This date in thoroughbred racing history: In 1904, Essex Park opens for inaugural meeting of the Hot Springs Jockey Club in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mayor George Belding declared the day a half-holiday and a crowd of approximately 3,000 attended the opening day races. The meeting lasted 23 days and was so successful than the Oaklawn Jockey Club was formed later in the year to build a racetrack closer to the city center that would open in 1905 and is celebrating its centennial this year. Essex Park raced in 1905 and 1906 prior to the Oaklawn meetings. In 1905, Essex Park became associated with the American Turf Association whose rival was the Western Turf Congress controlled by operators of Oaklawn - including Louis and Charles Cella (great uncle and grandfather of the current Oaklawn president Charles Cella). In 1907, both Essex Park and Oaklawn wanted to run the same dates in March (ala the Hialeah/Gulfstream dispute 75 years hence). Essex Park wound up not racing in 1907 and horse racing was outlawed in the state of Arkansas in the same year. Racing would not resume in Hot Springs until 1916 when Oaklawn reopened. In 1917, it was expected that Essex Park would run a meeting beginning on April 1 after the Oaklawn meet had concluded. Essex Park did run on April 1, 1917 but it would be the final day of racing ever at the site - a fire destroyed the grandstand the next day and the remainder of the meet was moved to Oaklawn.

Handicapper's Edge on TSN is reporting that Island Fashion's owner Jeffrey Nielsen of Everest Stables is considering entering the horse in the Big Cap a week from Saturday.

Someone should tell him 'No No Jeffrey' - he will know what it means. The horse doesn't have a prayer against that bunch.

The Louisville Courier Journal is reporting that Churchill Downs - owner of Hollywood Park - is interested in acquiring land in Irvine, California - possibly for the purpose of building a racetrack that would be a replacement for Hollywood Park.

This may be the continuation of a series of movements like this - sell off valuable property closer to a city center and build a replacement racetrack on cheaper land further out in a metropolitan area. Frank Stronach and Magna have discussed this with the Bay Meadows - Dixon proposal and now Churchill is contemplating the move with Hollywood. Another candidate for this type of action would be Gulfstream with the training facility Palm Meadow Downs ready to act as the replacement. Even Santa Anita could possibly be considered a candidate for this type of action in the not so distant future. This type of switch should have been done in Chicago at the time of the Arlington fire and only the ego and fortitude of Dicky D prevented it from happening.

This date in thoroughbred racing history: 1935 - inaugural running of the first hundred-grand race - the Santa Anita Handicap - is won by Azucar ridden by the Iceman - George Wolff. 1962 - jockey Bill Shoemaker wins six consecutive races at Santa Anita and becomes first jockey to win 6 races at the Arcadia oval.

In Gulfstream's 8th Race today, Host - the Chilean bred trained by Todd Pletcher - ran a huge race in running 2nd in a classified allowance race. In his 2nd start in the US after running 2nd in a similar race to Del Mar Show and beating With Anticipation in his final start, Host was hooked by a couple of speedballs down the backstretch, was collared by the talented Orchard Park entering the stretch, held that one off but was finally overtaken by Full Flow in the final 1/8 of a mile. If was a monstrous effort while running 2nd. DRF is reporting that the 4 year old Host will next run in the UAE Derby in Dubai on March 27 - he is qualified for a Derby since he was born in South America.

This date in thoroughbred racing history: In 1893, the New Jersey Senate passes legislation permitting wagering on horse racing in the state. The Assembly had passed the bill previously. The next day, Governor Werts would veto the bill. The legislation would become law after the veto was overridden by the New Jersey legislature. Tracks that operated in 1893 in New Jersey included Monmouth Park, Elizabeth, Clinton, Gloucester, and Guttenberg - the last two were notorious "outlaw" tracks that ran every day during the winter. In 1894, the New York Times would lead the attack on horse racing in the state of New Jersey and this issue would play a major factor in the elections during the year. All New Jersey tracks would eventually be forced to close in 1894 and would not open again for nearly 50 years (1942 opening of Garden State Park).

With 2 losers on Saturday, D. Wayne Lukas is now 0 for 51 at the current meeting at Santa Anita.

Tampa Bay Downs reported a record 1-day handle on Saturday - $4,731,222. Here is a comparison of the wagering results of 3 mid-level tracks on Saturday, Feb 21 (as reported by Equibase):

Track Attendence On-track handle Total Handle % Bet off-track

Oaklawn 18,307 $1,592,792 $5,730,645 72.21%
Fair Grounds 1,733 $ 192,913 $4,900,179 96.06%
Tampa Bay 5,571 $ 522,037 $4,731,222 88.97%

Tampa Bay has benefited from large fields, turf course and good publicity via Andy Beyer columns to increase their simulcasting handle. Fair Grounds is awaiting the introduction of video poker that should provide purse increases but it's pitiful the low number of people who visit the historic track. Oaklawn is the best place of these to visit and the attendance numbers they get continue to amaze compared to other tracks.

One correction from yesterday: The Magna 5 is scheduled to run through May 29 according to previously published reports in Daily Racing Form. It's hard to believe that Magna will get a 500k pool for this bet in May by offering races from Lone Star, Pimlico, Bay Meadows, Remington, Thistledown and maybe even one from Great Lakes Downs.

This date in thoroughbred racing history: In 1919, the Kentucky Jockey Club - a group led by Kentucky Derby impresario Matt Winn - is incorporated on this date. At the time of incorporation, the KJC owned four racetracks in Kentucky: Churchill Downs, Latonia, the Kentucky Association track in Lexington, and Douglas Park in Louisville. Latonia and Douglas Park were sold to them by the Cella syndicate (whose family still owns Oaklawn Park). Douglas Park would soon be turned into a training facility, the old Kentucky Association track would fail in 1933 and lead to the building of Keeneland, and old Latonia would be closed by the organization after the 1939 racing season.

Leaping Plum - the 13 year old wonder horse - ran 4th today at Grand Island, Nebraska in his attempt to win his 9th Grasmick Handicap at Fonner Park.

The Cliff's Edge - one of Nick Zito's Derby hopefuls - ran 2nd in the Sam F. Davis to 35-1 shot Kaufy Mate at Tampa Bay Downs. Usual Zito prep race - a good effort without asking too much too soon.

Redskin Warrior won the Best Turn at the Big A. Taiaslew beat the big favorite Boston Common in the Coyote Handicap at Turf Paradise - the prep race for the Phoenix Gold Cup on March 13.

Magna 5 pool today hit $608 thousand today - comfortably above the 500k guarantee. I can't imagine that Magna can continue this bet after Santa Anita and Gulfstream close in April. At that point, Churchill Downs' multiple bets will again be on the wagering menu.

23-1 Rio de Esperanza wins 8th race at Oaklawn generating Pick-6 carryover to Sunday. $193,000 + will start Classix on Sunday in Hot Springs.

Jerry Brown of Thoro-Graph fame is now brokering business for a rebate shop - not sure if site is within the US or an off-shore site. When will our "industry leaders" wake up to what is happening to make rebate shops, off-shore wagering sites, and betting exchanges bigger every day? The takeout is too high.

Oaklawn - 1st Race

Danny Switzer is a famous Midwestern trainer for his crookedness. He sure set up Spin Time with a bunch of bad lines at the Fair Grounds and added one at Oaklawn and then voila - the easy waltz win at a route race. Watch out for this guy whenever you see his name.

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