Dortmund’s domination of the Native Diver at Del Mar on Saturday added a couple more exclamation points to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s year.
Bloodhorse -Balan – Dortmund Dominant in Native Diver
TwinSpires Blog – Caldwell – Dortmund pulls away in easy Native Diver score
DRF – Privman – Dortmund overpowers rivals in Native Diver
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.”
Friends and family of the owners were invited to share in the excitement of Square Dancer’s victory in a winner’s circle so jammed the gathering spilled onto the middle of the track to pose for a wide-angle souvenir photo.
“It was the most memorable B.C. Cup in the eight years that I’ve been here,” said Darren MacDonald, Hastings Racecourse General Manager and Director, B.C. Racing. “Things went so smoothly you would have never guessed it was our biggest crowd of the year and our largest mutuel handle of the season at over $1.3 million. It was a great day for the racing industry.”
If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.
Albert Einstein
Bloodhorse – Woodbine to Offer 133 Racing Dates in 2016
Phil has a question:
When will the thoroughbred dates for the province of Alberta for 2016 be announced.
You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.
Thomas Sowell
Bloodhorse – McCoy – Tampa Bay Finds Success Despite Competition
Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Help the Player Help the Industry
TDN – OpEd – Towers – If You Want the Geek Market, Here Are Three Ways to Get It
Phil’s Vignette of Canadian History:
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
Edward Everett Hale
Bloodhorse – Pender Harbour Looks to Close Meet on High
Bloodhorse – McCalmont – Pender Harbour: Farewell to ‘The King’
Bloodhorse – Balan – Melmich Breaks Track Record in Valedictory
DRF – Gierkink – Melmich sets track record in dominant Valedictory win
I never said to be like me, I say be yourself and make a difference.
Marilyn Manson
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
TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – The Pizza Man dishes it out to Hollywood Turf Cup foes
Bloodhorse – Shulman – The Pizza Man Wins Hollywood Turf Cup
Bloodhorse – Novak – Commissioner Ends Career on High Note
DRF – Hersh – Commissioner dominates final career start in Gold Cup
Louisville Courier-Journal – Lintner – Tonalist to run at age 5 after Cigar Mile win
TwinSpires Blog – Scully – Tonalist offers big late kick to capture Cigar Mile
The most important political office is that of the private citizen.
Louis D. Brandeis
Carryovers
Sunday November 29 2015
Churchill Downs
Pick 6 Jackpot $1,469.00
Fair Grounds
Pick 5 Jackpot $19,193.00
Super High Five $1,190.00
Golden Gate Fields
Pick 6 Jackpot $15,852.00
Laurel Park
Pick 6 $20,726.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5 $1,162.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5 $1,014.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5 $444.00
Z-5 Super Hi-5 $288.00
Los Alamitos
Pick 6 $7,973.00
Turf Paradise
Pick 6 $578.00
Zia Park
Super High Five $4,167.00
Monday November 30 2015
Finger Lakes
Pick 5 $2,133.00
Portland Meadows
Pick 4 $4,368.00
Tuesday December 2015
Hawthorne
Super High Five Jackpot $123,472.00
Pick 6 Jackpot $9,088.00
Monday November 30 2015
Delta Downs
Super High Five $1,067.00
Super High Five $610.00
Super High Five $583.00
Super High Five $435.00
Super High Five $356.00
Tampa Bay Downs
X-5 Super High Five $5,237.00
X-5 Super High Five $2,519.00
Super High Five $2,279.00
Super High Five $1,761.00
X-5 Super High Five $1,469.00
Super High Five $1,188.00
Guaranteed Pools
Equibase Carryovers and Guaranteed Pools
ESPN – Finley – It’s okay to root for P. Val
Upcoming Stakes
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
Dec 5
Aqueduct
Garland of Roses handicap $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Golden Gate Fields
Gold Rush $75,000 2yo 8f AW
Gulfstream Park
Claiming Crown Canterbury $110,000 3&up R 5f Turf
