Latest news with #PaulickReport
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Update: Meet Cancelled, One Horse Confirmed Dead After Severe Flash Flooding At Ruidoso Downs
Update: Meet Cancelled, One Horse Confirmed Dead After Severe Flash Flooding At Ruidoso Downs originally appeared on Paulick Report. Severe flash flooding in Ruidoso, N.M., during the evening of July 8 caused multiple barns at Ruidoso Downs to be overrun with rapidly-rising floodwaters and reportedly "washed out" the racing surface. Social media videos from the area showed several loose horses in the flood waters, and later videos showed grooms leading horses through receding water to higher ground. A track official confirmed that one horse died as a result of the flooding, one or two more remain unaccounted for, and 10 have been treated for minor wounds. At least three people in the town of Ruidoso died as a result of the flooding, reports Ruidoso was in the midst of a Quarter Horse race meet, and was preparing to host a pair of Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds on Saturday. "We lost the track again, it washed out our race track," Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford told Track owner Johnny Trotter confirmed to the Daily Racing Form that the 2025 meet at Ruidoso has been cancelled. "We can't run at Ruidoso again this year,' Trotter told DRF. 'We can't put it back together.' Last year, nearby wildfires in June and subsequent flooding on July 20 forced Ruidoso Downs officials to petition the New Mexico Racing Commission to move the remainder of the meet, including the prestigious All-American Futurity, to the Downs at Albuquerque. That option remains open again, said Izzy Trejo, executive director of the New Mexico Racing Commission, who added that "there are a lot of logistics involved." New Mexico also has Zia Park in Hobbs, Sunland Park on the Texas border near El Paso, and SunRay Park in Farmington in the northwest corner of the state. Prior to Tuesday's flood event, both the town of Ruidoso and the racetrack were still recovering from last year's South Fork and Salt wildfires that left severe burn scars and led to flooding of the racing surface and racing cancellations in 2024. According to CNN, the area has been under 12 separate flash flood emergencies since June of 2024. This time, the Rio Ruidoso river swelled to a preliminary reading of 20.24 feet after torrential rainfall, well above last year's record of 15.86 feet. The river rose 19 feet in less than an hour, reports Track officials reported that Ruidoso Downs itself didn't see any rain before this flooding; the water came down from rainfall in the mountains. There was a 30-minute warning to evacuate, but not enough time to get horses moved. Ruidoso Downs spent 120 days rebuilding and renovating after last year's floods, KOAT reported last month, and only managed to reopen for racing on May 23, 2025. KRQE reported earlier this year that after the fires and floods of 2024, Ruidoso Downs added culverts and an eight-acre retention pond to help prevent future floods. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NYRA Moves Troy From Aug. 2 To Aug. 3
NYRA Moves Troy From Aug. 2 To Aug. 3 originally appeared on Paulick Report. The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced it has moved the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy back one day from the Saturday, Aug. 2, Whitney Day Card, to Sunday, Aug. 3. The Troy, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up, joins an Aug. 3 card that includes the Grade 3, $175,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies. Advertisement The August 2 Whitney Day card will host four Grade 1s led by the $1 million Whitney, a storied nine-furlong test for older horses. Completing the top-level Whitney Day races will be the $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Mile; the $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational [up from $600,000] at 1 3/16 miles on turf for sophomores; and the seven-furlong $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster for sophomore fillies on the dirt. The Whitney Day card will be bolstered by the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles. For the complete Saratoga stakes schedule, please visit: This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'We're Encouraged': Louisiana Commission Schedules Meeting With Fair Grounds Race Dates On Agenda
'We're Encouraged': Louisiana Commission Schedules Meeting With Fair Grounds Race Dates On Agenda originally appeared on Paulick Report. Late on Monday, June 16, the Louisiana State Racing Commission issued a notice scheduling a meeting for Tuesday, June 24. The agenda includes a line item for the Churchill Downs, Inc.