News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..) SEE THE ROLLING STONES FOR $1 Want to see the Rolling Stones concert in St. Louis Dec. 12 and you only have $1? Hollywood Park will simulcast the Stones' 'Bridges to Babylon' tour to the track beginning at 7 p.m. As part of its 'Friday Night Fever' promotion, beer, soda and hot dogs are just a $1. Mick Jagger will have to pay full price, though, admission is $1 for anyone UNDER 30 years old. Gates open at 5 p.m. and post time for the eight live races is at 7 p.m. The Rolling Stones tribute band, Sticky Fingers, will play live at Hollywood's Longshots Sports Bar following the concert. ABC SPORTS TO TELEVISE SEVEN RACES IN 1998 ABC Sports will broadcast seven three-year-old races on five telecasts in 1998, starting with with the Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park on March 14. The Wood Memorial Stakes from Aqueduct, Arkansas Derby from Oaklawn Park and Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes will all be shown on April 11--the Wood and Arkansas Derby live. ABC Sports will once again televise the Triple Crown, the May 2 Kentucky Derby, May 16 Preakness Stakes and June 6 Belmont Stakes. NO NEW GRADE I RACES IN 1998 There will be no new Grade I races in 1998, but 15 races have been moved from Grade III to Grade II with 15 previously ungraded races receiving Grade III status. Churchill Downs has eight stakes being upgraded, with Santa Anita next at five, Belmont Park with four, Gulfstream and Saratoga three each, Hollywood Park with two, and Bay Meadows, Calder, Hawthorne, Aqueduct and Keeneland one each. Wilson Shirley, the director of information services for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), said the names of the North American stakes being downgraded for 1998 would be released after their host tracks had been notified. The committee consists of five members of TOBA plus seven racing officials, met on Dec. 8 in Lexington, Ky. U.S. JOCKEYS COMPETE IN PERU Panamanian Laffit Pincay Jr. and Peruvian natives Edgar Prado, Jorge Chavez and Julio Pezua represented the U.S. in an international riders' competition, organized by the Peruvian Thoroughbred Owners Association, Monday, Dec. 8, at Monterrico in Lima. A group of 12 jockeys from the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru participated in the three-race event. Juan Jose Paule of Argentina and Peruvian Edwin Talaverano tied for the lead with Brazilians Jorge Ricardo and Gabriel Meneses tied with another local jockey, David Cora, for third. SHEIKH MOHAMMED WARNS THREATENS BRITISH DEPARTURE Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum warned that he and his brothers will pull out of British racing soon and race in Australia, Japan or the U.S. unless there are dramatic changes in the way the sport is financed. His comments were contained in a speech delivered to the annual Gimcrack dinner at York by his advisor, Michael Osborne. 'All that my brothers and I seek to do is to highlight the economic unrealities of racing and to concentrate people's minds as to the inevitable consequences,' he said. Referring to the percentage of costs recoverable through prize money in 40 countries worldwide, he said, 'Britain ranks 35th, a desperate plight for a nation with the finest racing in the world. Can someone please explain to me how it is that owners would be better off racing in Poland, Mauritius or Greece rather than the birthplace and home of Thoroughbred racing?' He said the the sole concern of bookmakers was 'to squeeze every last pound for their own selfish interests.' He also blamed the government for taking more money from the sport than was justifiable.
Dec. 13, 1986: Jockey Kent Desormeaux had his first career stakes win,
aboard Godbey, in the Maryland City Handicap at Laurel.
Dec. 13, Racehorse Digest, 5:30-6:00 a.m., ESPN
Hollywood Starlet Stakes, 2yo fillies, $150,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade I, Hollywood Park. Boca Raton Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Calder Illinois Breeders' Debutante Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Hawthorne Louisiana Champions Day, seven races for Louisiana-breds at the Fair Grounds Paradise Mile Handicap, 3&up;, $75,000, 1 Mile Turf, Turf Paradise Past Forgetting Handicap, 3yo fillies, $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Hollywood Park Queens County Handicap, 3&up;, $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade III, Aqueduct What a Pleasure Stakes, 2yo, $100,000g, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade III, Calder
Hollywood Futurity, 2yo, $250,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade I, Hollywood Park Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes, 3&up;, $500,000, 1 1/2 Miles Turf, Grade I, Hollywood Park Dahlia Handicap, 3&up; (f&m;), $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Grade II, Hollywood Park |