Claiming Crown Distaff Dash $110,000 3&up Fillies & Mares R 5f Turf
Claiming Crown Emerald $125,000 3&up R 8.5f Turf
Claiming Crown Express $110,000 3&up R 6f Dirt
Claiming Crown Glass Slipper $110,000 3&up Fillies & Mares R 8f Dirt
Claiming Crown Iron Horse $110,000 3&up R 8.5f Dirt
Claiming Crown Jewel $200,000 3&up R 9f Dirt
Claiming Crown Rapid Transit $110,000 3&up R 7f Dirt
Claiming Crown Tiara $125,000 3&up Fillies & Mares R 8.5f Turf
Hawthorne
Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante $50,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Kinko Sho GII $1,085,000 3&up 10f Turf
Stayers Stake GII $1,085,000 3&up 18f Turf
Laurel Park
Gin Talking stake $100,000 2yo Fillies 7f Dirt
Marylander stake $100,000 2yo 7f Dirt
Willa On the Move stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
Los Alamitos
Soviet Problem Slake $100,000 2yo f State/Prov 8f Dirt
Mahoning Valley Racecourse
Bobbie Bricker Memorial handicap $75,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Joshua Radosevich Memorial $75,000 2yo State/Prov 6f Dirt
Parx
Pennsylvania Nursery stake $100,000 2yo State/Prov 7f Dirt
Turfway Park
Holiday Inaugural stake #$60,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f AW
Turf Paradise
Arizona Breeders’ Futurity $50,000 2yo Colts & Geldings State/Prov 6f Dirt
Arizona Breeders’ Futurity $50,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Cactus Flower stake $25,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 6.5f Dirt
Cactus Wren stake $25,000 3&up State/Prov 6.5f Dirt
Dec 6
Japan Racing Association
Champions Cup GI $1,707,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Dec 7
Portland Meadows
Stallion stake $16,000 3yo R 6f Dirt
Dec 11
Fair Grounds
Magic City Classic $57,000 3&up 8f Dirt
Dec 12
Aqueduct
Bay Ridge stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Charles Town
Eleanor Casey Memorial $50,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 7f Dirt
Fair Grounds
Louisiana Champions Day Classic stake $150,000 3&up State/Prov 9f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day handicap $50,000 3&up State/Prov 8.32f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile stake $100,000 2yo State/Prov 6f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Ladies stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 6f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Lassie stake $100,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Sprint stake $100,000 3&up State/Prov 6f Dirt
Louisiana Champions Day Turf stake $100,000 3&up State/Prov abt 8.5f Turf
Gulfstream Park
El Prado stake $100,000 3&up 7.5f Turf
Harlan’s Holiday Stake (L) $100,000 3&up 8.5f Dirt
Rampart Stake GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Dirt
South Beach stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 7.5f Turf
Hawthorne
Jim Edgar Illinois Futurity $50,000 2yo Colts & Geldings State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Challenge Cup GIII $723,000 3&up 9f Turf
Los Alamitos
King Glorious Stake $100,000 g 2yo c/g State/Prov 8f
Starlet GI $300,000 2yo f 8.5f Dirt
Dec 13
Golden Gate Fields
Miss America $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8.5f Turf
Hong Kong
Longines Hong Kong Cup GI $3,225,000 3&up 10f Turf
Longines Hong Kong Mile GI $2,967,000 3&up 8f Turf
Longines Hong Kong Sprint GI $2,386,000 3&up 6f Turf
Longines Hong Kong Vase GI $2,128,000 3&up 12f Turf
Japan Racing Association
Capella Stake GIII $633,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies GI $1,173,000 2yo Fillies 8f Turf
Remington Park
Jim Thorpe stake $50,000 3yo State/Prov 8f Dirt
Remington Springboard Mile (L) $250,000 2yo 8f Dirt
She’s All In stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8.32f Dirt
Trapeze stake $100,000 2yo Fillies 8f Dirt
Useeit stake $50,000 3yo Fillies State/Prov 8f Dirt
Dec 18
Delta Downs
Lookout $65,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 7.5f Dirt
Dec 19
Aqueduct
Queens County handicap $100,000 3&up 9f Dirt
Delta Downs
B-Connected $65,000 3&up State/Prov 7.5f Dirt
