One year after increasing the purses of 19 stakes races, Oaklawn has planned the richest stakes schedule in track history for 2015. Chief among the changes is a $150,000 bump to the Rebel Stakes (gr. II).
Two-year-old Katie's Kiss romped to a front-running victory in the third race at Gulfstream Park July 26 and became the first winner for Florida-based freshman sire Kantharos.
A Texas lawmaker is asking Attorney General Greg Abbott to weigh in on whether a state commission has the authority to allow historical racing.
Jockey David Cabrera started the Lone Star Park meet as an apprentice rider and finished as a journeyman with a stand-leading total of 65 wins as the Texas track's 18th spring meet came to an end July 12.
Shedrow Cocktails became the first reported winner for Louisiana stallion Orthodox when the 2-year-old captured a maiden event by four lengths the evening of July 12 at Evangeline Downs.
Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., has announced the appointment of Robbie Junk as racing secretary and Johnnie Jamison as starter for the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet that begins Sept. 6.
Thoroughbred Rocky Gulch and trainer Cliff Lambert were among inductees into Ruidoso Downs' Racehorse Hall of Fame the evening of June 27 during a banquet in the track's All American Turf Club.
Due to confirmed vesicular stomatitis cases in Texas, Louisiana animal health officials are imposing enhanced requirements on horses and other livestock entering Louisiana from a state that has diagnosed cases of VS.
Arapahoe Park has announced it has created a "Race-Day Medication-Free Incentive" program to reward horsemen who do not administer race-day medication to their horses.
Favored Heitai ran his rivals off their feet with a comfortable front-running romp in the inaugural $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint the night of June 21 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel.
Graded stakes winners Gantry and Sum of the Parts head a field of 10 sprinters in the inaugural running of the $300,000 Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint June 21 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel.
First-time starter Forte Feroce seized command at the quarter pole and romped to a clear win in the third race at Emerald Downs June 15, becoming the first winner for Texas-based freshman sire Grasshopper.
The Breeders Sales Co. of Louisiana's annual yearling sale is set for Sept. 23 at the Ike Hamilton Center in West Monroe, La.
The Texas Racing Commission has approved the publication for public comment the proposed rules for historical race wagering, also known as Instant Racing, at tracks in that state that conduct live racing.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel announced June 11 changes to its annual Jackpot Day program scheduled this year for Saturday, Nov. 22 in Vinton, La.
If California Chrome wins the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 7 at Belmont Park, he would become the first California-bred Triple Crown winner and just the fourth horse bred outside of Kentucky to sweep the three classics.
Henry Ray Dunn's Ide Be Cool, unbeaten in four starts at 2 in 2013, was named accredited Louisiana-bred horse of the year May 24 at the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeder Association's annual meeting in Opelousas.
Grand Contender notched a third consecutive victory in fine style May 26, leading all the way to win the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) at Lone Star Park.
Sunbean lived up to his billing as the star of the 10th annual Louisiana Legends Night May 24, romping to a five-length victory as the 1-20 favorite in the $100,000 Classic at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel.
Maggi Moss' Grand Contender will try to nail down a third straight stakes victory when he faces an expected five rivals in the $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) May 26.
Multiple stakes winners Sunbean and Heitai headline the Louisiana Legends Night program, which offers more than $800,000 in purses in eight stakes for state-breds on the night of May 24 at Evangeline Downs.
Churchill Downs Inc. officials told Louisiana lawmakers May 13 the company will reinvest in Fair Grounds, thus staving off legislation that would have forced a portion of the track's annual slots revenue to track improvements
Stakes winner Silver City was represented by his first winner as a stallion when his 2-year-old daughter Promise Me Silver won the third race at Lone Star Park in her career debut May 11.
Grade II-placed Heritage Hall has been retired to stud at David Spears Racing in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will award two college scholarships on Legends Night May 24 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas, La.
This year's $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III) for 2-year-olds will be held at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel Nov. 22, Boyd Gaming Corp. announced.
