NEWS AND NOTES FOR JUNE 6, 2014
BELMONT STAKES WEEKEND
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you know that California Chrome will be aiming to claim the Triple Crown title on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes, taking on 10 foes, including some tough competition from Wicked Strong and Tonalist. All I have to say about that is “Go Chrome!”
But while you are waiting for the Belmont (race 11), be sure to watch race 6, in which thirteen 3-year-old fillies will compete in the $750,0000 TVG Acorn Stakes (gr. I), including our own Accredited Texas-bred Fiftyshadesofgold, trained by Bret Calhoun for Douglas Scharbauer. Sired by Valor Farm stallion My Golden Song, the filly was a last-out winner of the Eight Belles Stakes (gr.3) at Churchill on Oaks day and is a three-time stakes winner with a career record of 6-4-1-1 and earnings of $342,262. Prior to the Eight Belles, she finished 2nd in the Fair Ground Oaks (gr. 2), 1st in the Two Altazano division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, and as a 2–year-old, 3rd in the Adirondack Stakes (gr. 2) and 1st in the Debutante Stakes.
Fiftyshadesofgold will break from post position 3 under Mike Smith, with morning line odds of 8/1.
BELMONT DAY AT LSP
There are 11 live Thoroughbred races scheduled, with gates opening at 11:30 am. and first race post time of 1:35 pm.
Simulcast of the 146th Belmont Stakes will be at approximately 5:40 pm. (CDT) between the 8th and 9th live races.
As usual the Family Fun Park is open from noon to 4:00 pm. with pony rides, a petting zoo and bounce houses. The band Eternal Motion will perform between races in the Courtyard of Champions from 2:00 – 7:00 pm.
The Lone Star Music Series continues with Concert:Incognito taking the stage after the final race, followed by 38 Special at approximately 8:30 pm. Admission is just $5. Lone Star Music Series has an age policy for all concerts; you must be 18 years of age or older unless accompanied by a legal guardian 30 years old or older. For more information call 972-263-7223.
Star Player Rewards members can make their selections each Saturday, beginning June 7 through June 28 for the horse you think will finish third or better in the two selected races from Lone Star Park. If successful, then you will continue to be eligible the following Saturday. Prizes include a Sony Bravia 50” Smart 3D HDTV, an Apple Ipad Air and 250,000 bonus points.
TTA ANNUAL MEETING AND AWARDS DINNER
The Texas Thoroughbred Association annual membership meeting and awards dinner is on tap for Saturday, June 14th at Lone Star Park. The membership meeting begins at 3pm in The Paddock Lounge, with the awards dinner beginning with a cocktail hour at 6pm in the Alysheba Suite, followed by dinner at 7pm.
The breeders and owners of 2013 Texas Divisional Champions will be honored, along with special awards for the Allen Bogan Memorial Award for TTA Member of the Year and the T. I. “Pops” Harkins Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Current and past Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund (TTEF) scholarship recipients will be in attendance and present the trophy for the 3rd running of the Lane’s End Stallion Scholarship Stakes.
A variety of live and silent auction items will be available to benefit the TTEF and The Paddock Foundation, our 501C3 organization with a mission to ensure the lifelong welfare of the Thoroughbred horse.
Live auction items include a signed, numbered, matted and framed print entitled “Beating Bama” from the gallery of Benjamin Knox and a matted and framed photo by the legendary Tony Leonard.
In addition, all attendees will be entered in a drawing to win a lawncare equipment prize package, courtesy of EquineSavings.com.
Make plans to join us by calling 512.458.6133. Hope to see you there!
ELLIS PARK SEES BEST MONTH IN INSTANT RACING
Beleaguered Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., where Instant Racing hasn’t performed to hopes, posted its best month yet in May, according to Kentucky Horse Racing Commission statistics, with $3.02 million bet through its machines, an increase of 23.6% over May 2013.
The other track to offer the game, Kentucky Downs in Franklin by the Tennessee border and close to Nashville, saw a 10.5% increase to $28.8 million.
Both the statewide number and Kentucky Downs’ totals were their second-highest monthly totals since the game began in the state at Kentucky Downs in September 2011.
Keeneland Race Course and The Red Mile in Lexington are in the process of building Instant Racing parlors that are expected to open next year.
OWNERS CAN NOW PROVIDE VETERINARY RECORDS ON HORSE RACING REFORM WEBSITE
The Jockey Club has announced that owners who voluntarily pledge to make their horse’s veterinary records public can now upload those records directly to a page hosted by horseracingreform.org.
“We wanted to provide an easy and efficient way for owners to voluntarily make their horses’ veterinary records available to the public,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club. “Increasing transparency into our sport is an important element of our continuing efforts to build customer confidence in horseracing. As a resource designed to advocate for medication reform, safety and integrity, the Horse Racing Reform website is the perfect vehicle to make this possible.”
NOTES: Lone Star Park will open its stable area for two training sessions during the remainder of 2014: The summer session will be from July 20 – August 31, and the fall session will be from September 1 – November 22; For more information, contact the Lone Star Park Racing Office at racing@lonestarpark.com or 888-4 RACING or (972) 237-1130. Updates will also be available on the Lone Star Park website in the Horsemen’s Information section…The Texas Racing Commission will meet Tuesday at 10:30 in Austin, with draft rules regulating pari-mutuel wagering on historical races on the agenda.