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he highly-anticipated matchup betweenBeholder and Warren's Veneda in the Vanity Stakes (gr. I) was derailed by Beholder's illness prior to the May 9 race, but the pair will get another opportunity to go at it in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes (gr. III) June 13 at Santa Anita Park. 
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Jockey Trevor McCarthy and trainer Jamie Ness locked up titles in their respective categories at the recently-concluded Pimlico meet. According to the Daily Racing Form, McCarthy won the Pimlico riding title with 35 wins, one more than Victor Carrasco and two more than Jevian Toledo.
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Classic-winning trainer Graham Motion picked up the 2,000th victory of his training career Tuesday, June 9 whenRachel Wall overwhelmed a short field to win the seventh race at Delaware Park(VIDEO). Facing just two other rivals in the one-mile and 70-yard allowance race for fillies and mares, The Buttonwood Group's Rachel Wall drew off in the stretch to post a 10-length score under jockey Julian Pimentel. "This is very gratifying, not only for me but for everyone who has been a part of this team," Motion said after Tuesday's milestone win. "We have some people who have been working with us from the start. I have been lucky to have very loyal longtime owners behind me and I am blessed to have the support of my family. This milestone is a reflection of all of those people."
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It’s time for the Battle of Lake Erie, which means it is time for Foiled Again to make his annual trip to Ohio’s Northfield Park. The 11-year-old pacer is among the eight horses in Friday’s $175,000 Battle of Lake Erie, marking his seventh appearance in the race. Foiled Again won the Battle in 2011 and 2009, finished second in 2012 and was third in both 2014 and 2010. He drew post five with driver Matt Kakaley and is 4-1 on the morning line. Molson Pace champion State Treasurer, with David Miller listed to drive for trainer Ian Moore, is the 5-2 favorite from post seven while Luck Be Withyou, with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. driving for Chris Oakes, got post No. 3 and is 7-2.
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JL Cruze’s upset of Father Patrick in a division of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old trotters helped to vault the gelding into this week’s Top 10 in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll. JL Cruze, who has won 12 of 14 races this year and never been worse than second, won by a neck over Father Patrick in 1:51 and lands at No. 5 in this week’s rankings. Also joining the Top 10, at No. 9, is 4-year-old gelding pacer Rockeyed Optimist, who captured a division of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers last weekend at the Meadowlands. Rockeyed Optimist has nine victories and one second-place finish in 10 starts this season. Otherwise, little changed in the Top 10, with idle 3-year-old male pacer Wiggle It Jiggleit remaining in the No. 1 spot, followed by Charlie Hill Memorial-winning 5-year-old female trotter Bee A Magician in second. Artspeak, another 3-year-old male pacer who was idle last week, moved to third as Father Patrick dropped to fourth.
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Robert Shepherd made his 2,500th trip to the winner's circle on Monday (June 8) at Grand River Raceway. The 35-year-old Cambridge, Ontario, resident entered the card with seven drives and was two wins shy of the milestone.
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Outgoing track announcer Robert Geller received the highest honor in Washington racing Sunday on his final day at Emerald Downs. In a special ceremony after the day’s 10th race—“The Robert Geller Purse”—the only track announcer in Emerald Downs’ history was inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement category, becoming only the eighth member to be so honored. Emerald Downs Founder Ron Crockett made the announcement in the winner’s circle, presenting Geller with a Hall of Fame plaque and citing Geller’s achievements and 20-season legacy at the track.
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Bee A Magician, driven by Brian Sears, dug deep to win the $200,000 Charlie Hill Memorial in 1:53.3 Saturday night (June 6) at Scioto Downs. Sent off as the favorite at odds of 1-5, the 5-year-old Kadabra mare and Sears floated out from post 4 as DW's NY Yank left from post 5 and Il Sogno Dream took the lead from post 2. Bee A Magician, the lone mare in the race, ranged first-over and took the lead past the first quarter.
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From
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Although lacking experience in stakes company, Rock Fall was a well-backed favorite in Friday's $250,000 True North at Belmont Park. The 6-5 favorite justified the favoritism with a sparkling win for owner Stonestreet Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher. A tracking third as Favorite Tale recovered from an early stumble to lead through an opening quarter in :22 1/5 seconds, Rock Fall began to close in on that leader around the far turn. Grabbing a half-length lead after a half in :45 seconds, Rock Fall pulled clear down the lane to win by 3-3/4 lengths in a swift 1:08 1/5 for six furlongs on a fast track.
