Nov 232015
 

While the Yanks are gorging themselves on turkey and then heading to the malls to get away from the family that came home for the holidays, horseplayers can gorge themselves on the best days of racing between Breeders Cup and Boxing Day.

 

NY Times – Carroll -Eat With Gusto (and Good Information)

Southern Living – Makeovers for Thanksgiving Leftovers


Eat to live, don’t live to eat.

Benjamin Franklin


Chicken Fried


NY Times – OpEd – Boylan – Freeing Thanksgiving From My Family


DRF – Crist: Fine Cigar follows sumptuous stakes feast


A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke.

Groucho Marx


Garden and Gun – Severson – Anatomy of a Classic: Glazed Ham with Buttermilk Drop Biscuits


Hastings Racecourse near Vancouver, British Columbia, is a shining example of how some racetracks are getting more involved in removing the barriers to ownership for their customers.

Since 2014 Hastings has been focused on attracting more horses to the racetrack through programs such as “Ship and Win,” which offers a bonus to runners that had made their previous starts at another racetrack.

“We got horses, but what we weren’t having success with was bringing in new owners,” said Darren MacDonald, general manager of Hastings. “We wanted a way to bring in people at a low-cost point.”

Bloodhorse – Growing Owners – by Eric Mitchell


ESPN – Cronley – The brief off season


Could Have Been Me


I never smoke to excess – that is, I smoke in moderation, only one cigar at a time.
Mark Twain


Bloodhorse – McCalmont – Pender Harbour: Farewell to ‘The King’


Show Must Go On


 

Esquirol_Farms_


Bloodhorse – Hangin With Haskin – It’s in the Blood


Racing Post – Scargill – Sutherland to make second riding comeback


Ode To My Family


The only people who you should get even with are those who have helped you.

John Southard


ESPN – Duckworth – Thankful for Pharoah


Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart won his third Churchill Downs stakes in the $100,000 River City Handicap GIIIT going 1 1/8-miles on the Churchill Downs turf with Julien R. Leparoux in the irons for condition Brian Lynch. Heart to Heart was bred in Ontario by Darrell Bauder’s Red Hawk Ranch.

TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – Heart to Heart stays perfect on Churchill turf in River City

DRF – King – Heart to Heart wires River City Handicap

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Heart to Heart rolls to River City H. win

Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart will seek a third Churchill Downs stakes win in the $100,000 River City Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 26.

Bloodhorse – Heart to Heart Bids for Churchill Hat Trick


Magic Man


TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – The Pizza Man dishes it out to Hollywood Turf Cup foes

Bloodhorse – Shulman – The Pizza Man Wins Hollywood Turf Cup

Bloodhorse – Balan – The Pizza Man Heads West for Turf Cup

TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – The Pizza Man makes another run to Del Mar for Turf Cup


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Gilmore – Barbara Keller’s extraordinary journey from stable hand to G1-winning owner


CTHS Ontario 2015 Winter Mixed Sale Results


Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Happy Horseplaying Holidays!


Bloodhorse – Stacked Deck Excels in Kennedy Road Victory


DRF – Jerardi: Cigar Mile a battle of triple-digit Beyers

Lady and the Track – Pace-resistant Private Zone Enters Cigar Mile

DRF – Hovdey: Red Vine looking to bag big trophy

Bloodhorse – Tonalist Takes on Private Zone in Cigar Mile

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Private Zone seeks repeat in Cigar Mile

Lady and the Track – Hammer – Tonalist on Target for Cigar Mile 2015

Bloodhorse – Tonalist, Red Vine Please in Cigar Mile Drill


Bloodhorse – Andreya’s Reward Shifts to Dirt for Hut Hut


TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Bernardini offspring among solid prospects on Thanksgiving Saturday


Carryovers

Saturday November 29 2015

Aqueduct
Pick 6    $37,744.00
Churchill Downs
Super High Five     $4,411.00
Delta Downs
Super High Five     $6,712.00
Super High Five     $865.00
Super High Five     $480.00
Super High Five     $474.00
Evangeline Downs
Super High Five     $169.00
Fair Grounds
Pick 5 Jackpot    $15,327.00
Golden Gate Fields
Pick 6 Jackpot    $11,272.00
Super High Five     $6,364.00
Gulfstream Park West
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $1,219.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $1,074.00
Hawthorne
Super High Five Jackpot    $118,161.00
Pick 6 Jackpot    $7,073.00
Laurel Park
Pick 6    $18,294.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $1,344.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $730.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $686.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5     $506.00
Los Alamitos
Pick 6    $2,229.00
Turf Paradise
Pick 5    $2,571.00
Pick 6    $162.00
Zia Park
Super High Five     $2,815.00

Monday November 30 2015

Finger Lakes
Pick 5    $2,133.00
Portland Meadows
Pick 4    $4,368.00

Guaranteed Pools

Equibase Carryovers and Guaranteed Pools


ESPN – Ehalt – How technology changed the Triple Crown chase

Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Ehalt – American Pharoah and social media: racing’s perfect storm


Lady and the Track – Hammer – Eclipse Awards Week: Where Will YOU Be?


TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Dortmund towers over Native Diver; Om aims for sweep in Hollywood Derby


American Thanksgiving Weekend’s  Stakes

Nov 25
Penn National
Blue Mountain stake $75,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Fabulous Strike (L) $200,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Swatara (L) $100,000 3&up 8.5f Dirt
Woodbine
Sir Barton stake $125,000 3&up State/Prov 8.5f AW
Zia Park
Eddy County stake $140,000 2yo State/Prov 8f Dirt
Zia Park Championship (L) $150,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Zia Park Derby $200,000 3yo 8.5f Dirt
Zia Park Distaff stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Zia Park Oaks $300,000 3yo Fillies 8.5f Dirt
Zia Park Sprint $100,000 3&up 6f Dirt

Nov 26
Aqueduct
Fall Highweight Handicap GIII $250,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Furlough stake $150,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Falls City Handicap GII $200,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 9f Dirt
River City Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 9f Turf
Del Mar
Hollywood Turf Cup GII $250,000 3&up 12f Turf
Fair Grounds
Thanksgiving handicap $60,000 3&up 6f Dirt

Nov 27
Aqueduct
Go for Wand Handicap GIII $300,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Dirt
King’s Swan stake $150,000 2yo 6f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare GI $500,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Commonwealth Turf GIII $100,000 3yo 8.5f Turf
Dream Supreme stake #$80,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Del Mar
Seabiscuit Handicap GII $250,000 3&up 8.5f Turf
Remington Park
Don C. McNeill $75,000 2yo State/Prov 8f Dirt
Slide Show $75,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 8f Dirt

Nov 28
Aqueduct
Cigar Mile Handicap GI $500,000 3&up 8f Dirt
Comely Stake GIII $300,000 3yo Fillies 9f Dirt
Demoiselle Stake GII $300,000 2yo Fillies 9f Dirt
Remsen Stake GII $300,000 2yo 9f Dirt
Churchill Downs
Golden Rod Stake GII $200,000 2yo Fillies 8.5f Dirt
Kentucky Jockey Club Stake GII $200,000 2yo 8.5f Dirt
Del Mar
Hollywood Derby GI $300,000 3yo 9f Turf
Jimmy Durante Stake GIII $100,000 2yo Fillies 8f Turf
Native Diver Handicap GIII $150,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Fair Grounds
Battle of New Orleans stake $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares abt 5.5f Turf
Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Debutante $50,000 2yo Fillies 6f AW
Gulfstream Park West
Buffalo Man stake $75,000 2yo 6f Dirt
House Party stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Hut Hut stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 8f Dirt
Pulpit stake $75,000 2yo 8f Turf
Smooth Air stake $75,000 2yo 8f Dirt
Wait a While stake $75,000 2yo Fillies 8f Turf
Hawthorne
Blackhawk handicap $50,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap GII $250,000 3&up 10f Dirt
Pershing handicap $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai Stake GIII $580,000 2yo 10f Turf
Mahoning Valley Racecourse
Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial handicap $75,000 3&up State/Prov 9f Dirt
Turf Paradise
Queen of the Green stake $35,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Turf
Walter R. Cluer Memorial stake $35,000 3&up 8f Turf
Woodbine
Kingarvie stake $125,000 2yo State/Prov 8.5f AW
Woodbine
Ontario Lassie stake $150,000 2yo Fillies R 8.5f AW

Nov 29
Aqueduct
New York Stallion Series (Thunder Rumble Div.) $125,000 3&up R 7f Dirt
Del Mar
Cecil B. DeMille Stake GIII $100,000 2yo 8f Turf
Matriarch Stake GI $300,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Turf
Golden Gate Fields
Berkeley Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 8.5f AW
Japan Racing Association
Japan Cup GI $5,426,000 3&up 12f Turf
Keihan Hai GIII $685,000 3&up 6f Turf
Woodbine
Display stake $125,000 2yo 8.5f AW
Valedictory Stake CDN-GIII $150,000 3&up 14f AW

Nov 30
Colonial Downs
*Buckland stake $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 5.5f Turf
*Kitten’s Joy stake $50,000 3&up 12f Turf

Dec 1
Portland Meadows
Detroit Lake handicap $9,000 g 3&up 6f Dirt
Foster Lake handicap $9,000 g 2yo 6f Dirt
Paulina Lake handicap $9,000 g 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt


Bloodhorse – Forever Unbridled Looks to Step Up in Comely


 

Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Irad Ortiz Jr. Gets North American Milestone



Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Jockey Saez out a month after Churchill spill


TwinSpires Blog – Pugh – Exaggerator Criticism Nothing More Than Hyperbole


Bloodhorse – Nyquist Heads Pool 1 of Derby Future Wager

TwinSpires Blog – “All Others,” Nyquist favored in first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool


Lady and the Track – Hammer – Kentucky Derby 2016 Future Pool


Bloodhorse – Churchill Unveils Derby Sire Future Wager

ESPN – West – Fathers and sons

Free Brisnet Sire Future Wager PPs


TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – Midway through the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager: Sifting through the options


 

Horse Race Insider -Jicha – The (Derby) future is now; avoid Spa winners


Bloodhorse – Shulman – Mohaymen Seeks Nashua, Remsen Double


Mr. Brightside


Bloodhorse – Johnson – Kentucky Jockey Club Headlines Stars of Tomorrow Card at Churchill


Louisville Courier-Journal – Big field to contest Downs’ next Derby prep

TwinSpires Blog – Kentucky Jockey Club provides a line on five horses in Kentucky Derby Future Wager; Dothraki Queen tops Golden Rod

Bloodhorse – Mitchell – Airoforce Tries Dirt in Kentucky Jockey Club


Bloodhorse – Dressed in Hermes, ‘Dan’ Head Cecil DeMille


DRF – Grening – Jan’s Reserve rallies to upset in King’s Swan


2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby

The 142nd running of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) will be run Saturday, May 7, 2016, and for the fourth consecutive year, a tiered point system in select races will determine who qualifies to America’s greatest race.
Race    Track    Date    Points
Remsen Aqueduct Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Kentucky Jockey Club Churchill Downs Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Los Alamitos Futurity Los Alamitos Race Course Dec 19, 2015 10-4-2-1
Jerome Aqueduct Jan 9, 2016 10-4-2-1
Sham Santa Anita Park Jan 16, 2016 10-4-2-1
Smarty Jones Oaklawn Park Jan 18, 2016 10-4-2-1
Holy Bull Gulfstream Park Jan 30, 2016 10-4-2-1
Withers Aqueduct Feb 13, 2016 10-4-2-1
Robert B. Lewis Santa Anita Park Feb 13, 2016 10-4-2-1
Southwest Oaklawn Park Feb 15, 2016 10-4-2-1
El Camino Real Derby Golden Gate Fields Feb 20, 2016 10-4-2-1
Fountain of Youth Gulfstream Park Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Risen Star Fair Grounds Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Gotham Aqueduct Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Tampa Bay Derby Tampa Bay Downs Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
San Felipe Santa Anita Park Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Rebel Oaklawn Park Mar 19, 2016 50-20-10-5
Sunland Derby Sunland Park Mar 20, 2016 50-20-10-5
Spiral Turfway Park Mar 26, 2016 50-20-10-5
UAE Derby Meydan Racecourse Mar 26, 2016 100-40-20-10
Florida Derby Gulfstream Park Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Louisiana Derby Fair Grounds Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Wood Memorial Aqueduct Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Blue Grass Keeneland Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Derby Santa Anita Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Arkansas Derby Oaklawn Park Apr 16, 2016 100-40-20-10
Lexington Keeneland Apr 16, 2016 10-4-2-1


Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Asmussen’s Stageplay back for Downs’ Oaks prep

Bloodhorse – Hammonds – Dothraki Queen Heads Golden Rod


Bloodhorse – Angst – Lewis Bay Set for Stakes Debut in Demoiselle


Sometime Around Midnight


DRF – Grening – Constellation cruises to win in Furlough Stakes


Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Sexton – Did Frankel’s first crop live up to expectations at the sales?