Fair Grounds
Blushing K.D. stake $60,000 4&up Fillies & Mares abt 8.5f Turf
Buddy Diliberto Memorial stake $60,000 4&up abt 8.5f Turf
Letellier Memorial stake $50,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Sugar Bowl stake $50,000 2yo 6f Dirt
Tenacious stake $60,000 3&up 8.32f Dirt
Tiffany Lass stake $50,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8.32f Dirt
Gulfstream Park
Mr. Prospector Stake GIII $100,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Tropical Park Derby $75,000 3yo 8.5f Turf
Tropical Park Oaks $75,000 3yo Fillies 8.5f Turf
Japan Racing Association
Turquoise Stake (L) $633,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Turf
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos Futurity GI $350,000 2yo 8.5f
Sunland Park
KLAQ handicap $65,000 3&up 5f Dirt
Tampa Bay Downs
Inaugural stake #$100,000 2yo Colts & Geldings 6f Dirt
Lightning City Stake (L) #$100,000 4&up Fillies & Mares 5f Turf
Sandpiper stake #$100,000 2yo Fillies 6f Dirt
Turfway Park
Prairie Bayou stake #$60,000 3&up 8.5f AW
Dec 20
Aqueduct
New York Stallion Series (Fifth Ave. Div.) $150,000 2yo Fillies R 6f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Asahi Hai Futurity Stake GI $1,274,000 2yo 8f Turf
Sunland Park
Johnie L. Jamison stake $85,000 3&up State/Prov 6.5f Dirt
Sunland Park
New Mexico State Racing Commission handicap $85,000 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 6f Dirt
Dec 26
Aqueduct
Damon Runyon stake $100,000 2yo State/Prov 8.32f Dirt
Gravesend handicap $100,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Fair Grounds
Pago Hop stake $75,000 3yo Fillies abt 8f Turf
Pan Zareta stake $60,000 4&up Fillies & Mares 6f Turf
Woodchopper stake $75,000 3yo abt 8f Turf
Gulfstream Park
La Prevoyante Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 12f Turf
Sugar Swirl Stake GIII $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 6f Dirt
W.L. McKnight Handicap GIII $100,000 3&up 12f Turf
Japan Racing Association
Hanshin Cup GII $1,173,000 3&up 7f Turf
Laurel Park
Dave’s Friend stake $100,000 3&up 6f Dirt
Jennings handicap $50,000 3&up State/Prov 8f Dirt
Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship $50,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 7f Dirt
Maryland Juvenile Futurity $50,000 2yo State/Prov 7f Dirt
Thirty-Eight Go Go stake $100,000 3&up Fillies & Mares 8f Dirt
Santa Anita Park
Daytona Stake GIII $100,000 3&up abt 6.5f Turf
La Brea Stake GI $300,000 3yo Fillies 7f Dirt
Malibu Stake GI $300,000 3yo 7f Dirt
Mathis Brothers Mile GII $200,000 3yo 8f Turf
Sunland Park
La Senora stake $85,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Turf Paradise
Arizona Juvenile Fillies stake $35,000 2yo Fillies 6.5f Dirt
Lost in the Fog Juvenile stake $35,000 2yo 6.5f Dirt
Dec 27
Aqueduct
East View stake $100,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 8.32f Dirt
New York Stallion Series (Great White Way Div.) $150,000 2yo Colts & Geldings R 6f Dirt
Japan Racing Association
Arima Kinen GI $4,530,000 3&up 12.5f Turf
Hopeful Stake GII $1,173,000 2yo 10f Turf
Portland Meadows
Bill Wineberg stake $15,000 2yo Colts & Geldings State/Prov 6f Dirt
Janet Wineberg stake $15,000 2yo Fillies State/Prov 6f Dirt
Lethal Grande Oregon Sprint Championship $12,000 3&up State/Prov 6f Dirt
Oregon Distaff Starter handicap $7,500 g 3&up Fillies & Mares State/Prov 6f Dirt
Oregon Fall Starter handicap $7,500 g 3&up State/Prov 6f Dirt
Oregon Hers stake $12,000 3yo Fillies State/Prov 8f Dirt
Oregon His stake $12,000 3yo Colts & Geldings State/Prov 8.5f Dirt
Bloodhorse – Balan – Family Meeting Stuns Durante Field at 37-1
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
Thomas Jefferson
ESPN – Ehalt – Youth on display at Aqueduct
TwinSpires Blog – Field favored in Pool 1 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager
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
Phil was wandering how many Alberta NDP MLAs were buying tickets on Matt King Coal in the Kentucky Derby Future Pool.
