Big Week for Penn Gaming Racing Challenge

Blood-Horse

The Penn Gaming Racing Challenge, which links major races at tracks owned by Penn National Gaming Inc., will wrap up for this year at three racetracks Thanksgiving week.

Eleven stakes valued at more than $1.6 million will be run Nov. 23 at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Ohio and Nov. 25 at Zia Park in New Mexico and Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Pennsylvania.

The challenge series includes tie-ins between groups of races in the series by division, as well as bonuses and prizes that include free nominations, refund of entry and starter fees, and trips to the PNGI-owned M Resort in Las Vegas.

Mahoning Valley will host the inaugural Steel Valley Sprint, a $200,000 event for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Nominees include Barbados and Limousine Liberal, both of whom last competed in the TwinSpires.com Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I), and Joe Franklin and Ready for Rye, who last raced in the TwinSpires.com Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT).

The card, which begins at 12:45 p.m. EST, includes the $75,000 Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff.

Zia Park’s “Land of Enchantment” program gets underway at 12:15 p.m. MST. Featured events are the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks, $200,000 Zia Park Derby, and $150,000 Zia Park Championship. Oaks nominees include Calamity Kate and Peace and War, who last raced in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I), while Bold Conquest, Dortmund, International Star, Iron Fist, and War Story are nominated to the Derby.

The 1 1/8-mile Championship for 3-year-olds and up has Encryption, Hard Aces, Isn’t He Clever, and Ol Winedrinker Who among its nominees.

The Penn National card begins at 6 p.m. EST the same day. In the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, Ben’s Cat could try for a fourth consecutive win in the race. Favorite Tale and Salutos Amigos, third and fifth, respectively, in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, also are nominated.

Other stakes on the card are the $100,000 Swatara, for which nominations are led by multiple graded stakes placed Mylute, and the Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies for Pennsylvania-breds, which includes the very impressive first-out Penn National winner Behrnik’s Bank.

PNGI officials said the first four legs of the challenge series—two at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races and one each at Penn National and Sam Houston Race Park—have generated $12,555,262 in total pari-mutuel handle, up 25% from 2014.

Currently, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey are tied on top of the challenge owners’ standings with Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, while Mike Maker and Jose Ortiz are the leading trainer and jockey, respectively.

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