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The Belmont Park membership program, a new hospitality offering, will be available to fans when the new Belmont Park opens later this year, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday. Created to provide guests with an elevated race day experience, the membership combines the traditional ambience of box seats with a variety of benefits and amenities, including access to The Overlook, complimentary food and beverage options, preferred parking, priority entrances and personalized concierge services. Located on Belmont's second floor, The Overlook is a year-round dining and social space providing expansive sightlines of the finish line and paddock area, and a centralized bar with lounge seating. Belmont Park membership is included with the purchase of annual reserved box seating, which are available in various sizes and locations to accommodate parties of four or more. For additional information on the currently available inventory of Belmont Park hospitality options, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/. The post NYRA Launches Belmont Park Membership Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I am new to Thoroughbred racing, but have grown in a short time to love the sport. So, as I read all the interesting attacks on The Jockey Club and other organizations that have apparently dropped the ball in advancing the best interests of horse racing, a few questions come to mind. First and foremost, where was Mike Repole and Aron Wellman when Churchill Downs was destroying horse racing in Illinois? Where were they when one of the major stakeholders in this great game, Churchill Downs, Inc., closed legendary Arlington Park to fuel the best interests of their local casino? Why weren't those two major players screaming at the top of their lungs then? I remember not too long ago “Commissioner” Repole telling all of us how important California racing was to the horse racing landscape nationwide. So, where was Repole, and Wellman, who is based in California, when 1/ST Racing and Belinda Stronach led the charge to close Golden Gate Fields? And now? Florida is under attack because of–surprise–1/ST Racing and Belinda Stronach. The decoupling bill in Florida, led by Gulfstream Park, threatens the future and the livelihood of thousands employed in our business. Instead of attacking The Jockey Club, why aren't those guys and, for that matter, Jaime Roth and LNJ Foxwoods, who just quit The Jockey Club in protest, doing all they can to stop the decoupling action in Florida? I don't have answers to those questions, but what I do know is that the positive course of action is not this dialogue that seems to be picking up steam as people jump on the bandwagon. We see that far too often in government. We don't need to see it in horse racing. Maybe we would be better served to celebrate the following: If horse racing is in such bad shape, if the powers to be are doing such a terrible job, then how is it that the industry just had their first $500 million dollar sale courtesy of Keeneland September? How is it that every major sale in North America shattered every imaginable sales record, including the $600,000-plus second-day average at Fasig Tipton Saratoga? How is it possible we are running Maiden Special Weight races for $120,000 to $170,000 in Kentucky, essentially running for more money than ever before? And, finally, are we forgetting that our horses are running for insane amounts of money in the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup? The answer to those last questions is that the lobbyists, the sale companies, and others who are working hard on behalf of horse racing, both in this country and abroad, are doing a fabulous job. Could we all be doing a better job? Of course. That is always the case. But whatever is happening in horse racing here and now appears to be pretty darn good. As everyone in this great industry works towards solutions, maybe some of us could take a page out of the great John Shirreffs's playbook, look yourselves in the mirror, then support horse racing with grace, dignity, and honor. While The Jockey Club, Mike Repole, Aron Wellman, Jaime Roth and LNJ Foxwoods have all done great things in thoroughbred racing, these back-and-forth attacks on everyone is not one of them. Zhenxi Li is the owner of the multiple stakes-placed My Lil Punky (Outwork), a recent winner at Turfway, among others. The post Letter to the Editor: Stop the Back-and-Forth Attacks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This week's rankings are topped by the fastest Beyer for any female thus far in 2026. 5) PASSAGE EAST, LRL, 2-14, Barbara Fritchie S., 7f, VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure: 92 (f, 4, Audible–Salten Sapity, by Congrats) O-Larry Rabold; B-Don Alberto Corporation (Ky); T-Hugh McMahon; J-Sheldon Russell. Trainer Hugh McMahon has won 1,227 races, but few could have given him more excitement than Passage East's gritty nostril victory after a spirited battle against odds-on favorite Takethemoneyhoney. McMahon claimed the filly for $30k out of her second lifetime start, and after a trio of runner-up maiden finishes, she now has taken eight of nine, with this being her first stakes score. The $20,000 Fasig-Tipton May 2yo wants to win. 4) MAJESTIC OOPS, OP, 2-13, American Beauty S., 6f, VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure: 92 (m, 6, Majestic Harbor–Miss Oops, by Olmodavor) O-Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable and Sheila Regan; B-William and Sandy Dory, and Gary and Janet Kropp (Ca); T-Dan Ward. J-Francisco Arrieta. Her GI Breeders' Cup Distaff start may have been overly ambitious, but coming back to start 2026 in an ungraded stakes was taking an edge. Returning to the scene of her first stakes score last April, she completely dominated a decent Oaklawn field and the Grade I-placed mare has more lucrative purses squarely in her sights, whether sprinting or going a little farther. 3) EXPENSIVE QUEEN, FG, 2-14, Albert M. Stall Memorial S., 1 1/16mT, VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure: 93 (m, 5, Lope de Vega {Ire}–Witches Brew {Ire}, by Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) O-Farfellow Farms; B-Fermoir (Ire); T-Brendan Walsh; J-Luis Saez. She didn't set the world on fire in England, so it's unclear how expensive the pricetag was when Paris, Ky.-based Farfellow Farms bought her from previous owner Jaber Abdullah, but whatever they paid, she's worth more now. The Irish-bred mare is now three-for-four in the U.S. and her decisive win in the Stall Memorial was her first in a stakes. Her only loss on these shores was a fourth in the GI Gamely last May, followed by “issues” that kept her sidelined for almost eight months and from which she has clearly recovered nicely. 2) NIC'S STYLE, GP-10, 2-15, Alw, 6 1/2f, VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure: 98 (2nd) (m, 6, Uncaptured–Sense When, by Street Sense) O-Rousseau Racing; B-D'Oyen Thoroughbreds (Fl); T-Bill Mott; J-John Velazquez. The mare Mott once referred to as a “win machine” after seven victories in her first eight starts came into this race off a surprising three-race losing streak perhaps foreshadowed by slightly declining figures. But even though she couldn't quite match strides with the brilliant performance of Eclatant (below), she bounced back to match her career-best Beyer. 1) ECLATANT, GP-10, 2-15, Alw, 6 1/2f, VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure: 104 (f, 4, Into Mischief–Downside Scenario, by Scat Daddy) O/B-Stonestreet Stables/Thoroughbred Holdings (Ky). T-Brad Cox. J-Javier Castellano. Eclatant has been a curious case. Sure, she became a Grade III winner in the Forward Gal a year ago, but even so, her afternoons never lived up to her mornings–until now. Cox picked a nice allowance spot for her comeback from 8+ months on the bench, and she erupted with a 104 Beyer that marked a 23-point figure top. Whether this becomes her new normal is a legitimate question, but perhaps that latent talent has been unlocked. The post Five Fleet Fillies of the Week: Feb. 9-15 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jay Rooney SUPER EXPRESS - R11 (2) Has always shown plenty and can repeat a tough last-start victory here   Owen Goulding SERAPH GABRIEL - R9 (3) Ran a corker last start and will relish the step up to 2,000m today   Trackwork Spy SUPER EXPRESS - R11 (2) Won impressively last start and can back that up from a good draw here   Phillip Woo CIRCUIT CHAMPION - R5 (3) Was an eye-catching second on debut and can go one better with experience   Shannon (Vincent Wong) HOT DELIGHT - R10 (13) Scored well...View the full article

