Horse Racing Preview

Lily Agnes Stakes: Wayne Rooney to Cheer for His Horse Pippy

May 8th, 2012 No Comments

Wayne Rooney is ready to cheer on his horse Pippy tomorrow. His horse Pippy will run its first race in the Lily Agnes Stakes. It cost Rooney £63,000 last month. After the two-year-old colt was entered in a five-furlong sprint, the Man United striker, 26, could be among race fans at Chester. Pippy will be ridden by Jamie Spencer in the Lily Agnes Stakes. The betting odds for in the Lily Agnes Stakes have Pippy (9/2).

The horse is trained at Manor House Stables, which is a joint operation between trainer Tom Dascombe and United team-mate Michael Owen. The Rooneys have two other horses in training at Manor House in Switcharooney and Tomway. On Thursday, the latter holds an entry at Chester in the equestrianartuk.com EBF Maiden Stakes. At £15,900, the unraced two-year-old son of Sakhee’s Secret was a cheaper buy.

Stable star Brown Panther is set to make his seasonal debut in the Group Three Boodles Ormonde Stakes on Friday in what could be a big week for the yard. The Shirocco colt, bred and co-owned by Owen was second in the St Leger at Doncaster and won at Royal Ascot last year. six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon will ride him.

With Owen a joint owner of another of the Dascombe quintet, Trinityelitedotcom, the Old Trafford colleagues will be rivals on the track, in a race sponsored by his Manor Farm stable, which is a traditional staging post for talented, precocious two-year-olds.

However, Dascombe said the entry son of Exceed And Excel, who will be ridden by Jamie Spencer, had been more dictated by a aspiration to keep Pippy distant from Rooney’s Tomway who is scheduled to make his first appearance in the only other two-year-old race at Chester meeting 24 hours later.

Dascombe has four other runners in the race including Owen’s Trinityelitedotcom. On Monday, he had a juvenile winner at Kempton. He said that Pippy is a nice sort, but it is going to be difficult against more experienced horses. He will win his races but it will be tough for him this time. Both he and Tomway are ready to run and they were bought to run at this meeting. Tomway might find five a bit sharp around Chester; he will want seven furlongs in time.

Meanwhile, the Irish 2000 Guineas for Top Offer has been ruled out by the Welsh trainer Roger Charlton following the colt’s disappointing run in the Newmarket version on Saturday.

Preview: The Grand National Racing

April 11th, 2012 No Comments

In 1960, when the Aintree classic was first televised, it was jaw-dropping 10 minutes of palpitating alarms, sheer wonder and hectic exhilaration.

On Saturday, the Grand National will feature several modifications. It has been designed to increase safety whilst retaining the element of danger, which is part of the Aintree spectacle. The risk cannot be removed and this is something that the horse racing’s authorities are aware. More fatalities at this year’s Cheltenham Festival and the deaths of two horses at last year’s Grand National have reinforced the role of welfare at racing’s high-profile events. At this year’s Grand National, there will be three main areas of changes. Many of the alterations will also apply to the other races run over the National fences.

On Saturday, SWINDON jockey Wayne Hutchinson will fly the local flag at the Grand National, aboard the fancied West End Rocker. Hutchinson believes his hope will be suited to the Aintree showpiece, although Alan King’s 10-year-old is currently joint second favorite at 10/1 behind Gold Cup winner Synchronised.

West End Rocker goes into the race on the back of a superb 22-length win at Aintree in December in the Becher Chase, despite falling at last year’s Grand National under the helm of Robert Thornton. On the opening day of the Aintree Grand National meeting, in Thursday’s BGC Liverpool Hurdle, Big Buck’s will face seven rivals as he goes for a 17th win in a row. The four-time World Hurdle winner equaled Sir Ken’s record of 16 straight Jumps wins last month.

