TurfPublicists

Race Recap: Tizanexpense Wins Thursday Feature

2012-01-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

TIZANEXPENSE WINS THURSDAY AT FG

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, January 26, 2012) – After being allowed to settle early, George and Tiffany Veloudis’s Tizanexpense found running room inside turning for home and was up to best Mutual Fun Stable and Ken Mahler’s speedy Sky Alert by a neck in Thursday’s Fair Grounds headliner, a $49,000 allowance and optional $50,000 claiming event that was transferred to the main track and run at a mile and 70 yards.

Cleverly ridden by Miguel Mena, the Mike Maker-trained Tizanexpense toured the distance in 1:43.67, increased his career earnings to $54,451 with his second career win in four lifetime starts and returned mutuels of $19.60, $9.80 and $7.60.

Sky Alert, who made or forced the pace with fractions of 23.68 and 48.63, paid $37 and $17 while besting Virginia Tarra Trust’s Real Power by a length and quarter. That rival returned $5 to show.

Racing resumes Friday at Fair Grounds with a nine-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 140th Thoroughbred Racing Season continues through April 1, 2012, highlighted by the $1 million Louisiana Derby for Kentucky Derby hopefuls on April 1. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

This Churchill Downs Incorporated communication (including any attachments) is intended for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.

Laurel Park Today- Castellano Rides Four Winners-Stakes Advance-Maryland Million Polar Bear Plungers

2012-01-26T14:12:00.000-08:00

CASTELLANO RIDES FOUR WINNERS ON THURSDAY CARD, TAKES LEAD IN JOCKEY STANDINGS

LAUREL, MD. 01-26-12---Abel Castellano rode four winners Thursday afternoon to take over the top spot in the jockey standings at the Laurel Park winter meeting.

The 28-year-old won aboard Lord Kipling ($3.40-second), Yano ($4.40-third), Myrasira ($7.20-seventh) and Diner Gal ($6.20-ninth).

“I am riding a lot of good horses which is giving me confidence,” said Castellano, who rode a career-best five winners here on April 5, 2008. “It is all about confidence for me. Riding for top trainers has been huge and I have been taking advantage of it.”

Castellano now has 11 trips to the winners’ circle, one more than Sheldon Russell. Julian Pimentel, Erick Rodriguez and Alberto Delgado are two back.

DANCING COUNT STAKES KICKS OFF MARYLAND STAKES CALENDAR

Saturday’s $100,000 Dancing Count Stakes is the first added-money test of the new year at Laurel Park. The six-furlong affair for 3-year-olds attracted seven runners, with the eventual post time favorite still in doubt.

Maryland Jockey Club oddsmaker Frank Carulli settled on maiden winner Beggarthyneighbor as the 5-2 morning line choice. The Kentucky-bred son of Half Ours, who is stabled with Chad Brown in New York, dug in to beat maidens at Aqueduct on New Year’s Day in his third lifetime start. Malcolm Franklin picks up the mount.

Dale Capuano will saddle Costas Fiftieth (3-1), who trains at Laurel but has never started here. The speedy Soto offspring is two for seven, with victories at Penn National and Monmouth Park. Erick Rodriguez is his regular pilot.

“It is a pretty evenly matched race,” said Capuano, who is five wins shy of 3,000 for his career. “I am going to the front. Our strategy is to go far as he can as fast as he can. He runs pretty hard but it seems like he puts it together every other time. Hopefully that ends up being true because he didn’t run well in his last start. I think he is capable of running an 85 Beyer which would fit really well in this spot.”

Ill Conceived (4-1) has finished on the board in five of six starts, including a third place finish in the Pennsylvania Nursery on December 10. He followed that effort with a controlling, gate-to-wire victory at Parx Racing. The son of Spanish Steps is trained by John Servis. Abel Castellano will ride.

Charles Town runner Trippi’s Secret (6-1) has two wins in West Virginia and two thirds at Laurel. Elias Peltroche gets his first try on the Ollie Figgins trainee.

Locally based Rocky Gap (8-1) comes out of the barn of Linda Gaudet. The Rockport Harbor colt is one for four and enters the Dancing Count off a bullet half-mile workout at the Bowie Training Center on Tuesday morning. Julian Pimentel retains the mount.

New York-bred Brooklyn Red (8-1) ships from Belmont Park with two wins in three tries at Aqueduct. After winning his first two starts, the son of Silver Wagon backed up to last in the Restoration Stakes on the final day of 2011. Sheldon Russell will ride for trainer Gary Contessa.

Maiden winner The Camden Comet (10-1) will represent Tom Iannotti on Saturday. A romping winner over Pennsylvania-breds in his second start has Ricardo Chiappe in the irons.

Laurel will conduct a School Supply Drive Saturday for Brockbridge Elementary and Maryland City Elementary Schools. Those who donate supplies will receive a complimentary gift and two daily passes.

TEAM MARYLAND MILLION TO TAKE THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE SATURDAY

The Maryland Million will have a team jumping into the Chesapeake Bay Saturday afternoon in support of one of its sponsors, Special Olympics Maryland. The 16^th annual Polar Bear Plunge is held at Sandy Point State Park, near the Bay Bridge.

Among those plunging will be 1983 Preakness Stakes winning jockey Donnie Miller, Allen Stacy, the 1986 Eclipse Award winning apprentice rider and trainer Tim Keefe.

For donations log onto: http://plunge2012.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=484131&lis=1&kntae484131=2DC85EAE316E47D892D42B519C91C6D6&team=4918885

The forecast is for temperatures in the mid 40’s at 2 o’clock Eastern when the team is expected to plunge.

-mjc-

PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club

Mike Gathagan

Vice President-Communications

Maryland Jockey Club

410-578-4461 (Pimlico)

301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)

240-876-7403 (Mobile)

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Saturday Advance: Bucktown Gets Edge in Sprint Feature

2012-01-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

BUCKTOWN gets edge IN FG FEATURE SATURDAY

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, January 26, 2012) – Ed Wright Cattle Co. and Miles Childers’ Bucktown, an accredited Louisiana-bred sophomore who had the misfortune of facing Brittlyn Stable’s highly-regarded Beanwah’smachine in his last three starts, finds an easier spot this weekend and has been pegged as the tepid 7-2 choice in Saturday’s featured six-furlong allowance sprint at Fair Grounds.

The $41,000 allowance-optional claiming event, restricted to accredited Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds, has attracted a field of nine, only one of which is entered for the claiming price of $30,000.

In his last trip to the post in Fair Grounds’ $103,000 Louisiana Futurity on New Years Eve, Bucktown was settled behind the early leaders but weakened in the final furlong to finish sixth. Previously, in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile at the New Orleans oval on Dec. 3, Bucktown made the pace but had no late rally and weakened to fifth in the stretch run. Before that, however, the Leestown gelding was second, beaten two lengths by Beanwah’smachine when they were matched up in first-level allowance company competition.

Trained by Bernie Flint, Bucktown will be ridden Saturday by jockey Ramsey Zimmerman.

Capable of providing strong competition for Bucktown is Sam Breaux and Pete and Barbara Horton’s Cheap Eggs, who has been installed as the 4-1 second choice in Saturday’s evenly-matched sprint. By the young Storm Cat sire Osidy, Cheap Eggs broke his maiden by a length on Dec. 10 at Delta Downs and then returned at the local oval to finish second by a length in optional claiming company on Jan. 4 despite a wide trip. Seven-time Fair Grounds jockey champion Robby Albarado will be in the irons aboard the Sam Breaux trainee.

Named to oppose the top two are: Earl and Keith Hernandez’ Social Misfit, John Jacinto; James Perron Racing Stable Joe’s No Saint, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Glen Warren’s Hud’s Rebellion, Shaun Bridgmohan; Kara Gael Baggett and Val Murrell’s Balidor Desol, Corey Lanerie; Samuel Hebert’s Lighter Fluid, C. J. McMahon; Winchester Place Thoroughbreds and Gary Scherer’s Two Left Shoes, James Graham; and Todd Dick’s Wits End, Richard Eramia.

Of these, Balidor Desol cannot be discounted. After finishing third behind Beanwah’smachine and Bucktown in their first-level allowance meeting on Thanksgiving Day, the Patrick Mouton trainee faced them again in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile but was severely compromised after being forced to steady and getting shuffled back to sixth at the wire.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

Race Recap: Cactus Son Wins Wednesday Turf Feature

2012-01-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

CACTUS SON CAPTURES WEDNESDAY’S feature AT FG

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, January 25, 2012) – Dwight Sprague’s Cactus Son, placed just behind the early leaders, rallied outside those after the furlong grounds and drew off for a two-length victory in Wednesday’s grass dash feature at Fair Grounds.

The $51,000 allowance optional $40,000 claiming event for older horses was contested at about 5 1/2-furlongs over a Stall-Wilson turf course rated “good” to headline the last Wednesday racing program of New Orleans’ 2011-2012 Thoroughbred season.

Trained by Mike Burgess and ridden by Shane Sellers, Cactus Son returned mutuels of $12.80, $5.80 and $5, accomplished the distance in 1:03.74 and increased his earnings to $123,296 with his fifth career victory in 23 lifetime starts.

Louie Roussel III’s Santa, who alternated for the lead with Dan Lynch, Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer’s Santo Gato, gained the place by a length over that rival at the wire after the duo set early fractions of 22.46 and 45.95.

Santa paid $6 and $3.80 and Santo Gato returned $3.80 to show.

Racing resumes Thursday at Fair Grounds with a 10-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

Laurel Park Today-Three-Way photo in 8th race

2012-01-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

PENNIES APPEAL WINS THRILLING THREE-WAY PHOTO

LAUREL, MD. 01-25-12---Pennies Appeal, who was claimed in December by owner Robert Cole of Rapid Redux fame, surged from fourth place just a half-furlong from the finish to win in a blanket finish in today’s eighth race at Laurel Park, a $31,000 allowance.

The winning margin was a nose over Allwewantforxmas, with Promise Me another nose farther back in third. The result was in doubt until the placing judges could review the photo, as each horse pushed a nose in front at some point in the final jumps to the wire.

The 3-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal paid $5.20 and topped a $58 exacta and $214.60 trifecta.

Sheldon Russell was aboard the winner for trainer Howard Wolfendale.

“I didn’t know if we were going to get up but she was certainly rolling the last 10 yards,” Russell said. “I knew it was going to be close. I was on the wrong end of one at Atlantic City so it is nice to win one of these.”

Russell leads the winter jockey standings with 10 victories, despite missing last week due to a riding suspension.

