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Ellis Park and the Kentucky HBPA will present College Day on Sunday, July 27 with 27 lucky full-time students winning a prize.

In partnership with Ellis Park, the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association will conduct three separate drawings before each of nine races to give out a $1,000 scholarship, an iPad Mini with AirPods package and a $150 Amazon gift card.

First post is 11:50 a.m. CST and full-time students can register throughout the afternoon to be eligible for any remaining drawings.

Representatives from the University of Kentucky's Ag Equine programs, the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program and the Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) will be on hand to provide information to current and future undergraduate and graduate students interested in a potential career in the horse industry or who want to learn more about the commonwealth's signature tourism leader and agribusiness.

“The fastest route to making a new horse-racing fan is first getting them to the track,” said Alex Foley, the Kentucky HBPA's Executive Director. “This is a great collaboration with Ellis Park to invest in our future, and we're delighted to have UK, U of L and KEMI on hand. What college student can't use $1,000, an iPad Mini and AirPods or Amazon gift card? It's free admission and parking every day at Ellis Park and Sunday's are Kentucky HBPA Dollar Days with $1 hot dogs. College Day is a fun, affordable way for college students to come out with friends or family. You don't have to know anything about horse racing to enjoy the excitement and beauty of the sport.”

A valid college I.D. or letter of admission is required to register for the drawings, with incoming freshmen welcome. Those attending or enrolled for the fall term at a two- or four-year college, graduate school, professional school, vocational, technical, barber or another post-high school program that qualifies for federal aid are eligible. Students must register in person, be present to win and can only enter once.

Said Steve Roof, General Manager, Owensboro Racing & Gaming/Ellis Park Racing & Gaming: “We're excited to continue our support of Kentucky HBPA College Day at Ellis Park. This event reflects our ongoing commitment to education and the future of our community.”

The post Kentucky HBPA And Ellis Park To Host College Day July 27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this season, GI Preakness hero Journalism (Curlin) was tabbed the 4-5 favorite for Saturday's $1-million GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes during Monmouth Park's press conference and post-position draw Tuesday.

Co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, and the Coolmore partners of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, & Derrick Smith, Journalism was assigned post 2 in the nine-furlong 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

In preparation for the Haskell, Journalism, who was last seen finishing second behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Belmont Stakes, posted a bullet six-furlong work in 1:12.00 at Santa Anita on July 12.

“In these last three weeks, he's really thrived and excelled,” said Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Aron Wellman. “He told us that he's ready to get back on a plane and got across the country to run in the Haskell. We like the timing, we like all the factors and ingredients about the Haskell, and while we're not looking past the Haskell because it's going to be a severe challenge and we respect all of the competition, we do like the spacing from the Haskell to what his next objective might be.”

Journalism will have regular rider Umberto Rispoli aboard. This will be the first Haskell mount and first appearance at Monmouth Park for Rispoli.

Also among the eight contenders slated to run Saturday, Goal Oriented (Not This Time), fourth in a roughly run Preakness, was installed the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, and will break from post 8. The colt will try and give trainer Bob Baffert a record 10th win in Monmouth's marquee race for 3-year-olds.

“We threw something at him really quick,” Baffert said in reference to the Preakness. “He handled it well. He didn't go backwards on us. He's moving forward and handled it well. He's a much better horse now than he was at the Preakness. He needs to be. You'll see a lot of horses turn the corner and move forward at this stage of the summer.”

“I feel good about the way he's coming into this race,” he added. “Whether he's good enough we'll see. I have a lot of respect for Journalism. I get to watch him train every day and he still looks terrific. It should be a good race.”

Of Goal Oriented's outside post, Baffert explained, “You want him to break well and get into a nice rhythm, that's the key. He'll be forwardly placed somewhere.”

Caught in the late stages of the Preakness and only a half-length behind Journalist, Gosger (Nyquist) will try to turn the tables on his Classic rival. Breaking from post 6, the Brendan Walsh trainee was installed the 9-2 third choice on the morning line.

“He's improved with every race. We always thought he would get batter with time,” Walsh said of the GIII Lexington Stakes winner. “He was a bit of a late starter, and we brought the horse along. We took our time with him through the winter and the spring, but we've always liked the horse. We knew we weren't going to make the (Kentucky) Derby trail. We pointed him to the Preakness, and it nearly worked out. I still don't think we've got anywhere near the bottom of the horse.”

Trying to return to the form that saw Burnham Square (Liam's Map) win the GI Blue Grass Stakes earlier this season, trainer Ian Wilkes believes the colt has been making strides over his last couple of start, including the May 3 Kentucky Derby. He most recently was a close-up second behind the highly-regarded East Avenue in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 8.

“He's actually changed his style a little bit,” said Wilkes. “He's been a little bit closer the last couple of times, like even in the [Kentucky] Derby he was a lot closer than I thought he would be.

