Last week the Daily Racing Blog looked at the top trainers at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This week we give you the top jockeys to watch for at this eight week meet. Ricardo Santana Jr. He could easily be described as jockey of the decade at Oaklawn, Winning six consecutive riding titles from 2013-2018. In April 2019, he recorded his 1,000th … Continue reading Oaklawn’s Top Riders
Both OMAHA BEACH (swelling in right hind leg) and SPUN TO RUN (hives) are out of the $3 million dollar Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. That pretty much makes this a wide open affair for the remaining 10 horses. Here then a Daily Racing Blog closer look at the field: 1. TRUE TIMBER (15-1) Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin. Jockey: Joe Bravo. Third in three … Continue reading Pegasus Picks
This Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park is the first marquee Stakes race of 2020 and brings together several of the best older (4 years and up) dirt racehorses, all with their eyes on the prize of the $3 million dollar purse. The headliner among the 12 Pegasus starters is OMAHA BEACH, who will be making his final career appearance before heading off to a stud … Continue reading Pegasus Field
One of racing’s most popular competitions returns to the land of the Ozarks this week. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, raises the curtain on its 2020 meet Friday, January 24th. This meet offers big fields and even bigger purses for three months of sensational racing. Oaklawn is indeed unique among major tracks in that it does not have a turf course, but rest assured … Continue reading Trainers To Watch At Oaklawn Park
Next Saturday, January 25 is the 4th annual Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series, held at Gulfstream Park. The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series is a series of two invite-only Grade 1 races held at Gulfstream Park since 2017 (originally only offering a dirt race before adding the turf division last year). The $3 million dollar Pegasus World Cup runs 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, … Continue reading Pegasus World Cup
He was orphaned as a young boy in London. Wounded by German artillery in World War II. Employed by Santa Anita Park since 1961. His name is John Shear, and he is the track’s beloved Paddock Captain. John will celebrate his 99th birthday between races with family, friends and co-workers this Friday, January 17th. A former exercise rider, groom and assistant trainer who had originally … Continue reading 99 Years Young
The 2020 racing season is here. And if this is the year you’ve vowed to make your first visit to a racetrack, you may be wondering what to wear exactly. It’s always embarrassing to arrive somewhere and realize that you’re either completely over- or under-dressed. Pop culture sends us mixed signals: either you’re supposed to dress like Eliza Doolittle heading to Ascot in My Fair … Continue reading What To Wear, What To Wear ?
A couple of weeks ago the Daily Racing Blog wrote about 54 year Hall Of Fame (still active) jockey Mike Smith. On Wednesday we featured the one-time golden boy, Triple Crown Winner (and fellow Hall of Famer) jockey Steve Cauthen. Here then, in an effort to perhaps appeal to a younger demographic, we look at a possible heir apparent: SIERRA LEONA rallied from mid-pack for … Continue reading A New Kid Appears
Four decades (can that be right?) removed from his sensational jockey career, Steve Cauthen lives the life of a typical Thoroughbred insider in his hometown of Verona in Northern Kentucky. Best known for capturing the 1978 Triple Crown aboard AFFIRMED, Cauthen had established himself as a potential superstar in his first full year as a jockey in 1977. He was honored for that season with … Continue reading ‘The Kid’ Turns 60
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced last week that its 2019 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course generated an all-sources handle of $2,108,126,369. For the first time in history, NYRA generated more than $700 million in all-sources handle during the 2019 meet at Saratoga Race Course, which was conducted over a five-day race week. Wagering from all-sources … Continue reading NYRA Final Accounting