-mjc-

PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club

Mike Gathagan

Vice President-Communications

Maryland Jockey Club

410-578-4461 (Pimlico)

301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)

240-876-7403 (Mobile)

AFFECTIONATELY ADVANCE; for Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Contact: Jon Forbes

jforbes@nyrainc.com

TIME IS RIGHT FOR BAHIA BEACH IN AFFECTIONATELY

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bahia Beach, a veteran of the allowance ranks at Charles Town, will make her stakes debut on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack in the $75,000 Affectionately, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares.

Owned by Silverton Hill, Bahia Beach has won four races from 12 starts, including two straight at Charles Town. She held on gamely by a nose in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer on November 6 and aired by 8 ¾ lengths in a seven-furlong allowance December 16.

Trainer Jeff Runco said the change in seasons has benefited Bahia Beach, a 4-year-old daughter of Awesome Again.

“She seems to be doing better with the cooler weather,” said Runco. “We stretched her out, and she did well, and then ran her back going seven furlongs against a small but talented field. I think she’ll like the inner track and that she wants more distance. Seven furlongs is a little short for her, actually.”

With Bahia Beach in career form, Runco wants to strike while the iron is hot.

“Now’s a good time to try to get stakes placed in New York,” said Runco. “This is definitely a step up, but when these fillies get good, it’s a good time to try stepping up.”

David Cohen will ride Bahia Beach, a 15-1 long shot, from post 6 in the Affectionately.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered a pair in Saturday’s race, with Katy Now the 8-5 morning-line favorite and Love and Pride the 4-1 fourth choice.

Katy Now, owned by Nicholas Brady’s Mill House, earned her first stakes victory three starts back when she defeated a trio of opponents in the Dispute overnight stakes on September 30 at Belmont Park. In two subsequent starts at Aqueduct, she was an even fourth in the Grade 2 Go for Wand Handicap, a one-mile race around one turn on the main track November 25, and third after setting the pace in the Ladies Handicap on New Year’s Day.

Mike McCarthy, assistant to Pletcher, said the 1 1/8-mile Ladies was probably beyond Katy Now’s scope.

“Katy Now is one who seems to have distance limitations,” said McCarthy. “Last time, a mile and an eighth and two turns may have been a little too far, but this time of year those are the races you are going to get.”

Junior Alvarado has the assignment aboard Katy Now from the rail.

Green Hill Farm’s Love and Pride has finished third in her three most recent starts, including the Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Gazelle on the Aqueduct main track November 26. Whit Beckman, Pletcher’s other New York-based assistant, said she “may have regressed a little” when she faded to third, beaten 8 ½ lengths, in the Let Me Linger, a one-mile, 70-yard race on the inner track December 18.

“She trained well up until the [Let Me Linger] and never give us any indication that she wouldn’t run her best that day,” added Beckman. “She had everything her way, but she just didn’t run the kind of race she can run.”

Love and Pride will leave from post 2 with Cornelio Velasquez in the irons.

The Affectionately field also includes Bahama Bound, Indian Burn, and Orbiston Parva.

The field for the $75,000 Affectionately:

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	Odds
1	Katy Now (KY)	J Alvarado	120	T A Pletcher	8-5
2	Love and Pride (KY)	C H Velasquez	120	T A Pletcher	4-1
3	Bahama Bound (KY)	A Garcia	116	J C Guerrero	3-1
4	Indian Burn (KY)	I Ortiz, Jr.	116	J O Hertler	12-1
5	Orbiston Parva (KY)	A S Arroyo	120	R Preciado	7-2
6	Bahia Beach (KY)	D Cohen	116	J C Runco	15-1

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EVENING ATTIRE ADVANCE; for Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012-01-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Contact: Jenny Kellner

vkellner@nyrainc.com

I WANT REVENGE AMONG FAMILIAR FACES FOR EVENING ATTIRE

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Named for the venerable gelding whose career spanned eight years, Saturday’s $75,000 Evening Attire at Aqueduct Racetrack has drawn a field of five veterans headed by 2009’s Grade 1 Wood Memorial winner, I Want Revenge.

The 1 1/6 mile Evening Attire, originally scheduled for January 21, will be run as race 3 on Saturday’s 10-race card, along with the $75,000 Affectionately for fillies and mares.

Now 6, I Want Revenge is 2-for-2 at Aqueduct, having taken the Grade 3 Gotham and the Wood Memorial before being scratched with an ankle injury from the 2009 Kentucky Derby as the morning-line favorite. He returned to run twice in 2010, finishing third to Haynesfield in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park and third to Duke of Mischief in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin at Monmouth Park, and ran three times in 2011, most recently as runner-up to Hymn Book in the Three Coins Up at Belmont in May.

Owned by IEAH Stables, Resolute Group Stables, Puglisi Racing LLC, Dubb and Frimmel, I Want Revenge returned to the worktab in late November and has since been breezing steadily for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., most recently going six furlongs in 1:15.65 at the Big A on Sunday.

Junior Alvarado rides I Want Revenge, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, from post position 3.

Another who has had a light schedule in recent years is multiple graded stakes winner Redding Colliery, who in 2010 won the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap and the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup. The now 6-year-old son of Mineshaft ended the year with a third in the Grade 1 Clark and was promoted to second through a disqualification, and after having time off to deal with foot issues returned in November to finish sixth as the even-money favorite in the Swatara at Penn National.

“The race at Penn National was a two-turn race, and he got tired,” said Art Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He’s bigger and rounder than he was back when we first got him [in 2009] but he’s been training well and he’s ready to run.”

Alan Garcia is aboard Redding Colliery, 2-1 on the morning line, from the rail.

Newly drawn into the Evening Attire is last year’s winner, Heart Butte, who recently emerged from an 11-month layoff to take the Auld Lang Syne at Parx Racing on New Year’s Eve. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 6-year-old son of Empire Maker also won an optional claimer at the Big A in December of 2010 to render him a perfect 2-for-2 on the inner track.

He will be ridden from Cornelio Velasquez from post position 2 at 3-1 on the morning line.

Jimanator, a 6-year-old Broken Vow gelding, will make his Aqueduct debut in the Evening Attire. He was claimed for $20,000 by trainer Michael Trombetta out of a winning effort in a seven-furlong off-the-turf race at Saratoga Race Course in August and finished second in his first start for his new connections. He then took an allowance race at Parx Racing in October by 6 ¼ lengths and topped that with a three-quarter length win over odds-on Mambo Meister in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper at Calder Race Course on November 26, his first stakes appearance.

“I wish I could I say there was some special secret, but he’s just gotten really good the past couple of months,” said Trombetta of the Three Diamonds Farm color-bearer, who closed out 2011 with a third-place finish behind Heart Butte in the Auld Lang Syne at Parx. “We originally claimed him at Saratoga because he had good numbers. It would be nice if all of them worked out like that.”

With a record of 2-1-1 from four starts for Trombetta, Jimanator has now won 10 of his 35 career starts and earned $249,040. Saturday, he will carry high weight of 123 pounds, including David Cohen, as he leaves from post position 5 at 8-1 on the morning line.

Rounding out the field is Stronach Stables’ Thunder Ball, a winner of three straight who is making his American stakes debut.

The field for the $75,000 Evening Attire:

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	Odds
1	Redding Colliery (KY)	A Garcia	118	K P McLaughlin	2-1
2	Heart Butte (KY)	C H Velasquez	120	T A Pletcher	3-1
3	I Want Revenge (KY)	J Alvarado	118	R E Dutrow, Jr.	6-5
4	Thunder Ball (FL)	H Vega	116	J Corrales	12-1
5	Jimanator (KY)	D Cohen	123	M J Trombetta	8-1

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Press Notes: Cindy Jones Says, 'It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This'

2012-01-25T12:59:00.001-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

CINDY JONES: ‘IT DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS’

· ‘Rosie Returning Riding Friday’ According to Agent

· Pants On Fire Sizzles Sunday in South Florida

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, January 25, 2012) – Assistant trainer Cindy Jones was fulfilling her sometime role of spokesperson for the Cindy and Larry Jones Barn as the Fair Grounds track was closing for training hours on Wednesday morning.

Husband Larry, trainer of last Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes winner Mr. Bowling as well as $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes heroine Believe You Can – both owned by Brereton Jones – had left minutes earlier.

Of course, as almost everyone in the Thoroughbred racing world already knows, the last 10 days for the Joneses have been far from ordinary. One week ago Sunday, the couple flew out to Southern California for racing’s annual Eclipse Award ceremonies. On the next night, the Jones-trained Havre de Grace, owned by Fox Hill Farm and currently in training at Fair Grounds, was named 2011 Horse of the Year.

That Tuesday, the Joneses flew back to New Orleans and were back at their barn Wednesday of last week. Thursday and Friday they trained and ran horses successfully, but last Saturday they became headliners again, winning both sophomore stakes on Fair Grounds’ Road to the Derby Kickoff Day. Then, they followed that up Sunday by winning with Robi Jo, a 3-year-old filly they own together.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Cindy Jones Wednesday. “I do admit that I’m finally feeling a little bit of jet lag this morning. On Monday and Tuesday I was fine – because my feet hadn’t hit the ground yet – but today it’s finally hit me.”

Mr. Bowling will be pointed for the Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 25, and Believe You Can is headed for the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes that same afternoon.

“They both jogged this morning and they will gallop and jog tomorrow,” Mrs. Jones said of her latest sophomore stars. “As for Havre de Grace, she’s been galloping every day lately and she’s up to a mile and half now. All three of them are doing just fine.”

‘ROSIE RETURNING TO RIDING FRIDAY’ ACCORDING TO AGENT – Defending Fair Grounds jockey champion Rosie Napravnik took off her mounts for the second consecutive race day Wednesday, but should be accepting mounts Friday, according to her agent Derek Ducoing.

“She’s still a little sore,” Ducoing said Wednesday, “but I expect her to be back to riding by Friday.”

Napravnik, who sprained both her ankles and incurred a deep bone bruise on one leg Jan. 8 when thrown from a mount while going onto the turf course, had been accepting mounts through last Saturday (including her win on Brereton Jones’ Believe You Can in that day’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes) before deciding to give herself some time off as of last Sunday’s program.

Through last Sunday, halfway point of Fair Grounds’ 2011-2012 season, Napravnik led the local standing with 58 wins, 12 more than jockey James Graham, the clear runner-up at the current session. She was scheduled to ride in five of Thursday’s races.

