opening day

Kentucky Senator Henry Clay might be considered one of the premier American politicians pre-Lincoln, but what is not up for debate was his fervent commitment to breeding equine athletes and attending the races. You cannot actually visit his home--Ashland--because the structure that stands on the Clay Estate just south of downtown Lexington is not original to "The Great Compromiser" and his time. However, interpretations of Clay-related objects enliven the tour. Ashland in name was imported as a stakes race when Keeneland opened in 1936. Some familiar female runners who graced...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Smiles, hugs and handshakes--especially the smiles--were the currency Thursday for opening day, the annual lovefest at Saratoga Race Course. While the New York Racing Association (NYRA) served up 10 races on the first of the 40 days of the 155th season at the Spa, the crowd of 29,102 celebrated the past, greeting old friends, as well as the present at the historic track. With a line of thunderstorms approaching from the west on a hot, humid and windy afternoon, NYRA sped up post times and was...

Santa Anita Park will launch its annual winter/spring live racing season on Monday with a 11-race card featuring six stakes races, highlighted by the $300,000 GI Runhappy Malibu S., $300,000 GI American Oaks, and $300,000 GI La Brea S., the last three Grade Is of the year in the U.S. Dubbed this season for the first time as the Classic Meet, racing at Santa Anita will be conducted on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule through Apr. 9, the exceptions being Monday, Jan. 2 for the New Year's Day holiday, Monday, Jan. 16...

Santa Anita Park will offer a pre-sale of tickets the track's Classic Meet opening day Monday, Dec. 26 beginning next Tuesday, Nov. 29 for those that register at www.santaanita.com. Santa Anita will also offer fans its traditional wall calendar free of charge with paid admission on its newly branded Classic Meet opening day, which continues through Apr. 9. Additionally, the Mathis Home Plush Toy Horse will be offered as a way for fans to contribute to the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA). Santa Anita Park Newsletter subscribers can purchase pre-sale...

For 85 years already, surf and turf have been kissing cousins at Del Mar, and Friday anoints the latest rekindling of that summer fling at the SoCal seaside venue. To discuss the meet--which runs through Sept. 11--the TDN sat down with Josh Rubinstein, president of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, who spoke field size, purse bonuses, stabling and a certain high-flying trainee. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. TDN: Opening day is Friday with a sold-out crowd and an impressive average field size of 11 horses per-race....

Due to heavy rain and high winds that have been affecting the Jersey Shore region all day Saturday, officials at Monmouth Park were forced to cancel the track's season-opening program that was scheduled to get underway at 2 p.m. ET. The track was to remain open for full-card simulcasting, including Saturday's Kentucky Derby card from Churchill Downs. Racing is scheduled to resume on Mother's Day Sunday, May 8, with nine live races beginning at 12:15 p.m. ET. The main event is the $100,000 Serena's Song S. for older fillies and...

Santa Anita's Autumn Meet will kick off Friday, Oct. 1, with seven Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" races offered on opening weekend. The GI American Pharoah S., GII Chandelier S., and the Speakeasy S. are all "Win & You're In" for various 2-year-old divisions on opening day; the GI Awesome Again S., the GI Rodeo Drive S., and the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. are all Breeders' Cup targets on opening Saturday; and the GII Zenyatta S. rounds out the "Win & You're In" qualifiers on opening Sunday....

OCEANPORT, NJ-Every year, opening day at Monmouth Park marks the unofficial start of the summer season on the Jersey Shore. This year, it seems, Mother Nature didn't get the memo. Fans on-hand for Friday's card braved temps in the mid-50's and steady rain that intensified as the twilight card wore on. Among the casualties, the day's feature--the Jersey Derby--was taken off the turf, losing a pair of 3-year-olds in the process, however, the show marched on resolutely. At the conclusion of the six-race card, total handle was $1,528,236, while the...

Turf Paradise has rescheduled its opening day to Friday, Nov. 27. Originally the 133-day live meet had been scheduled to run from Oct. 17-May 1, 2021. The new schedule will run from Nov. 27-May 1, for 110 live race days. "We are hoping that by opening later the Coronavirus situation will settle down in Arizona," said track general manager Vincent Francia. "Regardless we will have health protocols in place when the meet opens." Francia added, "We are working with AZHBPA president Bob Hutton as to a date when the horses...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Just like always, the bell in the winner's circle was rung 17 minutes before every race at the Spa Thursday afternoon. Of course. Exactly 17 minutes. Even on the most unusual of opening days at Saratoga Race Course, tradition was served. It is Saratoga after all. Phil Linguiti did the honors, yanking the strap that moved the clapper to produce the sound. Linguiti, a former jockey and longtime white cap in the clubhouse, is a familiar figure at Saratoga. Since this 152nd season is racing in Saratoga Springs...

Tim Hamm and Siena Farms' Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) was completely dismissed at 19-1 in the GIII Schuylerville S., the first graded stakes of the Saratoga meet Thursday, but she will not be overlooked again after a dominant victory. Ignored by the bettors despite a 4 3/4-length debut graduation at Gulfstream May 14, the dark bay stalked from a two-wide third as Make Mischief (Into Mischief) led Hara (Hard Spun) through an opening quarter in :22.29. Inching closer as the half went up in :45.57, Dayoutoftheoffice collared the pacesetter in early...

John C. Oxley homebred Beautiful Memories (Hard Spun) headlines a field of eight juvenile fillies set for Thursday's co-featured GIII Schuylerville S. at the Spa. Trained by Mark Casse, the chestnut aired by 10 lengths for 'TDN Rising Star' honors on debut at Churchill Downs May 28. She's registered a pair of bullet workouts in Louisville since, including a five-furlong spin in :59 1/5 (1/34) July 4. Beautiful Memories' third dam is champion older mare Beautiful Pleasure, who carried Oxley's gold-and-blue silks to six top-level victories, led by a win...