One of the biggest promotions anywhere for Thoroughbred owners and trainers will be held Sept. 11 when the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Delaware Park team up for their 12th "Owners' Day."
Thursday, August 26, 2004The unbeaten Afleet Alex, who demolished a deep field in Saratoga's Sanford (gr. II) on the second day of the meet, breezed a 'bullet' half-mile over a muddy track at Delaware Park this morning in :46 2/5.
Monday, August 16, 2004The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission and Delaware Park have decided the drug-testing protocol of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association be adopted voluntarily.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004Roberto Alvarado Jr., the leading rider at Delaware Park, will be out of action for approximately a week to ten days with a knee bruise.
Sunday, June 06, 2004An antitrust lawsuit filed last year by owner Michael Gill against Delaware Park has been settled, which paves the way for the nation's leading owner in 2003 to return to action at the track when its live meet opens Saturday.
Thursday, April 22, 2004John W. Rooney, a former Delaware Park executive and enthusiastic supporter of racing in Delaware, has died. He was 78.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004The Jockey Club and Scientific Games have established a working relationship designed to improve the capabilities and technology of the industry's wagering systems and provide the industry with a more secure wagering infrastructure in the process.
Tuesday, December 09, 2003The racing commissions that govern Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing in Delaware have been testing for erythropoietin antibodies since June 1, and in the future may implement rules to penalize horses that test positive.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003Delaware Park was forced to cancel its nine-race card on Monday due to high water conditions caused by heavy rain.
Monday, September 15, 2003The $200,000 Endine Handicap (gr. III), which drew multiple graded stakes winner Mandy's Gold among the 14 fillies and mares entered, tops the Owners' Day festivities to be held at Delaware Park Saturday.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003This Saturday's grade III Leonard Richards has shaped up a wide open affair. The $250,000 mile and a sixteenth affair has attracted a field of twelve 3-year-olds. The race will be televised on CBS with an approximate post time of 5:27 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003Attorneys for Michael Gill, one of the leading Thoroughbred owners in the country, filed a federal lawsuit in Delaware May 1. They claim Delaware Park officials unlawfully conspired to prevent Gill from racing his horses at the track, which opened April 26.
Friday, May 02, 2003Owner Mike Gill, the nation's leading owner who has been mired in controversy in recent months after unprecedented success at Gulfstream Park, plans to disperse his stable of more than 270 horses over the next two years and leave the sport entirely.
Friday, April 25, 2003Delaware Park will kick off its more than six-month racing season April 26 with the $75,000 Legal Light Stakes, one of 30 major events on the stakes calendar. The highlight is the $750,000 Delaware Handicap, a grade II race set for July 20.
Tuesday, April 22, 2003Thoroughbred owner Michael Gill says he is planning to refile a lawsuit against Delaware Park after a New Hampshire federal judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order against the track for denying the horseman stall space.
Saturday, April 19, 2003Delaware Park opens April 26...The estate of Jacques and Louise Wimpfheimer comes up for auction...National Museum of Racing hosts Countdown to the Triple Crown.
Tuesday, April 08, 2003Mike Gill, currently the nation's leading owner, sounds off about what he has described as a "conspiracy" to drive him out of racing.
Thursday, April 03, 2003Delaware legislators are considering legalized sports betting with a twist: It would benefit the horse racing industry in the state in the same way as gaming.
Thursday, March 13, 2003An upgrade and purse increase to the Delaware Handicap highlights the $4.1 million stakes schedule at Delaware Park this year.
Thursday, February 20, 2003A Delaware legislator has introduced a bill that calls for expansion of video gaming to "qualified entertaiment zones" along the Delaware River. Currently, only three racetracks in the state--Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway--are permitted to have video lottery terminals.
Wednesday, February 12, 2003The National Association of Two-Year-Old Consignors has bumped up the purses this year for the stakes its sponsors at Delaware Park.
Wednesday, January 15, 2003Leading Delaware Park jockey Michael McCarthy, 39, announced his retirement after more than 20 years of race riding.
Sunday, November 17, 2002The meet-closing live racing card at Delaware Park Sunday has been canceled due to unsafe track conditions caused by inclement weather, officials announced.
Sunday, November 17, 2002Jockey Mike McCarthy, who is on course to win his sixth riding title at Delaware Park, will retire from competitive riding at the conclusion of the meet on November 17.
Monday, November 11, 2002Rain and winds in the Northeast forced Delaware Park and Philadelphia Park to cancel racing today.
Wednesday, October 16, 2002The inaugural running of two restricted stakes created to promote horses sold through 2-year-old in training sales was so successful that next year's purses will increase 50%.