Bloodhorse – Balan – Fillies Seek First Graded Score in Durante


2016 Road to the Kentucky Oaks

Race    Track    Date      Points
Demoiselle    Aqueduct Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Golden Rod    Churchill Downs Nov 28, 2015 10-4-2-1
Starlet    Los Alamitos Race Course Dec 12, 2015 10-4-2-1
Santa Ynez    Santa Anita Park Jan 9, 2016 10-4-2-1
Busanda    Aqueduct Jan 16, 2016 10-4-2-1
Silverbulletday    Fair Grounds Jan 23, 2016 10-4-2-1
Forward Gal    Gulfstream Park Jan 30, 2016 10-4-2-1
Martha Washington    Oaklawn Park Feb 6, 2016 10-4-2-1
Las Virgenes    Santa Anita Park Feb 6, 2016 10-4-2-1
UAE Oaks    Meydan Racecourse Feb 25, 2016 50-20-10-5
Busher    Aqueduct Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Davona Dale    Gulfstream Park Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Rachel Alexandra   Fair Grounds Feb 27, 2016 50-20-10-5
Santa Ysabel    Santa Anita Park Mar 5, 2016 50-20-10-5
Honeybee    Oaklawn Park Mar 12, 2016 50-20-10-5
Sunland Park Oaks    Sunland Park Mar 20, 2016 50-20-10-5
Bourbonette Oaks    Turfway Park Mar 26, 2016 50-20-10-5
Gulfstream Park Oaks    Gulfstream Park Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Fair Grounds Oaks    Fair Grounds Apr 2, 2016 100-40-20-10
Santa Anita Oaks    Santa Anita Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Gazelle    Aqueduct Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Ashland   Keeneland Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Fantasy    Oaklawn Park Apr 9, 2016 100-40-20-10
Beaumont    Keeneland Apr 17, 2016 10-4-2-1


NY Times – Rhoden – Fantasy Sports’ Real Crime: Dehumanizing the Athletes

NY Times – Hulse – Fantasy Sites vs. Congress: A Matchup That Could Be Bruising

NY Times – Bogdanich and Williams – For Addicts, Fantasy Sites Can Lead to Ruinous Path

NY Times – Casey – FanDuel, Facing Opposition, Maintains Its Visibility in New York

NY Times – Glanz and Drape – Fantasy Sports Site Closes Digital Loophole Ahead of Hearing


Horse Race Insider – Angst of Bloodhorse Has It Right on CRW


Guardian – Wood – Racing and bookmakers sponsorship spat just start of a long fight

Racing Post – Barber – More big bookies ready to pull plug on deals


Racing Post – Mottershead – Investors back deal but Desmond vows to fight


NY Times – Ramzy – Singapore Court Orders Release of Man Accused of Fixing Soccer Matches


awards dinner 2015


TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – Midnight strikes in Seabiscuit

Bloodhorse – Balan – Midnight Storm Returns to Form in Seabiscuit

DRF – Privman – Midnight Storm gets stellar ride to end losing streak in Seabiscuit Handicap

Peter Redekop’s Alert Bay will head down to Southern California from his Golden Gate Fields home base again to seek his fourth straight victory Nov. 27 in the $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar.

Bloodhorse – Balan – Alert Bay Ready for Seabiscuit ‘Cap

Lady and the Track – Mendoza – Bal A Bali To Show Potential In Seabiscuit Handicap

TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – Bal a Bali looks to keep momentum going in Seabiscuit


Song and Dance Man


TwinSpires Blog – DeRosa – Kicking off Thanksgiving week at Churchill Downs with an Awesome Thought


From the Derby Bar and Grill Newsletter

 

RAILBIRD NOTES

RAILBIRD NOTES BY GLEN TODD

BY GLEN TODD

HASTINGS NEWS BY GREG DOUGLAS

Hastings News by Greg Douglas


Bloodhorse – Hammonds – Green Gratto Stuns Fall Highweight Field

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Green Gratto tops longshot trifecta in Fall Highweight

DRF – Grening – Green Gratto scores upset in Fall Highweight Handicap

Bloodhorse – LaMarra – ‘Highweight’ Appears La Verdad’s Final Race


Bloodhorse – Balan – Former Claimer Almasty Wins Commonwealth Turf

TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Almasty posts front-running Commonwealth Turf upset

DRF – King – Former claimer Almasty dominates Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf

Bloodhorse – Novak – Saham Returns for Commonwealth Turf Bid


handicapping_contest-fall-600-2015

 


Bloodhorse – Hammonds – Ahh Chocolate Smooth in Falls City

Frivolous, the 3-1 morning line favorite, was scratched from the Falls City and the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap (gr. I) because of a tendon injury and will be retired.

DRF – McGee – Ahh Chocolate gets first stakes win in Falls City

Bloodhorse – Frivolous Likely for Falls City, Not Clark

Lady and the Track – Laughter – Falls City Handicap Headlines Thanksgiving at Churchill Downs


Bloodhorse – Commissioner Heads Hawthorne Gold Cup


DRF – Hovdey: Recepta won’t feel turf move under her feet in Matriarch

Bloodhorse – Balan – Hard Not to Like Seeks Fourth Grade I


INDIAN CHARLIE WORLDWIDE - We Never Let the Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story


Bloodhorse – Novak – Effinex Lands Grade I in Clark Handicap

TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Effinex confirms his class in Clark victory

DRF – McGee – Effinex scores hard-fought victory in Clark Handicap

Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner- Energized Lukas has Clark H. shot with Mr. Z

TwinSpires Blog – Scully – No Dortmund but Hoppertunity makes title defense against deep Clark field

Lady and the Track – Macatangay – Keen Ice Seeks Rebound in Clark at Churchill Downs

Bloodhorse – Angst – Effinex Looks for His Highlight Win in Clark

Bloodhorse – Dortmund Out of Clark Handicap

TwinSpires Blog – Frivolous entered in Falls City, but could opt for Clark

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Complexion of Falls City depends on status of Frivolous

Bloodhorse – LaMarra – Is It Falls City or Clark for Frivolous?