-owned Fair Grounds entitled: "Racing Calendar for the 2025-2026 Thoroughbred meet." According to several sources, a "productive" meeting discussing the potential for a 2025-2026 race meet at the New Orleans, La., racetrack took place between horsemen and CDI officials on Monday. Ed Fenasci, executive director of the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said: "Nothing to announce yet, but we're encouraged by our discussions thus far and look forward to the best meet we can have." Advertisement The uncertainty surrounding the 2025-2026 meet began when CDI CEO Bill Carstanjen wrote to the Louisiana State Racing Commission on June 9 stating the company's intention to surrender its racing license to run a live meet at Fair Grounds in 2025-'26. Carstanjen also said the company expected to surrender its slots and video poker license. The move by CDI came after the state Supreme Court ruled legislatively approved historical horse racing (HHR) at Fair Grounds OTBs was unconstitutional and required approval in local referendums. An attorney for CDI told the racing commission at an emergency meeting in May that the situation was "dire" because of the loss of revenue from HHR wagering, and that a Fair Grounds meet would not be held this year without some form of legislative assistance. Last Thursday, in the waning hours of the 2025 regular session which ended June 12, state legislators in Louisiana advanced a bill designed to prevent CDI from shuttering the Fair Grounds facility and ending live horse racing. The amendment to Senate Bill 195 designates New Orleans track as an "historic site," and states that "demolition, structural alteration, sale or cessation of racing operations" can only occur with legislative approval. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Making Claims: The Vibes Are Good In Virginia
Making Claims: The Vibes Are Good In Virginia originally appeared on Paulick Report. In 'Making Claims,' Paulick Report bloodstock editor Joe Nevills shares his opinions on the Thoroughbred industry from the breeding and sales arenas to the racing world and beyond. Take a look at the racing map, and you'll find a lot of states and tracks fighting for their lives right now. In Louisiana, Churchill Downs had a gun to the Fair Grounds' head as it negotiates its way into more favorable historical horse racing rules. In Florida, Gulfstream Park's days appear numbered, whether the final bell comes sooner or later. The Northern California circuit has been wiped off the face of the earth, and things aren't exactly rosy in the southern half of the state. Pimlico Race Course is about to face the wrecking ball in Maryland, and while plans call for long-term stability in the Baltimore area (at the cost of Laurel Park), a project of that magnitude often comes with a sense of fragility. Illinois is still recovering from the loss of Arlington Park, and Hawthorne Race Course has seen better days. I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the point. Advertisement With so many North American outposts struggling, it's fair to wonder if anyone out there has things going in the right direction. Yes, Virginia. There is a state with positive momentum. Through a combination of creative incentive programs, finding a niche on the crowded Mid-Atlantic racing calendar, and getting support from a deep roster of quality horsepeople, Virginia's upward trajectory is something worth noting as the July 9 opening day at Colonial Downs approaches. The Jockey Club State Fact Book shows the Virginia-bred foal crop hit its highest level in over a decade in 2023, the most recent year reported, and it's not hard to imagine that trend will continue in the foaling seasons that followed. The four biggest years for average earnings by a Virginia-bred runner since 2004 have been the past four racing seasons. On the racing side, the average purse per race in Old Dominion hit a record high in 2024, at $65,263. The state's 323 races last year was the most since 2012, Virginia's 1,516 starters was the most since 2010, and the purses exceeding $21 million was a record. Colonial Downs has already had a turn in the national spotlight this year, when it hosted the Virginia Derby as a Kentucky Derby prep for the first time in March, introducing some fans and bettors to the track for the first time. Two of the Virginia Derby starters - winner American Promise and runner-up Render Judgment - ran in the main event on the first Saturday in May. The seeds for the success that Virginia is enjoying today were planted during a dark period in the state's history. In 2016, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association introduced the Virginia-certified program, which rewarded developers of eligible horses with a 25 percent purse bonus for wins in open races throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Colonial Downs had been closed for two years when the program was introduced, and the incentive structure, requiring horses to spend at least six months in residence in Virginia prior to the end of their 2-year-old season, gave horsemen a reason to keep their horses within state lines and kept farms and training centers in business while they awaited whatever the future held. When Colonial Downs was revived for the 2019 racing season, the state already had an infrastructure and set of incentive programs in place to make make a running start into the next era of Virginia racing. In some ways, that next era looked like the previous one. Colonial Downs' signature is its turf surface - with its Secretariat Course stretching out to 1 1/8 miles, and holding the title as the widest turf course in North America. Over 80 percent of the races at Colonial Downs during the summer meet are held over one of its