Monday, September 16, 2002The racing industry marked the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States with various memorial services, including one that was simulcast to betting outlets around the country from Del Mar in California.
Thursday, September 12, 2002Champion Xtra Heat's next appearance following the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be in Fasig-Tipton's auction pavilion in November.
Friday, September 06, 2002Purses are already pretty good at Delaware Park, but on Sept. 7, the annual owners' day sponsored by the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, they'll be even more lucrative.
Friday, September 06, 2002The Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association has come up with an innovative way to reward horsemen who board horses at farms and training centers in the state for a given time period.
Thursday, August 29, 2002Delaware Park has added five days to this season's schedule.
Wednesday, August 21, 2002Due to a severe drought which has affected the state of Delaware, Delaware Park has curtailed training on both its main track and training track on Thursdays, until further notice.
Saturday, August 10, 2002Shadwell Stable's Mus-If, a winner of four straight before running second in the grade III New Hampshire Sweepstakes in his last, tops the Sussex Handicap to be run at Delaware Park this Saturday.
Monday, July 29, 2002Jockey Ramon Dominguez, the nation's second-leading rider this year in races won, will be out of action for at least three months after fracturing his left wrist while riding at Delaware Park July 24.
Friday, July 26, 2002Ten female turf specialists are entered for Saturday's Robert G. Dick Memorial Breeders' Cup Stakes at Delaware Park. Graham Motion, who has horses entered in the other two stakes on the same day, has the favorite in this race, New Economy.
Wednesday, July 17, 2002Fillies from California, Kentucky, and New York are among those entered in the Oaks.
Wednesday, July 17, 2002Together Mark Shuman and Tim Ritchey train 50% of the entrants for Saturday's R.R.M. Carpenter Jr. Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park.
Wednesday, July 17, 2002Joe Petersen, the leading jockey at Delaware Park in 1985-'86-'87, has retired from riding and will join his family's printing business.
Saturday, July 06, 2002Alternate will try to turn it up a notch when she faces six rivals in the $175,000 Susan's Girl Stakes at Delaware Park on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race is the final local prep for the Delaware Oaks (gr. III), which will be contested on July 20.
Wednesday, June 26, 2002Burning Roma will look to rebound to his winning ways when he meets eight rivals in the $100,000 Brandywine Stakes at Delaware Park on Saturday.
Wednesday, June 26, 2002Delaware legislators on June 26 voted not to permit debate on a bill that would have exempted racetrack casinos from a statewide indoor smoking ban.
Wednesday, June 26, 2002In the only added-money race in the U.S. on Tuesday, Lady of the Future, a 7-1 shot, upset 2-5 favorite Calista to win Delaware Park's New Castle Handicap.
Tuesday, June 25, 2002On The Run Farm's Running Tide remained undefeated Saturday at Delaware Park, winning the $250,900 Leonard Richard Stakes (gr. III) by three-quarters of a length over 13-1 Nothing Flat. Preakness participants Easyfromthegitgo and Menacing Dennis finished fourth and fith, respectively.
Saturday, June 08, 2002Preakness Stakes (gr. I) fifth-place finisher Easyfromthegitgo was installed as the 3-1 favorite for Saturday's $250,000 Leonard Richards Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park.
Thursday, June 06, 2002Trainer H. Graham Motion is will be more than an interested spectator when he watches Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Motion will use what he sees Saturday to gauge whether he should enter Equality in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) two weeks later.
Tuesday, April 30, 2002Delaware Park will have many new faces on the backstretch when it opens for its 65th season April 27. Trainers new to the Stanton, Del., racetrack include Leo Azpura, David Donk, Scott Lake, Barclay Tagg, and Jeff Trosclair.
Thursday, April 04, 2002The $600,000-guaranteed grade III Delaware Handicap highlights the $4.4 million (including Breeders' Cup and NATC funds) stakes schedule at Delaware Park this year.
Friday, March 01, 2002Delaware has rejoined the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, after a one-year membership hiatus. The Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which has been an NTRA member since 1998, also renewed its membership in the NTRA.
Thursday, February 21, 2002In an attempt to attract more buyers to juvenile auctions, the National Association of 2-Year-Old Consignors will sponsor a pair of restricted stakes at Delaware Park this year. The NATC Futurity will have two divisions, one for colts and geldings and one for fillies. Both will be run at six furlongs on Labor Day weekend, and both will have a purse of $100,000 guaranteed. The value of each race is expected to exceed $200,000.The divisions will be open to any 2-year-old consigned by an NATC member who also is a contributor to the organization's advertising fund.
Monday, January 21, 2002