Killer Queen


Bloodhorse – Lamarra – Four Suspended in Ohio Horse Mix-Up


Racing Post – Burns – Egan career in tatters after corruption verdict


The Guardian – Stafford – A eulogy for the horses that never saw the track


Giving horseplayers a voice.October / Breeders Cup Newsletter


NY Times – Drape – Steve Asmussen Fined for Violating Horse Racing’s Drug Rules

DRF – Hegarty – New York clears Asmussen of major allegations, fines him

Bloodhorse – Precious – Asmussen Fined in New York PETA Probe


Thoroughbred racing Commentary – Johnson – Mark Casse: the reasons race-day Lasix is essential in America


Bloodhorse – Hollendorfer Gets 7,000th Win of Career


Arrive before 10:30 a.m. today, get a free breakfast sandwich!

Since this is U.S. Thanksgiving (happy turkey day, neighbours!), today’s racing card begins at 10:05 a.m. Get to the Race Book before 10:30 a.m. and mutuel supervisor Travers will give you a voucher for a delicious free breakfast sandwich to go with your free coffee.(Sausage patty, egg and cheese on an English muffin.)

Today’s schedule:
• Laurel 10:05 a.m.
• Aqueduct 10:25 a.m.
• Churchill 10:30 a.m.
• Fair Grounds 11 a.m.
• Gulfstream West 11:35 am.
• Woodbine 12 p.m.
   See full race schedule here.
BE READY TO ROLL!  Click here to see the first race program page from Laurel, Aqueduct, Churchill and Gulfstream West.

ENJOY FOOTBALL IN HIGH DEF IN THE RACE BOOK:

• Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions        11:30 a.m.
• Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys     3:30 p.m.
• Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers      7:30 p.m.
FYI . . .

GREAT NEWS!  BONUS CA$$$H CONTINUES INTO DECEMBER!   Great news!  Your bets will continue to give you up to five per cent bonus cash deposited into your HPI account each week through the balance of the year!  Levels.

MANDATORY JACKPOT PAYOUT AT WOODBINE SATURDAY: Note that the

Del Mar features the grade 1 Matriarch Sunday

accumulating Jackpot Hi 5 on the last race on Woodbine thoroughbreds will be paid out on Saturday.  The pool could grow to $1.5 million.  The “I won big” group which is meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday will, of course, make a bid for a share.

THANKSGIVING IN THE U.S. MEANS GREAT STAKES THRU SUNDAY:  The next four days will be saturated with high quality stakes races including the grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill tomorrow and the grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Saturday plus two prep races on the road to the Kentucky Derby.  Del Mar will be awash in top-notch turf action all four days including the grade 1 Matriarch on Grey Cup Sunday.
Bullet briefs . . .
• Four huge days of racing, thanks to U.S. Thanksgiving holiday
• Jackpot Hi 5 must be paid out Saturday at Woodbine
• Valuable Grey Cup draws Saturday and Sunday
• ASD trainer wins $100,000 in lottery
• Oops!  Mis-identified horse pays $222; probe continues
• Can you spot the twin spires in the new Kentucky Derby logo?
• Horse makes 96th start a winning one
• Groan!  “Rule” horse beats I Won Big’s “opinion” horse
CONGRATS PICK-3 WINNER!  PLAY DEL MAR IN TODAY’S CONTEST:  Congrats to Sherri Purvis who correctly predicted the pick-3 in last week’s Charles Town races.  She has $40 in wagering vouchers awaiting her pick-up at the VLT cage. Today’s contest is on the last three races at Del Mar here.  Submit your pick-3 pick in the subject line of your email to theinsider@ASDowns.com BY 3 PM.  Win $20 in wagering vouchers if you’re correct; $40 if you’re correct and show up Saturday afternoon in the Race Book.  Usual rules apply (one entry, cannot submit for someone else). Good luck!
DO YOU SEE THEM?
Can you spot Churchill’s twin spires in this new logo?
TWO IMPORTANT DERBY PREPS GO SATURDAY:  The road to the Kentucky Derby runs through two stakes for 2-year-olds this Saturday: the Remsen at Aqueduct and the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill. Both will be VOLUME UP races in the Race Book. (If you can’t spot Churchill’s famous twin spires in the new logo above, go to the bottom of this column to see what you’re missing.)
DO THE DOWNS


Carryovers

Click for schedule
Time to book New Year’s Eve Gala
CLICK HERE TO ENLARGE

PLAYER’S CHOICE, VLT TOURNEYS SATURDAY:  The second-last Player’s Choice tourney goes this Saturday with $850 in prize money.  Sign up by 9 p.m. tomorrow for $25, by noon Saturday for $35.  VLT month-end tourney goes Saturday night at 8 p.m.  Top player wins $250.

