Parx

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's reigning champion 2-Year-Old Filly Vequist (Nyquist) is aiming toward a late summer/fall campaign, while targeting the GI Cotillion S. at Parx Sept. 25, according to her trainer Butch Reid, Jr. "She's been training lightly down at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland and she'll be coming back to my barn at Parx in the next 10 days," said Reid, Jr. "We're looking forward to a fall campaign with her and have our eye on the Cotillion. I could see us possibly getting her...

Recent backstretch raids staged by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission at Parx have uncovered what Director of Thoroughbred Horse Racing at Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Tom Chuckas described as a "significant amount of contraband" and "items that have no business on the backside." Chuckas made the revelations during a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday of the Pennsylvania Racing Commission. The meeting was held over Zoom and a one-minute-and-twenty second segment was captured and posted on Twitter by veterinarian Kathryn Papp. Pennsylvania Racing Commissioner Russell Jones took part in the meeting and confirmed...

Chris Griffin has been named as the new voice of Parx Racing. Following the retirement of announcer Keith Jones in December, Parx launched an extensive search for their next track announcer. "Keith was here for 34 years," said Joe Wilson, Chief Operating Officer for Parx Racing. "This was a new process for all of us. Chris is a rising star in our industry with a tremendous work ethic. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Parx family." Griffin added, "This is my opportunity to enter a booth that saw...

Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong), off since winning the GII Remsen S. last December, tuned up for a start in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial with a five-furlong work in 1:01.13 (3/13) at Parx Saturday. "He went by himself from the pole. Hopefully, we can hit one work a week up to the Wood," said trainer Daniel Velazquez, who wasn't on hand for the drill after being hospitalized with a lacerated liver and torn bicep suffered during a training accident earlier Saturday morning. Velazquez had hoped to start...

Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto's Capo Kane (Street Sense), a romping 6 1/4-length winner of the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct Jan. 1, will look to add a furlong and a graded race to his resume in the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct Saturday. Trained by Harold Wyner, the bay colt was runner-up in his seven-furlong debut at Parx Oct. 28. He graduated by a front-running 4 1/2 lengths going one mile and 70 yards at Parx Nov. 25 and had everything his own way when loose on the...

Pennsylvania casinos have been greenlighted to reopen as of Monday, Jan. 4, rekindling revenue streams that fund Thoroughbred purses in the state. Governor Tom Wolf announced Dec. 30 that because COVID-19 mitigation efforts have been working to tamp down the spread of the pandemic, he will allow more stringent safety restrictions that went into effect Dec. 12 to expire as planned. But that doesn't mean a full-blown opening for the 13 casinos in the state: Mitigation efforts will roll back to what they were on Dec. 11, which still caps...

After more than three decades as the voice of Parx Racing, announcer Keith Jones will be stepping away from the microphone at the end of the year. Since 1987, Jones has been the voice of Philadelphia Park/Parx, making him the second longest tenured announcer after Tampa Bay Downs' Richard Grunder. Jones began his career at Garden State Park before moving permanently to Philadelphia Park. "I'll be forever grateful to the management at Greenwood for affording me an opportunity to pursue a career doing something I've thoroughly enjoyed," said Jones. "As...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-PRX, $40K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2f, post time: 12:55 p.m. DANCE FOR THE GOLD (Medaglia d'Oro) is the second foal, but the first to race from Dance To Bristol (Speightstown), who won half of her 20 career trips to the post, including the GI Ballerina S. in 2013. Bred on the reverse cross responsible for the likes of Grade I winners Rock Fall and Separationofpowers and other graded winners Barkley and Strike Power, Dance for the Gold is a full-sister to a yearling colt...

Parx Racing suspended jockey Hector Caballero for 10 days because of his "misuse of the riding crop" after the finish of the 10th race at Parx July 27. The incident occurred aboard Belongs to Babe in a maiden for fillies 3-year-old's and up. On the date in question, Caballero and Belong to Babe crossed the wire in second behind Solid Gold Dancer, who was subsequently disqualified for interference with another rival. During the gallop out, Caballero struck his mount on the shoulder, which is in violation of the State's recently...

Due to circumstances that arose with the coronavirus pandemic, Parx Racing has canceled all of its open stakes for the remainder of the year, including the GI Pennsylvania Derby and the GI Cotillion S. The two $1-million events were part of a program that had been scheduled for Sept. 26 and also included the Turf Amazon S., the Parx Dirt Mile and the GII Gallant Bob S. "We will not be running any open stakes races this year," racing secretary David Osojnak said. "We will be going on hiatus. The...

In the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association released the rundown of the payment structure for the remainder of the 2020 season. Breeder awards, which will remain at the same rate as before the closure, will include an additional 25% for maiden races (first through third). The breakdown is: 50% for PA-Sired PA-Breds and 25% for non-PA-Sired PA-Breds. Breeder awards in all other races will remain at 40% and 20%, respectively. Additionally, owner bonuses will remain unchanged: Parx will be at 40%, Penn National at 20%...

Pennsylvania's Governor Wolf hosts a radio show in which he answers questions from his constituency. I sent the following question, which he failed to address. "Dear Governor Wolf, Have you thought about the potential ramifications of your proposal to raid the protected horse racing and breeding fund that you signed into law back in 2017? If so, how do you explain the loss of 20,000 jobs and an industry that has a $1.6-billion economic impact and contributes $68 million in taxes annually? Thank You." I would like everyone who loves...