PANTS ON FIRE SIZZLES SUNDAY IN SOUTH FLORIDA – George and Lori Hall’s Pants On Fire, heroine of last year’s $1 million Louisiana Derby March 26, breezed a bullet five furlongs in 59.55 at South Florida’s Palm Meadows training center Sunday morning.

The Jump Start colt, runner-up in last year’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds, has not raced since finishing fifth in Monmouth’s Grade I Haskell Invitational July 31.

Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Mission Impazible, winner of the Grade II Louisiana Derby two years ago and a horse who returned to Fair Grounds to win the Grade II New Orleans Handicap last season, also went five-eighths last Sunday at Palm Meadows, getting that same distance 1:01.90.

James Miller’s Daisy Devine, winner of last season’s Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 26, went a half-mile Monday at Fair Grounds in 49.40, while Zayat Stable’s Nehro, runner-up to Pants On Fire in last year’s Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby, breezed four furlongs at Fair Grounds Tuesday, accomplishing the move in 51.20.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

NYRA STATEMENT REGARDING NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER AUDIT REPORT AND PRESS RELEASE

2012-01-24T12:08:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Contact: Dan Silver

dsilver@nyrainc.com

NYRA STATEMENT REGARDING NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER AUDIT REPORT AND PRESS RELEASE

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The following is a statement regarding the Audit Report 2011-F-16 and the corresponding press statement released by the Office of the New York State Comptroller on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) took very seriously the recommendations that were made in the two 2010 audit reports from the Office of the New York State Comptroller.

NYRA has and will continue to maintain financial discipline. To implement all of the recommendations made in the 2010 audit reports inside of a year would have required more money and resources than NYRA could prudently spend at that time, but we fully understand the importance of this process and remain committed to completing it.

However, as the actual audit report notes, NYRA has made strides in implementing the 2010 recommendations, including plans to enhance revenues, staffing analysis and cuts in overall staffing, the termination of our former integrity counsel and the awarding of a more cost-effective integrity counsel, cost savings on the transportation of horses between NYRA tracks, and several other cost-cutting initiatives.

In the statement, the comptroller’s office references that the audit found that NYRA expects a $19.7 million loss from racing operations in 2012. This figure is misleading. It should be noted that the 2012 budget was not within the scope of nor was it referenced in the audit, and was never discussed with NYRA management. Furthermore, NYRA’s 2012 budget contemplates approximately $19 million of net income, not a net loss. Additionally, operating income solely from current racing operations, and without giving effect to Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) proceeds for operations and capital expenditures, is projected to be $1.4 million.

The comptroller’s statement expresses concern regarding how NYRA will use the money from VLTs. As a reminder, the use of VLT proceeds is regulated by statute and primarily allocated to purse money and capital expenditures. NYRA conducts a rigorous annual budget review and approval process and NYRA’s budget is reviewed by the Franchise Oversight Board. Furthermore, NYRA’s financial results and internal controls are routinely audited. NYRA is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance, integrity and management.

-30-

Arlington Park News Release: ARLINGTON TO RUN 26 STAKES IN 2012 WORTH $5.8 MILLION

2012-01-24T10:57:00.001-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: David Zenner

(847) 385-7535

Cell: (847) 371-1670

Dzenner@arlingtonpark.com

ARLINGTON TO RUN 26 STAKES IN 2012 WORTH $5.8 MILLION

Arlington Million and the International Festival of Racing Slated for Aug. 18

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Jan. 24, 2012) – The International Festival of Racing, featuring the 30^th running of the Grade I Arlington Million, tops a 2012 schedule that includes 26 stakes races worth $5.8 million during 90 days of racing at Arlington Park from Friday, May 4 through Sunday, Sept. 30. The Stakes Schedule must first be approved by the Illinois Racing Board at its January meeting.

Arlington's International Festival of Racing will be on Saturday, Aug. 18 and features three Grade I stakes – the $1,000,000 Arlington Million for 3-year-olds & older; the $750,000 Beverly D. for fillies & mares, 3-years-old & older; the $500,000 Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds and the newly created $400,000 Arlington St. Leger for 3-year-olds & older scheduled to be run over Arlington’s internationally acclaimed turf course

The Million and Secretariat are both run at North America's classic distance of a mile and a quarter while the Beverly D. is contested at a mile and three-sixteenths and the Arlington St. Leger will be carded at a mile and eleven-sixteenths (1m 5 1/2f). The Secretariat received a $100,000 boost to its purse for the 2012 renewal.

“The International Festival of Racing has always been a great event but now with the celebration of the 30^th running of the Million, the addition of the Arlington St. Leger, and the purse increase of the Secretariat, the Festival is set to go to a whole new level,” said Arlington Park General Manager Tony Petrillo.

“We are extremely proud to be able to launch a new race with the Arlington St. Leger,” he continued. “This is an historic race in Great Britain, the third leg of the English Triple Crown. We are honored to be able to name our race after that classic. It strengthens our relationships with the international racing community and we are sure this race will be very popular with the American racing fans.”

The 2012 schedule features several “big event” days that combine multiple stakes races onto a single card.

The first of these days is scheduled for Saturday, May 26 and will feature the Grade III $150,000 Arlington Matron, for fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth on Polytrack, and the $125,000 Arlington Classic, the first leg of the Mid-America Triple for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

One other added-money race on the May calendar is the Grade III $150,000 Hanshin Cup for older horses at one mile over Polytrack, which will be run Saturday, May 19.

The June stakes slate is highlighted by the June 16 Prairie State Festival. The 13^th annual showcase for Illinois-registered horses includes six $125,000 stakes for horses bred and/or foaled in Illinois. Each of these races is up $25,000 from last year making for an additional $150,000 available for state-bred runners. The Grade III $150,000 Chicago Handicap, a seven-furlong main track race, will close out the June stakes slate on Saturday, June 30.

On July 14, Million Preview Day, scheduled five weeks prior to the International Festival of Racing, includes major prep races for the four International Festival events. The Grade III $200,000 Arlington Handicap serves as the final local prep race for the Arlington Million while the Grade III $200,000 Modesty Handicap plays the same role for the Beverly D., and the Grade III $200,000 American Derby, which is also the second leg of the Mid-America Triple, leads into the Secretariat Stakes.

In addition, the Grade III $150,000 Stars and Stripes Stakes at a mile and a half on the turf will be run as part of the Million Preview Day card to serve as a prep race for the Arlington St. Leger Stakes on Million Day.

As has been the case for each of the last two years, the top three finishers in each of the Preview Day stakes races will have their entry and start fees waived for the counterpart race during the International Festival of Racing.

Also to be run in July are the 2012 renewals of the $100,000 Arlington Sprint, a 5 ½-furlong turf dash; and the Grade III $150,000 Arlington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies which returns to the schedule after a year’s absence. The Arlington Sprint is slated for Saturday, July 7 with the local Oaks scheduled to run two weeks later on Saturday, July 21.

In addition to the International Festival of Racing, August’s stakes slate includes the return of the Illinois Owners Stakes for Illinois-owned horses.

Two-year-olds will be featured on Saturday, Sept. 8 when Arlington presents the Grade III $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity for 2-year-old colts & geldings at one mile on Polytrack and the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on the main track.

Two additional stakes race are scheduled for the meet’s final month – the Grade III $150,000 Washington Park Handicap for older horses at a mile and an eighth on the main track on Saturday, Sept. 1 and the Grade III $175,000 Pucker Up Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and an eighth on the turf, which will be run on Saturday, Sept. 15

With the influx of money from the Horse Racing Equity (“HRE”) Trust Fund, most of the stakes races enjoy purse increases from their 2011 figure, and the Arlington Oaks was able to return to the schedule.

The complete 2012 Arlington Park stakes schedule is attached.

Arlington Park – the Chicago area’s premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill. – will run a 90-day meet in 2012 from Friday, May 4 through Sunday, Sept. 30. Arlington Park, whose parent company is Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), also operates 11 off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities – Trackside Arlington Park (Arlington Heights), Trackside Chicago, Trackside Quad City Downs (East Moline), Trackside Waukegan, Tavern on North featuring Trackside Villa Park, Shooters Bar & Grill at Don Carter Lanes featuring Trackside Rockford, Fat Sam’s Bar & Grill featuring Trackside OTB in Lockport, Stanley’s Ale House featuring Trackside OTB in South Elgin, Nicolino’s featuring Trackside OTB in McHenry, TADS Sports Bar & Grill featuring Trackside OTB in South Beloit and Salerno-Pincente Ristorante featuring Trackside OTB in Hodgkins. Information on Arlington Park can be found online at www.arlingtonpark.com.

-END-

Arlington Park 2012 Stakes Schedule

Pending approval of the Illinois Racing Board

Day/Date Race Conditions Purse Distance

Saturday, May 19 Hanshin Cup (GIII) 3yo & up $150,000 G 1 Mile

Saturday, May 26 Arlington Classic 3yo $125,000 G 1 Mile & 1 1/16 (T)

Saturday, May 26 Arlington Matron (GIII) 3yo & up, f&m $150,000 G 1 Mile & 1/8

The Prairie State Festival ________

Saturday, June 16 Purple Violet Stakes (IL) F, 3yo $125,000 A 1 Mile

Saturday, June 16 Springfield Stakes (IL) 3yo $125,000 A 1 Mile

Saturday, June 16 Isaac Murphy Handicap (IL) F&M, 3yo & up $125,000 A 6 Furlongs

Saturday, June 16 White Oak Handicap (IL) 3yo & up $125,000 A 6 Furlongs

Saturday, June 16 Lincoln Heritage Handicap (IL) F&M, 3yo & up $125,000 A 1 Mile & 1/16 (T)

Saturday, June 16 Black Tie Affair Handicap (IL) 3yo & up $125,000 A 1 Mile & 1/16 (T)

Saturday, June 30 Chicago Handicap (GIII) F&M, 3yo & up $150,000 G 7 Furlongs

Saturday, July 7 Arlington Sprint 3yo & up $100,000 G 5 1/2 Furlongs (T)

Million Preview Day ________

Saturday, July 14 Stars and Stripes (GIII) 3yo & up $150,000 G 1 Mile & 1/2 (T)

Saturday, July 14 Arlington Handicap (GIII) 3yo & up $200,000 G 1 Mile & 1/4 (T)

Saturday, July 14 Modesty Handicap (GIII) F&M, 3yo & up $200,000 G 1 Mile & 3/16 (T)

Saturday, July 14 American Derby (GIII) 3yo $200,000 G 1 Mile & 3/16 (T)

