According to Hawthorne press release:
Local Chicago player Jim Benes wins the inaugural Horseplayers Invitational at Hawthorne, taking home a $10,000 first prize and "seats in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge and the 2019 NHC".
Jim has been red hot recently, also winning a Horse Tourneys late qualifier for an NHC seat and the 2018 Ultimate Betting Challenge at Santa Anita. (And who knows what else.)
Congrats from Barntowiretoo to Jim.
From Detroit Free Press:
"An era of thoroughbred horse racing is over in Michigan."
"Hazel Park Raceway has announced it is closing, effective Thursday, after nearly 70 years of horse racing."
From the DRF:
"Average daily handle at Turfway Park this winter was down 9 percent over corresponding dates from the previous winter, according to figures released Wednesday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. The Turfway winter-spring meet closed on Saturday."
"Average all-sources handle for 54 dates was $1,406,202, down from the average for 66 dates of $1,544,170 in 2016-17."
"Because of weather-related cancellations, gross handle was down 25.5 percent to $75,934,899 from $101,915,239 in
...From Bloodhorse:
"Thoroughbred Racing returns to Hawthorne Race Course with their opening weekend meet on Friday, March 30 and 31 with a post time at 3:10 PM. Opening weekend events include: a Sports Bottle Giveaway to the first 500 fans after 12 PM on Friday and a Pool Party with Eddie Olczyk on Saturday."
From Bloodhorse:
"ollowing clear tests by all of the horses in barn 14 at Turfway Park, and the required 14 days passing since the population was last exposed to equine herpesvirus-1, a quarantine on the barn has been lifted."
From Arlington:
From Hawthorne:
From Bloodhorse:
"While not committing to a timetable, Turfway Park officials have unveiled a $25 million grandstand renovation planned to become reality when the Northern Kentucky track adds historical racing games."
From Hawthorne:
"STICKNEY, IL - Driver Ryan Anderson, a native of Crete , Illinois , scored his 3,000th victory on Friday night at Hawthorne Race Course. Anderson ’s victory came in the sixth race, driving Jeff R Halas’ Olivia V. who is trained by Tim S. Hall."
From The Horse:
"Kentucky animal health officials have confirmed several cases of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in horses residing at The Thoroughbred Center, in Lexington."
"Meanwhile, no new fevers or EHV cases have been detected in the quarantined barn at Turfway Park, in Northern Kentucky."
