Blood-Horse Despite rainy weather, Lone Star Park registered increased attendance and total on-track wagering at its spring Thoroughbred meet, although all-sources handle declined 3.1% to $67.6 million. Attendance during the meet conducted over 50 dates from April 9-July 19 increased 4.8% to 366,720, compared with 349,396 during the 50-date 2014 season. Average daily attendance was [...]

Blood-Horse For the second time in nine months, Old Friends plans to welcome a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner as War Emblem is scheduled to join the Thoroughbred retirement farm in September. Current plans call for War Emblem, the 2002 winner of the Derby and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), to be shipped in late September [...]

Blood-Horse Three-year-old Limousine Liberal blitzed to an Ellis Park track record for six furlongs in winning the sixth race July 18. With Dylan Davis riding for trainer Ben Colebrook, the 3-year-old Successful Appeal gelding pressed early the early pacesetter then took over through the stretch en route to a 3 3/4-length triumph in a record [...]

Blood-Horse Federal lawmakers who support the United States Anti-Doping Agency providing oversight of drug testing in horse racing have blasted federal lawmakers who support the United States Anti-Doping Agency providing oversight of drug testing in Thoroughbred racing. If that sounds confusing, welcome to Washington. Hours after the Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015 calling on [...]

NHBPA In a statement released to address the “Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015” made by Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Congressman Andy Barr on July 16, 2015, The National HBPA voices strong opposition to this proposed bill. The National HBPA represents the largest group of horsemen within North America among its 30 affiliates. Each [...]

ARCI Lexington, KY - The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) is in the process of analyzing the full impact of the Barr/Tonko proposal announced today. In response to media requests for an immediate reaction, ARCI President Ed Martin issued the following statement: “The ARCI is unanimous in its opposition to shielding racing regulatory authority [...]

Blood-Horse A bipartisan bill introduced Thursday, July 16 in the U.S. House of Representatives would see the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency create an independent organization for oversight of medication issues in horse racing. Introduced by Reps. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), the Thoroughbred Horseracing Integrity Act of 2015 would require any tracks that participate [...]

Blood-Horse Leo Azpurua Sr., a successful trainer and bloodstock agent who in 1980 founded Parkhurst Farms in the Ocala, Fla., area, died July 15 at age 82 in Gainesville, Fla. Azpurua was born in Venezuela and moved to the U.S., where he trained horses at tracks that included Monmouth Park, Gulfstream Park, and Calder Race [...]

Paulick Report Gulfstream Park announced today it will kick off its 2015-16 Championship Meet Saturday, Dec. 5 with the 17th running of the $1.1 million Claiming Crown. It will mark the fourth consecutive year the Claiming Crown has been contested at Gulfstream Park. Last year’s Claiming Crown, which had total handle of more than $10 [...]

Blood-Horse A race-day medication-free race proved so popular at the entry box July 15 that the over-subscribed field of 2-year-old fillies was split into two divisions for the July 18 program at Gulfstream Park. The only race-day medication allowed at Gulfstream is the diuretic furosemide (brand name Salix but also commonly called Lasix), which is [...]