Retired Hall of Famers Entertain The Crowds

Santa Anita Park Racecourse was on fire over the weekend, as racing events to kick off the excitement surrounding the Breeders’ Cup were organized for Saturday, 18 October 2008. But in the ten race lineup on Saturday, there was one race that stood out above the rest. It was a race where the horses did not really matter all that much, as it was all about the eight riders that showed up to take part in the Jockey Living Legends race.

New York Sire Stakes Annual Awards Banquet

The New York Sire Stakes was established in the year 1965 and was the first program in North America to promote and support quality standardbred horse breeding. Many other programs followed their example and the New York Sire Stakes does not only encourage superior breeding programs, but it also rewards breeders and owners and provides purses for a vast number of harness racing events. Through their dedication to the harness racing industry and standardbred horses, breeding excellence has improved, resulting in ongoing improvement in racing itself. To thank the horsemen for their efforts, the New York Sire Stakes started hosting this prestigious Annual Awards Banquet.

Champion Stakes Claimed by New Approach

Not many horses have the opportunity to retire from racing at the top of their game. New Approach was scheduled for retirement after the Champion Stakes no matter what the outcome, but this magnificent horse ended his horse racing career with a breathtaking performance. The Emirates Airline Champion Stakes was run on Champions Day at the Newmarket Racecourse, which had a racing lineup that included the Cesarewitch Handicap, group three, group two and group one racing events. Newmarket Racecourse is known for Champions Day, as it is one of the most popular days on the horse racing calendar, with the showstopper being the Champion Stakes.

Caracciola Shines at Cesarewitch

On Saturday, 18 October 2008, during the Champions Day at Newmarket Racecourse, an eleven year old horse racing veteran proved that he still had what it takes to outclass his younger counterparts. The Cesarewitch Handicap is run over a distance of 3 621 meters and is one of the magnificent racing events hosted on Champions Day. As always, Newmarket Racecourse was filled with spectators waiting for breathtaking horse racing action, which they got in almost every race on the card. But Caracciola was the shocker for the day, as he surged towards the wire and to victory.

Curlin’s Fellow Competitors

The excitement for the Breeders’ Cup is slowly beginning to gain momentum. Horses are confirming their presence on race day, while punters make the agonizing decision on their favorite horse and trainers begin to think about strategies and starting positions. One of the most anticipated stars of the weekend is Curlin, and it seems that many horses are entering to take advantage of the fact that he is not a turf horse, and hope to beat him on the new synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park Racecourse.

War of Attrition Victorious at Punchestown

On Thursday, the 16th of October 2008, Punchestown became the scene of an exciting showdown between two former Cheltenham Gold Cup champions. It was during the Star “Best For Racing Coverage” Chase, that War of Attrition and Kicking King battled it out for supremacy. It is a Grade 3 racing event for four year old horses and older, and is run over a distance of two miles and six furlongs. But the horse racing veterans proved that age is merely a number, and that comebacks are possible in the world of horse racing.

Breeders’ Cup Drug Testing

While Santa Anita Park Racecourse readies itself for next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, officials have been monitoring the entries to the respective events very closely. With the disappointment of Big Brown being retired, they were relieved to hear that the owners of Curlin have decided to enter him into the race. They are still somewhat concerned about the surface, but feel he is ready. And while most horses have passed their initial Breeders’ Cup tests to qualify for the event, there is one more hurdle to overcome before the big day, namely drug testing.

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