pretty good living on the Kentucky circuit. His victory last week shoved his career earnings in excess of $125,000. Grand Daddy has an excellent career record of 7 wins from 21 starts and has finished in the money 13 times. — Art Parker
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