Saturday, July 21 Arlington Oaks (GIII) F, 3yo $150,000 G 1 Mile & 1/8

Saturday, Aug. 11 Illinois Owners Stakes (IL-owned) 3yo & up $100,000 G 1 Mile & 1/16 (T)

Saturday, Aug. 11 Illinois Owners Stakes (IL-owned) F&M, 3yo & up $100,000 G 1 Mile & 1/16 (T)

Arlington International Festival of Racing ________

Saturday, Aug. 18 Arlington St. Leger Stakes 3yo & up $400,000 G 1 Mile & 11/16 (T)

Saturday, Aug. 18 Secretariat Stakes (GI) 3yo $500,000 G 1 Mile & 1/4 (T)

Saturday, Aug. 18 Beverly D. (GI) F&M, 3yo & up $750,000 G 1 Mile & 3/16 (T)

Saturday, Aug. 18 Arlington Million XXX (GI) 3yo & up $1,000,000 G 1 Mile & 1/4 (T)

Saturday, Sept. 1 Washington Park Handicap (GIII) 3yo & up $150,000 G 1 Mile & 1/8

Saturday, Sept. 8 Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII) 2yo $150,000 G 1 Mile

Saturday, Sept. 8 Arlington-Washington Lassie (GIII) F, 2yo $150,000 G 1 Mile

Saturday, Sept. 15 Pucker Up Stakes (GIII) F, 3yo $175,000 G 1 Mile & 1/8 (T)

(IL) denotes races for Illinois Registered Conceived and/or Foaled Horses

2012 Equibase Racing Yearbook AppT Now Available With New Features

2012-01-24T06:24:00.001-08:00

NEWS RELEASE

January 24, 2012

Contact: Rhonda Norby (859) 224-2856

2012 Equibase Racing Yearbook App™
Now Available With New Features

Equibase Company today announced the 2012 edition of the Equibase Racing Yearbook application (app), which is now available with new features for both iPhone users as well as those with smartphones running the Android operating system.

New search and sort features have been added to the 2012 Yearbook with users now able to find and view races by race name, grade, date and racetrack. Users can also view a listing of upcoming graded races.

“The 2010 and 2011 Yearbook apps have been enthusiastically embraced, and the new features for the 2012 edition will make it an even more useful tool,” said Hank Zeitlin, Equibase’s president and chief operating officer.

The 2012 Equibase Racing Yearbook app can be downloaded free at itunes.com and the Android Marketplace. In addition to the new features, the app offers video replays provided by Roberts Communications, pari-mutuel payoffs, and full charts of all 2012 graded stakes races as well as ungraded prep races for the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup.

A web version of the Equibase Racing Yearbook is available at equibase.com.

The Equibase Racing Yearbook app was developed by The Jockey Club Technology Services Inc., which also developed Equibase’s Today’s Racing™ app and its mobile website, both of which offer fans access to entries, results, and scratches and changes information.

Equibase Company is a partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and serves as the Thoroughbred industry’s official database. Through its website, mobile platform and mobile applications, Equibase offers a comprehensive menu of wagering products, statistical information and video race replays in support of the North American Thoroughbred racing industry. Additional information is available at equibase.com.

- 30 -

patrickjpatten.tpaposts@blogger.com Rolex Today -23%

2012-01-23T08:43:00.001-08:00

Click here!

Race Recap: Toxis Takes Filly Feature

2012-01-22T14:58:00.001-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

toxis takes sunday’s filly feature at fair grounds

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, January 22, 2012) – Dixiana Farms’ Toxis, a 3-year-old daughter of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, rallied boldly outside the leaders in mid-stretch and was up to best Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Ocean Bertie by a half-length in Sunday’s $46,000 mile and 70-yard feature for maiden sophomore fillies at Fair Grounds.

Trained by Steve Margolis and ridden by seven-time Fair Grounds jockey champion Robby Albarado, Toxis toured the distance in 1:44.79, returned mutuels of $13.20, $6.20 and $3.60 and increased her career earnings to $48,928 with her first win in five lifetime starts.

Ocean Bertie, also trained by Margolis, was allowed to settle early, rallied to take command in upper stretch, could not withstand the winner in the final sixteenth but clearly held the place, finishing 2 1/2-lengths to the good of Louie Roussel III’s Cherishd Obsession, who pressed the pace but had no late rally.

Ocean Bertie paid $5.40 and $3 in the place position and Cherishd Obsession returned $2.60 to show.

Stoneway Farm’s Play Soleil set the early fractions of 24.47 and 48.63 before tiring.

Racing resumes Wednesday at Fair Grounds with a nine-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

HAYNESFIELD STAKES (NYB) RECAP

2012-01-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

**Please see the attached photo of Inherit the Gold and jockey Junior Alvarado winning the Haynesfield at Aqueduct Racetrack. Credit NYRA, Adam Coglianese**

Sunday, January 22, 2012

INHERIT THE GOLD ADDS HAYNESFIELD STAKES TO BIG A TALLY

By Jon Forbes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Inherit the Gold made his eighth appearance in the Aqueduct Racetrack winner’s circle on Sunday, coming from off the pace to post a 6 ¼-length victory in the $75,000 Haynesfield for New York-breds 4-years-old and up.

The 6-year-old gray gelding settled 3 ½ lengths behind the pacesetter in fourth, ahead of just one horse, the slow-starting Spa City Fever, through opening fractions of 23.44 and 48.42. After waiting behind the leaders on the far turn, Inherit the Gold made a slingshot maneuver at the top of the stretch and ran away from his rivals, with Socialsaul holding off Uncle T Seven by a half-length for second.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles over the inner track was 1:43.05. Inherit the Gold, the 7-5 second choice, paid $4.90 for a $2 win wager.

“Today, it was perfect,” said winning jockey Junior Alvarado. “The speed went to the lead and I just waited and waited and waited, and when I asked him, he was a completely professional horse. He just took off right away and that was it.”

Inherit the Gold, a six-time winner on the inner track, captured last year’s Grade 3 Excelsior in April and New York Stallion Series in November on the Big A main track.

Overall, he is 9-4-3 from 21 starts with $412,685 in earnings, including the $45,000 winner’s share of the Haynesfield purse.

Inherit the Gold entered the Haynesfield off a fourth in the Alex M. Robb on December 31 and a second in the Queens County on December 10, a pair of races that did not favor the gelding’s running style. Jim Hooper, who trains Inherit the Gold for Glas-Tipp Stable and his wife, Susanne, said the quicker pace in Sunday’s Haynesfield helped Inherit the Gold regain the winning thread.

“It was a fabulous performance,” said Hooper. “I knew he was good in his last two, but he was compromised by the pace and the trip. Today, things went his way. All he needs is a fair chance. If he gets a fair chance, he is going to be right there.”

Hooper said he he’ll have Inherit the Gold target title defenses in Aqueduct’s Kings Point on March 3 and Grade 3 Excelsior on March 17.

“He is an incredible horse,” added Hooper. “He’s got a lot of personality and a lot of good things about him besides being fast.”

Spa City Fever was fourth, with Beautyinthepulpit completing the order of finish.

-30-

Press Notes: Joneses 'Celebrate' Two Stakes Wins

2012-01-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

larry, cindy jones ‘celebrate’ two stakes wins

· Asmussen, Amoss Aiming Lecomte Second, Third-place Finishers At Risen Star

· Exfactor Exits Lecomte In Good Order; Applauding Improving

· Napravnik Not Riding Sunday

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, January 22, 2012) – Trainer Larry Jones was all smiles during training hours at Fair Grounds Sunday morning – and that for at least two reasons.

Late Saturday afternoon, Jones saddled former Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones’s Mr. Bowling to register a tenacious head victory in Fair Grounds’ Grade III Lecomte Stakes in the centerpiece race of Fair Grounds’ Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone.

Five races earlier during the New Orleans oval’s expanded banner afternoon, that same down-home western Kentucky-born conditioner with the constant cowboy hat sent out that same former Kentucky governor’s Believe You Can to win the $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes – first significant stepping stone to the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks.

So now the Jones boys have early favorites for the Grade II Louisiana Derby April 1 as well as its feminine counterpart for 3-year-old fillies March 31, and in the interim, Mr. Bowling will be pointed for the Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 25 and Believe You Can will be directed to the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes that same afternoon at the Crescent City oval.

“Yesterday was a good day, that’s for sure,” said Jones Sunday – as always a master of the understatement. “The Governor was also very happy about the whole thing. He couldn’t make it down here yesterday, but I’ve probably talked to him more on the phone yesterday and again this morning more than we have in a long time. He’s still very excited about how things went yesterday”

How did the trainer and his wife and chief assistant Cindy Jones celebrate Saturday night?

“Well, my aunt and uncle are in town for a couple of days,” Jones said, “so Cindy and I just went back to the apartment and then they came over and brought us a sandwich,” Jones said. “That was our celebration.”

Of course, it has also been a good week for the Joneses. Last Monday night, they were in Southern California attending the Eclipse Awards dinner when the Jones-trained Havre de Grace, owned by Fox Hill Farm, was named 2011 Horse of the Year, but by Tuesday they were back in New Orleans and then back at the barn before daylight Wednesday morning.

-more-

Jan. 22 Fair Grounds Press Notes

2/2/2/2

LECOMTE SECOND, THIRD-PLACE FINISHERS POINTING TO RISEN STAR – Nine-time Fair Grounds trainer champion Tom Amoss plans to point Jerry Namy’s Shared Property, who finished third beaten less than a length in Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes, toward the Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 25, the conditioner confirmed Sunday.

“I thought (Shared Property) ran a really good race yesterday,” Amoss said. “Obviously, we were at a disadvantage because of the outside post (13), but we knew that before the race and we were pleased enough with the way the colt ran that we’re going to look at the next race (the $300,000 Risen Star) for him.

“We think he’s going to become a very nice horse for us,” Amoss said. “He hadn’t run in a long time before yesterday’s race, but Leandro (Goncalves) and I have been working with him since I got him last summer and that race yesterday was just a first step for us.”

Ten-time Fair Grounds trainer champion Steve Asmussen said about a half-hour after Saturday’s Lecomte that he would point Zayat Stables’ Z Dager, that race’s runner-up, to the upcoming Risen Star Stakes, allowing the Louisiana Derby Preview Day highlight to include a likely rematch of the Lecomte’s first three finishers.

“Absolutely,” was that Eclipse Award-winning trainer’s response when asked if the Risen Star was the expected next assignment for Z Dager, before adding, “I think it was huge for his third race, coming out of a maiden race, to run as well as he did.”

