Horse Racing News

The Haskell Invitational Handicap, or Resorts & Hotel Haskell Invitational, was inaugurated in 1968 in honor of Amory Haskell, the former director of Monmouth Park Racecourse. It became a race by invitation only in 1981, and is an event for three-year-old horses. With a purse of $1 million it is a popular race, and most winners of the Haskell have received the Eclipse Award for Three Year Old horses, including Big Brown and Rachel Alexandra. In 2001 Bob Baffert entered a horse by the name of Point Given into this Grade 1 race, which he won convincingly. Little did they know that ten years later, Point Given's son, Coil, would follow in his father's footsteps.

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The Kingfisher Derby is one of the richest Thoroughbred flat horse racing events in India. With a purse of Rs 23 680 000, it means that the winner of this event walks away with Rs 14 208 000. It was hosted at the Bangalore Turf Club on Sunday 17 July 2011. With Speed Six, the favorite for the race, fracturing his right shin bone and being scratched from the race, the field was wide open and fully taken advantage of by Pronto Pronto, walking away victorious at this prestigious event.

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As the July Grafton racing carnival kicks off, officials are doing all they can to reassure the public and the horse racing community that there is no need for concern in regard to the recent confirmation that a horse had to be put down due to having the Hendra Virus. Panic that an outbreak might occur began to stir, thus officials, as well as veterinarians have cautioned horse owners to be aware and alert, but there is no reason for immediate alarm. No areas have been quarantined, only the stables where individual horses are held.

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As the sun rose over Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, 2 July 2011, the track was already bustling with activity, with trainers and grooms getting horses ready for one of the biggest events on the South African horse racing calendar, while racecourse staff began preparing for the arrival of thousands of horse racing fans and celebrities. The 2011 Durban July was attended by approximately fifty thousand spectators. While the ladies showed off their magnificent designer outfits and tried to ignore the pain of strutting around in stiletto heels, there was another lady getting ready to be in the spotlight, namely Igugu.

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Inaugurated in 1860, the Queen's Plate is a thoroughbred horse racing event that is the oldest in Canada's racing history. It is run over a distance of one and a quarter miles, and is for horses that are three years of age. One of the requirements for the event is that the horses have to have been foaled in the country. The Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario is the host of this annual event. For the safety of horses and jockeys, the number of entrants is limited to seventeen. On Sunday, 26 June 2011, the Queen's Plate was run for the 152nd time, and with a purse of $1 million, all the horses where in high gear.

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On Tuesday, 14 June 2011, Royal Ascot week kicked off in full swing. Even though the festive atmosphere and thrilling live horse racing action has captured spectators’ undivided attention, there is a cloud looming in the form of surveys and debates on the excessive use of whipping being under scrutiny yet again. It has been a controversial issue in the sport for years, and even though the British Horseracing Authority has gone the extra mile in regard to this point of contention, it seems they will have to do more.

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In the year 1909, a hundred and two years ago, a horse named Minoru, owned by Edward VII, won the Epsom Derby. It was the last time a horse from the Royal family had won this event, and it seems the family will have to wait another year as the 2011 Epsom Derby, sponsored by Investec, was won by Pour Moi, with Treasure Beach in second place, and Carlton House finishing in third place. Even though Carlton House did not manage to secure the victory, the Queen was still happy with his performance and is pleased to own a horse that shows so much potential.

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It is the second time that San Miguel County Fairgrounds has closed its doors and cancelled all racing and equine related events in a quarter century. The San Miguel Racing Association Spring Race Meet was immediately cancelled after news broke the EHV-1, equine herpesvirus, was found in the West. As a precautionary measure, the majority of events have been called off and horse owners have put their horses under quarantine, not wanting to risk infection. Manager of the San Miguel County Fairgrounds, DeeAnna Burbrigde, commented that the grounds would be closed until further notice.

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The Preakness Stakes is the second leg to the Triple Crown, of which the Kentucky Derby was captured by Animal Kingdom this year. There were high hopes for Animal Kingdom, as each year the Triple Crown seems to elude the horses. And this year was no different. Even though Animal Kingdom put up a determined and courageous fight, Shackleford was able to hold on and ward off Animal Kingdom just long enough to win the 2011 Preakness Stakes, putting the Triple Crown Championship on the shelf until next year.

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Wednesday, 11 May 2011, was the running of the Tatterstall Musidora Stakes. It was hosted by the York Racecourse, and is a race for fillies that are three years of age. Run over a distance of 2 092 meters, the Musidora Stakes is a Grade 3 event that is generally used as a preparation race for the Epsom Stakes. Musidora was a thoroughbred that was trained in York, winning the Epsom Oaks in the year 1949 and being victorious in the 1 000 Guineas. The race was named in honor of this amazing racehorse and inaugurated in 1961.

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