Tony McCoy has confirmed he will not abandon Synchronised in his bid to become the first horse since Golden Miller to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. After connections confirmed he would be heading to Aintree, he will be reunited with the nine-year-old in Saturday’s John Smith’s Grand National. The duo bid for a historic double in Saturday’s Aintree Grand National, therefore there was never much doubt but champion jockey Tony McCoy has finally confirmed that he will partner Synchronised.

It will be very much thank you, goodbye, and back to the studio around five o’clock on Saturday afternoon. BBC television brings down its curtain on live Grand National coverage after 52 consecutive years. It is the ancient and unfailingly vivid and theatrical Aintree steeplechase that was the jewel in the BBC’s crown with a UK audience of more than 10 million and an estimated worldwide viewing figure of 500 million, but the appealing Channel 4 racing team has won exclusive rights to all terrestrial coverage for four years from 2013 in a deal that includes the Derby and Ascot meetings.

To Honor and Serve one of the favorites for Saturday’s 137th Kentucky Derby

May 5th, 2011 No Comments

The Kentucky Derby approaches quickly and the favored horses are all preparing to take part in the biggest race in the world for horse racing. One of the horses that have recently gained a lot of momentum is To Honor and Serve.

To Honor and Serve is at 10-1 odds to win in Kentucky Derby Betting.

To be honest, the momentum that To Honor and Serve has gained has not been because of his performance. The horse has been sidelined with a muscle strain for a while and has not raced for a month. The reason why some people feel like the horse has a great chance is because Calvin Borel will be the jockey for the horse in the Kentucky Derby.

Borel is seen as one of the best jockeys in the world. He will have a solid race horse to work with. To Honor and Serve placed 3rd in the Florida Derby, a G1 race a month ago. The previous 3 races that the horse participated in were G2 races. The horse finished with 2 1st place finishes and a 3rd place finish in those races.

The horse is owned by Live Oak Plantation and trained by William I. Mott. Mott has trained the horse well, but there are doubts about whether or not the horse will be at full strength after suffering the muscle strain.

The field is thinned out from injuries and if To Honor and Serve is able to show up to the Derby with good health, he should have a great chance at becoming the 2011 Kentucky Derby Champion.

The Factor a non-factor for Kentucky Derby

April 28th, 2011 No Comments

The Kentucky Derby is a short time away and the top contending horses are getting ready for the biggest event in all of horse racing. The race is scheduled to take place on the 7th of May. Unfortunately, The Factor is not one of the horses getting ready for the Derby.

The Factor was one of the early favorites in horse racing betting, but has dropped right off the list.

There were initially rumors that the horse would be unable to go because of an injury to his palate in a 7th place finish in his last race. Those rumors were confirmed and the horse was officially withdrawn from contention.

The Factor is owned by George Bolton and trained by the one of the great trainers of all-time, Bob Baffert. Recently the horse has been ridden by jockey, Martin Garcia. Garcia is a jockey that races quite a bit for Baffert and has had a fair amount of success with The Factor. Over the last 3 races Garcia has managed 2 victories and a 7th place finish with The Factor.

The goal is for the horse to be back in action in time for the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown. Bolton felt like the Kentucky Derby was too soon and didn’t think it would be a good idea to race a horse that was not healthy. There were also concerns that the Kentucky Derby was too long of a race for the horse. The Factor is known for wanting to bolt ahead of the competition and is susceptible for getting worn out before the race is over.

The horse had throat surgery to fix the problem.

Dialed In moves up list of favorites for Kentucky Derby

April 14th, 2011 No Comments

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, the most popular race in all of horse racing, trainers, owners and fans are all watching to see which horses will step up to the forefront. Dialed In is one of the horses that is preparing to perform in the Kentucky Derby.

Dialed In is at 5-1 odds to win the Run for the Roses in Kentucky Derby Odds.

Dialed In is owned by Robert Lapenta. Lapenta has chosen the famous Nick Zito to prepare the horse for his career.