Exiting post 8, the Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred will be reunited with Brian Hernandez Jr. Saturday. He is 5-1 on the morning line.

“He's very adaptable. He can do whatever Brian wants to do,” added Wilkes. “He's very consistent in his training and seems to be getting better and better as he's matured. He's not making the mistakes he used to.”

1. Bracket Buster (Vekoma), 10-1
2. Journalism (Curlin), 4-5
3. Wildncrazynight (Midnight Lute), 30-1
4. Burnham Square (Liam's Map), 5-1
5. National Law (Constitution), 20-1
6. Gosger (Nyquist), 9-2
7. Kentucky Outlaw (Outwork), 15-1
8. Goal Oriented (Not This Time), 4-1

The post Journalism Named 4-5 Morning-Line Favorite, Draws Post 2 for $1M Haskell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Train the Trainer rolls to victory in Monday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Train the Trainer continued his ascent up the ranks of New York-bred 3-year-olds with a front-running victory in Monday’s $156,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

Alipony Racing’s and Saints or Sinners’ Train the Trainer, the 1-2 favorite making his first start around two turns, won the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby by 4 lengths over second choice Hit the Post. Irad Ortiz Jr., in from Saratoga Race Course on the first dark day of the summer meeting, rode the winner for trainer Rob Atras.

Train the Trainer also improved to 3-for-3 since returning to his home state. He won a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden special weight May 4 at Aqueduct before a 2 3/4-length score over Mike Lee Stakes June 4 to open the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.

Ortiz rode the Dialed In gelding in both of those starts and employed similar tactics against his three opponents in the New York Derby. Train the Trainer took the lead from the inside post and battled with Hit the Post to and around the first turn. Those two clicked off splits of :23.67 and :47.60 with a 2-length gap over Buttah and King’s Leap.

Train the Trainer continued to lead the way through 6 furlongs in 1:12.24, shaking off Hit the Post in the stretch before drawing off late to win in 1:44.66 over the fast track. Hit the Post finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of King’s Leap with Buttah fourth. Calling Card, fourth last time in the Mike Lee, scratched.

Bred by Hibiscus Stables and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Train the Trainer is out of the winning Forestry mare Heavenly Vision. Trainer Mark Glatt bought him for $52,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and trained Train the Trainer for his first start for the same ownership group. Train the Trainer finished second behind Goal Oriented in an open-company maiden race April 6 at Santa Anita Park before his owners sent him to Atras.

Train the Trainer is a half-brother to six winners out of Heavenly Vision. She’s a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and sire Cairo Prince and the Grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Nonna Mia, the dam of Grade 1 winner Outwork.

Train the Trainer picked up $93,600 to boost his bankroll to $260,600.

The post Train the Trainer delivers in New York Derby appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Jak N Burny fends off longshots for another Finger Lakes victory in Monday’s Leon Reed Memorial. SV Photography

A last-gasp head win at the wire. A steward’s inquiry at the start. For owner/breeder Sherry Washburn and trainer Debra Breed, the Leon Reed Memorial had 1:11.98 of it all.

Ridden by regular rider Joel Cruz, the 5-year-old son of Destin did what he does best, breaking sharply, blitzing to the front and then hanging tough to the line. Sent off the favorite in the 6-furlong stakes, Jak N Burny held off 39-1 Crypto Causeway who rallied late along the rail. Newport Bridge at 93-1 finished third with second-choice Rotknee fading to fourth in the $50,000 sprint stakes.

Breaking from the inside of the field 10, Jak N Burny angled out, initiating a six-horse chain reaction before darting back to the rail. The bay gelding opened a half-length through the first quarter in :22.50 and a half in :45.37. Jak N Burny dispatched Looms Boldly by the quarter pole, widened a 3-length chasm turning for home and looked free until the waning strides. Head rising with each stride, Jak N Burny managed to get to the wire just in time for his second stakes win. Stewards looked at the start but let the results stand. Crypto Causeway was untouched, and Newport Ridge was bothered slightly in the opening strides.

Jak N Burny improved his record to eight wins and two seconds from 11 starts for $184,180. His only off-the-board finish came in the 2023 Reed when he hopped and bobbled at the start and wound up fourth. It was the only time he wasn’t on the engine at the first two calls of a race.

Jak N Burny is the fifth foal out of the winning New York-bred Duckhorn mare Betty’s Chance. He’s a half-brother to 2018 Leon Reed winner Winston’s Chance who earned $495,264 in a 14-win career and Ifihadachance, a 13-time winner and $447,914-earner.

Betty’s Chance, bred by Washburn and Michael Haers, went 2-3-0 in six starts for $23,930 in earnings. She’s also the dam of the 3-year-old New York-bred Cloudy Chance, who was also bred by Washburn. The daughter of Cloud Computing finished third in her career debut in February and followed with a fourth at Belmont Park at Aqueduct and an eighth at Saratoga July 5.

