Month: January 2021

OAKLAWN TO ALLOW A LIMITED NUMBER OF FANS IN 2021

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Pursuant to the Arkansas Department of Health directive, Oaklawn plans to conduct the 2021 live meet with limited spectators. The 57-day season runs from Friday, Jan. 22 – Saturday, May 1.

“We’ve been working on plans covering numerous scenarios and we’re happy to announce we will be welcoming back race fans in 2021, albeit on a limited basis,” General Manager Wayne Smith said. “We know that the fans are what make Oaklawn so special, but our main concern is for the safety and well-being of our guests and team members. We appreciate the support we have received from the Arkansas Department of Health in developing this plan. We will be working with them throughout the live season and will adjust as needed.”

In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Arkansas Department of Health, Oaklawn has submitted a plan to allow a limited number of spectators at the races during the 2021 live race meet highlighted by the following:

• General admission into the Grandstand will not be allowed initially in 2021.
• Entrance into the Grandstand will strictly be for guests with a racing credential and/or reservation for that day’s races. Doors will open at 11 am.
• Current seasonal box seat holders and current Oaklawn Jockey Club members may enter the Grandstand with weekly reservations required. Detailed correspondence to be sent separately to these individuals.
• Restaurants inside the Grandstand, following Arkansas Department of Health directives, will be open to the public with weekly reservations required.
• Simulcast will be open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–8 pm to limited capacity with weekly reservations required.
• Social distancing will be enforced.
• All guests and team members will be required to have non-invasive temperature checks as they enter the facility. Anyone presenting a temp at/over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will not be permitted inside the building.
• All guests and team members will be required to wear masks at all times.
• Smoking will not be allowed anywhere inside the facility, including the casino.

Restaurant reservations may be made starting January 18 by calling 501-363-4710.

Simulcast reservations may be made starting January 18 by calling 501-363-4320.

For additional details and future updates, please visit oaklawn.com.

Economic Indicators: Average Wagering Per Race Day Increased In 2020 Despite Pandemic Challenges

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Equibase, LLC released its year-end report on Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Equibase has been providing monthly economic indicators advisories, but this one is for the entire year.

Equibase has provided comparisons between 2019 and 2020 as a whole as well as comparisons between certain portions of 2019 and 2020. The average wagering per race day went up by 32.69% in 2020, which could be linked to more people participating in online wagering. As expected, there was on overall decline in U.S. races, race days, and starts due to a number of tracks having to shut down throughout the year due to COVID-19 safety measures.

 

Read Paulick Report Article

Jimmy Two Times Leaves Louisiana Futurity Favorite Behind in the Slop

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Louisiana Futurity
Colt and Gelding Division
Fair Grounds, 12-31-20, 6 furlongs
2yo Accredited Louisiana Breds, $110,400

Jimmy Two Times with Colby Hernandez aboard win the 58th running of the Louisiana Futurity – Colts and Gelding Division over a sloppy Fair Grounds tack. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

JIMMY TWO TIMES
Half Ours–Sammy Van Ammy
Breeder: Larry Romero & Cradle Song Farm
Owner: Andrus J. Pellerin
Trainer: Keith G. Bourgeois
Jockey: Colby J. Hernandez

2nd
Swot Analysis
Anchor Down–Solo Buena
Breeder: Clear Creek Stud LLC
Owner: D. J. Stable LLC, Cash is King LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Jockey: Declan Carroll

3rd
Creole Charlie
My Pal Charlie–Cajun Yankee
Breeder: Horseplayers Racing LLC
Owner: Horseplayers Racing LLC
Trainer: Justin Jeansonne
Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Big Time Perfect 3 for 3 After Louisiana Futurity Win

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Louisiana Futurity
Filly Division
Fair Grounds, 12-31-20, 6 furlongs
2yo Accredited Louisiana Bred Fillies, $113,100

Big Time (left) holds off Spirited Beauty (right) and Winning Romance (center) to capture the 54th running of the Louisiana Futurity – Filly Division at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

BIG TIME
Astrology–Kitty’s Got Class
Breeder: Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson
Owner: Valene Farms, LLC
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Jockey: Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.

2nd
Spirited Beauty
Star Guitar–Sunday’s Child
Breeder: Brittlyn, Inc.
Owner: Brittany Stable, Inc.
Trainer: Jose M. Camejo
Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza

3rd
Winning Romance
First Samurai–Lipstick Junky
Breeder: Allied Racing Stable, LLC
Owner: Allied Racing Stable, LLC
Trainer: W. Bret Calhoun
Jockey: James Graham

Big Time, Indeed

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Fair Grounds Press Release

 

Big Time (left) holds off Spirited Beauty (right) and Winning Romance (center) to capture the 54th running of the Louisiana Futurity – Filly Division at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undefeated Star Arrives in Time in Gals Division of LA Futurity

