Racing News

Anvil Raider N became the winningest horse in North America this year when he crossed the finish line in 1:57.1 in winning the ninth race on Saturday (Dec. 21) at Northfield Park.

The win was the 22nd time that Anvil Raider N has been triumphant in 2013, one more than 8-year-old pacing mare Tracys Song.

Echoing crowds of yesteryear and making one last memory, fans flocked into Betfair Hollywood Park for a final time Dec. 22. They were there until the lights went out on the Track of Lakes and Flowers, bringing to an end a golden era of Los Angeles racing.

Located in the city of Inglewood near Los Angeles International Airport, the 238-acre property that opened for racing June 10, 1938, is slated for redevelopment into a shopping center, hotel, and homes.

The Auld Lang Syne, a $25,000 starter allowance race with a $57,750 purse, rang out an 11-race card Sunday, the last live racing to be held at the landmark site that hosted 75 years of memorable competition. A crowd of 13,283 was on hand at Hollywood Park for the last time.

Strapping Groom made short work of a short field, drawing away to win by 6 1/2 lengths in the $98,000 Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack Dec. 21.

The 6-year-old Johannesburg horse pressed a pace set by 30-1 shot Abra, put that one away handily coming off the turn, and headed home under confident handling from jockey Junior Alvarado.

Although he carried top assignment of 121 in the six-furlong Gravesend, grade I winner Strapping Groom was getting a 14-pound break from his previous assignment of 135 pounds, which he toted in the Nov. 28 Fall Highweight Handicap (gr. III) when runner-up to Palace by 1 1/2 lengths.

Phipps Stable's Mr Speaker found a rail seam in upper stretch and skimmed to a 10-1 surprise in the $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) Dec. 21 atGulfstream Park.

Mr Speaker earned his first graded victory directly off an Oct. 14 maiden win at Belmont Park.

The homebred Pulpit colt was taken back after a good break from post 7 in a field of nine juveniles, and raced ahead of only one, trailer Pleuven, through the early going of the one-mile turf event.

Odds-on Swiss Lake Yodeler wore down 23-1 shot Rovenna in the final yards to win the $200,250 Soviet Problem StakesDec. 21 on the next-to-last day of racing at Betfair Hollywood Park (VIDEO).

The victory in the race restricted to 2-year-old fillies bred or sired in California enabled Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to establish an Autumn meet record. The one-length score by the 9-10 choice was the seventh stakes success of the stand for Hollendorfer, bettering the mark of six originally set by legendary Charlie Whittingham in 1984.

Owned by breeders Larry and Marianne Williams, Swiss Lake Yodeler was ridden by a confident Rafael Bejarano and covered the seven furlongs over Cushion Track in 1:23.90. She paid $3.80, $3, and $2.60.

ROYAL CAVIAR, who made it two from two when landing the Grade 2 Future Champions Bumper at Navan on Sunday after surviving a stewards inquiry, has been disqualified following a successful appeal by Stuart Crawford, trainer of runner-up Fine Rightly.

The appeals body of the Turf Club met on Friday and decided to award the race to Fine Rightly, who was beaten two and a quarter lengths by the Willie Mullins-trained 1-4 favourite, on the basis that in their opinion Royal Caviar had improved his placing in relation to Fine Rightly by causing interference in the closing stages of the race.

 Dave Offenberg and his trotter Whatnblazes enjoyed a two-hole journey until the top of the stretch and then rallied to a head victory in a time of 2:00.4 to win the $14,000 final of the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s Fall Trotting Series at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday (Dec. 19).

Had it been a wagering event Impressive Earl, a winner of four preliminary legs, would have undoubtedly been the hot favorite, but this time driver Dr. John Kokinos had trouble with the veteran trotter behind the gate and when Impressive Earl went off stride as the gate was leaving it changed the whole complexion of the race.

Wygant Prince and driver Paul Minore fired for the lead and although they had some road trouble on the first turn, by the time they reached the quarter pole they had command. Minore wouldn’t yield the lead so Bob Davis, with Bullseye Valley on the limb, got fresh air the entire mile.

Fifteen sophomore pacing fillies made their way to Woodbine Racetrack on Thursday evening (Dec. 19) to contest two $14,100 divisions of the second leg of the Niagara Series.