GREY CUP GIVEAWAYS SATURDAY & SUNDAY:  Look at the great football gear that will be given away in draws Saturday afternoon and Sunday starting at 1 p.m.  As if you need reminding, be sure to enter your name into the draw each day!   The kick-off for the game at Investors Field is 5 p.m. Sunday. The temperature is expected to be close to zero celsius (32F if you’re reading this down in the U.S.)–which is balmy by late November standards.  Thank you, El Nino!
BOOK SPECIAL BUFFETS, NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA!  Call Samantha at 204-885-3330 ext. 0 to book:
• Certified Angus prime rib buffet with pasta bar tonight and next Thursday.
• Festive prime rib buffets on Dec. 10 and 17 which include Xmas turkey, trimmings, etc.
• FABulous New Year’s Eve Gala. $49.95. Click here for menu.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR ASD CALENDAR YET?  Get yours for $15 at the VLT cage.  Includes 2016 AND 2017.

Official stations of horse racing.
Click to listen
Karl Broberg
Trains 96-start “Soldier”

96 starts–and still winning!

A big shout-out to Sea the Soldier
When’s the last time you saw a horse with 96 starts–or anything close to that–race?  So a big shout-out goes to 9-year-old gelding Sea the Soldier who raced for the 96th time last Thursday and won!  That gave him a lifetime record of 17 wins, 12 seconds and 14 thirds and earnings of about $325,000.  His win last week came in a $4,000 claimer against nine others at Delta Downs and he paid $4.40 as the favourite.  He’s in a barn now with an exceptional trainer, Karl Broberg, who gets 40 per cent wins (51-21-8-5).  Under his caring conditioning, will Sea the Soldier reach the Big 100 in the summer?
Oops!
Mis-identified horse pays $222; probe continues
Anyone who placed a $2 win bet on Ruby Queen, the longest shot on the board at 110/1 in the ninth race at Mahoning Valley in Ohio on Nov. 4, had to be a bit surprised when the horse jumped out of the gate and trounced the field by almost eight lengths, paying $222.40.  A 110/1 horse isn’t supposed to look that good.  Except the horse wasn’t really Ruby Queen; it was a multiple-race winning gelding by the name of Leathers Slappin from the same barn as the winless filly who had been mistakenly substituted for the filly. The mistake was discovered in the test barn after the race. Oops!
No larceny is suspected because the horse’s odds were pretty much what she (he?) was expected to be.  Happiest of all that day had to be the holders of two 10-cent superfecta tickets that paid $6,467 each. The horse identifier (whose job it is to check the tattoo on each horse’s lip) was suspended pending an investigation by the Ohio Racing Commission that was still continuing this week.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Steve Asmussen
Cleared

ASMUSSEN CLEARED OF PETA CRUELTY CHARGES: PETA’s claims that Steve Asmussen, the second most-winning trainer on the continent, was abusing the horses under his care has been found to be without merit by the New York Gaming Commission in a 176-page report after carrying out an exhaustive investigation. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) had posted a video on You Tube in March, 2014, that hinted at abuse. Asmussen was still fined $10,000 but it was only for adding a hormonal powder to horse’s feed right up to the time that a horse raced instead of discontinuing its use 48 hours before a race.

Lucky trainer Guy Kling wins $100,000 on a quick-pick ticket

TRAINER WINS $100,000 IN LOTTERY:   Congrats to ASD trainer Guy Kling (22-4-2-4) who won $100,000 in the Western Express Extra lottery, three times more than his horses won in purse money this past live season.  “I’m grateful,” Kling said from his 600-acre farm in Beulah, MB this week, but said he has no intention of buying any horses with the money.  He won it on a single quick-pick ticket he had bought at a pharmacy near the track, he said. Kling had a good season with Yvons Dixie Melody, having won three allowance races who will be back next season.  He’ll also be bringing Oxford City Slew (one win this past season) and a 2-year-old he’s excited about, Regal Reba, a Gayego filly he’ll be schooling through the winter. He also said he has three mares in foal.