Bloodhorse – Churchill Unveils Derby Sire Future Wager
ESPN – West – Fathers and sons
Free Brisnet Sire Future Wager PPs
Horse Race Insider -Jicha – The (Derby) future is now; avoid Spa winners
TDN – Mohaymen Remains Perfect in Remsen
Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Unbeaten Mohaymen Easily Takes Remsen
TwinSpires – Blog – Hanson – Mohaymen solidifies Derby prospects with Remsen win
DRF – Grening – Jan’s Reserve rallies to upset in King’s Swan
Bloodhorse – Novak – Airoforce Splashes Home in KY Jockey Club
TwinSpires – Blog – Airoforce storms home in Kentucky Jockey Club
DRF – McGee – Airoforce scores over sloppy track in Kentucky Jockey Club
Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Dressed in Hermes Up Late for DeMille Win
DRF – Andersen – Dressed in Hermes rallies to win Cecil B. DeMille
Bloodhorse – Casse Has Derby Aspirations for 2-year-olds
DRF – Privman – Road to the Derby: Remsen Stakes
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
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
TDN – Bernardini Filly Makes the Grade in Demoiselle
TwinSpires Blog – Hanson – Lewis Bay handles stretchout in Demoiselle
Bloodhorse – Angst – Lewis Bay Rallies to Clear Win in Demoiselle
DRF – Grening – Constellation cruises to win in Furlough Stakes
TDN – Bellamy Road Filly Much the Best at Big A
Bloodhorse – Angst – Carina Mia Wins Stakes Debut in Golden Rod
TwinSpires Blog – Caldwell – Carina Mia is Golden in Churchill Downs mud
DRF – Russo – Carina Mia makes statement with huge Golden Rod victory
Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Amis Gizmo, Sparkles’ Girl Win at Woodbine
DRF – Dybal – Code Warrior survives inquiry to win Debutante
2016 Road to the Kentucky Oaks
Race Track Date Points
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
TDN – Thornton – Fantasy Gaming: Threat Or Opportunity for Racing?
“I view fantasy horse racing as a very significant threat to our existing business model,” Daruty said. “There’s at least one business out there, DerbyWars is the name, they’re effectively running an online advance-deposit wagering (ADW) company without paying anything back to the industry. They don’t pay house fees. They don’t contribute to purses. This is an online business that every day on every race, including races from Santa Anita or Del Mar or Golden Gate Fields or any other track in California, they’re offering their players a chance to bet money and win.”
Daruty continued: “And granted, they’re not betting on the outcome. They’re not betting who is going to be the winner of the sixth race at Santa Anita. But what they’re betting on is ‘piece together enough races that we can hide under the fantasy umbrella.’ And effectively what they’re doing, in my opinion, is stealing our product.”
TDN – Thornton – The Murky Reality of Fantasy Racing
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
NY Times – Henning – White Collar Watch – Daily Fantasy Sports Sites Face Challenges, and Options
Point:
NY Daily News – Attorney General Eric Schneiderman: Daily fantasy sports bluff the law in N.Y.
Counterpoint:
The Guardian – Cook – Punters’ forum to tackle bookies on restricting and closing accounts
NY Times – Gough – Macau Gambling Industry Faces Challenges on Multiple Fronts
We are turning into a nation of whimpering slaves to Fear—fear of war, fear of poverty, fear of random terrorism, fear of getting down-sized or fired because of the plunging economy, fear of getting evicted for bad debts or suddenly getting locked up in a military detention camp on vague charges of being a Terrorist sympathizer.
Hunter S. Thompson
Oblivious to a lawsuit and controversy between his connections and former trainer, James McIngvale’s Runhappy is on track for the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
Bloodhorse – Mitchell – Runhappy Back on Work Tab; Malibu Next
Paulick Report – Borell: Runhappy’s Owners ‘Only Care About The Money’
Runhappy may be oblivious to the lawsuit and controversy between his connections and former trainer, Marie Borell, but should the CRHB and any other racing jurisdiction where Laura Wohlers plans to run this horse be oblivious to the McIngvale camp’s comments about who was actually training Runhappy. The comments that the McIngvale camp made when trying to discredit Borell and deny her the trainer’s winning percentage sound an awful lot like an admission of a hidden trainer and a paper only trainer. I’m sure no jurisdiction in North America wants to permit practices like hidden trainers and paper only trainers to deceive the already jaded betting public.
