Churchill Downs - Legendary Racetrack

Horse Betting

In 1883 the track was officially named "Churchill Downs," another 20 years before Twin Spires topped a new grandstand, 28 years before the racetrack became profitable, and 50 years before the Derby earned its "Run for the Roses" moniker.

Matt Winn, who led a syndicate that took the reins of the struggling facility in 1902 and eventually brought the racetrack and its signature race to a level of international acclaim virtually unmatched by a U.S.
 sporting event.

Horse Racing: Likely Kentucky Derby favorite Eskendereya will miss race

As a replay of Eskendereya’s victory in the Wood Memorial played on the big screen at the National Museum of Horse Racing and Hall of Fame’s Countdown to the Triple Crown program in Saratoga Springs on Sunday afternoon, a woman in the audience dropped her head into her hands. Several others in the room were shaking their heads.

The message was clear: Sheer disappointment that the most visually impressive colt of the spring won’t get a chance to strut his stuff in the biggest race of his young life.

Zenyatta Vs Rachel Alexandra at Oaklawn Park – American Horse Racing

American horse racing fanatics will be hoping that a news conference on Thursday will see US champions Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta confirmed for a mouthwatering clash at Oaklawn Park in April.
The owner of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra says his filly won’t run against Zenyatta in a $5 million race in Arkansas, but he’s proposing a three-race series in which the leading ladies will meet.
Jess Jackson says he has been in discussions with the president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and hopes details can be worked out with the owners of Zenyatta.
The two racing heroines would clash in one of the most eagerly anticipated races of all time and connections of Breeders Cup Betting -winning wondermare Zenyatta are known to be aiming their superstar at the Apple Blossom Handicap on April 3.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Jackson says if training and racing schedules as well as purse money can be worked out, the three races would “rival the Triple Crown.”

Jerry Moss, who co-owns Zenyatta with his wife Ann, was surprised by Jackson’s announcement, and told The Associated Press: “I have no idea what he’s even talking about. Which three races? And where? And when?”
A week ago, Oaklawn Park said it would boost the purse of the Apple Blossom on April 3 to $5 million from $500,000 if both horses competed.
Rachel won all eight of her starts last year, including victories against males in the Preakness Stakes, the Haskell Invitational and the Woodward Stakes. She was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness.
Zenyatta was perfect in ‘09, too, and improved her career record to 14-0 by becoming the first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
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Triple Crown 2010 Nominations – Total 366 Horse Nominated

Led by Eclipse Award winners Lookin At Lucky and She Be Wild, a total of 366 horses have been made early nominees to the three Triple Crown races, it was announced late Saturday night by the Triple Crown racetracks, Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont Park.
All those 3-year-olds were made eligible for a $600 nomination fee due on Jan. 16. Horses can still be nominated, but for $6,000, at a second deadline on March 27. There are usually about a dozen horses nominated at the second deadline.


Regardless, the number of nominations will be down from recent years, reflecting the economic realities of the sport today. From 2001 through last year, more than 400 horses were nominated at the early deadline every year except for 2005, when 358 were early nominees from a crop that was affected by Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome in Kentucky.
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The Triple Crown nominations were put under a common form in 1986. Since that time, the early nominees have ranged from a high of 450 in 2007 to a low of 315 in 1990. A company called Triple Crown Productions administered the common forms through last year, and though that company has been disbanded, the racing departments of the three tracks continue to join forces to gather the nominations for the Triple Crown, according to Darren Rogers, a publicist for Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby.
The list of early nominations was released Sunday by Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on behalf of the tracks hosting the Triple Crown races.
Check out the 2010 Triple Crown Horse Betting Odds at SPORTSBETTING.com

Pennsylvania Commission Bans Michael Gill from Horse Racing at Penn

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing  Commission has ejected owner Michael Gill from racing at Penn National Race Course, claiming his participation would disrupt the orderly conduct of racing at the track.
Gill was notified late Tuesday afternoon by the commission that his horses will no longer be permitted to race at Penn National, located in Grantville, Pa., although Gill said from New Hampshire that he understood the ruling to mean his horses will still be permitted to race at Philadelphia Park.
Gill said on Monday that he planned to get out of racing in the wake of the controversy that stemmed from two of his horses breaking down at Penn National, but he still planned to race horses at the track this week.