While there are other horses out there with more experience than this horse, there is no reason to count him out just yet. Dialed In has already emerged as one of the top horses in the field. While his career has just begun, he has already won three of the four races that he has taken part in.

The father of the horse was Mineshaft, who has already shown the ability to produce winning offspring. Dialed In is different than the other horses that have come from Mineshaft, however. Dialed In relies heavily on a closing ability that is matched by few horses in the world. Dialed In has the ability to catch his opponents from behind and seems to get better the longer the race is.

Dialed In will have to face the best horses in the world at the Kentucky Derby, but he may be a good pick for those people that are looking for a solid horse to follow. With his great speed down the stretch, he is the type of horse that can never be counted out of a race.

Horse Racing: Lawmakers Make Racino Proposal Public

March 23rd, 2011 No Comments

A racino proposal was made public by lawmakers at the state Capitol, which they say will enhance economic development, will generate jobs and help save the state’s horse racing industry.

At two horse racing tracks, the bill would allow video lottery terminals, which would generate an approximated income of $125 million per year. Special economic development fund will gain from that money that would persuade economic growth and the supporters said that the bill would generate 3500 jobs.

Amid a $5 billion state budget shortfall, the money would be new fuel for stimulating such efforts that makes it complicated to avert general fund dollars towards attracting business investment. Senator David Senjem, R-Rochester said that the funds would be used to flourish and grow Minnesota as never before. He added that 250 million projected would go into a new “Minnesota Future Fund” which will be used to spread as seed money for funds for job training and other job creation efforts, incentives for locating or expanding businesses in Minnesota and for new businesses.

Governor Mark Dayton has indicated that he has no problems to racino but for private intentions, he is cool to betting proceeds.

As the state struggles to find techniques to resolve a projected $5 billion budget deficit, the casino-style legislation faces a tentative future. The legislation was proposed for the sixth year.

Executive director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, John McCarthy said that in a full-grown marketplace, the most recent proposal oversells the economic potential of the plan, where tribes are no longer adding machines.

2011 Breeders’ Cup Will Be Held At The Legendary Churchill Downs

March 5th, 2011 No Comments

This week, the Breeders’ Cup announced that it will increase the number of players who can join in the $10,000 buy-in handicapping tournament to 125, up from 120.

At the annual race in November, the handicapping tournament has becoming increasingly popular.

The maximum prize money for the tournament will rise to $350,000, up from $340,000 last year with the increased spaces. While the other $7,500 is used for the player’s live bankroll, the Breeders’ Cup said $2,500 of the $10,000 buy-in goes to the prize pool. To the prize pool, the Breeders’ Cup contributes $25,000.

The Breeders’ Cup will be held at the legendary Churchill Downs for the second straight year, in November, 2011. Including access to the track’s sixth-floor “Gold Room”, players in the tournament are given the VIP treatment.

Last year there were 95 players participating, which was the tournament’s second year. The account-wagering operation owned by Churchill Downs Inc, of those, 21 players earned free entries by winning online tournaments sponsored by Breeders’ Cup or Twinspires.com.

The tournament’s organizers felt confident that the number of players would increase this year, Ken Kirchner, the simulcasting and wagering consultant for Breeders’ Cup, said.

Kirchner said, “Positive response to the tournament was so overwhelming last year that we think another 20 or 25 players are going to enter. We had players tell us that not only are they going to play again, but they are bringing other people to sign up.”

The winning bankroll was $44,863, last year. The winner, Robert Hansan of Reston, Va., took home $181,863, combined with the winner’s share of the pool.

Zenyatta Is Bred To 2006 Preakness Winner Bernardini

February 24th, 2011 No Comments

Former Horse of the Year Zenyatta was bred Wednesday to 2006 Eclipse Award winner Bernardini. At the Darley farm in Lexington, Ky. the covering took place about 8 a.m. ET. Zenyatta brought over in the early morning from her retirement home at nearby Lane’s End Farm. It is the second celebrity mating of the week in thoroughbred racing. 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and two times Horse of the Year Curlin were bred at Lane’s End Farm, this past Monday morning.