New Orleans (December 31, 2020) – As they say, in the end, it’s a line drive in the box score. Valene Farms LLC’s Big Time may have given her legion of backers some anxious moments off the far turn and in deep stretch, but under a relentless stretch drive, she reeled in Spirited Beauty and Winning Romance to win the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity for state-bred 2-year-old fillies by a half-length at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Sent off at .60-1, Big Time broke towards the back of the field-of-seven under Brian Hernandez, Jr. and immediately found herself over 4 lengths behind loose leader Halfglamorous over a sloppy and sealed main track that catered to speed all day. Halfglamorous set solid fractions of 22.12 and 46.66 and led the field by 2 lengths off the far turn. That’s when the complexion began to change. Hernandez was able to sift Big Time outside midstretch and take dead aim on the trio of leaders. That group now included not only a tiring Halfglamorous, but 20.80-1 Spirited Beauty, who had surged to a short lead, and a rallying 3-1 Winning Romance. The quartet raced in tandem for a few strides but late in the game it was clear Big Time’s class was going to prevail under a measured and confident ride.

Hernandez Jr. got to know Big Time in the locally run Louisiana Lassie on December 12, when she eased home a 3 ½-length winner in the mud. While matters weren’t as easy this time around, he knew what he had beneath him.

“She had to work for it today,” Hernandez said. “That’s the thing, she wants to win. She guts it out. She didn’t have the perfect conditions. She kind of got buried a little bit early on, took quite a bit of kickback and she wasn’t sure about it, but when I tipped her out turning for home, she did the rest. She just enjoys her job.”

Big Time has proven plenty precocious in her first year of racing for trainer Dallas Stewart. The daughter of Astrology beat open MSW foes by a head on debut at Churchill Downs at 38-1 in June but was a much more known commodity in the Lassie, when she settled early, came through on the inside entering the far turn, and powered clear late. Big Time is now 3-for-3, with $160,564 in earnings, with a flair for the dramatic.

“None of it’s easy,” Stewart said. “She showed up, she ran hard in the mud, she’s 3-for-3 and she knows how to win. We will see where we go from here. Hopefully bigger and better things. Brian (jockey Hernandez Jr.) did a great job and I’m very thankful to train for a man like (owner) Murray Valene.”

Jimmy Two Times, Times Two in the Slop

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Fair Grounds Press Release

 

Jimmy Two Times with Colby Hernandez aboard win the 58th running of the Louisiana Futurity – Colts and Gelding Division over a sloppy Fair Grounds tack. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

 

 

 

 

Off-Track Lover Romps in Boys Division of the LA Futurity

New Orleans (December 31, 2020) – Reconfirming a now obvious love for a sloppy race track, Andrus J. Pellerin’s Jimmy Two Times made it 2-for-2 locally with a dominant 7 ½-length win over heavily favored Swot Analysis in Thursday’s $100,000 Louisiana Futurity for state-bred 2-year-olds at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

After heavy rains rendered the main track sloppy in the matter of minutes just prior to first pot, it produced speedy times throughout the card. Sent off as 6.50-1 third choice in the Futurity for the boys, Jimmy Two Times broke running under Colby Hernandez. He dueled with Perfect Perigee through fractions of 21.83 and 45.84, while Swot Analysis, the .70-1 favorite, chased 4-wide from the outside. The top-2 continued to click along early, taking their battle to the far turn. Jimmy Two Times finally shook his pace rival in early stretch and then braced for a challenge from Swot Analysis that never came. Jimmy Two Times kicked clear mid-stretch and widened with ease nearing the line, completing the 6 furlongs in 1:12.35. Swot Analysis held second, some 2 ½ lengths over a rallying 8.90-1 Creole Charlie in third.

Jimmy Two Times, a gelded son of Half Ours, won on debut at Evangeline Downs in June but subsequently struggled in a pair of state-bred stakes, running fifth in the D.S. Shine Young in August and seventh in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs in September. Trainer Keith Bourgeois regrouped and dropped Jimmy Two Times in class, running him in a state-bred N2L allowance here November 29. The track came up sloppy and the result was an easy 4 ½-length win. Jimmy Two Times used that victory as a springboard to his first stakes win and is now 3-for-5, with earnings of $111,240. And, needless to say, Bourgeois wasn’t complaining when the skies opened up about 45 minutes before the Futurity.

“I was hoping we’d get rain and when I looked at the forecast, I saw rain, and I was for sure very, very happy,” Bourgeois said. “He’s (Jimmy Tow Times) is getting better. In the Futurity (at Evangeline) he had a bad cold and it didn’t work out in the next two races and when we came back here, he sure ran a big race with Colby (jockey Hernandez).”

Swot Analysis was a hot favorite off a 9 ¾-length MSW win here November 27 for trainer Mark Casse but seemed to spin his wheels a bit over a track that catered to front runners. The son of Anchor Down, who was sixth on debut at Churchill Downs against open MSW foes in November, pressed and drew off in his local score, but he was further back than last time on Thursday and was put in chase mode early under Declan Carroll.

“We had a wide trip around there and he didn’t break as sharp as I’d like,” Carroll said. “He’s a lot better than that. The track is playing pretty quick and they are holding today.”