The Niagara Series is for 3-year-old fillies who were non-winners of C$50,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31.

The finish line is in sight for Betfair Hollywood Park, which attracted 112 entrants for its final program Dec. 22 consisting of 11 races.

Entries were taken Dec. 19 as the curtain prepares to drop on the legendary Inglewood track after 75 years of racing. The card is headlined by the $200,000 King Glorious Stakes for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California going seven furlongs on Cushion Track. It will also include a pair of $50,000 starter allowance races, the Valley Lass, a race named for the first winner at Hollywood in 1938, and the Auld Lang Syne, which brings the Hollywood Park era to a sad close.

Part of the Golden State Series for state-breds, the King Glorious is named for the 1988 Hollywood Futurity winner. It is the 10th race with a 5:05 p.m. PST scheduled post. First post is 12:30 p.m.

Well-regarded maiden Rebranded came through in the clutch to win the $104,800 Riley Allison Futurity as the heavy favorite Dec. 22 at Sunland ParkRacetrack and Casino.

The Tiznow   colt shipped in fromAqueduct Racetrack following his recent sale and seemed to like his new home in the Southwest running for leading trainer Justin Evans. 

Under Ry Eikleberry, 13-10 choice Rebranded settled into stride comfortably and raced about five lengths off the pace early in the one-mile event for 2-year-olds. Eikleberry guided Rebranded to the outside while racing down the backstretch and advanced with ease.

With Christmas quickly approaching, there has been a lot of holiday cheer present throughout the Woodbine paddock.

Many trainers, drivers and familiar faces at the Rexdale oval offered season’s greetings and holiday wishes to all the fans of harness racing.

I Luv The Nitelife, one of the top pacers of the year, has been named the 2013 Secretary of Agriculture’s Trophy winner as New Jersey Standardbred of the Year as selected by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

I Luv The Nitelife will be among the honorees at the 57th annual New Jersey Breeders Awards luncheon at 1 p.m. on Jan. 26 at Charley’s Other Brother in Eastampton Township, N.J.

Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winnerMucho Macho Man stepped up his preparation for his 2014 debut, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.03 the morning of Dec. 22 at Gulfstream Park. 

The work was the second swiftest of 31 at the distance. The 5-year-old son ofMacho Uno   galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 under regular exercise rider Nick Petro Jr.

"He was just feeling so good, we let him do a little more today," trainer Kathy Ritvo said. "He did great."

Friday's (Dec. 20) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway and The Meadows.

There is no denying that Bruce Aldrich Jr. has arrived. He’s had a great season and is third in races won in North America with 632, and on Friday afternoon (Dec. 20) over a muddy racetrack at Monticello Raceway, Aldrich put the icing on the cake when he reined eight winners on the card.

Eight wins at on one card at the Mighty M is the second best production by a driver on a single card here since the track was established in 1958. His output left him one short of Billy “Zeke” Parker’s nine wins, which the bearded wonder had on Oct. 22, 1996.

With old man winter breathing down our necks, plans are in full force to cap off the successful 2013 meeting at Scarborough Downs this weekend (Dec. 21 and 22).

Full cards are planned for both Saturday and Sunday with a post time of 12:05 p.m. Saturday’s program will feature the presentation of year-end awards.

Claimer of the Year honors, at various levels, will go to: Sassy Sarah, Personnel Space, Bonus Miles, Kit Kat Du Ruisseau, In Tony’s Honor, Rodeo Du Ruisseau, Bold Fresh and Fox Valley Spencer.

Steve Oldford of Croswell, Mich., has been named USHWA's 2013 Amateur Driver of the Year and it is hard to come up with a more stellar list of accomplishments than those he has achieved this year.

He is this year's Billings overall point champion as well as the points champ in the Billings midwest region and a winner of one of the Billings Series finals.

Trainer Kellyn Gorder couldn’t have been happier with the performance of Bourbon Courage at Gulfstream Park last February in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I). Now at the end of the season, the 4-year-old son of Lion Heart is on track for another run at the Donn via the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday Dec. 22.

In his first attempt, Bourbon Courage was second, three lengths behind front-running victor Graydar   in the 1 1/8-mile Donn.

“I thought he ran super. He just got beat by a really nice horse,” Gorder said. “No excuses there.”