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Churchill Downs will soon make Kentucky Derby dreams come true for 500 horse racing fans, as the racetrack announced an expanded public drawing for guests to purchase two seats to the upcoming 135th “Run for the Roses,” scheduled for May 2, 2009.
Beginning on Saturday, November 22, and continuing each live race day through closing day, November 29, Churchill Downs will hold live drawings for reserved seats to Kentucky Derby 135. Churchill Downs’ guests will have one chance each day, for 6 days, to have their names drawn for the opportunity to purchase the 2009 Kentucky Derby reserved seats. A total of 500 pairs of tickets, or 1,000 in total, will be made available for the public drawing.
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Race horse trainer Steve Asmussen, who set the record of 555 wins in 2004, broke his own record for most wins in a year Sunday when Prophesy won the first race at Remington Park to give the trainer victory number 556.
Steve Asmussen, who also trains reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, equaled the mark with 2 winners Saturday, and topped the record after 3-year-old gray filly Prophesy won by a half-length as the even-money favorite.
“We’ve had a tremendous year, made possible by some tremendous opportunities and my outstanding help,” race horse trainer Steve Asmussen said from the Fair Grounds, where he had several horses entered Sunday.
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Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will stand stud at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky. William Farish announced Friday the richest racehorse in North America will become a stallion at his Versailles farm, where Curlin’s sire, Smart Strike, is already a breeding star.
Curlin will command a stud fee of $75,000 his opening year, half what Smart Strike receives and $10,000 more than the stud fee for Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown.
Race horse Curlin has won 11 of 16 career starts, plus a pair of second and third place finishes. Included in Curlin’s wins are the Preakness Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Stephen Foster Handicap and Dubai World Cup. His career winnings of $10.5 million have passed Cigar to make him North America’s richest racehorse in history.
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By GREG MELIKOV
I’m making an addition to my handicapping toolbox after an experiment since late summer produced quite a few winners.
It’s one of the helpful features of Brisnet.com past performances listed on the front of each race - the figure beneath “SPEED.” The number is the average winning speed at the distance during a particular track’s meeting.
From time to time I adjust my toolbox. This is just another way to consider speed when handicapping races no matter the track. I still include my favorites: class, horses for courses, successful jockey-trainer combos, running styles and racing patterns.
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Unbeaten filly Zarkava who defeated the boys in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, was chosen as Europe’s Horse of the Year at the Cartier Racing Awards on Monday night.
The 3-year-old Zarkava owned by the Aga Khan won all 5 of her starts this year, capped by a two-length victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe against Europe’s best middle-distance horses.
Zarkava won the award over Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass, English Derby winner New Approach, 5-time Group 1 winner Duke of Marmalade and 4-time Group 1 winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Henrythenavigator.
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2007 Horse of the Year Curlin will be retired to stud in 2009. Majority owner Jess Jackson said in a statement issued Sunday that he’ll consider offers from farms in Kentucky before deciding where Curlin will stand at stud.
Until his future home is selected, race horse owner Jess Jackson said Curlin will remain in training for a possible horse race later this year, “If an appropriate venue and purse are offered, we would consider one more race in 2008 for Curlin,” Jess Jackson said.
The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, Curlin, has a career record of 11-2-2 in 16 starts and is the first North American race horse to earn more than $10-million.
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Concern Nacca, in foal to 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor, brought a top bid of $450,000 Tuesday during Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale.
The 8-year-old daughter of Concern and half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Hystericalady, Concern Nacca was purchased Tuesday by Tasuku Tsuji and consigned by Niknar Farm, agent.
Keeneland sold 232 horses for the day for $5,395,500, down 34.2% from the corresponding session in 2007 when 268 horses brought $8,200,300. The average was down 24% from $30,598 to $23,256.
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2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass has been retired from horse racing at Sheikh Mohammed’s Kildangan Stud in County Kildare, Ireland. The 3-year-old son of Elusive Quality, Raven’s Pass will stand at €40,000, roughly $51,000.
“Raven’s Pass will stand at Kildangan, but I’m sure we’ll be encouraging mares from Kentucky to County Kildare,” said Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor John Ferguson. “A horse with genuine global appeal, he’ll give top breeders the opportunity to sell his offspring either in Europe or the USA.”
Raven’s Pass was trained by John Gosden for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley and the sheikh’s wife, Princess Haya of Jordan. Raven’s Pass won or placed in 11 of 12 races earning $3,658,556 in his horse racing career. In his most recent start, he set a track-record time of 1:59.27 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
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A sale by sealed bid for the 20% minority interest in reigning Horse of the Year Curlin failed to produce an acceptable offer.
A state judge had ordered the minority share of Curlin be sold to help satisfy a $42 million judgment against the horse’s minority owners, William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham. Prospective buyers had until Wednesday to submit the bid.
The 80% majority interest held by winemaker Jess Jackson isn’t affected by the sale. Kevin McGee, vice president of Stonestreet Stables, which owns the 80% majority of the race horse Curlin, said Jess Jackson will wait to see what happens in a private sale.
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Mushka topped the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale session on Tuesday, drawing a bid of $2.4 million from Elizabeth Moran’s Brushwood Stable.
The 3-year-old filly by Empire Maker out of the stakes-winning Seeking the Gold mare Sluice, Mushka won the Grade II Demoiselle Stakes at 2 and her last start, an allowance race on opening day of Keeneland’s fall meet.
Franny Abbott, acting as agent for Moran, said Mushka will remain in training with Bill Mott. Mushka was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Zayat Stables LLC.
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