Hollywood Park planned to conduct a full card of racing on its Cushion Track Sunday, one day after jockeys complained late in the day about "waves," or clumps of synthetic material, that a track official said were caused by problems with the equipment used to maintain the new surface.
Circular Quay and Friendly Island, both second in Breeders' Cup World Championship races Nov. 4, head an 11-horse shipment of Todd Pletcher trainees that arrived at Hollywood Park from New York. The Thursday afternoon flight included six horses from the Christophe Clement stable as well.
Patrick Biancone is among five Eastern trainers planning to stable at Hollywood Park for the track's autumn meet when a division of 16 horses arrived Nov. 2.
California horsemen, who have been nearly unanimous in their praise of the new Hollywood surface in recent weeks of training, continued to give Cushion Track a thumbs up after the first day of racing at the fall meeting.
Hollywood Park picked up an additional six days in the 2007 racing calendar approved by the California Horse Racing Board Oct. 26 at Arcadia City Hall.
Hollywood Park, which will debut its Cushion Track for racing when its fall meet begins Nov. 1, is expecting some out-of-town trainers to send horses after the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs.
After shipping into Kentucky Oct. 10, the California-based Lava Man is adjusting well to his new surroundings at Keeneland Race Course as he preps for the $5- million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 4. According to trainer Doug O'Neill, the 5-year-old gelding settled in without a problem and is galloping daily over Keeneland's new Polytrack synthetic surface.
Veteran rider Richard Migliore, who has been based in New York his entire career, will leave the Big Apple on Oct. 28 and begin riding at Hollywood Park.
Reducing the number of racing events without the loss of a significant number of actual racing days in the North was the goal of the California Horse Racing Board's Strategic Alliance Planning Committee, which met for the final time Oct. 12 before making a final 2007 dates recommendation to the full board.
Brisnet.com is now publishing individual all-weather-surface records for all horses in its past performances.
Churchill Downs' anticipated sale of Ellis Park to a company headed by Kentucky businessman Ron Geary is complete, finalizing a deal that was announced in July.
Several top trainers will be heading down a synthetic path this winter, with Todd Pletcher sending a string of stakes horses to Hollywood Park, Nick Zito opening a winter barn at Keeneland, and Rusty Arnold setting up shop year-round at Keeneland.
Dr. Rick Arthur, the new equine medical director of the California Horse Racing Board, told a meeting of state horse breeders Sept. 22 that he plans to hold veterinarians accountable when trainers they advise are found in violation of horse medication rules.
Cementing the 2007 racing schedule in the state remained the focus of the California Horse Racing Board Strategic Alliance Planning Committee, which met Sept. 19 for the third time.
Hollywood Park's $3.78-million stakes calendar for the 36-day Autumn Meet features an expanded schedule for 2-year-olds and the return Turf Festival, which will be carded over Thanksgiving weekend.
Trainer Jeff Mullins said he was informed by the California Horse Racing Board that one of the horses in his care, Robs Coin, tested positive for a prohibited amount of the anesthetic mepivacaine, and that he is awaiting the results of split-sample tests.
Trainer Bruce Headley and his son, Gustav Headley, were fined $1,500 apiece by Hollywood Park stewards after they were found to have violated training rules stemming from the seventh race on July 4 at the Southern California track.
Hollywood Park will build a new six-furlong chute for the Lakeside Turf Course for the opening of the 36-day Autumn Meet on Nov. 1, the track announced July 19.
On-track attendance and pari-mutuel handle at Hollywood Park were down during the 61-day spring-summer meeting that ended July 16, although overall wagering increased slightly, according to preliminary figures released by the Southern California track.
Victor Espinoza finished with 60 winners to clinch his second Hollywood Park spring/summer meeting title as the Inglewood track closed its 61-day meet on Sunday.
TVG will present wall to wall coverage of the $750,000 American Oaks Invitational (gr. IT), scheduled for July 2 at Hollywood Park.
The Stute brothers, trainers Warren and Mel, have been named winners of the 2006 Laffit Pincay Jr. Award, presented annually to an individual who has served the sport with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination, and distinction.
Fairplex Park gave an extensive presentation of a proposed $100 million project to expand and greatly enhance the racetrack facility located on the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds during the California Horse Racing Board's meeting June 22.
Fairplex Park gave an extensive presentation of a proposed $100 million project to expand and greatly enhance the racetrack facility located on the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds during the California Horse Racing Board's meeting June 22.