One of the most anticipated race days will take place on Thursday, with a huge crowd expected on course at Sha Tin for the Lunar New Year meeting. There are 11 races on the card and Jay Rooney is in the hot seat to provide an extended rundown of his selections. Race 1 – Class Five Kung Hei Handicap (1,200m) In a tough race to start the card, Yee Cheong Raider can continue the trend of stable transfers winning for first-season Hong Kong handler Brett Crawford despite a wide draw in gate 13. Race...View the full article

wow Brodster . those horses are just amazing.  I'm just watching some great athletes at the Olympics at the moment but looking at these yearlings today is just sensational. The full brother to new superstar Captain's Mistress ( and half brother to Merlin ) a bargain at $180,000 to Peter Lagan Standardbreds Canterbury. Who are they with as Trainer ?    Waikato 's legend Mark Purdon bought the 3 Lots that I liked . He'll WIN with all 3 of these.  1/ A Bettor's Delight out of John Greens champion mare The Orange Agent for just $70,000    2/ Captain Treacherous -Dream On Me  Colt for $50,000 3/ Captain Treacherous - Millwood Maizey Colt for $82,500 watch for Mark winning trifecta's with those 3 next year Brodster !! 👍💰🏆💪   Kennards paid huge money for a few lots , as you would expect. trying to look for their next Lazarus. dreaming on. 

That's because you have a purely academic idealistic view of what the laws mean.  

How do we think the yearling sales in ChCh today went?

Francis Lui Kin-wai is optimistic Hot Delight can repeat his outstanding debut victory when he steps up to Class Three company in Thursday’s first section of the Yue Yee Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin. The Too Darn Hot three-year-old backed up his strong trial form to create a big impression on his first race start, storming home from midfield to beat Conrad Patch by a length and three-quarters last month. Lui’s big opinion of Hot Delight was vindicated and the in-form handler hopes his emerging...View the full article