Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
April 24, 2008
www.thistledown.com
Record Number Of Female Trainers Preparing For 2008 Thistledown Season
Horsemen continue to ship into Thistledown in preparation for the 122-day season that begins May 1 and there may be a record woman's touch to the more than 800 horses already on the grounds and working out each morning. Of the 93 trainers who have been assigned stalls, 16 of them are women.
"We've never had that many female trainers stable here at one time," said Bill Couch, Thistledown's Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. "Maybe a half dozen to a dozen, but this is definitely a record number of women trainers."
The most familiar name on the roster is Shirley Girten-Drake who held the record for most meet titles (21) until Gary Johnson eclipsed her in 2004. Girten-Drake was Thistledown's leading trainer for six consecutive years (1991-96).
While Girten-Drake will compete with a 10-horse stable, the largest outfits being managed by females are the 30 horses under the care of Laura Jackson and the 25-horse outfit of Robin Schuster who, last year, was Thistledown's most successful female trainer. Her 13 victories ranked her 17th in the overall standings.
Other women trainers who'll complete locally this year include: Sandy Adkins, Mary Barron, Jeri Beaber, Lisa Doran, Candace Huffman, Mary Hurley, Tracy Newman, Betty Ott, Sandy Plato, Laurie Pratt, Peggy Schroeder, Nancy Thornton, and Ariane Wilson.
Kentucky Derby Day May 3!
It’s the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3rd from Churchill Downs and Thistledown is the only place in northeast Ohio to watch and wager on the action! Don’t miss the top three-year-old Thoroughbreds in the world compete for the first leg of America’s Triple Crown. Doors open early at 10:30 a.m. and live racing at Thistledown kicks off at 1:05 p.m.
Friday (5/2) is Kentucky Oaks Day. Doors open early at 10:30 a.m. Play the Oaks/Derby Double plus, advance wagering on the Kentucky Derby is available!
Play the free $2,000 Kentucky Derby Picks Contest. Every guest 18 and older will receive a contest entry blank at the door. Contestants are required to pick the top four finishers of the Kentucky Derby. The winner receives $1,000, second place - $500, third place - $250, fourth place - $150 and fifth place - $100. The contest is open from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Brunch Tickets On Sale For Kentucky Derby And Mother’s Day
Brunch buffet tickets are on sale now for the Kentucky Derby (May 3). The brunch buffet package includes a reserved seat for the day in Silks Restaurant, one live program, a Kentucky Derby program, selection sheet and brunch including coffee, tea, tax and gratuity. Tickets are also on sale for the Mother’s Day Brunch (May 11); ticket price for both events is $35. Enjoy a delicious selection of salads, fruits, hot entrée selections, pasta and desserts. Call 216-662-8600 for reservations.
INK FOR GONZALEZ --- Luis Gonzalez, Thistledown's second winningest jockey last year with 104 winners (Scott Spieth had 106) and champion at the Randall Meeting, was featured in this week's Daily Racing Form. Gonzalez is headed for another Top 5 finish in the jocks' race at Tampa Bay Downs (he was second last year) and told the Form's Doug McCoy that he credits Hall of Fame rider Laffit Pincay for his first break in racing. "He got me a job galloping horses," said Gonzalez. "(He) introduced me around, and made sure I met the right people."
Gonzalez will head for Thistledown at the conclusion (May 4) of the Tampa Bay stand where he'll probably continue to ride many of the horses from the Gerald Bennett barn that he's riding in Florida. Bennett has 41 stalls at Thistledown.
"He's a good solid rider," Bennett said of Gonzalez. "He rides speed horses well but also places stalkers and closers in the right spots where they can make their moves. He's a complete package."
TV TIME --- Gulfstream Park, Thistledown's sister track in Hallandale, Fla. will be featured on Monday's one-hour That's Life With Robin Swoboda on Fox TV8 at 10 a.m. Swoboda recently visited the track, now a year-round vacation destination with slots, poker, fine dining, concerts, and simulcasting. Additional clips on Gulfstream are available on line at myfoxcleveland.com. A similar show is planned for Thistledown later this year.
TAKE A SEAT --- Kentucky Derby Day seating at Thistledown will go on sale Saturday (April 26) at 1 p.m. at the track's guest services office. Seats in Classics West are $8, those in Classics East are $6 and box seats are $3. There is a $3 rebate on Classic seats.
FEED BAG --- Morning training hours have been expanded at Thistledown. Horses can now work from 6 to 10:30 a.m., as an additional hour has been added at the start of the day. There is still a reclamation break of 30 minutes at 8:30 a.m…Entries for the opening day card a week from Thursday will be taken Monday. The first stakes race of the year, the $50,000 Angenora, goes to the post Friday, May 2. It's for Ohio-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs . . . Thistledown will offer a nine-race live card on Kentucky Derby Day (May 3). Post time for the first race is the traditional 1:05 p.m. The ninth race will go to the post at 5:23 p.m. The Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs at 6:04 p.m.
GETTING INVOLVED --- The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Tuesday the formation of the Horseplayers' Coalition, a consortium of horseplayers whose common objective is to seek legislative and regulatory solutions to tax and business issues that impact racing fans and pari-mutuel racetracks. The Horseplayers' Coalition will provide grass roots support for the NTRA's lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. Participants can track the progress of legislation online at www.horseplayerscoalition.com where they will also find legislative news, press releases and position papers on a variety of legislative issues. The Web site will also be the portal for Coalition members to send grass roots communications to members of Congress using stylized message points.
"Our nation's horseplayers provide the capital that fuels so much of the horse industry, and the new Horseplayers' Coalition will finally give this group a means of speaking with a unified voice in Washington, D.C.," said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA.
Membership to the Horseplayers' Coalition is $25. Individuals may enroll online at www.horseplayerscoalition.com or by sending a check for $25, payable to NTRA, to Horseplayers' Coalition, c/o NTRA, 2525 Harrodsburg Road, Suite 400, Lexington, Ky., 40504.
Horseplayers can also join by participating in the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship Tour (NHC Tour). A portion of each $125 NHC Tour registration fee is earmarked for the Coalition. Supporters will also automatically receive access to NTRA Advantage, which provides preferred pricing on products and services from such NTRA Advantage Partners as John Deere, UPS, OfficeDepot, Sherwin-Williams, Toshiba and others.