– Lone Star Park closed on Sunday. Attendance was down more than 19%, handle by more than 13% for the meet. “It’s clear that it’s becoming tougher and tougher to compete with our neighboring states that can provide a variety of entertainment options and have purses supplemented from other sources,” said general manager Jeff Greco (Star-Telegram). The numbers at Hollywood Park were also lower, although by much less than at Lone Star, when that track closed on Sunday. Handle was down there by 1% and attendance by nearly 7% (Thoroughbred Times).
– River Downs’ leading jockey, Rodney Prescott, was evicted from the track on Saturday. Prescott believes the action was taken because he’s spoken out about the track condition. “I think they’re singling me out because I stand up and voice my opinion and don’t ride over unsafe conditions,” he said (Blood-Horse).
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 07/18/2005 @ 10:20 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Second choice Desert Boom won the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes over favorite Lord of the Game (Daily Racing Form). “It was a great race,” said trainer Art Sherman. “When our horse gets on the lead, he’s double-tough … That was a good horse that he outran” (San Francisco Chronicle).
There’s a rumor on at least one racing forum that the NTRA Claiming Crown Contest was hacked. One poster explains how he was able to change his picks post-race, another confirms. Hm … nothing about this on the Claiming Crown Contest site, except for an odd message on the Leaderboard: “Currently, results are being audited for the leaderboard.” This is all speculation, it must be noted. There’s been nothing announced or confirmed. The winner is to be named Monday.
Posted by JC in Races/Results on 07/17/2005 @ 11:05 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– “Hollywood and Pimlico’s problems are among the first signs that there is going to be a great divide in this sport between the haves (slot tracks) and the have- nots (non-slots tracks).” Call it the one-armed bandit phenomenon (ESPN).
– Frank Stronach could have bought Hollywood Park for $110 million, Bay Meadows for $50 million. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda — the racetracker’s lament” (LA Times).
– “Derby Doc” Alex Harthill dies at 80. “For sure, he was controversial. Yet for all that people suspected about him, the proof never emerged. His legend became larger than life. He remained a mystery, a guy who was smarter than all the rest of us, but one who was a friend to all” (Lexington Herald-Leader).
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 07/17/2005 @ 11:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