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Trainer Art Sherman has been selected by the Thoroughbred Owners of California to receive the 2014 Ed Friendly Industry Service Award, presented each year to recognize outstanding contributions and service in the California Thoroughbred racing industry. Last year at age 77 Sherman sent out Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner California Chrome. Two weeks later, California Chrome won the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) en route to the Lucky Pulpit colt being named 2014 champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year. For more than 60 years, Sherman has been an integral part of California racing—from stable hand to exercise rider to jockey to trainer. He also served on the TOC board of directors from 2002 to 2006.
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U.S. Horse of the Year California Chrome and dual champion Main Sequence are among 78 nominations for the Arlington Million (gr. IT), the centerpiece of the International Festival of Racing Aug. 15 at Arlington International Racecourse. The festival also includes the $750,000 Beverly D. (gr. IT) for turf fillies and mares, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) for turf 3-year-olds, and $400,000 American St. Leger (gr. IIIT) for turf marathoners. Among the Million nominees are 50 graded or group winners, including 15 grade I or group I winners, headlined by dual classic winner California Chrome, who was the runner-up in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) March 28 and currently is in England preparing for a start in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I) June 17 at Royal Ascot. After his European stint, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Preakness Stakes (both grade I) winner is scheduled to be shipped to the quarantine facility at Arlington, according to owners Steven Coburn and Perry Martin.
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Josh Sutton won the 3,000th race of his career when he drove QB Killa to a 1:52.3 victory in the 10th race on Thursday (June 4) at Scioto Downs. The 33-year-old Sutton won his first race back in 2000. He set career highs in 2014 with 586 victories and more than $3.6 million in purses won. Sutton was the leading driver at Scioto in 2014 with 156 victories.
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Reigning Horse of the Year California Chrome is one of 78 thoroughbreds nominated to this year's 33rd Arlington Million at Arlington Park. Owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, California Chrome won last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness to eventually garner Eclipse Awards as Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old. The chestnut colt is trained by Art Sherman and ridden by Victor Espinoza who is the jockey for this year's top 3-year-old American Pharoah. California Chrome is scheduled to compete on June 17 in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in England. He was second in this year's Dubai World Cup and San Antonio Stakes. California Chrome won last year's Hollywood Derby on the turf at Del Mar.
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Honors Stable's Wildcat Red, unraced since suffering a hind end injury in the Sunshine Million Classic Stakes in January, is doing well following his first recorded workout in more than four months, according to trainer Jose Garoffalo. The 4-year-old son of D'wildcat, who won the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. III) and the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) in his 3-year-old season, breezed four furlongs in an easy :50.14 seconds on his home track at Gulfstream Park June 5. He is scheduled to work again Friday, June 12.
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This Week: Battle of Lake Erie, Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; and Armbro Flight, Goodtimes, North America Cup, Fan Hanover and Roses Are Red eliminations, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ontario.
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The finest 3-year-old pacers in harness racing will go postward Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack in three eliminations for the 32nd edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup. A total of 24 three-year-old colts and geldings have been split into three $50,000 eliminations. The top three finishers from each eight-horse elimination, plus a fourth-place finisher drawn by lot, will advance to the rich final on Saturday, June 20. Each elimination winner will earn the right to select their post position for the final.
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Chris Nye grew up playing and working in and around the horse barns at Bangor Raceway. That should come as no surprise, since harness racing is in his blood. His father, Shawn, is a trainer. His grandfather, Gerald, was a successful driver, and his great grandfather, Howard, was involved in the industry. “I didn’t do sports or anything like that. This was my sport,” Chris Nye said of his teenage years. “I’d get out of school, come to the barn, put horses away or do anything that needed to get done until the day was done at the barn. That’s what I grew up wanting to do.”
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From
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The Harness Racing Social Media Initiative today announced the development, launch and availability of a new, feature-rich mobile “Harness Racing FanZone” application for Apple (iOS) devices, including iPhone and iPad. It is available free at Apple’s iTune Store for immediate download at https://www.apple.com/itunes/. The launch of the application is an important milestone for the marketing of the sport and designed to provide the most robust, immersive experience for harness racing enthusiasts who are increasingly engaging with the sport through mobile devices. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone owners, and for many these devices are a key entry point to the online world. There are currently more than 800 million users of iOS devices globally. An android version of the app is expected to be available later this summer.