These comments may have been made in the heat of the battle over the entitlement to a percentage of purse monies and other perks, but comments like these require investigation by a licensing authority before both a trainer and owner are licensed to operate in that jurisdiction. Marie Borell has vehemently denied the allegations that she was not actually training the horse and is litigating over the defamatory nature of these comments.
What the McIngvale camp doesn’t seem to understand is that in their haste to discredit Borell and deny her a percentage of the purse money and perks they have laid the groundwork for each and every jurisdiction they plan to run in to investigate the circumstances of the training of Runhappy when Marie Borell’s name was down as trainer.
Phil thinks it’s incumbent on the CHRB and any other jurisdiction where McIngvale or Wohlers plan to run horses to investigate whether Wohlers was a hidden trainer for McIngvale and if so how long the suspensions should be.
Phil hopes that the CHRB will investigate these comments and the inferences to be drawn from them before licenses to Wohlers and McIngvale are granted to ensure that the betting public is protected and the image of thoroughbred racing is not further besmirched.
Phil sent an e-mail to the CEO of the CHRB and will keep the Ennead et al apprised of any responses received.
Horse Race Insider – Pricci – Angst of Bloodhorse Has It Right on CRW
Bloodhorse – Computer-Robotic Wagering (CRW) – By Frank Angst
Phil has a question:
Should Phil ask the CCW or QKB about what Horse Racing Alberta is doing to protect the average Alberta bettor in the days of CRW or would that be just a waste of e-mail paper, ink and a stamp.
Louis D. Brandeis
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
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
Bloodhorse – Balan – Forever Unbridled Breaks Through in Comely
TwinSpires Blog – Caldwell – Forever Unbridled outduels Carrumba in Comely
From the Derby Bar and Grill Newsletter
RAILBIRD NOTES
BY GLEN TODD
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 – 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 – 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 – LaMarra – Poshsky Rallies to Take Berkeley Handicap
Bloodhorse – Novak – Big Cazanova Visits Golden Gate for Berkeley
It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.
Saint Augustine
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
Edmonton Sun – Gunter – How public servants ‘game the system’
Macdonald-Laurier Institute Infographic: Totaling up the civil service’s leave
NY Times – Reiner – The Smartness Act of 2015
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
Dr. Seuss
If Bill 6 passes in its present form you’ll be lucky if you can even wave to a farmer.
Phil posted the Highlights of Bill 6 – Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act.
But the Ennead knew that Phil wasn’t about to let something as controversial as Bill 6 slip by without a comment or question.
These are the government bureaucrats that would be monitoring farms every day. They don’t like farmers. They think farmers are as bad as slaveholders and they don’t care about anyone. I guess that means farmers don’t love their kids.
And she called farmers whiners. Someone like Devlin, who had a comfortable taxpayer funded salary of around $79 000 per year has no right to call the people who work in the rain and cold, who forgo income security to feed us all and who pay her salary “whiners”.
Phil has a comment:
That former bureaucrat should rehired and then canned and left to see how the EI system works.
Point:
CBC – Stewart, Bellefontaine – Alberta farms subject to workplace safety rules under new bill
Real Agriculture – Alberta Labour Minister’s Perspective on Bill 6 – Hon. Lori Sigurdson
Counterpoint:
There were very few happy faces in the large crowd gathered at the Pomeroy Hotel and Conference Centre in Grande Prairie Thursday afternoon.
Farmers from across the Peace Country filed in to hear speakers answer questions and further elaborate on the proposed Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, Bill 6.
Consultant Victor Tanti of Calder Bateman kicked off the event, the first of nine planned consultations, with others scheduled for Red Deer, Okotoks, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Leduc, Vegreville, Olds and Athabasca.
“We’ve already have some very strong feedback from the survey. In fact, we’ve heard from more than 2,600 Albertans in the first 48 hours that the survey was launched,” he said during. “It’s rare, in our experience, to see this level of response to a survey in such a short time.”
