News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC).
SARATOGA YEARLING SALE POSTS GAINS
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The second day of the Saratoga Select Yearling Sale continued the strong trend of the first day as 61 yearlings were sold for an average of $132,443, up from $106,677 last year.
Only eight horses did not meet their reserve price Wednesday, in contrast to 22 last year. D. Wayne Lukas purchased the sales topper Wednesday, paying $410,000 for a colt by Storm Cat-Buy the Firm for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis. The second highest priced yearling was bought by Jim Spence for $375,000, a colt by Storm Bird-Aquakiss (FR) which will go to Lukas to train. Only one filly made the top ten, in contrast to Tuesday, when five of the top ten, including the top two, were fillies.
HORSE OF THE YEAR DAMASCUS DIES AT AGE 31
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Damascus, one of the great racehorses and sires of North America, passed away at age 31 in his paddock at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. Damascus won the 1967 Preakness and Belmont Stakes on his way to honors as top three-year-old, handicap horse and Horse of the Year. As a sire, Damascus sired 72 stakes winners, including Grade I winners Ogygian, Eastern Echo, Desert Wine, Private Account and Judger.
FIRST INTERNATIONAL SIRE NOMINATED TO BREEDERS' CUP FUND
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Officials with Breeders' Cup Ltd. announced the Chilean stallion Roy is the first stallion nominated to the Breeders' Cup-European Breeds' Fund Common Fund. The 12-year-old stallion stands in Santiago, Chile and has sired four champions.
"The Breeders' Cup-EBF Common Fund received a strong vote of confidence by the nomination of the leading Chilean stallion to the international program," said James E. Bassett III, president of the Breeders' Cup. "Hopefully, this will be the catalyst for others to follow."
The Breeders' Cup-EBF Common Fund provides an opportunity for stallions to be made eligible to both programs by the payment of an annual nomination fee equal to one stud fee (minimum U.S. $1,000). Foals conceived by those stallion will be eligible for nomination to the Breeders' Cup and or the EBF.
STANLEY CUP TO TRAVEL TO MONMOUTH PARK
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Monmouth Park will host Jim Dowd, a member of the 1995 Stanley Cup-winning New Jersey Devils, on Saturday, August 19, when the forward will spend a day at the races, with Stanley Cup in tow.
Dowd, who grew up near the Oceanport, N.J. racetrack, is a regular at Monmouth. Dowd and the Stanley Cup will meet the public and sign autographs from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Cup has been at the track before when Ed Olczyk of the New York Rangers brought it to Belmont Park last year.
BREEDERS' CUP ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO 1996 STAKES PROGRAM
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Officials with the Breeders' Cup Ltd. announced several changes to its year round stakes schedule beginning Jan. 1, 1996. The new program, Breeders' Cup National Stakes Program, will provide $11 million in purses and will consist of 80 races at 45 different racetracks in the United States and Canada. The new program will replace the Breeders' Cup Premium Stakes and Breeders' Cup Budweiser Special Stakes. The Breeders' Cup Championship will remain unchanged.
The Breeders' Cup will contribute a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $100,000 per race. Purse values for the races will range form $50,000 to $300,000. Horses nominated to the Breeders' Cup will compete for the full purse price, while non-nominated horses will be eligible for only the track's contribution to the purse.
"The Breeders' Cup National Stakes Program will be supported in partnership with racetracks across North America," said James E. Bassett, president of Breeders' Cup Ltd. "This program will continue to create a powerful incentive for breeders to nominate their stallions and foals and the emphasis will now be on quality and graded stakes, thereby providing higher visibility and greater relevance to the Championship."
A majority of the Breeders' Cup National Stakes races will be run after the Triple Crown races and prior to the time of pre-entry for the Breeders' Cup Championship.
BENEFIT DAY AT SARATOGA
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Jockeys are best known for the speed at which they guide Thoroughbreds across the finish line. On Thursday, August 17, the members of the Saratoga jockey colony will demonstrate their own speed in a foot race to benefit the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund and the Disabled Jockey Fund, two charities which assist injured jockeys and exercise riders.
A total of 12 jockeys will compete in the sixteenth of a mile event at the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., racetrack, which will be run following the seventh race. Racing fans will be able to 'bet' on the favorite in the race by making a $1 donation to the charities. Immediately following the race, those patrons who correctly selected the winning jockey will be entered into a draw. The winning prize is a trip for two to Caesars Atlantic City.
Consolation prizes include autographed riding boots from jockeys Jerry Bailey and Jose Santos and whips signed by Pat Day, Mike Smith and John Velazquez. In addition, jockeys will hold an autograph session from noon to 3:00 p.m. There will also be a limited number of jockey goggles available for a $1 donation and for $25, fans can purchase Saratoga T shirts autographed by all of the Saratoga jockeys.
LOUISVILLE AND CHURCHILL DOWNS TO STAR IN TODAY SHOW
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Louisville, and of course the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs, will help promote NBC's Today Show by appearing in the show's 'What a Difference Today Makes' opening theme.