EXFACTOR EXITS LECOMTE IN GOOD ORDER; APPLAUDING IMPROVING – Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor, who kicked his stall and developed swelling in a hind leg in the days before Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes, was in good order Sunday morning, his trainer Bernie Flint said.

“He’s fine today,” said Flint following Exfactor’s 11th place finish in Saturday’s Lecomte. “We just missed two days of training with him – that’s all it was – but there was nothing we could do about that.”

Exfactor, winner of Churchill’s Grade III Bashford Manor Stakes last July 2, successfully returned to competition in Fair Grounds’ $58,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes Dec. 17 prior to kicking his stall.

Ramona Bass’s Applauding, the odds-on morning line favorite for last Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes before being scratched due to a mild case of colic race on the morning of the race, was improving Sunday, according to trainer Al Stall Jr.

“She seems a lot better today than she was yesterday,” Stall said.

NAPRAVNIK NOT RIDING SUNDAY – Defending Fair Grounds jockey champion and current leading rider Rosie Napravnik cancelled off all her mounts Sunday due to a sore foot, according to her agent Derek Ducoing.

“She’s just a little sore (from ankle injuries sustained earlier this month) and needs a couple of days off to recuperate,” Ducoing said. “I think she’ll be back to riding by Wednesday.”

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

HAYNESFIELD (NYB) QUOTES

2012-01-22T13:06:00.001-08:00

Sunday, January 22, 2012

HAYNESFIELD (NYB) QUOTES

James Hooper, winning trainer of Inherit the Gold (No. 5): “It was a fabulous performance. I knew he was good in his last two, but he was compromised by the pace and the trip. Today, things went his way. All he needs is a fair chance. If he gets a fair chance, he is going to be right there.”

“Right now I was planning on giving him a rest after this one, and I think I will. I’d really like to have him revved up to defend the championship in the King’s Point [$75,000, March 3, Aqueduct] and maybe the Excelsior [Grade 3, $150,000, March 17, Aqueduct]. But we will see what happens tomorrow. Every day is a new day.”

“He is an incredible horse. He’s got a lot of personality and a lot of good things about him besides being fast.”

Junior Alvarado, winning jockey aboard Inherit the Gold (No. 5): “Last time, we didn’t really have too much pace in front and I never could get him covered up. Today, it was perfect. The speed went to the lead and I just waited and waited and waited, and when I asked him, he was a completely professional horse. He just took off right away and that was it.”

Road to the Derby Kickoff Recaps: Mr. Bowling Rolls in Lecomte, Thiskyhasnolimit Takes Louisiana 'Cap, Inspired Wires Pan Zareta

2012-01-21T17:08:00.001-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

mr. bowling rolls to victory in lecomte

· Thiskyhasnolimit Wires Field in $100,000 Louisiana Handicap

· Florida Invader Inspired Gate to Wire in $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, January 21, 2012) – Giving trainer Larry Jones his second victory in Saturday’s two stakes restricted to sophomores, Brereton Jones’s Mr. Bowling rallied from just behind the early leaders to gain the advantage in upper stretch and then withstood a late bid by Zayat Stables’ Z Dager and capture the 68th running of Fair Grounds’ Grade III Lecomte Stakes by a head on the New Orleans oval’s Road to the Derby Kickoff Day.

After winning Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with Brereton Jones’s Believe You Can earlier in the afternoon, Jones saddled Mr. Bowling to win the Lecomte, first leg of Fair Grounds’ three-race series for sophomores with designs on a Triple Crown campaign later this spring.

Jones, a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, flew briefly to Southern California Monday to accept 2011 Horse of the Year honors for Fox Hill Farm’s Havre de Grace, and the affable conditioner then put the icing on his banner week by winning his second Lecomte Stakes in three years and his third in the last five. Fox Hill Farm’s Hard Spun won the Lecomte in 2007 and then went on to run second in the Kentucky Derby that year. Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Friesan Fire won the 2009 Lecomte and went on to sweep Fair Grounds’ other two legs in its three-race local series, winning the Grade II Risen Star Stakes in February before making it followed three straight in that year’s Grade II Louisiana Derby.

This winter’s Risen Star Stakes will be run on Feb. 25 as part of Fair Grounds’ Louisiana Derby Preview Day program. The 99th running of the $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby will be contested on April 1, closing day of the Crescent City oval’s 2011-2012 84-day session.

“To be honest, we thought (Mr. Bowling) was just starting to get good,” Jones during the Lecomte winner’s circle ceremonies. “He’s maturing at the right time. He really showed an affinity for this track when we got down here. I can tell he liked it better than anywhere we’ve been to this point. He pretty well got himself ready. Having Believe You Can, they’ve been work mates. They got each other ready and it paid off.”

Winning rider Robby Albarado, a seven-time jockey champion at Fair Grounds in past seasons, made his move aboard Mr. Bowling in upper stretch, gaining a one-length lead at the furlong grounds and then holding the colt together late with strong urging.

“I figured if I could get him clear turning for home, and give him a chance to run home he would,” Albarado said. “When that horse (Z Dager) ran to him late, he gave me some second effort.”

Favored Z Dager, never far back, launched his bid in the final furlong to gain the runner-up spot by a half-length from Jerry Namy’s Shared Property. Z Dager paid $4.80 and $3.60, and Shared Property returned $3.80.

THISKYHASNOLIMIT WIRES THE FIELD IN LOUISIANA HANDICAP – Cathy & Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit took advantage of an uncontested lead and finished strongly to win the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap by one length over Jim Tafel’s Fast Alex. For older horses at 1 1/16 miles, the Louisiana starts a three-race series that will also include the Feb. 25 Grade III, $125,000 Mineshaft and the April 1 Grade II, $400,000 New Orleans Handicap.

Jockey Shane Sellers, aboard the 5-year-old son of Sky Mesa for the first time, jumped to an early lead and breezed through uncontested early fractions of 24.70, 48.71 and 1:13.28. The moderate fractions left Thiskyhasnolimit with something left for the stretch, powering home to a final time of 1:43.67.

“He is a very good looking animal,” Sellers said. “You can tell, he made $700,000, so he was cut out to be a good horse.”

Making his first start since July, the winner bettered his career record to 6-4-1 in 19 starts while increasing his career earnings to $767,828.

“He’s put in some tremendous work and just thought this was a good spot for him,” said Steve Asmussen, wining trainer in this race for the fourth time. “Shane gave him a great trip. I think he was pretty fortunate that the deal didn’t have much pace in it and it went his way, but it’s a great spot for him to come back in.”

Thiskyhasnolimit paid $12.20, $6.40 and $3.80. Fast Alex paid $4.60 and $3.20, while Bourque Goldstein Thoroughbreds’ favored Alma d’Oro was three-quarters of a length back in third, returning $3.20.

INSPIRED WINS $75,000 PAN ZARETA STAKES IN FRONT-RUNNING STYLE – Taking advantage of his filly’s outside post position on the grass, jockey John Velazquez used that placement to guide Peter Blum Thoroughbreds’ Inspired to a front-running length and a half win in Saturday’s $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes for fillies and mares at about 5 1/2 furlongs over a Fair Grounds Stall-Wilson turf course that was rated “good” throughout the afternoon.

“I was on the outside and I wanted to keep her off the rail anyway,” said Velazquez immediately after the grass dash. “I’d been watching the races all day and I figured that might be the best place to be. I knew she was going to be on the lead, so it worked out great.”

Inspired took command just after the start and made the pace staying outside her rivals, getting early fractions of 22.11 and 45.33 before accomplishing the final time in 1:03.47. The daughter of Unbridled’s Song paid $32.80, $10.20 and $8.60 and increased her career earnings to $184,385 with her fourth win in 14 lifetime starts.

“The last time she ran, Johnny came back and said ‘Man, she doesn’t like it (being rated),’” trainer Allen Iwinski said. “He had said to just let her run free and not take hold of her and it turns out that was the right thing to do.”

Ike and Dawn Thrash’s favored Wild About Marie got up to finish a clear second, paying $4 and $3.40 while a length and a quarter in front of Prime Equestrian’s Flash Mash, who returned $4.40 in the third position.

The Pan Zareta was marred by the break down of Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable’s Rapport, who had to be put down immediately after the race.

Racing resumes Sunday at Fair Grounds with a nine-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

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Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

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Final Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Stakes Quotes

2012-01-21T16:29:00.001-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

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Road to the derby kickoff day STAKES QUOTES

Race 11-Grade III, $175,000 Lecomte Stakes

3-year-olds, One mile and 70 yards, 68^th running

Jockey Robby Albarado (Mr. Bowling, winner): “I had a great trip, unbelievable trip. I just wanted to give him a chance turning for home. I worked him in the morning. I saw a lot of fight in him. So I figured if I can get him clear turning for home, give him a chance to run home, he would. When that horse ran to him late, he gives him some second effort.

“This is one of the toughest Lecomte’s I’ve seen in a while so I look forward to him the rest of the year. Hopefully I can stay on him.”

Trainer Larry Jones (Mr. Bowling, winner): “To be honest, we thought the colt was just starting to get good. He’s maturing at the right time. He really showed an affinity for this track when we got down here. I can tell he liked it better than anywhere we’ve been to this point. He pretty well got himself ready. Having Believe You Can, they’ve been work mates, they got each other ready and it paid off.

“Jose Caraballo was on him as a two-year-old. That’s the first thing he said after his first work. ‘He can run as long as you can get the races to go. This one will run all day.’ I think he’s right.”

Will we see him in the next Fair Grounds prep race? “Definitely. Hopefully they will take my entry for the Risen Star over here and let me back in the next one.”

Jockey Shane Sellers (Z Dager, second): “I had to use him just a little into the turn to hold my position and once I did he maintained and turned on for me down the stretch. I thought maybe I had that horse but when he saw daylight he kind of was a little bit green down the lane. He was little green and it kept him from spurting on with me so he’ll learn from it. I had him running down the lane and when I got through that hole I thought, well, I’m home free now, and then he saw daylight and being just a little green might have cost him just a little bit. But he’s a young horse and hopefully the next time he’ll have learned from it.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen (Z Dager, second): “He’s a little bit ‘on again, off again,’ but that’s just who he is. I think the winner ran about a head better than we did. I think the other horse just stayed on, watching the replay, because the outside horse closed with him and they kind of separated with him. I think when he got to the other horses that other horse just kicked away from him a little bit.

“I think it was huge for his third race, coming out of a maiden race, to run as well as he did.”