The post Jak N Burny in time for Leon Reed win appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Madaket Stable’s Lottie Margaret and Manny Franco cruise to the finish of Monday’s New York Oaks. SV Photography.

A hop in the air at the start of Monday’s $75,000 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes proved to be no problem for Madaket Stable’s Lottie Margaret, the convincing winner of the 1 1/16-mile race for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Global Campaign settled into stride several lengths behind her three rivals after that start. She saved ground going into the first turn under Manny Franco to put herself in third, within 2 lengths of the lead, through the opening quarter-mile.

Tracking the pace set by Mischief Lady, Lottie Margaret stayed glued to the rail along the backstretch through opening fractions of :24.34 and :48.57. Entering the far turn, Franco sat motionless on Lottie Margaret as the rest of the field started being asked for their runs. Franco guided his filly through an opening on the inside nearing the quarter pole, and the pair had no trouble finishing from there.

Lottie Margaret won by 3 lengths in 1:46.53 as the longest shot in the field at 7-2. Valtellina finished second, followed by Vehemente and Mischief Lady. Practically Summer scratched.

Trained by Brad Cox, Lottie Margaret earned her first stakes victory in the New York Oaks. She entered the race off a fifth in an allowance-optional against open company and a second in the state-bred Maddie May Stakes, both run at 1 mile at Aqueduct. Prior to that, she broke her maiden and won an allowance-optional against state-breds by a combined 20 1/4 lengths. Her victory Monday boosted her record to three wins in six starts with earnings of $165,020.

Bred by Steve Schuster and foaled at Old Saratoga Equine Services in Schuylerville, Lottie Margaret sold for $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale in August 2023. She’s the sixth foal and first stakes winner out of the Street Cry mare Passionate Diva, whose other foals include the three-time winner and stakes-placed Mashnee Girl. Passionate Diva has foaled two other winners in Cape Cod Diva and I’m More Ready. She is the dam of the unraced 2-year-old A L Leader, by Code Of Honor.

 

The post Lottie Margaret slips through inside to win New York Oaks appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Del Mar is adding three new wrinkles to its extensive wagering menu as a supplement to the track's standard lineup of betting options for fans at its 2025 summer season of racing and wagering beginning on Friday, July 18.

John Stewart's Resolute Racing made its first foray into the Japanese market and, like with every sale that Stewart works, he made an immediate impact.

Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young will be joined by his Rey de Oro half brother in trainer Yoshita Yahagi's barn and also sport the maroon silks of Susumu Fujita after he bought Northern Farm's colt for ¥300,000,000 at JRHA's Select Sale July 14.

Calumet Farm's Lexitonian was represented by his first winner when Ritzaphena dug in and battled for victory on closing day at Lone Star Park July 13.

TJC Innovations announced July 14 a new Portfolio App to elevate its My Portfolio service available through equineline.com.

Keeneland announced July 14 that Dean Dorton, a nationally recognized advisory firm that began in Lexington and has headquarters here, is the new sponsor of the $250,000 Myrtlewood Stakes.

Lone Star Park concluded its 29th Spring Thoroughbred Racing season July 13, handling a daily average of $247,453 in live on-track handle and a daily average of $162,976 in export handle over the 41-day meet.

Jean-Claude Rouget and Cristian Demuro have scaled the greatest heights in tandem, but there can surely never have been as emotional a triumph shared by the two men as Leffard's nail-biting win in the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) at Longchamp July 13.

Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables' Governor Sam showed the talent that made him a three-time stakes winner and grade 1-placed at 2 as he conquered his five foes in the $175,000 Quick Call Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course July 13.

Well-known New Jersey breeder John Bowers Jr. enjoyed the gift that keeps on giving July 6 when his homebred He'spuregold won the Irish War Cry Handicap at Monmouth Park for a fifth consecutive year.

After winning leading trainer titles at both Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and Churchill Downs, trainer Joe Sharp hopes to keep the momentum rolling into the Saratoga Race Course summer meet.

After exiting her July 12 victory in the Diana Stakes (G1T) in good order, trainer Chad Brown said plans are undecided for Excellent Truth's next start.

The New York Racing Association announced July 13 that the mandatory quarantine covering horses previously stabled in Barn 66 at Saratoga Race Course has been lifted by the New York State Department of Agriculture effective immediately.

A new era dawns at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale July 15 as the first foals of Equinox, crowned the world's best racehorse in 2023, are set to come under the hammer at Northern Horse Park.

Godolphin's Kentucky Oaks (G1)-winning homebred Good Cheer breezed a half-mile in :50.66, according to NYRA clockers July 13 over the Saratoga Race Course main track as she prepares for the 1 1/4-mile $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 16 at the Spa.