Attorneys in the hearing of NYRA vs. Bob Baffert made their opening statements Monday, and they came out swinging. One side claimed NYRA Board members had a vendetta against Baffert while the other contended that the Hall of Fame trainer was responsible for a “rampage of doping violations” and is deserving of a temporary suspension. The hearing, expected to last from three to five days, … Continue reading NYRA v Baffert Day One
Saturday at Fairgrounds is the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, a Kentucky Derby qualifying race that awards points on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the top four finishers. The field of nine will race at a distance of a mile & 1/16 for a purse of $200,000 dollars. It is the final contest on a card of 14, with a scheduled Post Time of 7:20. 1. SURFER DUDE [ML … Continue reading The Lecomte Stakes
Top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will return to the irons this weekend at Gulfstream Park, after missing two weeks due to a knee injury suffered in the starting gate at Gulfstream on January 7th. The injury was initially diagnosed as a fracture and expected to keep Ortiz from riding for up to a month, but a second opinion has cleared the jockey for a gradual return … Continue reading Irad Back In The Saddle
JOCKEY is a 2021 American drama film written by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, who also is the director. The film stars Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker, and Moises Arias. The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 31, 2021. The Story in a nutshell; an aging jockey (Clifton Collins Jr.), hopes to Win one last title for his longtime trainer (Molly Parker), who … Continue reading It’s A Hard Scrabble Life
If you remember from a previous post we talked about the fun and low-risk of the .10 cent Superfecta. So here once again are a couple of Superfecta plays for Saturday. We were set to offer a couple of races from Aqueduct as well as Oaklawn Park, but Aqueduct has cancelled its Saturday card due to the weather forecast of extreme low temperatures and high … Continue reading Some Saturday Superfectas
Three-time Eclipse Award-Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. could be out three to four weeks as a result of a knee injury suffered in a starting gate incident January 7th at Gulfstream Park. The jockey’s agent- Steve Rushing, said on Tuesday that Ortiz suffered a small fracture to his left knee. On the day of the injury his mount, SHEA ON A MISSION (a four-year-old filly), … Continue reading Dangerous Occupation
We’re 10 days into 2022, and anticipation is already building for what’s to come this year. There will be plenty of exciting races, memorable moments, and great times to be had this year at tracks all across the country. Everyone (even horseplayers) make New Year’s resolutions; some are more successful than others. Here are a few for racing fans that are certainly attainable. 1. PICK THE … Continue reading Racing Resolutions
Poplar jockey Manuel Franco tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and will remain off his mounts until Sunday, January 9th, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. All members of the NYRA jockey colony are vaccinated and adhere to established protocols. In addition, the jockey quarters at Aqueduct have been substantially altered to provide maximum physical distancing and reduce density. Franco is best remembered for … Continue reading Covid Scratches Jockey
The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a series of select races that award a sliding scale of points to the Top 4 finishers. This has determined preference for the 20-horse Kentucky Derby (Grade I) field since 2013. The 1 ¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will be run at the historic Louisville, Kentucky racetrack for the 148th consecutive year on Saturday, May 7th, 2022. As was … Continue reading The Road To The Derby
Thoroughbred fans returned to tracks with great enthusiasm after a year’s absence due to the pandemic. Business was brisk on all fronts as racing celebrated some sense of normalcy and looked ahead to a bright (hopefully) future. Here are just a few highlights from the year that was 2021. WHAT A HORSE: There will be no suspense when Horse of the Year is announced. It … Continue reading Crossing The 2021 Finish Line