Hollywood Park expects to be the first California racetrack to run on a synthetic-racing surface. The Inglewood facility announced June 21 that it will begin work with Equestrian Surfaces of the United Kingdom to replace the existing main track at the conclusion of the spring/summer meet on July 16.
Many of the leading female grass horses in the world received invitations from the Hollywood Park racing office Sunday for the inaugural $750,000 CashCall Mile (gr. IIIT) on July 1 and the $750,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) on July 2.
Doug O'Neill, Hollywood Park's leading trainer, will run his horses out of a detention barn for the next 30 days because one of his starters tested over the permitted level for total carbon dioxide in May.
The Pick Six paid a Hollywood Park record $1,540,401 Friday night to one winning ticket following a two-day carryover.
The Pick Six paid a Hollywood Park record $1,540,401 Friday night to one winning ticket following a two-day carryover.
Jockey Corey Nakatani rode four winners including Aragorn in the $321,000 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) to reach the 3,000-win mark Monday at Hollywood Park.
The California Horse Racing Board voted Monday to temporarily waive rules requiring the coupling of horses specifically for the two current Thoroughbred meetings at Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park on condition there be at least five separate wagering interests prior to any uncoupling.
California-bred Scottsbluff set a world record of 1:00.26 for 5 1/2 furlongs under jockey Victor Espinoza in winning Monday's $70,800 Bullet Stakes on the Lakeside Turf Course at Hollywood Park.
A bill that would require major racetracks in California to install a polymer synthetic type-racing surface by the end of 2007 sailed through the State Senate on May 11.
Roger Olguin, agent for apprentice jockey sensation Martin Garcia, had a busy first morning on the Hollywood Park backstretch Wednesday. He booked six mounts for Friday, Garcia's first program at the Southern California track.
Apprentice riding sensation Martin Garcia, second in the nation with 149 wins this year, will leave Northern California to begin riding at Hollywood Park on Friday, agent Roger Olguin confirmed Sunday.
Well-traveled jockey Clinton Potts is giving the Southern California circuit a try after competing in South Florida earlier this year.
Grey Swallow, winner of the 2004 Irish Derby (Ire-I), is scheduled to arrive at Hollywood Park Monday for the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) on May 13.
The California Horse Racing Board is expected to waive its rules regarding the coupling of horses with common ownership during the current Hollywood Park meeting and upcoming Bay Meadows stand.
Second-choice Heavenly Ransom rallied under jockey Jon Court en route to her fourth win in five starts, establishing a stakes record on the newly installed Hollywood Park turf course in Wednesday's $100,000 Wilshire Handicap (gr. IIIT). The program opened the 67th spring/summer meet in Inglewood.
A dispute between TVG and the Thoroughbred Owners of California was resolved Wednesday afternoon allowing transmission of Hollywood Park's signal on the racing network just minutes before the track's first race of the 2006 season.
A dispute between TVG and the Thoroughbred Owners of California was resolved Wednesday afternoon allowing transmission of Hollywood Park's signal on the racing network just minutes before the track's first race of the 2006 season.
Hollywood Park has released its $9.475 million stakes schedule for its spring/summer meet that begins April 26. There are 31 graded races on the schedule.
The California Horse Racing Board approved an agreement March 23 that allows the strapped Jockeys Guild to receive its health and welfare program benefits in a much quicker fashion than in the past.
Stevie Wonderboy, 2-year-old male champion of 2005 who suffered a condylar fracture of the right front ankle in a workout at Hollywood Park Monday, is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday morning, trainer Doug O'Neill said.
The absence of turf racing didn't impact the Hollywood Park fall meet as much as expected--at least in terms of averages--according to meet-end figures released by the Southern California racetrack.
Jockey Martin Pedroza wrapped up the first major riding title of his 23-year career when he piloted California-bred Young Luck to win the fourth race at Hollywood Park closing day Dec. 19. The 40-year-old Pedroza, who finished the 27-day meet with 31 wins, became the oldest first-time title winner in the track's 67-year history.
Hollywood Park announced Friday that it will be adding a lucrative race for fillies and mares three and up to go along with the American Oaks (gr. I) in July, building a big weekend of races at the Inglewood, Calif. racetrack.
A Southern California Equine Foundation ambulance will back up the horses particpating in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 2, 2006.
Hollywood Park has increased overnight purses by 5%, retroactive to the Nov. 9 beginning of the autumn meet on Nov. 9. There are nine racing days remaining at the 27-day meeting, which concludes Monday, Dec. 19.
Captain Squire, who won the Ancient Title (gr. I) two starts back, heads a small field entered for Saturday's Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park.