Jockey Leandro Goncalves (Shared Property, third): “We drew the outside post and that wasn’t to our advantage. I tried to get him to the inside a little more but I couldn’t really get that done. He didn’t have a very good trip. Then in the stretch he kept drifting to the outside and that hurt us a little. Also, he hadn’t run in a long time.”

Jockey John Velezquez (Dan and Sheila, fourth): “I didn’t want to be so far back and going into the first turn there it was getting tight and I kind of cut back out of there. Being green though, he doesn’t know very much, so when he saw the whole group, he kind of ducked out of there, not being very sure. Then I hit him and he kept backing up, backing up, backing up, was jumping up and down, and finally when I got him running, the three-horse (Ted’s Folly) drops back into the inside and he started rolling. Too late, but I think he got a good experience out of it.”

Race 10-$75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes

Fillies & mares, 4-year-olds and up, About 5 ½ furlongs on turf, 25^th running

Jockey John Velazquez (Inspired, winner): “Going five and a half I knew she was really fast. I rode her last time out and maybe made a little mistake – she went for the lead and I grabbed a hold of her and she was throwing her head up and didn’t like that at all. Today we planned on coming out of there and letting her run with her head loose, so she’s comfortable.

“I knew she was going to be on the lead today. Especially the way I was going to get her out of there, she was going to be on the lead. She broke out of there and I wanted to keep her off the rail anyway so it worked out great.”

Trainer Allen Iwinski (Inspired, winner): “The last time she ran, Johnny came back and said, ‘Man, she doesn’t like it, we were trying to rate her off the leads’ and in that race there was a lot of speed and she just sort of flattened out down the stretch. He had said to just let her run free and not take a hold of her and it turns out that was the right thing to do.”

Race 9-$100,000 Louisiana Handicap

4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles, 66^th running

Jockey Shane Sellers (Thiskyhasnolimit, winner): “He told me to play him off the break, but knowing, looking on paper that he was going to be fresh. He said, all things considered, he probably would be there. And, you know, take what they give you. And if you don’t break well, ride him from there, and he’s a good horse, ride him accordingly.”

“He is a very good looking animal. You can tell, he made $700,000, so he was cut out to be a good horse. Steve told me that yesterday, he said, ‘You’re going to like this horse; we thought a lot of him,’ and that means a lot.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen (Thiskyhasnolimit, winner): “It’s a very good spot for him to get started back. He needed a freshening and he’s come back really well. He’s put in some tremendous work and just thought this was a good spot for him. Shane gave him a great trip. I think he was pretty fortunate that the deal didn’t have much pace in it and it went his way, but it’s a great spot for him to come back in.

“I was concerned with how he’d handle the long stretch. You know, the mile and a sixteenth coming off the layoff, but the way it’s playing today it worked out perfectly. “

Race 7-Grade III, $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap

4-year-olds and up, About 1 1/16 miles on turf, 26^th running

Jockey Miguel Mena (Mr. Vegas, winner): “This horse kind of gets out a little bit. You can see it on the television, running sideways, getting out. I just did my best to keep him straight and I didn’t think I bothered the other horse. He kind of stopped riding a little bit but I was clear, like a length in front, and he was beat anyway.”

Did you expect to end up on the lead? “Yeah, I did. He’s a very hard horse to ride. He’s a runner, you know? I was just glad he came back to me and made it easy.”

Trainer Richie Scherer (Mr. Vegas, winner): “I saw it again and he did come out a touch, so I wasn’t sure if it was enough to change the outcome. He did come out a little bit. I’m glad the stewards saw it my way.”

Did you all plan on going to the lead? “Actually, no. He was supposed to sit off the pace. He made the lead and relaxed real well and Miguel did a good job.”

Jockey Corey Lanerie (Dubious Miss, second): “I had to stand up and steady a little bit. He came out. It definitely made my horse kind of check and I think it affected the outcome. I thought I was catching him a little bit with every stride and I think it would’ve been close.”

Race 6-$125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes

3-year-old fillies, One mile and 70 yards, 20^th running

Jockey Rosie Napravnik (Believe You Can, winner): “With the key scratch out of here it set up the race a little bit differently, but I’ve been working this filly a few times and she’s really impressed me. I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about the fractions, if we’d gone a little too fast, but she sure kicked in when we headed for the lane. She is a very, very talented filly and I’m just thankful for Jones and all of the connections for having me on today.

“Larry was telling me if she’s anything like Proud Spell (the Fair Grounds Oaks- and Kentucky Oaks-winning filly also by Proud Citizen and also trained by Jones) she’d be a fighter and she absolutely was. She wasn’t giving in an inch.”

Trainer Larry Jones (Believe You Can, winner): “Well, we were very confident that she’d go far, the Proud Citizens. I’ve probably had more than any of them. If they are good sprinting, they are better going long. She came out of a nice female family that could stretch out so we didn’t have a lot of problem about that.

“After I saw the scratch this morning, we instantly had to go to ‘Plan B.’ I told Rosie in the paddock that we’d have a good shot if we could be lone speed, that if they were going to let her have it, I was fine with that. Let’s go and if she is anything like Proud Spell she wouldn’t let them go by. So, it worked out good. It’s nice when a plan comes together.

“Needless to say, we are going to keep her right here and go through the series here and we hope the major thing for the spring will be the Kentucky Oaks. We brought Proud Spell through this [series]. It worked well for her and we are back.”

Jockey Robby Albarado (Summer Applause, second): “After the break I didn’t want to go balls to the wall with that horse for the first half of the race. I rode my filly like I did last time – I let her break and get away from there easy. I thought she ran a big race, big enough to go on to the next one.”

Race 4-$75,000 F.W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes

4-year-olds and up, Six furlongs, 27^th running

Jockey Richard Eramia (Gantry, winner): “I thought I had a lot of horse (turning for home). In the last quarter-mile I put it together but the other horse was coming back. But this horse has got a big heart and he tried very hard.”

Trainer Ron Fauxheux (Gantry, winner): “We just prepared him the same way as the last race. I think this race might have been closer than the last one. Just a touch. Just a hair. It’s great to have a horse like this in our barn at this time. It really is. Really exciting for us all.”

Owner Evelyn Benoit, Brittlyn Stable (Gantry, winner): “I’m very proud of him (Faucheux). I don’t think the horse could look any better than he did today. I was shocked. He just improved off of the last race and Ron, give it all to him, he brought this horse from New York for me. Just got him conditioned perfectly.

What do you think of the trainer? “I think he’s going to be a class act. He is just a really good trainer with a lot of great knowledge at his age. I think it is amazing.”

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

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Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Recaps: Silverbulletday S. (Believe You Can), Colonel Bradley H. (Mr. Vegas), Gaudin Memorial S. (Gantry)

2012-01-21T13:59:00.001-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Believe You Can captures fg’s silverbulletday

· Mr. Vegas Survives Inquiry to Win Grade III, $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap

· Gantry Nips Cash Refund in $75,000 F. W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, January 21, 2012) – Trainer Larry Jones and jockey Rosie Napravnik both believed in Brereton Jones’s Believe You Can, and the daughter of Proud Citizen rewarded their faith with a length and a half victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes, first leg of Fair Grounds’ three race series for sophomore fillies that concludes with the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 31.

“We were confident that she’d go far,” said trainer Jones in the winner’s circle following the Silverbulletday about Believe You Can’s first race around two turns. “I’ve probably trained more (Proud Citizens) than anyone,” speaking of his latest female star. “If they are good sprinting, they are better going long.”

Jones trained another daughter of Proud Citizen, Brereton Jones’s Proud Spell, to win the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks and Grade I Kentucky Oaks in 2008.

With her Silverbulletday score, Believe You Can increased her career earnings to $187,284 with her fourth win in six lifetime starts and returned mutuels of $7, $3.20 and $2.20 following the withdrawal of Ramona Bass’s odds-on morning line favorite Applauding, owned by Ramona Bass, at scratch time Saturday morning due to a mild case of colic.

“With the key scratch out of here it set up the race a little bit differently, but I’ve been working this filly a few times and she’s really impressed me,” Napravnik said. “Larry (Jones) was telling me if she’s anything like Proud Spell, she’d be a fighter and she absolutely was. She wasn’t giving an inch.”

After setting early fractions of 23.82 and 47.98, Believe You Can accomplished the mile and 70 yard-Silverbulletday distance in 1:42.34.

Gillian Campbell et al.’s even-money favorite Summer Applause prompted the pace of the winner throughout, could not catch that one but gamely held the place, paying $2.60 and $2.10 while finishing a nose in front of Jake Ballis’s Inny Minnie, who returned $2.20 to show.

The second leg of Fair Grounds’ sophomore filly series – the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes – is to be contested Feb. 25 on Louisiana Derby Preview Day.

MR. VEGAS SURVIVES INQUIRY TO WIN GRADE III BRADLEY HANDICAP – Andrews T & S Racing’s Mr. Vegas assumed an easy lead and held on to win the Grade III Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap by 1 ½ lengths over David P. Halloway Racing’s Dubious Miss, who steadied slightly when the winner came in with a sixteenth of a mile to run, but it wasn’t enough for the stewards to change the order of finish. For older turf horses, the 1 1/16-mile Bradley kicks off a three race series that will also include the Feb. 25 Grade III Fair Grounds Handicap and the April 1 Grade II Mervin H. Muniz Memorial Handicap.

Jockey Miguel Mena piloted Mr. Vegas through fractions of 24.30, 49.41 and 1:13.84 before stopping the timer in 1:43.49. The 5-year-old Freud gelding kept his Fair Grounds record a perfect three-for-three while improving his overall record to 7-5-0 in 21 starts and increasing his career earnings to $260,331.

“I saw it again and he did come out a touch, so I wasn’t sure if it was enough to change the outcome, winning trainer Richie Scherer said after surviving a stewards’ inquiry that lasted nearly 10 minutes. “He did come out a little bit. I’m glad the stewards saw it my way.”

Mr. Vegas paid $12.40, $6.40 and $4.40, while Dubious Miss returned $8.60 and $6. Chester Miller & Patrick Dupuy’s Strike Impact was 2 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $4.80.

GANTRY NIPS CASH REFUND IN $75,000 F. W. GAUDIN MEMORIAL STAKES – Brittlyn Stable’s Gantry, winner of Fair Grounds’ $75,000 Thanksgiving Handicap by a nose on Opening Day Nov. 24, came back to win Saturday’s $75,000 F. W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes with that same margin by getting up in the last jump to foil the bid of Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Cash Refund, who won this race two years ago but also finished second by a nose to Gantry on Thanksgiving Day.

