Category: Daily Racing Form DRF

Desormeaux to resume riding on Del Mar opener

louisianathoroughbred

Brad Free

 

DEL MAR, Calif. – Troubled jockey Kent Desormeaux resumes riding on Friday at Del Mar, grateful for sobriety and welcoming the opportunity to restore his reputation as a preeminent jockey.

Desormeaux is named Friday on two horses, his first mounts since his career unraveled again early this year. In January, he was arrested in Louisiana on a charge of domestic abuse and later suspended 60 days by the California Horse Racing Board as a result of a 2021 altercation at an RV Park near Del Mar. Desormeaux has not ridden since Jan. 23.

The 52-year-old jockey, a three-time Eclipse Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee whose career has been interrupted multiple times due to misconduct, expressed humility and enthusiasm this week as he prepares for a comeback.

 

Read Daily Racing Form Article

The Jockey Club to Produce The American Racing Manual

louisianathoroughbred

Tuesday, May 04, 2021

 

The Jockey Club announced today that it will take over production of The American Racing Manual from the Daily Racing Form. The manual has traditionally served as a source for historical racing trends and data for 125 years.

“We commend the Daily Racing Form team for their dedication to compiling the statistics and written content that have made up The American Racing Manual over the years,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “This publication is an invaluable resource to the industry, and The Jockey Club plans to continue that tradition and hopes to improve upon it.”

Daily Racing Form will continue to provide content for The American Racing Manual, helping to maintain many of the longstanding features familiar to readers.

“Daily Racing Form is proud to contribute to the continued production of The American Racing Manual,” said Itay Fisher, president and chief executive officer of Daily Racing Form. “The racing manual has been the go-to source for historical data and yearly statistical information for well over a century, and we support The Jockey Club’s efforts in taking over the stewardship of this great Thoroughbred title.”

Starting with the 2021 edition, The Jockey Club will provide the digital PDF version of the manual free of charge on its website as part of its online Fact Book. Over the next few years, the manual will be converted from a static PDF to a more dynamic product with links to source data and other user-friendly features to provide easy access to more information about Thoroughbred racing to everyone from researchers to fans.
The Jockey Club is accepting feedback for potential modifications to The American Racing Manual, which can be submitted to contactus@jockeyclub.com.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded America’s Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

Chu Chu’s Legacy tries to stretch his speed in Louisiana Legacy Stakes

louisianathoroughbred

Mary Rampellini Jan 08, 2021

 

Chu Chu’s Legacy will be looking for the third stakes win of his young career Monday, when he makes his two-turn debut in the $75,000 Louisiana Legacy at Delta Downs.

The stakes, which is for 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana, will be run over 7 1/2 furlongs. It goes as the second race.

Delta had scheduled a stakes double for Monday, but the $75,000 Gold Cup did not fill, according to Chris Warren, director of racing for Boyd Gaming, the parent company of Delta and sister track Evangeline Downs.

 

Read DRF Article

 

Jockey Brian Hernandez Cleared To Resume Riding Thursday At Churchill

louisianathoroughbred

Just after hearing that his Kentucky Derby mount, Art Collector, wouldn’t be entered in the race due to a minor foot injury, jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. found out that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He was subsequently taken off all mounts at Churchill on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 34-year-old rider then took an antibody test on Tuesday, which was also positive.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Hernandez consulted with both local health officials and Churchill representatives, and eventually it was decided to allow him to resume riding on Thursday, “on the basis that he is not an infectious danger to others.”

Former racing executive Al Stall Sr. dies at 85

louisianathoroughbred

By Marcus Hersh

Albert Stall Sr., a former longtime chairman of the Louisiana Racing Commission and a prominent Thoroughbred owner, died Sunday in New Orleans at 85. He was the father of four children, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic-winning trainer Al Stall Jr.

Al Stall Sr. was born in Cairo, Ill., but came to New Orleans with his family as a child. Stall’s father worked in the Louisiana oil fields, and Stall got into the oil business himself after becoming a geologist. Stall first went to the races at Fair Grounds as a teenager in New Orleans and quickly was smitten with the racing bug. He became chairman of the LRC in 1972 and during more than 20 years in that position helped introduce turf racing, Sunday racing, and exotics betting to Louisiana racetracks.

Stall had a long and successful career as a horse owner, winning many major races alone or in partnerships. His Lady Vi-E captured the 1970 Kentucky Oaks, and Combat Ready won the New Orleans Handicap in 1973.

Stall had been living with Alzheimer’s for more than a decade, according to Al Stall Jr., who said services were to be arranged Monday.

Delta Downs: Funding Shortfall Could Mean Canceling Of Jackpot, Princess Stakes

louisianathoroughbred

by | 09.12.2017 | 8:54am

 

A decline in casino revenue has officials at Delta Downs considering eliminating several stakes races in October and November, including the track’s marquee event, the Delta Downs Jackpot.

The Daily Racing Form reports that much of the facility’s business comes from the Houston area, which was hit by Hurricane Harvey. That has resulted in a decline in casino revenue, which helps fund purses at the track.

