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News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)  LONE STAR PARK JOINS DALLAS SPORTS GROUP Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, has joined with four other Dallas-Fort Worth-area sports organizations in the Sports Entertainment Advisory Team (S.E.A.T.), a group which will market the five as a total sports package. S.E.A.T. is made up of Lone Star Park, the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey league, the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball and Texas Motor Speedway. 'When there is a natural existing economic relationship, it only makes sense to work together to promote business and build better customer awareness,' said Mike McCoy, corporate sales manager at Lone Star Park. 'There are some companies who have diverse customer needs when entertaining and this simply gives companies a variety of entertainment options.' The first joint effort of S.E.A.T. is called 'Ultimate Ticket,' which admits four people to the Feb. 19 Mavericks-San Antonio Spurs game; the March 13 Stars-Anaheim Mighty Ducks game; the April 4 Coca Cola 300; and the May 25 Texas Turf Challenge at Lone Star. (The Rangers, while a member of S.E.A.T., are not part of the Ultimate Ticket.) The Ultimate Ticket costs $259, $75 less than the regular individual ticket prices. SANTA ANITA GIVING AWAY $500,000 TO FANS Members of Santa Anita Park's frequent patron program are eligible to enter the Santa Anita Sweepstakes, a $500,000 contest that will run for 24 days beginning with the Arcadia, Calif. tracks Dec. 26 opening. Santa Anita will draw the names of members of its frequent patron club, Santa Anita Thoroughbreds, who will be asked to select the winning horse from a designated race, with the patrons choosing by the order in which their names were drawn. The fan who picks the winner of the race will receive $20,000, the fan who picks the runner-up will receive $500 and the fan whose horse finishes third gets $250. Every name drawn is guaranteed a payment of at least $50. Patrons who are not members of Santa Anita Thoroughbreds may join for free at the track. 'This is the most exciting contest ever offered at a racetrack,' said William C. Baker, president and chief executive officer of the Santa Anita Companies. 'We will evaluate results daily to determine if the sweepstakes might be extended beyond the first 24 days of the meeting.' MELBOURNE'S RACING CARNIVAL IS NATION'S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT Melbourne's spring racing carnival, which features the Melbourne Cup, is Australia's premier sporting event, based on attendance and economic impact, according to a study released in Australia Tuesday, Dec. 16. The study, prepared by the Australian firm IER Strategic Planning, found that 537,892 attended the 45-day racing carnival, more people than attended such events as the Australian Grand Prix or Australian Open tennis tournament. The carnival had an economic impact of about $140 million on Melbourne's economy, an increase of about $20-million over last year. The carnival also created 2,177 jobs, 266 more than in 1996. The Melbourne Cup, held the first Monday in November, is a state holiday in Victoria.
Dec. 27, 1982: English trainer Michael Dickinson saddled 12 winners, a record. Dec. 27, 1987: D. Wayne Lukas set a single-season record for stakes wins by a trainer, 92, when he saddled High Brite to win the Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita Park. Dec. 31, 1966: Ogden Phipps' Buckpasser, trained by Eddie Neloy, won the 13th consecutive race of his three-year-old season after taking the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He was voted Horse of the Year and also took top three-year-old and handicap horse honors for 1966. Dec. 31, 1982: After a year-long battle for leading rider honors, Pat Day edged Angel Cordero Jr. by two races, which he won after chartering a plane to fly to Vinton, La., where he rode Dana's Woof Woof and Miltons Magic to victory during the evening program at Delta Downs. Day won the title - his first - with 399 wins to Cordero's 397. Dec. 31, 1989: Jockey Kent Desormeaux set the world record for most wins in a single season, 598, when he rode two-year-old East Royalty, trained by Phil Thomas Jr., to victory in the tenth race, the Inner Harbor Stakes, at Laurel Racecourse. He surpassed the old record, set by Chris McCarron, by 52. Dec. 31, 1993: Jockey Mike Smith set the record for most number of stakes victories in a single year, 62, with a win aboard Bit of Puddin in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Aqueduct.
Dec. 26, Racehorse Digest, 5:30-6:00 a.m., ESPN Jan. 1, Racehorse Digest, 4:00-4:30 a.m., ESPN
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm makes his first start since the June 7 Belmont Stakes. His main competition is expected come from Crypto Star, winner of the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies, who chased Silver Charm in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
Ambernash Stakes, 2yo, $75,000, 7 Furlongs, Laurel Gravesend Handicap, 3&up;, $75,000, 1 Mile, Grade III, Aqueduct La Brea Stakes, 3yo fillies, $150,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade I, Santa Anita La Prevoyante Handicap, 3&up; (f&m;), $150,000, 1 1-2 Miles Turf, Grade II, Calder Virginia Handicap, 3&up; (f&m;), $100,000, 7 Furlongs, Grade III, Calder
Kattegat's Pride Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 7 Furlongs, Laurel San Gabriel Handicap, 3&up;, $150,000, 1 1-8 Mile Turf, Grade II, Santa Anita |