Trained by Ron Faucheux and ridden by Richard Eramia, Gantry increased his career earnings to $194,850 with his fifth victory in 10 lifetime starts, accomplished the six-furlong distance in 1:09.56 and returned mutuels of $6.40, $3.20 and $2.20.

“This horse has got a big heart and he really tries hard,” said Eramia in winner’s circle ceremonies following the race.

Cash Refund, who pressed the pace of Whispering Oaks Farm’s Joe Hollywood, gained the advantage in upper stretch, could not withstand the winner but was easily second best, finishing 5 1/4-lengths to the good of that rival, who recorded early splits of 21.61 and 44.59.

Cash Refund returned $3.20 and $2.20 and Joe Hollywood paid $2.20 to show.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

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Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

Laurel Park Today- Capuano Moves To Within 5 of 3,000/Pino Now 12th on All-Time Win List

2012-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

DALE CAPUANO FIVE SHY OF JOINING 3,000 WIN CLUB

LAUREL, MD. 01-21-12---Only twenty-five trainers in North American history have saddled 3,000 winners. Laurel Park-based Dale Capuano moved to within five victories of that plateau after Maple Leaf Racer ($4) won Saturday’s third race by a nose over Wakina.

“We are getting there,” said Capuano, who won his initial race with Who’s Lucky at Bowie Race Track in 1981. “This is fun. It is neat chasing history.”

The 49-year-old has 31 training titles at the major Maryland tracks on his resume and has been the leading conditioner in the state eight times since 1991. His best year was 2001, when he ranked fourth in North America with 235 wins with a career-best $4.4 million in earnings. He has won more than 100 races 15 times.

“When you start off training you just try to win one,” added Capuano. “That is pretty much how I thought about it and all of a sudden we started winning more than 100 a year and even had a couple years with 200. Averaging 100 wins for 30 years is pretty impressive when you consider the lean years when you are first starting out.”

Among those in the top 25 all-time are Maryland mainstays King Leatherbury (3rd-6,333), Scott Lake (6th-5,142), Buddy Delp (12th-3,674) and Dick Dutrow (13th-3,665). Todd Pletcher began the day 18 victories behind Capuano.

“Pletcher is going to run by us soon,” joked Capuano. “Just hoping we get to 3,000 milestone before him.”

Capuano, who is six-of-21 at Laurel after 12 live racing days, will start two runners out of town tonight and has five entered here on Wednesday afternoon.

PINO MOVES INTO SOLE POSSESSION OF 12^TH PLACE ON ALL-TIME WIN LIST

Mario Pino moved ahead of Larry Snyder for 12^th on the all-time win list when he guided multiple stakes winner Red’s Round Table ($3.80) to a popular score in today’s eighth race at Laurel Park. The 50-year-old has 6,389 trips to the winners’ circle during his career. It was his first victory of 2012.

Pino’s next goal is to land in the top 10 all-time before retiring. He is 82 wins away from passing Earlie Fires and moving into elusive company. He still must maneuver by Hall of Famer Sandy Hawley (6,450 wins) before setting sights on Fires (6,470).

“It is getting harder to win races. It seems like it took forever to get to this milestone,” said Pino, who rode Hard Spun to on-the-board finishes in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic. “I haven’t been getting a ton of mounts but I thought I had a good chance to win one today and I am happy to do it on a really classy horse. But I’ll keep plugging away and see if we can get in the top ten this year.”

The Ellicott City resident won his first race aboard Ed’s Desire on January 16, 1979 at Bowie Race Track and became the 15th jockey in North America to win 6,000 races when he rode Pass Play, a horse trained by his brother Mike, to victory at Laurel Park on November 7, 2007.

Red’s Round Table improves to eight-of-10 lifetime and is now is four-of-five at Laurel, including victories in the Marshua and Wide Country Stakes last year. She also has a pair of added money victories at Aqueduct and another at Delaware Park.

“She did everything right,” said winning trainer Tim Keefe. “Twenty years I worked for Jack and Gretchen Mobberley and Mario was riding everything for them so this was like old times. Now to be on my own and get to have him ride my horses is a good feeling.”

-mjc-

PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club

Mike Gathagan

Vice President-Communications

Maryland Jockey Club

410-578-4461 (Pimlico)

301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)

240-876-7403 (Mobile)

Media Advisory: Applauding Scratched from Saturday's Silverbulletday

2012-01-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

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media advisory

applauding out of saturday’s silverbulletday

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, January 21, 2012) – Ramona Bass’s Applauding, the odds-on morning line favorite for Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes, was withdrawn from that first leg of Fair Grounds’ series for sophomore fillies early Saturday morning due to a mild case of colic that developed overnight.

“I would say she just had a slight tummy ache when I got here this morning,” said trainer Al Stall, Jr. shortly after training hours on Saturday. “She responded to treatment immediately. She’ll be fine.”

Following the Silverbulletday Stakes, Fair Grounds’ annual series for 3-year-old members of the distaff set continues with the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes Feb. 25 and concludes with the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 31, penultimate day of Fair Grounds’ 2011-2012 season.

Stall, a native New Orleanian and two-time trainer champion at Fair Grounds in previous seasons, was elected to the Fair Grounds Hall of Fame earlier this week and will be inducted in a winner’s circle ceremony during the races on Fair Grounds Hall of Fame Day March 10.

Also, in Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes, signature event of the afternoon’s Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone, Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor remained a starter at scratch time despite sustaining a slight hind leg injury earlier in the week that left his participation uncertain until Saturday morning.

The $175 Lecomte Stakes is the first leg of Fair Grounds’ three-race series for 3-year-olds with designs on a Triple Crown campaign. It continues with the Grade II Risen Star Stakes Feb. 25 on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Presented by Lamarque Ford and concludes with the $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby on the local season’s closing day April 1.

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

NO LIVE RACING SATURDAY AT AQUEDUCT; SIMULCASTING AVAILABLE AT AQUEDUCT, BELMONT CAFÉ, THROUGH NYRA REWARDS

2012-01-21T04:18:00.001-08:00

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Contact: Dan Silver

dsilver@nyrainc.com

NO LIVE RACING SATURDAY AT AQUEDUCT; SIMULCASTING AVAILABLE AT AQUEDUCT, BELMONT CAFÉ, THROUGH NYRA REWARDS

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Due to snow, Aqueduct Racetrack will not have live racing on Saturday, January 21. Aqueduct and the Belmont Café will be open for simulcasting, and NYRA Rewards telebet and internet wagering will both be available as well.

Live racing will resume as scheduled at Aqueduct on Sunday, January 22.

The $75,000 Evening Attire stakes, originally scheduled to be run today, will be rescheduled for next Saturday, January 28.

There is no charge for admission at Aqueduct or the Belmont Café. At both facilities, admission gates will open at 11:00 a.m. for simulcasting.

-30-

Race Recap: Joyce's Rebel Rules in Starlight Feature

2012-01-20T19:21:00.001-08:00

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joyce’s rebel rules fg’s starlight racing show

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, January 20, 2012) – Glen Warren’s Joyce’s Rebel, void of early foot, came from far back while racing outside rivals in the stretch and was up to capture Fair Grounds’ $41,000 Starlight Racing feature by a neck under the lights Friday night at the New Orleans oval.

Trained by Andy Leggio Jr. and ridden by leading rider Rosie Napravnik, the 4-year-old colt returned mutuels of $7.40, $4 and $3, increased his career earnings to $58,571 with his second win in six lifetime starts and accomplished the six-furlong distance in 1:11.26 in the race restricted to accredited Louisiana-breds.

Steven Dugal and Bill and Kathy Hornsby’s Rocket King, never far back, continued willingly on the inside late to gain the place, paying $7.40 and $5.60 while finishing a neck to the good of Michael Greer’s Classy Ruler, who returned $6.60 to show.

Tat Hoi Fung’s Foreversingle alternated for the early lead with splits of 22.16 and 58.20 before giving way.

Racing resumes Saturday at Fair Grounds with a gala 13-race Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone program featuring six stakes races worth a total of $650,000 and a special early first race post time of 12:10 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Media

Press Notes: Remington Runners Firing at Fair Grounds Stakes on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day

2012-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

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Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

remington runners firing at fair grounds targets

· Ted’s Folly Nothing to Laugh At In Lecomte

· Mexican-bred Yvete Sangalo – One ‘Vivacious’ Filly

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, January 20, 2012) – Steve Martin’s Ted’s Folly, who is trained by Wilson Brown, and Pozo de Luna’s Yvete Sangalo, conditioned by Kari Craddock, both last visited the winner’s circle at Remington Park in Oklahoma, where the state motto is “Labor Conquers All Things.”

With that in mind, these two hardworking trainers who run their horses at Remington during its season or wherever they think they might fit the rest of the year have both hauled horses they train to New Orleans for Saturday’s Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone.

Ted’s Folly is 10-1 in the morning line for Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes for 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds, and Yvete Sangalo is 12-1 in the $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies earlier in that same afternoon, but dreams of the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks this spring have to begin somewhere.

The $175,000 Lecomte previews Fair Grounds’ $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby April 1 and the Silverbulletday as its feminine equivalent leads to the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 31.

TED’S FOLLY NOTHING TO LAUGH AT IN LECOMTE—Ten years ago, trainer Wilson Brown brought Darwin Olson’s appropriately named It’sallinthechase to the Lecomte to finish third beaten less than a length for the win, and then brought that horse back to finish third in that year’s Grade II Louisiana Derby before disappointing in the Kentucky Derby. Now he’s ready to try again with Steve Martin’s Ted’s Folly.

“Every time this colt runs, he fools me,” said Brown Friday morning, shortly after watching the first-run movie “War Horse” with his wife. “He just lays it all down and tries to be the winner, and for his last six races, that’s what he’s done.

“He’s a little bitty thing – maybe not even 900 pounds – but he’s got a heck of a stride on him,” said Brown of Ted’s Folly, who won Remington’s $300,000 Springboard Mile at last asking Dec. 10. “I did go over to Larry Jones’ barn to visit with him and take a look at (2011 Horse of the Year) Havre de Grace. Then I had to come back over here and look at my little guy, and he looked just like a Shetland pony after seeing that horse.

“But from what my horse has shown me so far, it looks like maybe we belong in (the Lecomte),” Brown said. “Of course, everything has to go right for us, but this horse has been getting over this (Fair Grounds) track like a reindeer. This race will be fun, no matter what happens. I’m just happy to be in a position to maybe win it.”