A seven year old mare Zenyatta became the rare equine star that had appeal beyond the core horse racing fan base. Including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic, with a thrilling, come-from-last style, she won the first 19 races of her career. When she lost by a neck to Blame in the 2010 Classic, her perfect streak ended in her final race. Zenyatta was heavy favorite in 2010 Breeders Cup Odds.

In his racing career Bernardini was 6 for 8, all in his 3 year old season of 2006. With his victories including the Preakness Stakes, the Travers Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, he was the champion 3 year old that year. Bernardini ended his career with a second place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, like Zenyatta and he lost to Invasor.

Known for his excellent conformation and pedigree, Bernardini earned the nod from Zenyatta’s owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, on the strength of a bumper first crop of offspring.

Horse Racing: Binocular Edges to Sandown Win

February 7th, 2011 No Comments

In the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown, Binocular eased to a comfortable victory under AP McCoy. JP McManus’ horse was the firm favorite for the contest as he set out at 1/10.

In recent weeks, Binocular has been in excellent form with a win at Kempton Park and now this victory at Sandown. From the Grand National, this has made Binocular one of the favorites, which takes place at Cheltenham in April. Binocular looks in good shape ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, believes the horse’s racing manager Frank Berry.

Against seemingly inferior opponents at Sandown, Henderson feels the benefit of giving Binocular will save him from having to work too hard on the gallops.

With Binocular once again contriving to look ordinary against moderate rivals in the Contenders Hurdle here, Nicky Henderson’s pair of Champion Hurdle candidates managed to win their trial races, both having started at long odds-on, but they did so in contrasting fashion. Meanwhile, Oscar Whisky is ready to line up against his stable-mate in the real thing at the Cheltenham Festival. He hacked up in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las.

Binocular came off the bridle before the final flight, at which point he still trailed his pacemaker, Ruthenoise, by a couple of lengths. He was sent off at 1-10 to beat three horses. Though Binocular would surely have won in any case, the race was then handed to him when the leader made a hash of the last.

Binocular was eased slightly for his defense of his crown. He won an unspectacular in victory at Sandown while stable-mate Oscar Whisky’s dashing romp at Ffos Las and subsequent confirmation for the Champion Hurdle led to a cut in his price.

Youngstown-Area Developer Seeks Ohio Racing Commission’s Approval

January 18th, 2011 No Comments

To build Ohio’s first horse racing track in 50 years, with the hopes that the state will soon allow to have video slot machines, a Youngstown-area developer plans to begin seeking approval Wednesday from the Ohio Racing Commission.

Brad Pressman, a partner with the Mahoning Valley Development Group, is proposing to build the state’s eighth horse track, in a time when Ohio’s horse tracks have been hard-hit by declining revenue. A thoroughbred track by itself would not be enough, acknowledges Pressman. He hopes a Las Vegas-style casino with video slot machines and believes that the Mahoning Valley region of about 1 million residents can support a $300 million entertainment complex that will offer a hotel, golf course, shops.

Should the track and resort win approval to become the state’s eighth, an estimated more than 1,000 temporary construction jobs would be created. At the facility, an additional 1,500 to 2,000 jobs would be created.

Lordstown Mayor Michael Chaffee said that he immediately thought about a parcel of land at the intersection of Salt Springs and Lyntz roads that would be large enough to accommodate it, he learned of the project through the media. For a casino project, it is the same land that former U.S. Rep. James Traficant Jr. was considering jointly pursued by the Muncee-Delaware Nation and the Indigenous Tribal Affiliates of Native America tribe. The project’s plans have apparently slowed down.

Chaffee said that he is thinking about contacting the developers, although they haven’t contacted him because he would be interested in having a conversation with them about that property. He added that it would be ideal for this project and it is right off the turnpike.

Horse Racing Preview

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