According to the Form, Delta’s vice president and general manager Steve Kuypers sent a letter dated Sept. 7 to Louisiana Racing Commission chairman Bob Wright requesting that the LRC approve a request to eliminate eight open stakes races worth a total of $2.3 million.

“The impact of Hurricane Harvey to the people of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana is having a significant effect on slot revenue and subsequently the track’s purse funds,” Kuypers said in the letter.

Kuypers added, “It is important that we support the local horsemen that fill our overnight races and this action will allow us to do that.”

Read more in the Daily Racing Form

Daily Racing Form Purchased By Z Capital Partners

louisianathoroughbred

by | 07.26.2017 | 8:17am

Private equity management company Z Capital Partners has purchased Sports Information Group, the parent company of Daily Racing Form.

The purchase was announced in a July 25 press release from Z Capital Partners, the private equity management arm of Z Capital Group, which describes itself as “a leading global alternative investment manager focused on opportunistic, value-oriented private equity and credit funds” with $2.3 billion of regulatory assets under management.

“The big opportunity for us is to digitize the print side of the business, which the former owners started to do—it’s expensive and there is still a way to go to make it fully function, and then the online gaming offering,” said Z Capital Group CEO James Zenni in an interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Kelly on Bloomberg Markets. Zenni said his company started watching Daily Racing Form about four years ago.

The release said terms of the deal would not be disclosed.

“We are thrilled to join the Z Capital family,” said SIG chairman and CEO John Hartig. “Z Capital’s financial strength, experience, insight, and operational expertise will help Daily Racing Form and the company’s other platforms continue to enhance and expand our digital offerings and better serve our loyal readers and customers, while staying true to the publication’s rich history and its market-leading brand.”

Daily Racing Form was advised in the transaction by JEGI I Clarity.

Daily Racing Form has covered horse racing since 1894, publishes up to 2,000 unique pages of statistical and editorial copy every day, in as many as 20 daily editions, 364 days a year, and includes a companion website that provides news coverage, race results, exclusive handicapping tools, as well as sales and auction coverage through DRF Breeding, and access to the account deposit wagering site DRF Bets.

In February Z Capital Partners completed a purchase of Las Vegas-based Affinity Gaming in a deal that valued the casino owner at $580 million. At the time Affinity Gaming owned 11 casinos, including five in Nevada.

Evangeline Indefinitely Postpones Start of Turf Racing

louisianathoroughbred

By Mary Rampellini

http://www.drf.com/news

Evangeline Downs, which had delayed the start of turf racing this meet to a tentative date of Wednesday, May 24, will instead be off the grass indefinitely. The track announced on its latest overnight that it would be “off the turf course for an extended period.”

Evangeline hired a new turf consultant this year and changed maintenance procedures in order to build a better course foundation for the long haul, according to Chris Warren, the track’s director of racing. The turf, however, has not grown in as quickly as anticipated, leaving some bare areas. As part of the renovation of the course, it underwent a “sprigging” process Tuesday, according to the overnight. The date the course will be available for usage is to be announced by officials at Evangeline.

Louisiana bill would cut subsidies to horseracing purses

louisianathoroughbred
By Matt Hegarty
http://www.drf.com/news/louisiana-bill-would-cut-subsidies-horseracing-purses

A Louisiana legislator has introduced a bill that would redirect approximately $36 million in casino subsidies flowing to horseracing purses and breeders’ awards to a popular scholarship program, leading to concerns among the state’s horsemen and breeders.

If passed, the bill, which has been scheduled for a hearing Monday morning by the House Appropriations Committee, would halve the annual amount of subsidies for horsemen and breeders. The money would be redirected to the state’s General Assembly, though the bill states that it should ultimately be used to shore up the state’s Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, which has distributed awards beyond its budget for the past several years.

Horsemen’s groups have alerted their members to contact legislators on the Appropriations Committee and register their opposition prior to the hearing, said Ed Fenasci, the executive director of the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, based on concerns that the racing industry would be “destroyed” by the bill.

“Obviously, I have no problem with the [scholarship] program, but this will kill horseracing in Louisiana,” Fenasci said. He cited a recent economic study commissioned by state horsemen that contended that the racing industry generates $73 million in direct and indirect taxes to the state’s general fund.

“You’re going to have to find a way to replace all that economic activity after you destroy our industry,” Fenasci said.

The bill is sponsored by Jay Morris, a Republican representing the 14th district in Louisiana, which is located in the rural northern part of the state.

The bill does not target any of the revenue generated by the casinos for their corporate owners, and would apply only to the four racetracks that operate casinos in the state. The casinos are all owned by large publicly traded companies. Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Inc.; Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs are owned by Boyd Gaming; and Louisiana Downs is owned by Caesar’s Entertainment.

A number of states have targeted racing subsidies for reductions over the past several years as states grapple with budget deficits created by the recent recession and as anti-tax and anti-government lawmakers have made inroads into state legislatures.

Technically, the bill would reduce the percentage of gross revenue from racetrack slot machines going to horsemen from 18 percent to 9 percent. It would also reduce the percentage from video poker machines going to horsemen from 20 percent to 10 percent.