Grande Prairie Herald-Tribune – Turner – Many farmers unhappy with Bill 6
The Rebel – SIGN THE PETITION: STOP BILL 6 AND SAVE ALBERTA FARMS
Global News – Zinck – Farmers rally against Bill 6 at Alberta legislature
CBC News – Bill 6 petition in Alberta has thousands opposing NDP’s farm safety legislation
Change.org – Battle – NDP Bill 6, Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act
It is clear that there are some changes that do need to be made to farm safety laws in Alberta. As is the case in every other province in Canada, the government has a responsibility to ensure that safety standards exist for all worksites in Alberta, including agricultural work environments.
But this is where the New Democratic Party government may have put the cart before the horse. It is unfortunate that the government did not choose to hold these public consultation meetings before introducing the bill. It seems that the NDP could have saved themselves a lot of grief if Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier, Premier Rachel Notley, Ms. Sigurdson and other NDP MLAs had started this process by travelling to the rural areas of the province to ask farmers and ranchers how changes could impact them.
Dave Alberta – Alberta NDP should tap the brakes on its new Farm and Ranch Safety law
Phil had to find his own farming picture as the Ennead knows he’s partial to IH.
Every time you read about an environmental decision where the Court sets aside some massive project the main reason cited is lack of consultation. Alberta’s new NDP government is falling into the same trap.
People comply with rules and laws where they feel they had some input and where they perceive the rules and laws to be reasonable, fair and simple. People buck laws where they feel the rules and laws where foisted upon them and that they find unreasonable, capricious and convolutedly complex.
When the cows need to be milked, the horses sent out to the pastures and their stalls mucked, the chickens fed and the eggs collected do you think a farmer can take a sick day even when they’re actually sick. When’s the last time most farmers had a long weekend.
Please don’t let me be misunderstood. Phil believes that farms and farms workers in Alberta should be brought into the 20th century, but the way to do it is working with the farmers rather than having some bureaucrat who when they’re in their office and not on sick leave doesn’t look out their window in the morning so they’d have something to do in the afternoon cram the legislation down the farmers’ throats and then call them down when the farmers have the audacity to stand up for themselves rather than roll over and bend down and thank the new NDP government.
You almost need both hands to count the number of pieces of legislation that are being amended and each of those Acts being amended carries with it a level of bureaucracy and paperwork that will be added to the workload of Alberta farmers. That same bureaucratic red tape jungle is faced by all businesses in Alberta and that sounds more like the Alberta disadvantage to Phil. This looks like a great starting point for the NDP’s proposed A, B and C review to consolidate and eliminate the bloated bureaucracy created by the Tories to reward their cronies with what the Mob would call no-show positions.
Most alberta farmers don’t have a machete to cut through the red tape, but Phil’s sure they could find an axe or scythe or a sickle.
Phil realizes that the NDP have just 4 scant years to get their agenda completed before Brian Jean becomes PM of Alberta but that doesn’t excuse the lack of consultation on Bill 6. Phil posed the question about who would win an election in this province if called today to a group of urban dwelling horsemen and the response was unanimously the Wildrose with the best response being: remember the 1973 Belmont. True that the Tories and their numerous Agriculture Minsters like Shirley McClellan are to blame for not protecting farm workers as the family farm slowly disappears and the Monsantos of the world take over agriculture, but that does not give the new NDP government carte blanche to trample the rights of farmers across Alberta.
Don’t think farmers across Alberta are concerned:
Read the articles Phil posted above.
Click the link to registers for one of the Farm and Ranch Sessions. 7 of 8 are completely filled.
Pop in to one of the many small town coffee shops across the province and the conversation isn’t about who won last weekend’s fantasy draft, it’s about how to stop Bill 6.
Check the last election results and you’ll notice that the NDP has scanty representation from the rural areas of the province.