MEXICAN-BRED YVETE SANGALO – ONE ‘VIVACIOUS’ FILLY—Trainer Kari Craddock elected to run Pozo de Luna’s Yvete Sangalo in Remington’s $50,000 El Gaylord Memorial Stakes Oct. 14 and the daughter of 2007 Lecomte Stakes winner Hard Spun made a bold late run to win it by 4 1/4-lengths.

With that in mind, Craddock, who began training her own horses in the early ‘80s and still calls a trailer home as she crisscrosses Thoroughbred race courses in the Southwest, decided to bring Yvete Sangalo to New Orleans for Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes as the inaugural stepping stone to the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 31.

“I am told she is named for a famous Brazilian singer,” said Craddock, in reference to the Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian songstress Ivete Sangalo, whose style of song could make one wish for fluency in Portuguese.

“I am told she (the singer) is very vivacious,” Craddock said, in an unintentional understatement. “So is my filly. “She (the filly) has now raced over five different surfaces, and the only one she couldn’t handle was the grass course at Louisiana Downs

“Yvete Sangalo is a deep closer,” said Craddock Friday, one day before the Silverbulletday. “She just loves to make one late run. When I saw her run in the El Gaylord Memorial I immediately thought about the long stretch run at Fair Grounds. I think it will suit her perfectly. I like that long stretch run here. I have a lot of confidence in my filly.”

Although not based in New Orleans during the winter, Craddock has invaded Fair Grounds in past seasons, notably to finish fourth in Fair Grounds’ $60,000 Woodchopper Stakes two seasons ago with Dakota Gypsy, a gelding she both owns and trains who also finished second buy a neck in Remington’s $100,000 DeBartolo Memorial Handicap last Sept. 2.

Also, like fellow Silverbulletday contestant Inny Minnie, who beat her a nose for second in the Grade III Delta Princess and is owned by John Ballis and trained by Steve Margolis, Yvete Sangalo is by Hard Spun, sire of the two sale toppers during the first day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s winter mixed sale earlier this week in central Florida.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

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James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1

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Laurel Park Today-Keefe Stars Run Saturday/Carmouche Wins Four Friday

2012-01-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

EIGHTTOFASTTOCATCH, RED’S ROUND TABLE MAKE 2012 DEBUTS SATURDAY

LAUREL, MD. 01-20-12---Eighttofasttocatch and Red’s Round Table, who combined to win seven stakes races for trainer Tim Keefe last year, will make their 2012 debuts Saturday afternoon.

Eighttofasttocatch is the second choice on the morning line in the $75,000 Evening Attire Stakes at Aqueduct. Keefe put three solid works into his now 6-year-old since a wire-to-wire score in the Jennings Handicap at Laurel Park on December 3. Sheldon Russell will make the trip to ride.

“He is in very good form and has been awesome in training,” Keefe said. “Dutrow’s horse (I Want Revenge) looks tough and drawing the one-hole wasn’t what we were hoping for but fortunately Sheldon knows him well. We have been trying to get him to relax but if he breaks sharp and is the only one there he will set the early pace and hopefully it will be slow enough to have a lot left.”

Keefe is planning to use the race as a prep for the $200,000 General George Handicap (G2) at Laurel Park on Monday, February 20. The son of Not For Love won five races at Laurel Park in 2011, including four stakes races, with an average Beyer Speed figure of 100.

“He has run his best races at Laurel but he has run some good races out of town, too,” added Keefe. “He ran fourth in both the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland against an incredibly tough horse in Wise Dan where with a little racing luck we could have been second and the West Virginia Governor’s Handicap where he was beaten just a length.”

Red’s Round Table, who won three stakes races during her 3-year-old campaign, is the 7-5 morning line choice in a $41,000 allowance race at Laurel Park. The daughter of Cuvee is 3-of-4 lifetime at Laurel, including victories in the Marshua and Wide Country Stakes. With Russell in New York to ride Eighttofasttocatch, Mario Pino picks up the mount.

“She cracked an ankle after winning the Wide Country but has two races under her belt since returning,” added Keefe. “It looks like she has come back just as strong, if not better than when she was injured. Tomorrow’s race is not easy. Magical Feeling won five of seven last year and Howard Wolfendale has a stakes winner in Bold Affair.”

The 44-year-old conditioner enjoyed a career-year in 2011, setting career-highs in wins (43) and earnings ($975,712). He has five victories from 19 starters so far this year.

“Fifty wins and a million dollars is this year’s goal,” said Keefe, who won his first race in 1994. “As the years have gone by I have gotten some higher profile owners which has increased the quality of horses in the barn. I also have great help. They are wonderful.”

Keefe will saddle Red’s Round Table at Laurel (post time 3:12 Eastern) then watch Eighttofasttocatch via simulcast (3:37 Eastern post).

KENDRICK CARMOUCHE RIDES FOUR WINNERS ON FRIDAY CARD

Kendrick Carmouche, the leading rider at PARX Racing, made a successful trip to Maryland Friday, winning four races from five mounts this afternoon at Laurel Park.

After finishing third in the opener, Carmouche guided 2-5 favorite Friscan to victory in the fourth race for trainer Graham Motion. He picked up the mount on Supertripp ($19.20) in race five and rallied from off the pace to mark his second winner, this time for trainer Mark Shuman. Kieron Magee’s odds-on favorite Follow The Leader ($3.80) beat starter allowance company in race seven and Maybe’s Master ($7.80) rallied from last to take the headliner for Mike Trombetta.

“I love riding here,” Carmouche said. “They have a good group of riders who keep a straight course allowing you to ride the rail or go outside and win. It is a consistent track. The trainers who I come down and ride for put me on good horses.”

Carmouche, who turned 28 Wednesday, has won more than 200 races each of the last five years (2007-2011).

“It has been a good run and it is only going to get better if I keep working hard,” added Carmouche.

The four-win afternoon brought his win total to 17 in 2012.

-mjc-

PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club

Mike Gathagan

Vice President-Communications

Maryland Jockey Club

410-578-4461 (Pimlico)

301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)

240-876-7403 (Mobile)

NYRA APPRENTICE JOCKEY PROFILE: IRAD ORTIZ, JR.

2012-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

**Please see the attached photo of apprentice jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Credit Adam Coglianese, NYRA**

Friday, January 20, 2012

Contact: Jon Forbes

jforbes@nyrainc.com

NYRA APPRENTICE JOCKEY PROFILE: IRAD ORTIZ, JR.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Apprentice Irad Ortiz, Jr. has a long way to go if he wants to emulate famous Puerto Rican jockeys Eddie Belmonte, Angel Cordero, Jr., and John Velazquez, but winning 70 races from 630 mounts on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit in 2011 was a pretty good start.

Originally from Trujillo Alto in Puerto Rico, Ortiz is a graduate of that country’s Escuela Vocacional Hípica, a school for prospective jockeys. His grandfather, also named Irad Ortiz, was a jockey, and so is his uncle, Ivan Ortiz.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. began his riding career at Hipódromo Camarero on New Year’s Day, 2011, and rode there until June 19, winning 76 races from 357 mounts, good for a 28.3 winning percentage and earnings of $453,845.

Pito Rosa, a NYRA peace officer who works in the jockeys’ room at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course, took notice of Ortiz’s success in Puerto Rico and asked New York-based jockey agent Tony Micallef if he’d be interested in carrying Ortiz’s book.

“I looked at the tapes, and my first impression was he didn’t look like a bug boy,” said Micallef.

In June, Ortiz was off to New York to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Cordero, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and won 7,057 races, including many of New York’s biggest events.

“I wanted to ride against the best jockeys,” said Ortiz of his decision to come to New York. “I learn a lot by being able to ride with jockeys like Ramon [Dominguez] and Cornelio [Velasquez].”

In three full meets on the NYRA circuit, Ortiz tied for 12^th at Saratoga Race Course with 11 wins, tied for sixth at Belmont Park in the fall with 21 wins, and tied for fourth at Aqueduct Racetrack in the fall with 11 wins. Through Thursday, Ortiz is fourth in the inner-track jockey standings with 35 victories from 164 mounts.

Ortiz’s ascent has not gone unnoticed by horsemen.

“He is very talented,” said Art Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “I think he handles himself well. He carries himself well. I like the way he listens. I think Irad is learning every day and it’s really fun to watch. He is one of the most natural athletes I’ve seen in a long time.”

Richard Migliore, who heads NYRA’s apprentice jockey program, said Ortiz has become a formidable force as he has gained experience and poise, which will help him after he loses his apprentice allowance February 2.

“I think his potential is unlimited,” said Migliore. “He looks good on horses and has just the right balance of confidence and humility. His confidence has hit a place that has enabled him to ride at an even bigger level. We’ve really seen him blossom from a confidence standpoint.”

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The Jockey Club Round Table Conference to be Held August 12, 2012

2012-01-20T06:13:00.001-08:00

January 20, 2012

Contact: Bob Curran Jr. (212) 521-5326

The Jockey Club Round Table Conference to be Held August 12, 2012

The Jockey Club announced today that the 60th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing will be held on Sunday, August 12, 2012, at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The agenda for the conference will be announced closer to the event, and The Jockey Club plans to once again provide a live video stream of the proceedings.

The transcript and video replay of the 2011 Round Table Conference are available on jockeyclub.com.

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Race Recap: Nates Mineshaft Wins Thursday Feature

2012-01-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

nates mineshaft wins fg’s feature thursday

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, January 19, 2012) – Windy Hill Farm’s Nates Mineshaft, away alertly and quickly in command, made the pace in Thursday’s $51,000 allowance optional $40,000 claiming feature at Fair Grounds and tallied by a comfortable 2 3/4-length margin at the wire.

Trained by Austin Smith and ridden by Jesse Campbell, the 5-year-old Mineshaft ridgling toured the mile and 70 yard distance in 1:41.94 after establishing early fractions of 23.81 and 48.13. He returned mutuels of $7.20, $3 and $2.80 and increased his career earnings to $105,324 with his fourth win in 11 lifetime starts.

Z Thoroughbreds’ Infrattini rallied late to gain the place as the choice of the fans, paying $2.60 and $2.40 while finishing 4 1/4-lengths in front of Bob Gary Racing’s Prospect Knight, who returned $5.40 to show.

Racing resumes Friday at Fair Grounds for the second of six Starlight Racing programs this season and features a special 5 p.m. first post time for the nine-race card.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

-FG-

___

James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, Nov. 24-April 1