NBC's advertising and promotions officials were in Louisville last week scouting people, places and things to be featured in the opening video for the popular morning TV show which airs nationally on weekdays from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. More than 13 sites were videotaped and will feature local celebrities, such as Mayor Jerry Abramson, who will share interesting information about the city or area landmark they are pictured with. The Churchill spot will feature Julian 'Buck' Wheat, a well-known Churchill official and horseman.
The segments will begin airing as early as August 11, and will be incorporated into the Today Show's programming on a two-month rotation. NBC officials anticipate using all of the segments.
MONMOUTH TO HOST CHILDREN'S PHOTO DAY
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On Sunday, August 13, Monmouth Park will host the Coca-Cola Kids Photo Day. All children who visit the Oceanport, N.J., racetrack will have the opportunity to dress in authentic jockey silks and have their photo taken with a member of the Monmouth jockey colony. The free program will take place in the track's picnic area and will utilize a replica of the track's winner's circle as the photo's backdrop.
TERMINALLY ILL TRAINER BAILIE REQUESTS MONEY AID CHILDREN
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Trainer Sally Bailie, who was diagnosed as being terminally ill with cancer, has requested that more than $6,000 which was raised to help deflect her medical costs instead be donated to aid two ill children.
Bailie, who is in Winthrop Hospital on Long Island, requested half the money raised be sent to the fund established for five-year-old Jacqueline Johnson, who is in need of reconstructive surgery on her kidneys. Bailie has requested the other $3,000 be donated to the 10-year-old son of Antonio Vizcarrondo, who was killed last week at Belmont Park while exercising a horse.
TELEVISED RACES
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August 12, '2Day at the Races,' 5:30-6:00 p.m., ESPN2; Arlington
Heights Oaks, Arlington; Magnolia Breeders' Cup Stakes, Ellis
Alabama Stakes, Saratoga
August 13, Pacific Classic, Del Mar, 5:00-5:30 p.m., ESPN; Alabama Stakes, Saratoga Racecourse; Sapling Stakes, Monmouth Park
RACING TO HISTORY
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Aug. 10, 1982: Mary Russ became the first female rider to surpass the $1 million mark in earnings when she finished third aboard Bammer in the fourth race at Saratoga.
Aug. 11, 1972: In preparation for his stakes-racing debut, the Aug. 16 Sanford at Saratoga, Secretariat worked five furlongs in 59.
Aug. 13, 1919 Upset scored a win against Man o' War in the Sanford Memorial Stakes at Saratoga. The defeat was Big Red's only loss in 21 starts.
Aug. 13, 1951: At odds of 2-1, Greentree Stable's Tom Fool won his maiden race by four lengths at Saratoga.
WEEKEND STAKES
SATURDAY
Alabama Stakes, 3yo fillies, $200,000, 1 1-4 Miles, Grade I,
Saratoga A field of nine will run in Saratoga's richest race for
sophomore fillies. Golden Bri is on the upswing, having defeated
Serena's Song in the 1 1-4-mile Coaching Club American Oaks at
Belmont after losing to her in the Mother Goose at 1 1-8 miles.
She is the first filly this year to beat Serena's Song. Another
horse on the upswing is Clear Mandate. Beaten by Gal in a
Ruckus in April and in two other allowance races, she rebounded
with a 28-length win June 29 and a 6 1-2-length triumph at
Saratoga July 21. Gal in a Ruckus had won all four of her 1995
starts, including the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, before being upset
by Kathie's Colleen in the Grade II Monmouth Oaks July 22, and
must be considered one of the favorites. Kathie's Colleen has
been consistent, winning an allowance race by 10 1-2 lengths and
running second to Gal in a Ruckus in the Canadian Oaks. Others
entered are: Rogues Walk; Friendly Beauty; Forested;
Conquistadoress; and Pretty Discreet.
Arlington Heights Oaks, 3yo fillies, $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Arlington Belle Mahone Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade IIC, Woodbine La Jolla Handicap, 3yo, $125,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Del Mar Sapling Stakes, 2yo, $200,000, 6 Furlongs, Grade II, Monmouth
SUNDAY
Pacific Classic, 3&up, $1,000,000, 1 1-4 Miles, Grade I, Del Mar
Oft-injured Soul of the Matter, winner of the Grade II Bel Air
Handicap at Hollywood Park in his first start since the 1994
Breeders' Cup Classic, is the early favorite for Del Mar's
premier event. He will meet 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic winner
Concern, who gets the riding services of Gary Stevens, and
defending Pacific Classic champion Tinners Way, who was sceond
to Horse of the Year favorite Cigar in the Hollywood Gold Cup,
July 2. Cleante (ARG), Argentina's Horse of the Year in 1993,
was a length behind Soul of the Matter in the Bel Air while
Blumin Affair won the Grade III San Diego Handicap at Del Mar
after a fourth in the Hollywood Gold Cup. Slew of Damascus has
three seconds and a third in four starts this year.
Ballerina Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $150,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade I
Saratoga Duchess Stakes, 3yo fillies, $75,000, 7 Furlongs, GradeIII
Woodbine Find Handicap, 3&up, $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf
Pimlico Rancho Bernardo Breeders' Cup Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, 6 1-2 Furlongs, Grade III, Del Mar.
The Running Horse (http://www.webcom.com/~alauck/)