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After a long absence from the sport, multiple Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez made his retirement official June 8, more than a year and a half after his most recent mount. In a post on his Facebook page, 43-year-old Gomez finally answered the question the racing industry has been asking since he took off mounts in October 2013, never to return again. "I'd like everyone to know I'm officially retired from the sport of horse racing," Gomez wrote. "I thank everyone for all I achieved that had a part in my career. I had a lot of awesome moments in this game."
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With 13 horses entered into both the trotting and pacing division of the Graduate Series for 4-year-olds Saturday night (June 7) at Meadowlands Racetrack, each event was split into two divisions, worth $56,250 each. The big name on the program was Father Patrick, last year's 3-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year with career earnings of more than $2.5 million. Installed as a 1/5 morning-line favorite, Father Patrick went off as the 1/9 choice. Driven by Yannick Gingras, he was gathered back off the gate as JL Cruze and David Miller were intent on the lead through an opening quarter of 26.4. As JL Cruze began to slow the pace down, Father Patrick launched his move and grabbed the lead going past the half-mile in 56.1.Father Patrick still led past three-quarters in 1:24.1 with JL Cruze in close pursuit.
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Honor Code turned on the afterburners and flew home June 6 in the $1.25 millionMetropolitan Handicap (gr. I) atBelmont Park, with last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Tonalist getting up for second while favored at 8-5 (VIDEO). Speedster Private Zone set the mile event up perfectly for his Shug McGaughey-trained rival, clocking speedy early fractions of :22.42 and :44.92 for the proven closer to run into. It was an impressive last-to-first run from Honor Code under jockey Javier Castellano, who powered up on the outside after three-quarters went in 1:08.74. Tonalist was also making up ground from far back, but had nowhere near the powerful kick of the A.P. Indy ridgling, who finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead.
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Gallant Stables' grade I winner Majestic Harbor returns to the main track June 13 in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs. The 34th running of the Stephen Foster is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" series, and the winner will earn an automatic spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Keeneland. Last time out, Majestic Harbor, a 7-year-old veteran, ran a well-beaten ninth in the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) May 23, his third start on turf. "I don't think he'll ever see the turf ever again," trainer Paul McGee said the morning after the race.
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As last year's 2-year-old champion maleAmerican Pharoah prepares to bid for the Triple Crown June 6 at Belmont Park, the 2-year-old champion female of 2014 is nearly ready to breeze again. Take Charge Brandi, who back in March almost faced American Pharoah in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park, has been recovering from minor surgery to correct a non-displaced bone chip discovered March 10 in her right knee.
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Longshot Qualify wore down favoriteLegatissimo in the final strides and won the Investec Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) by a short head June 5 at Epsom Downs. One of three runners trained by Aidan O'Brien, the Fastnet Rock filly was pegged at 50-1 odds. She was well back in the straight but when Colm O'Donoghue urged the best from his mount, she lengthened stride and closed with a fantastic turn of foot to deny 5-2 favorite Legatissimo, who looked en route to victory from a furlong out. Qualify won for the third time in 10 career starts and first time in four starts since capturing the C. L. and M. F. Weld Park Stakes (Ire-III) last September at the Curragh. After closing last season unplaced behindLady Eli in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT), she was a well-beaten 10th in the Tattersalls Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) May 24 at the Curragh in her 2015 bow and then last of 13 in the English equivalent May 3 at Newmarket.
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When the notion to keep harness racing’s brightest stars on the racetrack beyond their 3-year-old season was being considered by Jeff Gural as far back as 2010, it was the lure of having a marquee horse to promote that fueled his campaign to change the conditions of stakes to that end. Known as the “Gural rule” and currently in place for most of the major stakes, that vision is coming into focus as the 2015 Grand Circuit season gets underway in earnest. To succeed, this initiative requires that rare equine athlete with talent and charisma enough to hold the attention of existing fans and pique the interest of new ones. Those qualities may well be embodied in the remarkably gifted trotter, Father Patrick. Crowned as the leader in his division at both two and three, Father Patrick has been touted by no less an authority that his Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter as “the best horse I have ever trained.” The career winner of more than $2.5 million boasts a long list of accomplishments and just may possess the necessary "Star Power.”
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