(Edited Gulfstream Park report)

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When handicappers examine the past performance lines of the entrants for Saturday’s $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), they will take special note of Mucho Macho Man’s triumph in the $400,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Classic on Jan. 28.

Although his thoroughly professional and dominant performance was impressive to watch, it became even more notable when runner-up Ron the Greek went on to capture the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) last weekend.

Mucho Macho Man…

Hawthorne/WGN-TV release

CHICAGO – WGN-TV Chicago will provide live coverage of the 55th running of the Illinois Derby from Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday, April 7th from 5:00-6:00pm.  “WGN Sports is excited to have Hawthorne Race Course as a new partner,” said Marty Wilke, WGN-TV vice president and general manager.  “The Illinois Derby is one of Chicago’s Very Own historic sporting events and we look forward to showcasing this great race.”

Hosted by WGN Sports’ Dan Roan, coverage will feature…

(Edited NYRA report)

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Attendance, on-track handle, and all-sources handle showed increases on Gotham Day at Aqueduct Racetrack, which featured exciting victories by Hansen in the Grade 3 Gotham, It’s Tricky in the Grade 2 Top Flight, and Calibrachoa in the Grade 3 Tom Fool presented by Corona Extra.

This year’s attendance of 8,244 outpaced last year’s attendance of 7,114 by 16 percent.

On-track handle was $1,580,999, up 9.2 percent from last year’s on-track total of $1,447,403.…

John Scheinman
NYRA/Aqueduct Racetrack

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Among the finest 3-year-old fillies in the country last year, 2011 Eclipse Award finalist It’s Tricky makes her seasonal debut Saturday in the 72nd running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains the daughter of Mineshaft for Godolphin Stable, watched with keen interest this past weekend as Awesome Maria and champion Royal Delta made their first…

Dan Silver
NYRA

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has released the stakes schedules and purse structures for the 2012 Belmont Park spring and Saratoga Race Course meets.

Stakes purses during the 56-day Belmont spring meet will increase approximately $1.9 million, or 26.6 percent, to $9.05 million in 2012, while stakes purses during the 40-day Saratoga meet will increase approximately $2.85 million, or 27 percent, to $13.35 million in 2012.

Purses for overnight races…

Pimlico Special Returns To Boost
Black-Eyed Susan Day Lineup

Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Maryland Racing Commission approved the 2012 Pimlico Race Course racing days and spring stakes schedule at its monthly meeting this afternoon. The headline event of the eight-week meeting is the 137th running of the $1 million Preakness® Stakes (G1), the middle jewel of the famed Triple Crown, on May 19.

The marquee meet of the Maryland racing season…

Mike Willman
Santa Anita Park

ARCADIA, Calif. — In honor of the 75th running of the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap, Santa Anita Park has unveiled a dazzling new logo for its signature race for older horses to be run Saturday, March 3.

“This is a truly historic occasion and we felt the Big ’Cap deserved an artistic upgrade,” said Santa Anita Vice President of Sales and Marketing Chris Quinn.  “Thanks to Candace Chew and Victor Sandoval in…

(Edited Maryland Jockey Club report)

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Maryland Jockey Club today unveiled a new logo for Pimlico Race Course. Pimlico, which opened on October 25, 1870, is the second oldest racetrack in the United States and is home to the $1 million Preakness Stakes®, the middle jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

The new logo is a composition of two elements.

The first element is the cupola weather vane, one of the most iconic features at Pimlico. Since…

Major Derby Prep on Feb. 26 to Feature Union Rags and Algorithms

(Edited Gulfstream Park report)

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park proudly announced Fasig-Tipton, North American’s oldest Thoroughbred auction firm, will sponsor the Feb. 26 $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2).

The Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth is a major 3-year-old prep on the road to the March 31 Florida Derby (G1) and May 5 Kentucky Derby (G1). The Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth is also a month before the world-renowned Fasig-Tipton…

Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club

LAUREL, Md. – Rapid Redux, the winner of 22 consecutive races, was honored at Laurel Park Saturday afternoon with a winners’ circle presentation. Six of the victories during the streak occurred at Laurel, more than any other track.

The son of Pleasantly Perfect, who had a perfect 19-for-19 season in 2011 and took home a pair of national awards, received a  specially designed blanket and a tote bag full of goodies,…