The Wildrose Agriculture Representative is:
MLA Email:
Rick.Strankman@wildrose.ca
CA Email:
CA.Drumheller.Stettler@wildrose.ca
Phone Number: 403 755-6281
The Wildrose Jobs, Skills, Training, Labour & Red Tape Reduction Representative is:
MLA Email:
Grant.Hunter@wildrose.ca
CA Email:
CA.Cardston.Taber.Warner@wildrose.ca
Phone Number: 403 524-4884
For the horse racing industry participants who think that Phil’s just ranting cuz that’s what he does on Sundays and to take another shot at Shirley McClellan think again. The farm where your horses reside will now be under OHS and WCB rules. The barns at the race tracks will now be under OHS and WCB rules. Want to take your grand-kids to see your race horses, better be sure you have the proper training, equipment and clothing to step into the barns and pastures. If you think that’s absurd overkill of a problem that doesn’t really exist then get on your high horse and do something about it.
One of the urban dwelling horsemen posed an interesting question to Phil. Most thoroughbred horse owners maintain liability insurance just in case their horse kicks over a lantern and starts the Vermilion fire of 2015. With so many levels of bureaucracy how will the liability for large animals be spread. Phil can hear the phalanx of lawyers revving their engines.
Don’t wait for winter do it now. Contact your MLA, the mayor or reeve and council of your municipality, your breed organization, your farmers’ organization and anyone else you can think of to raise your concerns before your rights are trampled by the buffalo stampeding to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
Don’t waste your time contacting Horse Racing Alberta cuz they’re too busy trying to protect their cushy bureaucratic positions to do anything of value for the thoroughbred horse racing industry.
Note to the Undertaker:
Don’t scurry yet as the QKB may want to know what book Phil wants for Christmas.
Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.
William Arthur Ward
Highlights of Bill 6 – Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act
For any further information or if you require help with training and compliance contact robin@eliteinjury.com,
Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Tattersalls Foal Sale Ends With Record Gross
Bloodhorse – Porter – Pedigree Analysis: Scat Daddy
TDN -Bill Oppenheim: The Class Of 2015
Thoroughbred Internet – Discorsi’s posthumous Booker prize
Bloodhorse – Dubawi Fillies Best Sellers at Tattersalls
Bloodhorse – Lewyn – Goffs Posts Excellent Gains in Gross, Average
October / Breeders Cup Newsletter
Sky Racing – Good news for Darley and Coolmore as Hunter Valley mine plan is rejected
Bloodhorse – Hollendorfer Gets 7,000th Win of Career
Bloodhorse – Whitelaw – Woodruff Dominates Summer Cup
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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.)
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ENJOY FOOTBALL IN HIGH DEF IN THE RACE BOOK:
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
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Del Mar features the grade 1 Matriarch Sunday
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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.
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DO THE DOWNS
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Click for schedule
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Time to book New Year’s Eve Gala
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CLICK HERE TO ENLARGE
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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.
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DO YOU HAVE YOUR ASD CALENDAR YET? Get yours for $15 at the VLT cage. Includes 2016 AND 2017.
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Official stations of horse racing.
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Karl Broberg
Trains 96-start “Soldier” |
96 starts–and still winning!
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Steve Asmussen
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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.
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Lucky trainer Guy Kling wins $100,000 on a quick-pick ticket
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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.
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Where are they now?
by Rob MacLennan
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Duncan races at Woodbine today; Miller scored big last week
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.
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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. |
Bloodhorse Balan – Chiropractor Closes for Hollywood Derby Upset
TwinSpires Blog – Reilly – Chiropractor caps graded double for Glen Hill, Proctor in Hollywood Derby
DRF – Andersen – Chiropractor scores upset victory in Hollywood Derby
Racing Post – Noseda riled by Desormeaux ride
DRF – Welsch – Castro scores turf stakes double with Swagger Jagger in Pulpit, Lira in Wait a While
Bloodhorse – Swagger Jagger a Feel-Good Gulfstream Winner
Bloodhorse – Kieckhefer – Shonan Pandora Surprises in Japan Cup
Bloodhorse – Balan – Stormy Lucy Provides Matriarch Stunner
LA Times – 65-1 longshot Storm Lucy pays $132.80 in Matriarch win at Del Mar
DRF – Privman – Stormy Lucy scores huge upset victory in Grade 1 Matriarch
DRF – Welsch – Rafting rallies to win going away in Smooth Air
DRF -Hersh – Adrianne G shows fight in Battle of New Orleans victory
DRF – Gierkink – Don’t Be So Salty holds off late charge to win Display
LA Times – Dwyre – Walk-off wisdom from Bill Dwyre
Save The Eagles International – US Windfarms Kill 10-20 Times More Than Previously Thought
Phil has a question:
With Alberta being on the migration routes of millions of birds won’t windfarms for generating power cause more ecological damage than the coal fired plants they are replacing.
