Parx

The Week in Review: Back-of-Van Ride to Victory for Trainer Kirby in Claiming Crown

When trainer Tom Van Berg won two Claiming Crown races Saturday with his first horses in that series, most racing regulars made the connection to his father, the late Hall-of-Fame conditioner Jack Van Berg. But a link to another family legacy in that series might not have been as apparent: John Timothy Kirby, 25, who also saddled his first Claiming Crown starter to a victory in his first-ever race at Churchill Downs, is a third-generation horseman with strong roots that run deep in New England. In fact, after more than...

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PTHA Announces Purse Increases, Five New Stakes at Parx in November

The Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA), in collaboration with Parx Racing, has announced several purse increases starting in the November condition book, along with the addition of five new stakes races in late November, including three for Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 23, and two on Tuesday, Nov. 29. "The increased purses and additional stakes races are the result of higher than forecast handle throughout the year, including the record-breaking handle for Pennsylvania Derby Day," said Jeff Matty, Executive Director of the PTHA. "Increasing these purses, especially our state-bred purses, will allow...

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Deciding Vote Wins MATCH Championship

Deciding Vote (Mr Speaker) clinched the MATCH championship with a win in the off-the-turf Salvatore M. Debunda PTHA President's Cup S. at Parx Monday. The result landed her the overall MATCH Series championship for 2022 with 38 points. "This means a lot to Mr. and Mrs. Pape and it means a lot to me," said trainer Edward Graham, who is based at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. "We were so close to the series final and we all said, 'Let's give it a go,' and if she doesn't handle...

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Chris Griffin Named New Track Announcer at Monmouth Park

Parx track announcer Chris Griffin has been named the new track announcer at Monmouth Park starting with the 2023 meet that gets underway in May. Griffin, the back-up announcer at Monmouth Park since 2020, will replace Frank Mirahmadi, who is taking over as the track announcer at Saratoga next summer after eight years at Monmouth Park. Mirahmadi is also the track announcer at Santa Anita. The 41-year-old Griffin was also recently named the track announcer for the Aqueduct winter meet that runs from January through April. "We're pleased to have...

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Two Trainers, Jockey, Suspended After Searches at Parx

Parx-based trainers Miguel Penaloza and Cesareo Marquez and jockey Edwin Rivera have been summarily suspended by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after recent investigations found the three to be in possession of contraband. The trainers were found to be in possession of hypodermic needles, syringes and injectable substances, while Rivera was caught with an electrical device. According to a press release from the Organization of Racing Investigators, investigators from multiple jurisdictions assembled the week of Sept. 19 and conducted barn searches and stopped cars at the backstretch gates at all three...

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The Week in Review: A Good Year to Have a Tough Horse

With undefeated phenom Flightline (Tapit) and sophomore star Epicenter (Not This Time) headlining a respectably deep GI Breeders' Cup Classic, one oft-repeated quip is that 2022 is turning out to be "a tough year to have a good horse" aiming for a divisional championship. Yet a few rungs farther down the class ladder--more than a few, in truth--a blue-collar starter-allowance stalwart is tweaking that phrase so it better suits his grind-it-out style, proving that '22 is actually "a good year to have a tough horse." Last week at Churchill Downs,...

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'Improving' Taiba Races Away In Pennsylvania Derby

If the GI Kentucky Derby all came a bit too soon for 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (c, 3, Gun Runner--Needmore Flattery, by Flatter), Saturday's GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby showed that he is close to--or is already--the finished project, enjoying the run of the race in before shooting clear in the stretch to defeat Kentucky Derby third Zandon (Upstart) by three solid lengths. Cyberknife (Gun Runner), who got the better trip and the better of a final-furlong tussle with Taiba in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. earlier this summer, outfinished Simplification...

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No Catching Society In Cotillion

Taking full advantage of a track that was exceptionally kind to speed throughout the course of the program, Peter Blum's Society (f, 3, Gun Runner--Etiquette, by Tapit) built on a big-figure victory in the GIII Charles Town Oaks when last seen four weeks ago and ran them off their feet for a maiden Grade I victory in Saturday's $1-million Cotillion S. at Parx. Drawn the outside gate in a field of nine, the homebred was clicked up as soon as the gates flew and crossed and cleared all inside traffic,...

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Parx Investigation Finds Contraband, Suspensions Expected

According to numerous sources, the Pennsylvania Racing Commission stopped several cars over the weekend going through the backstretch gates at Parx and the search uncovered a number of illegal items, including syringes and an electrical device. According to the sources, at least three people have already been summarily suspended, including a jockey and at least two trainers. A groom was also found to have a gun in his possession and marijuana, which is illegal in the state. The TDN was unable to reach anyone at the racing commission for additional...

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Haskell Rematch Highlights Saturday's Graded Stakes Slate

After putting on a show on the Jersey Shore earlier this summer, the Gun Runner-sired GI TVG.com Haskell S. exacta of Cyberknife and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba co-headline a loaded renewal of the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Saturday. Was it a tale of two trips or did the best horse just win that day at Monmouth Park? You be the judge. While subsequent GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Cyberknife awaited racing room leaving the quarter pole, the hard-ridden Taiba began to wind up beneath Mike Smith with a four-wide...

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Ness Receives Six-Month Suspension in PA; Has Appealed

Jamie Ness, a prolific winner in the Mid-Atlantic states and the third-leading trainer in the country in wins, has been handed a six-month suspension by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after a horse he trained tested positive for Bufotenine. Ness was also fined $5,000. The suspension is scheduled to begin Sept. 5 and runs through March 3, 2023. Ness, who is being represented by attorney Andrew Mollica, has appealed the suspension. "We are in the process of appealing," Mollica said. "We will take this the whole way. He obviously vehemently denies...

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Pennsylvania Day at the Races Draws 142 Entries

A total of 142 entries were taken for Pennsylvania Day at the Races, the 13-race extravaganza for Pennsylvania-breds worth over $1 million, including seven $100,000 stakes, to be run Monday, Aug. 22 at Parx Racing. This year's card of stakes offerings was expanded from five to seven with the addition of two restricted to Pennsylvania-bred and sired 2-year-olds, each of which attracted 12 entries. Going off as the ninth and 10th races, the first up will be the $100,000 Miss Blue Tye Dye for fillies, followed by the $100,000 Whistle...

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