Page 15 - Speedhorse February 2018

Kentucky Downs, for the purchase of Yavapai Downs. Ann McGovern, whose previous track management stints include time at Ruidoso Downs, Sam Houston Race Park, Remington Park and other tracks, will serve as the track’s general manager. Renowned racing surface expert Dennis Moore, whose expertise has been utilized at Los Alamitos, Santa Anita Park, Del Mar and other tracks around the world, will oversee the track’s race surface renovations.
Yavapai Downs Racetrack, which encompasses a 120 plot, currently has a
90,000 square-foot grandstand and barns to house 800 horses, but the new owners plan to make improvements to the facility with a cost estimate going into the seven-figure range. Racing was last conducted at the track in 2010.
Remington Raises PuRses
The 2018 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa racing season at Remington Park begins on March 9, and Remington Park and the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) recently announced overnight purses will be increased, compared
to similar races in 2017. Overnight races for Quarter Horses will increase by $1,500 per race. Overnight races for Paints and Appaloosas will increase by $500 per race.
The rising purses are possible thanks to new business hours for the Remington Park Casino.
“Increasing purses, prior to the beginning of the season sets a great tone for 2018,” said Matt Vance, Remington Park vice president of operations. “The jump for the overnight races is estimated to represent another $600,000 in total purse money for horsemen. The main contributing factor for this increase is due
to our casino operations going 24 hours per day, which has raised revenues to horsemen’s purses.”
New Oklahoma legislation allowing 24-hour operations began July 1, 2017, and the new operating hours permit another 62 hours of gaming opportunities for guests each week.
The overall daily average purses for the 2017 Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park topped $263,000. That number is expected to rise with the purse increase going into place for the start of the 2018 season.
Morning training began at the Oklahoma City track Feb. 6 and training races started Feb. 7. The live racing season starts March 9, with a 6 p.m. first post. The first race on March 10 is set for 4 p.m., and the action gets underway on March 11 at 1:30 p.m.
sandy downs dates aPPRoved
The Idaho Racing Commission approved
six live race dates for Sandy Downs in 2018. The Idaho Falls, Idaho, racetrack announced its stakes schedule, which will include the IQHRA Bitterroot Futurity and Derby, IQHRA Idaho Cup series races and AQHA Regional Challenge races. Sandy Downs is set to open their 2018 season on June 8, and will also conduct racing
on June 22, July 4, July 6, July 13 and July 20. While six days of racing were approved by the Idaho State Racing Commission, more races could be approved if warranted.
The Bitterroot Futurity will have $70,000 added and the Bitterroot Derby will have $15,000 guaranteed added. The American Quarter Horse Racing Association will hold the John Deere Juvenile Challenge, which will have $30,000 added, and the Boehringer Ingelheim Distaff Challenge, which will have $18,000 added, at Sandy Downs.
Horsemen can find details regarding nomination and payment schedules at idaracing.com.
The Idaho Quarter Horse Racing Division held its annual award banquet Jan. 20 in Jackpot, Nevada. In addition to honoring regional horsemen for their accomplishments in 2017, Lin Melton was inducted into the Horsemen’s Hall of Fame.
Lin Melton, shown here with Jacie, was inducted into the Idaho QH Racing Horsemen’s Hall of Fame.
SPEEDHORSE, February 2018 13
track chatter