Won’t killing the bats and raptors mean that the farmers have to use more pesticides to kill the insects and vermin that the bats and raptors eat.
Does that sound any more ecologically friendly than a coal fired generating plant.
Phil has an idea.
Alberta should use solar power in the summer when there’s no snow to cover the panels and wind power in the winter when the birds have gone south.
Both the right’s fear of government and the left’s fear of technology have jointly stunted our nuclear energy policy, but on this issue liberals hold the balance of power. Speaking about climate change in 2013, President Obama said that our grandchildren will ask whether we did “all that we could when we had the chance to deal with this problem.”
So far, the answer would have to be no — unless he seizes this moment. Supporting nuclear power with more than words is the litmus test for seriousness about climate change. Like Nixon’s going to China, this is something only Mr. Obama can do. If this president clears the path for a new atomic age, American scientists are ready to build it.
NY Times – OpEd – Thiel – The New Atomic Age We Need
We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.
Albert Einstein
Looking For The Heart of Saturday Night
NY Times – Fazenda – 100 Notable Books of 2015
If you’re thinking of getting Phil a book for Christmas this year Numbers, 1, 2, 30 or 45 would do rather nicely.
More harm was done in the 20th century by faceless bureaucrats than tyrant dictators.
Dennis Prager
National Post – Video: A closer look at what happens inside the brain when a concussion occurs
National Post – Hall – Rowan’s Law
The Guardian – Frank Gifford had degenerative brain disease CTE, says family
LA Times – Linthicum – Fortune struck for these Syrian migrants, but can they make it in California?
FiveThirtyEight – Malone – How Refugees Make It In America
The Globe and Mail – MacKinnon – ’It’s like a dream come true’
The Globe and Mail – Quinn – Let’s help our own without forgetting to help the refugees
Describing those assumptions as “optimistic” is generous. The budget might better be described as fiscal fantasy.
The Globe and Mail – Van Geyn – Is the Ontario Finance Minister living in fiscal fantasyland?
Phil has a question:
How are Ontario and Quebec going to survive without the transfer payments from Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The Globe and Mail – Kelland – Alcoholism drug could become an unexpected ally in HIV treatment
National Post – Barbara Kay: Rape culture and the problem with numbers
Southern Living – The Best Legal Moonshine
Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.
Mark Twain
Garden and Gun – Lotz – Today in Southern History: The Grand Ole Opry Turns 90
Phil M Stockmen
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AS THE ROTUNDA TURNS – LACK OF COMMUNICATION
STANDARDBRED CANADA posts 2016 HARNESS DATES for CENTURY DOWNS while HRA has no posting of the race meet. MISCOMMUNICATION?
BILL 6 TOWN HALL MEETINGS fill as NOTLEY claims miscommunication of impact information with 43,000 farm workers and 400 racing industry (HRA figures) that covers a lot of ground?
TENILE – HRA will they have town hall meetings over the future of horse racing in 2016, perhaps the thoroughbred industry can find a tack room for horsemen!
ATCO lays off 400 people, I guess the jockey quarters for fall 2016 will be plan T – army tent?
SHE – HE GATE has horse identifier fined $500 and given 60 days suspension, I wonder if the undertaker had to write/spell his bosses’ name 100 times?
HRA XMAS AMNESTY PROGRAM for repeat offenders a break on future sanctions if they say something positive about the CEO in a website. Will Phil be getting a HRA T-SHIRT for XMAS.
AHS CEO resigns. Will more directors quit as the NDP government turns up the heat on ABC REVIEW!
WOODBINE announces clockwise turf racing in 2016, with betting up 14% as a innovative approach.
CENTURY DOWNS announces a contest for naming its new horse mascot, maybe BROKEN PROMISES, send any suggestions to Phil for a chance to win a HOLYBULL T-SHIRT.
USA CATTLE FUTURES drop 23% from a record high last year as consumers switch to cheaper chicken and pork, as ALBERTA racing/racino participants switch to putting food on their family’s tables!