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The commission ruling came at the conclusion of their investigation into recent breakdowns of Gill’s horses at Penn and some 24 hours before the Wednesday card was to begin. Part of the ruling reads that Gill’s further participation “will jeopardize the orderly conduct of the race meet” and that “your presence and continued participation has been inconsistent with the best interest of racing.”
Eric Schippers, spokesman for Penn National Gaming, said, “We plan to comply fully with this, and we’re pleased the commission took such swift action to our request to investigate this matter.”
Gill met at length Saturday at Penn with officials and veterinarians from the track to address the situation that existed since the breakdown of Laughing Moon on Jan. 23. Gill said he was informed at the Saturday meeting that necropsies ordered by the track for Laughing Moon and for Melodeeman, who also suffered a catastrophic breakdown Jan. 21 at Penn, uncovered no wrongdoing.
Check out the upcoming Triple Crown Horse Racing Betting at SportsBetting.com.

Triple Crown 2010 – Piscitelli will miss 2010 Triple Crown Horse Racing

William C. Schettine’s Grade 3-placed winner Piscitelli will be sidelined for at least 90 days after sustaining a leg injury in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) on January 23 at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Richard Sacco said the three-year-old Victory Gallop colt will be out of training from February through April, which would eliminate him from consideration for this year’s Triple Crown Horse Racing.
Piscitelli faded after setting the pace and was eased by jockey Kent Desormeaux in the Holy Bull. The colt’s right hind limb appeared to be injured following the race and digital X-rays were taken of his hocks, stifles, and fetlocks by Luis Castro, D.V.M.

Piscitelli subsequently was then sent to Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, Florida, for further evaluation. A bone scan revealed an injury to his right hind cannon bone.
“Piscitelli has a deep bone bruise at the bottom of his right hind cannon bone,” Castro said. “Although it is painful, horses with this injury can make a complete recovery with 90 days rest.”
It says that he will miss this year’s Triple Crown Horse Racing.
Piscitelli won his second start, a one-mile maiden special weight race in July at Monmouth Park, prior to a third-place finish in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) on September 5 at Arlington Park.
He then finished fifth in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland Race Course and fourth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park to cap his 2009 season.
Overall, Piscitelli has won one of six starts with a second- and a third-place finish, and has earned $181,570. He is out of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Rayelle, by Relaunch.
“The prognosis for soundness and a full recovery is excellent, and we are thankful to have the opportunity to race this talented colt again in the future,” Sacco said. “Hopefully, we will be ready for races like the Haskell [Invitational Stakes (G1)], [Shadwell] Travers [Stakes (G1)], and Pennsylvania Derby (G3) toward the end of summer and early fall.”
Check out this year’s Horse Betting Odds at SportsBetting.com.

Horse of the Year Winner Rachel Alexandra goes back to work

Rachel Alexandra goes back to work: Rachel Alexandra, the newly crowned horse racing betting Horse of the Year, had her first official work of the year Sunday, worning four furlongs in 52 seconds at Fair Grounds Race Track in New Orleans.
2009 Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra posted her first breeze at Fair Grounds, Sunday morning with regular exercise rider Dominic Terry in the irons going a half-mile in: 52.

Reguarl exerice rider Dominic Terry was on board the 4-year-old filly, who won all eight of her starts last season.
“I even asked for a touch slower but for her that’s just physically impossible,” said Scott Blasi, the assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, after the work. “Dominic did a good job. He had to trick her into going that slow but right now that’s what’s best for her.
“It was a perfect work,” he said. “We’re not out to impress anybody at this point. I’m happy with how manageable she is, how happy she is being out there. Looking at her body motion, she’s happy with what she’s doing.”
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The plan is for Rachel to breeze on a weekly basis from now on but the day will depend on the weather and track conditions.
Of course, what everyone wants to know now is when Rachel will meet Zenyatta, the top older mare from last year. There are no plans right now but it seems inevitable they will meet sometime this year.
Fans were hoping to see the two compete in the upcoming Apple Blossom (GR I) at Oaklawn Park on April 3rd, but that is hardly unlikely.
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