SO CLOSE: “RULE” HORSE BEATS “OPINION” HORSE:  Last Saturday’s “I won big” group stood to collect about $3,000 on its $10-plus ticket if its “opinion” horse won the final leg of a pick-4 at Woodbine. The horse had been taken over by a 50 per cent winning trainer and looked like the nuts.  But he finished fourth and, instead, the “rule” horse in the maiden race won and a $10-plus ticket paid about $4,500. The group’s smaller ticket paid just $300.  (The rule horse had the lowest added-up numbers combining where the horse finished last time added to the first call in its previous race.)
The horse also had shown early speed in a route race two races back and was cutting back to a 6f sprint, a fact that had me telling a couple players just before the race that this should have been a deciding factor in playing a $10 ticket on this horse, too. Groan!  But we were, oh, so close. Which, hopefully, gives us momentum into this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. when not only pick-4s will be played but also the mandatory payout of the Jackpot Hi 5 which could reach $1.5  million.  See you in the Clubhouse for that!
Where are they now?
by Rob MacLennan
Duncan races at Woodbine today; Miller scored big last week
Blair Miller
Two long shots at Woodbine

WOODBINE:  This weekend at Woodbine caps off the final meet on Polytrack. Murray Duncan has his recent claim Bear’s Big Boy entered in today’s second race. ASD’s Chris “Mr. Longshot” Husbands gets the call on the 6/1 fourth choice. Blair Miller put a triumphant exclamation on his Woodbine meet with a pair of winners last week. A recent claim, Masquerade Party, reversed his form and held on for an upset win at $31.50. Blair capped off the weekend with Buckden House breaking her maiden on Sunday night for Twin Bullets Stables paying a healthy $21.60.

DELTA DOWNS:  Moving south, trainer Jerry Gourneau has been active at Delta Downs. Look for Cowboy Curlin in tomorrow’s tenth race. (His Witt Six was scratched yesterday from the Zia Park Derby.)
TURF PARADISE:  Trainer Jared Brown has been active at Turf Paradise; a recent highlight was a late-closing third by Bosque Angel. Look for three upcoming starters including the speedy mare Tom Kha in tomorrow’s fifth race.  The flashy gelding Two Bucks to Win drops down in the seventh. He leaves a very tough claiming event and is now entered for $10,000. In his return off a layoff he ran very evenly and looked like the kind of horse who would move forward in his next starts. He comes out of a very quickly run race.
The third starter for the Brown barn will be the recently claimed Indy Racer on Saturday. He tries grass, racing against Runaway Cal, a hard-knocking claimer from the Don Schnell barn. The Schnell barn had the Winnipeg Futurity winner Heber in an allowance race last week and he ran a good third against a very tough winner. Brown also has Aware entered Saturday in the $35,000 Queen of the Green Stakes on the turf. It’s a tough race but ASD’s 2014 champion 3-year-old filly has a shot.

HISTORY ON THE HOOF: The best of Bob

Did you know . . .   that on June 25, 1969, Max Freed, master of Maxwell King Stables, scored a QUADRUPLE RECORD when his Tiny Will, Forever Maxwell, Rob’s Choice and Guardian F all hit the winners’ circle.  All four horses were (1) bred by Freed, (2) trained by Carl Anderson, (3) ridden by Dick Armstrong and (4) were sired by Joe Wilson.  Read Max Freed Plays “Let’s Make a Deal” with Monty Hall here.

ANSWER TO “Where are the twin spires in the Derby logo?”  Under the jockey’s armpits.  Sneaky, eh?
Give yourself permission to have a great weekend!

Bloodhorse – Son of Lethal Force Tops Tattersalls Day 2

Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Swiss Spirit Colt Leads Tattersalls Session


TwinSpires Blog – Flintshire, Mongolian Saturday among Hong Kong invitees


DRF – Hovdey: Om could provide healing in Hollywood Derby

Bloodhorse – Balan – Sharla Rae Takes on Males in Hollywood Derby

DRF – Privman – Brown sends four for Hollywood Derby


Bloodhorse – Novak – Taris Rolls Clear in Go for Wand

TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Taris rolls to comfortable win in Go for Wand

DRF – Grening – Go for Wand distance no problem for Taris

TwinSpires – Blog – Hanson – Taris looks for successful stretchout in Go for Wand 


TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Favorite Tale, Page McKenney popular winners at Penn National

Bloodhorse – Novak – Favorite Tale Easy Fabulous Strike Winner

DRF – Dunleavy – Ben’s Cat faces tough opponents in quest for fourth straight Fabulous Strike


TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Mobile Bay, Lavender Chrissie topple favorites at Zia Park

Bloodhorse – Balan – Mobile Bay Just Up in Zia Park Derby


TwinSpires Blog – Mucciolo – Motion/de Sousa combine to win lone graded stakes; speed plays well on turf at Del Mar


TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Favorites land sprint stakes at Mahoning Valley


DRF – Gierkink – Kingsport prevails in Sir Barton Stakes


Bloodhorse – Kieckhefer – Invaders Poised to Have Impact in Japan Cup


DRF – Fortuna – Tampa opens meet with full fields


LA Times – Collins – 50 years later, Charlie Brown turns out to be a ‘Christmas’ winner after all


Does he still feel connected to Louisville?