two turf courses, meaning horsepeople with turf-leaning runners are presented with a unique opportunity to get quality starts over grass that might not be as readily available elsewhere. Perhaps most of all, the vibes are just good in Virginia. I made my first visit to Colonial Downs in March for Virginia Derby week, and people seemed excited about the general direction of the state's industry at a level one rarely sees elsewhere these days. There's a generational depth of knowledge when it comes to horsemanship in Old Dominion that would be a crime to be left dormant. They care about the product they put on the ground in the foaling shed and on the racetrack, and what it says about their program at large. Not everyone thinks with that kind of big-picture mentality when it comes to their place in a greater ecosystem. That's why I think Virginia will manage to keep the momentum going for the long haul. The state's horsepeople have a median level of competency, both on the track and off, that ensures when they're given an opportunity like they were with HHR, they won't fumble it. Few entities survive without the good graces of someone else in a higher position of power, and with Colonial Downs being owned by CDI, Virginia is no different. But, strong leadership can help a program weather a lot of storms, and we've already seen that in action. We've seen Virginia survive in the darkness. Next month, we'll see how they can thrive with another season in the light. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
$810,513 Pool For Wednesday's Derby City 6
$810,513 Pool For Wednesday's Derby City 6 originally appeared on Paulick Report. Churchill Downs rolls into the penultimate week of its Spring Meet with the final Downs After Dark celebration set for Saturday evening, featuring the colorful theme: 'A Caribbean Night at the Races.' The 11-race program begins at 6 p.m. (all times Eastern) and is headlined by the $300,000 Grade 2 Chicago Stakes, scheduled as Race 9 at 10:11 p.m. Off the track, guests can enjoy a variety of Caribbean-inspired entertainment, including dance lessons with Cari'Fete Afro-Caribbean Dance Movement, palm readings under the Twin Spires, an airbrush station by Bluegrass Airbrush, and a beachside limbo contest. The night will close with a sunset send-off featuring fire dancers and stilt walkers. Advertisement Live music kicks off at 5 p.m. with Ben Bernhard, followed by DJ Brandon Lee spinning coastal country vibes beginning at 8 p.m. Guests are encouraged to wear bright colors, breezy fabrics, and bold accessories. Tickets are available at The week of racing began Wednesday with a nine-race card that started at 12:45 p.m. The 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot has risen to a massive $810,513 for the sequence beginning in Race 4. Wednesday's sequence: (with field size as of 10 a.m.) Race 4 (2:13 p.m.): Mcl 40000, 2yo f, 5 ½ F (nine runners) Race 5 (2:45 p.m.): Msw, f&m, 1 1/16 M (T) (10 runners) Race 6 (3:18 p.m.): Clm 20000n2L, 3&up, 6 F (nine runners) Race 7 (3:50 p.m.): Alw 20000s, f&m, 6 F (seven runners) Race 8 (4:22 p.m.): OC 100000n3x, f&m, 1 M (T) (six runners) Race 9 (4:55 p.m.): Mcl 30000, 3&up, 5 ½ F (10 runners) The Derby City 6 Jackpot tests bettors to correctly select all six winners, and if they have the only winning combination, they will take down the entire jackpot. If there are multiple winning combinations, 90 percent of the day's pool is paid out with the other 10 percent going to the carryover. If there are no correct combinations, the entire day's pool will be added to the jackpot. Thursday's Twilight Thursday card begins at 5 p.m. and includes $2 domestic beer, live music from Sweet Lady, and food trucks Bamba Eggrolls, Drakes, Romiro's Mexican and Spinelli's Pizza. The night doubles as Teacher Appreciation Night with discounted tickets for Millionaires' Row available for all teachers by calling (502) 636-4450. The racing program opens with the first of two five-furlong turf maiden special weights for 2-year-old fillies, with the second in Race 5. The evening concludes with a first-level turf allowance for fillies and mares, highlighted by the return of Jessamine Stakes (GII) third-place finisher Destino d'Oro in her 3-year-old debut. Friday and Sunday's programs begin at 12:45 p.m. Friday's nine-race card includes a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds on turf in Race 2, a first-level turf allowance in Race 6 and an over-subscribed field of 16 entered in an allowance optional claimer on turf in Race 8. The field includes stakes-placed 4-year-old Green Light and seven-time winner Johny's Fireball. Sunday's card features a one-mile allowance optional claiming race in Race 6 that includes Eight Belles (GII) runner-up Impel and a first-level allowance in Race 8 led by Santa Ynez runner-up Artisma. Advertisement Horseplayers can take advantage of several promotions on including triple rewards points on all wagers (excluding show bets) Wednesday through Friday. On Sunday, players can compete for a share of 2 million TwinSpires points in the Late Pick 5 Hit It and Split It promotion. Promotions are available to those who opt in. More information is available at This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