An official with Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots assured Louisiana lawmakers May 6 that owner Churchill Downs Inc. will make the improvements required under a conditional license it received from state racing commission.
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Grade III winner Chelokee died at the University of Arizona Equine Center near Tucson May 2. The son of Cherokee Run was 10 years old.
Southwest trainer Karl Broberg earned the 1,000th win of his career the night of May 3 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel when Heitai captured the $60,000 Need for Speed Stakes on turf.
Oaklawn Park is using its 2nd annual Smokelawn BBQ Championship event in the Infield May 3 to help raise money for tornado relief efforts and will donate all proceeds from the "People's Choice Award" to the cause.
The Louisiana State Racing Commission April 29 granted a one-year conditional license to Churchill Downs Inc. for Fair Grounds. The company must provide a list of improvements to be made in the next 60 days.
A daughter of Half Ours topped the inaugural Equine Sales Co. of Louisiana's 2-year-olds in training and horse of racing age sale April 28 in Opelousas, selling for $69,000 to Ralph Wadleigh's Energy Solutions Consultants.
In stature Vicar's in Trouble will be one of the smallest starters in this year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I), but he will carry big hopes for not just his connections but the state of Louisiana as well.
Gritty Grand Contender battled head-and-head with Taptowne through the stretch before inching clear in the $200,000 Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III) on the night of April 26 at Lone Star Park.
Three Louisiana-bred fillies tied for the fastest furlong drill April 26 at the breeze show for Equine Sales Co. of Louisiana's first-ever 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale in Opelousas.
A bill that would allow legal advance deposit wagering in Arizona beat the legislative deadline in the early morning hours April 24 and has been sent to Gov. Jan Brewer for her signature.
Likely Kentucky Derby (gr. I) favorite California Chrome will try to become the first California-bred to win the Louisville classic since Decidedly in 1962, but six other Derby hopefuls were also foaled outside of Kentucky.
Churchill Downs Inc., which spent $600,000 in the first quarter of this year on another failed bid for casino gambling in Kentucky, believes the next opportunity to makes its case will come in 2016.
Graded stakes-placed four times in the past year, Taptowne is eyeing a breakthrough win for trainer Tim Glyshaw in the $200,000 Texas Mile (gr. III) on the night of April 26 at Lone Star Park.
The Louisiana State Racing Commission has scheduled a special meeting for May 1 to consider the license Churchill Downs Inc. holds to operate Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and a ring of OTB parlors with video poker.
Following record-breaking increases at the 2013 OKC Summer Sale, officials say they are preparing for an increase in entries for the upcoming sale set for Aug. 18 at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds.
Danza sent shock waves through the crowd of 63,186 at Oaklawn Park when he took command in upper stretch at odds of 41-1 and rolled to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 12.
In a result that could have implications later in the 3-year-old season, improving Bourbonize got up just in time to edge favored Knock Em Flat by a neck in the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes April 12 at Oaklawn Park.
Willis Horton's Will Take Charge notched his first victory of the season in the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) April 12 at Oaklawn Park, surviving multiple claims of foul and a lengthy inquiry.
Defeating four older fillies and mares, Juddmonte Farms' Close Hatches secured her third grade I with a front-running performance in the $588,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 11 at Oaklawn Park.
Lemon Drop Dream, tracking a blistering pace into the stretch, charged home to register a well-timed victory in the $294,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (gr. III) in his graded stakes debut April 10 at Oaklawn Park.
Leading Arkansas Derby (gr. I) contender Bayern got his first feel for the Oaklawn Park racing strip the morning of April 10 after arriving a day earlier with the contingent of California horses competing this weekend.
Tapiture, Strong Mandate, and Ride On Curlin butt heads once more at Oaklawn Park in the The $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 12, and they'll be joined by another new shooter from the Bob Baffert barn in Bayern.
Will Take Charge won the 3-year-old championship, but speedster Moreno was surprisingly right there with him in the summer months before going to the sidelines after the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