He loves Louisville. Louisville is, in many respects, a small town. Many cities were vying for the Ali Center, but he insisted it be built in Louisville.

Garden and Gun – Lotz – One Writer’s Friendship with Muhammad Ali


National Post – Bloomber – Biryukov – Vladimir Putin says Russia ‘received stab in the back from accomplices of terrorism’ after Turkey shoots down jet


Under Pressure 


NY Times – Cacciola – The Artistry of Stephen Curry


Them Kids


NY Times – Q. and A.: Holly Holm and the Thrill of the Fight


Save The Last Dance For Me


LA Times – Gordon – Foodie culture is spurring degree programs at U.S. colleges


NY Times – Grynbaum – Mayor de Blasio Will Seek to Reduce, Not Eliminate, Central Park Carriage Horses


LA Times – Carter – Holiday entertaining tips: Buffet psychology 101


And, we have no such thing as a budget anymore. Our manager freaks when we show him the bill. We’re lavish to the bone, but all our money goes back into the product.
Freddie Mercury


Edmonton Journal – AP – Twelve days of holiday cookies: Recipe for bourbon cherry bars

Phil has a suggestion:

Cost out a cup and a half of pecans and 2 cups of dried cherries and then head to the nearest liquor store and apply that to a decent bottle of Bourbon.


Phil’s Drink & A Flick

Wild Turkey 101

Pieces of April

Zombie


National Post – Hopper – ‘The exposure of female breasts is no longer considered nude’: Alberta burlesque performers get reprieve


NY Times – Gettleman – Kenyan Runners Accuse Officials of Stealing From Sponsorship Deal


The Globe and Mail – Waverman – Latkes without potatoes? Try this new take on a Hanukkah tradition


LA Times – Cook – Amid drought, San Diego faces the opposite problem: too much water


NY Times – Pickens – Montreal’s Message to an American Captain: Bienvenue


The Globe and Mail – Offman – Miss World Canada blocked from contest due to China visa denial


LA Times – Virbila – Thanksgiving relief: Amaro or other digestivos to enjoy after dinner


My First Night Alone Without You

Early Morning Rain


Phil M Stockmen

  One Response to “2015 American Thanksgiving Weekend Preview – LTE”

  1. DOWNTURN AFFECTS RACING / CENTURY DOWNS BROKEN PROMISES

    HRA 2016 BUSINESS PLAN – will it reflect a doubling of EI CLAIMS, 159 rigs out of 722 operating, projected wells 4278 in 2016 from 11,226 drilled in 2014, as estimated 28,485 mostly blue collar workers directly or indirectly involved in the oil patch losing their jobs!

    OIL REVENUES every $3 drop in oil equals a $500 million loss in provincial revenues. The mere $28 million projected in the HRA legislated racino funding for 2016 is just a small drop in the barrel.

    CENTURY DOWNS RACINO LICENSE was granted based on required infrastructure such as a 2nd barn that continues to be delayed with the minister/vp aglc having more questions than answers as the future of racino funding. If the industry expects SANTA NOTLEY to bring a safety rail/paddock/4 more barns and the waiving of overnight stabling for training they better return Tenile’s rose coloured glasses!

    NDP PROPOSED WORKPLACE SAFETY is rumoured to involve a mandatory download video of proper stallmucking activities with or without a horse in stall, and proper lifting of straw/hay bales to reduce back injuries and lumbar pain for the racing industry!

    LOTTERY UPDATE 649 BONUS DRAWS tonight and Saturday with 56 more guaranteed prizes. Spend $3 if you don’t expect Tenile to pull a gopher out of a broken feed tub/ andy tooth doctor hit big years ago!

    JOHN HERVEY AWARDS for best journalism will PETER WATTS/ PHIL STOCKMEN or SUGAR DOYLE receive a nomination under current news/commentary writing?

    CANADIAN LIVE HORSE RACE BETTING up 10.72% for year from 371.3 mil to 411.2/2016 how’s Alberta doing. Hopefully Tenile will shatter her crystal ball, snap her magic wand and defog her rose coloured glasses on her revenue projections for 2016 since NDP should not accept her FANTASY #######!

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