Page 194 - June_2023

NEWS BRIEFS
Canterbury Park Sells 37 Acres For Amphitheater
Canterbury Park Holding Corporation has completed the sale of 37 acres to Bloomington Investments LLC for $8.8 million. The land will be used for an open-air amphitheater, with construction to begin this spring and to be completed by 2025. Canterbury will continue the redevelopment of the horse stabling area with new barns and a new dormitory complex. “We believe the amphitheater will create long-term opportunities for our companies
to collaborate as we further enhance the entertainment product we offer at Canterbury Park and Canterbury Commons,” said Randy Sampson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canterbury. “Furthermore, the amphitheater represents a critical first step in the evolution
of our entertainment district that ultimately will include more than 40 additional acres for development.” Canterbury Park announced plans for Canterbury Commons in 2018, for the creation of a multi-use redevelopment of underutilized property in Shakopee, Minnesota, that complements their existing operations and creates an entertainment district where people will “live, work, play and stay.”
AQHA Racing Challenge At The Downs at Albuquerque For Next 3 Years
The AQHA Racing Challenge races will be held at The Downs at Albuquerque for the next three years from 2024 through 2026.
Management at The Downs at Albuquerque have a deep commitment to American Quarter Horse racing, as well as the Challenge program and they will increase added money to the event’s purses each year, up to $350,000 in 2026. “The Challenge Championships have always been a celebration of American Quarter Horses from
all over the world coming together to provide
a great night of racing,” said AQHA Chief Racing Officer Janet VanBebber. “The Downs
at Albuquerque has already proven to be a great venue, and we’re pleased to partner with them and give horsemen an opportunity to plan ahead for their racing goals in the next few years.” This year the AQHA Racing Challenge will be held at Lone Star Park.
Louisiana Increases Hair Testing
Louisiana is increasing hair testing policies and will now include random testing of any horse with AQHA papers. All horses that win an overnight race will be hair tested after the race. Stakes races and races with trials will
be hair tested. In stakes with trials, all horses required to be hair tested will not be allowed to leave the grounds between the trials and finals. Horses entering a stakes race with no trials will be required to have a negative hair test to enter. Negative hair tests are valid from 90 days after hair is pulled. Hair testing conducted by the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association will reciprocate in Louisiana within the 90-
day window. Horses must be retested by the Louisiana State Racing Commission, Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association or OQHRA and receive a negative hair test to enter any race in the state of Louisiana. Retesting will be at
the owner’s expense. Complete information is available to horsemen through the racing office.
192 SPEEDHORSE June 2023
Pettigrew Named VP & GM of PENN Texas Racing Operations
Bryan Pettigrew will return to Texas to lead PENN Entertainment’s horse racing operations
at Sam Houston Race Park and Retama Park. Pettigrew previously headed marketing at Sam Houston Race Park in the mid-90s before joining the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and later the Breeders’ Cup, where
he was the Chief Marketing Officer. He was president of Kustom Entertainment in Kansas City and for three years oversaw operations for the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with
a degree in Communications, he brings over
25 years of experience in entertainment and sports management and will officially join
PENN Entertainment on June 5. Pettigrew replaces Dwight Berube, a key member of the Sam Houston executive team since the track’s opening in 1994. Berube, who was Vice President and General Manager of the property and its subsidiaries since 2017, will retire in June. “I’m thrilled to have Bryan leading our Texas racing properties,” said Christopher McErlean, Vice President of Racing for PENN Entertainment.
Sam Houston Announces 10% Purse Increase
Sam Houston Race Park announced a purse increase of 10% that went into effect on the May 18 race card. The boost will cover the overnight races for the remainder of 2023 Quarter Horse meet which concludes on June 17. “We are pleased to offer this increase as a way of thanking our loyal horsemen for their support,” said Sam Houston racing secretary Michael Acton. “With live Quarter racing currently in Louisiana and Oklahoma, trainers have options where they choose to run; we appreciate their loyalty to Texas racing.”
SPEEDHORSE PHOTO ARCHIVES
Can you identify the horse in this photo? Here’s a hint: She was the 1993 Champion Aged Mare. The answer is on page 195.
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