State rejects Arlington Internationalโs OTB parlors, citing ownerโs shutdown of horse racing at what could become site of Bearsโ new home
The owner of Arlington Park, Churchill Downs Inc., announced this year that it had a preliminary agreement to sell the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights to the Chicago Bears for $197 million.
chicagotribune.comChicago Bearsโ offer to move is serious, Arlington Heights mayor says, as village bans certain uses for race track site but keeps it open to football, racing and gambling
The Chicago Bears bid to move to Arlington Heights seems legitimate, and not a bluff, the village mayor said Tuesday, after local officials acted to prohibit certain uses but allow a football stadium.
chicagotribune.comChicago Bears submit bid to buy the Arlington International Racecourse property, opening the door to a potential Soldier Field exit
The Chicago Bears recently submitted a bid to purchase the property at Arlington International Racecourse, news team president and CEO Ted Phillips publicly announced.
chicagotribune.comTrainer Bob Baffert sues to get New York suspension lifted
Trainer Bob Baffert sued in federal court Tuesday in an effort to get his suspension by the New York Racing Association lifted. The NYRA suspended the Hall of Famer in mid-May after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test that found 21 picograms of betamethasone. The steroid helps reduce swelling and Baffert acknowledged that Medina Spirit tested positive for the substance that is banned on race day in Kentucky.
news.yahoo.comChurchill Downs bans Bob Baffert after 2nd positive drug test for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit
Bob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, stands near the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 2021. Churchill Downs Racetrack on Wednesday suspended horse trainer Bob Baffert for two years after attorneys said Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit had failed a second drug test for a banned steroid. The suspension means that no horse trained by Baffert or by Bob Baffert Racing Stables can race at any track owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated through the conclusion of the 2023 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. That meet includes the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown. Please check back for updates.
cnbc.comSecond test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for steroids
Bob Baffertโs lawyer said Wednesday that a split-sample test of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit came back positive for the presence of the steroid betamethasone, which could lead to the horseโs disqualification and discipline for the Hall of Fame trainer.
news.yahoo.comBob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, suspended from entering Belmont Stakes
Horse trainer Bob Baffert was temporarily suspended by New York racing officials from entering horses โ including Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit โ in the upcoming Belmont Stakes or races at other major state tracks.
cnbc.comMedina Spirit heads to Preakness, minus trainer Bob Baffert
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is headed to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes while trainer Bob Baffert says he wonโt attend the race to avoid being a distraction in the wake of scrutiny following the coltโs failed postrace drug test.
The Latest: Astros to allow 50% capacity for games in April
Houston hosts 14 games in April -- Oakland and Detroit visit for three each, the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle play four times. ___The Charlotte Hornets will allow approximately 5,000 fans to attend NBA home games beginning March 26 against Miami, or about 25% percent of the Spectrum Centerโs seating capacity. Thatโs a 10% increase from the 3,000 fans that were allowed to attend home games beginning March 13. ___The Preakness will be run in front of a limited capacity of 10,000 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on May 15. AdSince the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the Ad Council has mobilized the industry to launch a multi-pronged communications effort to combat COVID-19.
Improbable is 5-2 favorite for Breeders' Cup Classic
8 post position for the Breedersโ Cup Classic and is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the marquee race of the season-ending World Championships at Keeneland. Kentucky Derby champion Authentic, a Baffert pupil who held off Tiz the Law in a wire-to-wire victory at Churchill, will go off at 6-1 from the No. I canโt do any more for him.โFilly Swiss Skydiver, who won last month's Preakness against males and was a Classic pre-entry, opted to run against her own gender in Breeders' Cup Distaff over 1 1/8 miles. โShe was 11 of 11 in the Breedersโ Cup in 2018," he said. 7 post for Breedersโ Cup Juvenile that cap Fridayโs five-race feature card for 2-year-olds.
Another horse in Baffertโs stable draws a positive test
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)A filly trained by two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert has tested positive in a postrace drug test for the second time this year, making it the third positive test by a horse in Baffertโs stable in the last six months. He blamed the positive test on environmental contamination linked to a pain patch worn by assistant trainer Jim Barnes. Between her two positive tests, Gamine won the Acorn Stakes at Belmont and the Test Stakes at Saratoga, both in New York. The same day Gamine tested positive at Oaklawn, another Baffert horse also failed a postrace test. Charlatan, who won a division of the Arkansas Derby, also tested positive for lidocaine and was disqualified.
House approves bill to combat doping in horse racing
The โHorseracing Integrity and Safety Actโ comes after a series of doping scandals and a rash of horse fatalities in recent years. "Horse racing has long been woven into the fabric of American culture,'' Tonko said during House debate, citing storied names such as Secretariat and Man o' War that โstir the imagination of racing fansโ around the world. The House bill would empower an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to set uniform, national standards for medication, track safety and testing of horses for performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs. The legislation is supported by a range of groups, including The Jockey Club, the New York Racing Association and the Humane Society of the United States. โHorse racing is experiencing the most profound crisis in the long history of the sport.
Authentic's future could include rematch against Tiz the Law
Bob Bafferts latest star achieved that by blowing past Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law to win going away Saturday at Churchill Downs. Though Authentic shattered hopes for a Triple Crown winner this year, he raised questions about what hell do for an encore, which could include a possible rematch against Tiz the Law at the Preakness in Baltimore on Oct. 3. There figures to be other well-rested horses to contend with, though Baffert touted Tiz the Law as a formidable foe at Pimlico Race Course. But those options are for later, and Baffert is happy that Authentic emerged from the Derby in good shape. Right now, at the end of the day Tiz the Law is still going to be tough.
The Latest: A Kentucky Derby with no fans and a big favorite
Horses run during a race before the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)LOUISVILLE, Ky. The Latest on the 146th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs (all times EDT):12:30 p.m. Early races have gone off at sunny Churchill Downs in the lead-up to the 146th Kentucky Derby, set to begin without spectators beneath the Twin Spires and with protests against social injustice expected to take place nearby. Tiz the Law enters the $3 million race as the 3-5 morning line favorite for the 16-horse field with odds likely to rise by the scheduled 7:02 p.m. post time. The colt won the Belmont Stakes and can become the first Derby winner from the No. Hes surrounded on the outside in the 1 mile-race by Honor A. P. (5-1, No.
'Worst Derby Ever': A T-shirt slogan sums up 2020 woes
Military Police, working as security, stand in empty stands before the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)LOUISVILLE, Ky. The Churchill Downs stands are empty and the wagering windows closed. The 146th Kentucky Derby is a surreal distillation of the crises facing the county in 2020. The race, usually in May, is four months late because of the coronavirus pandemic. Wanda Martin lives across from the backside of Churchill Downs. Worst derby ever.
Authentic wins Ky. Derby, gives Baffert tying 6th victory
Authentic won by 1 1/4 lengths without the usual crowd of 150,000 on hand at Churchill Downs because of the coronavirus pandemic. The bay colt ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.61 under John Velazquez, who earned his third Derby victory. Sent off at 3-5 as the biggest Derby favorite in 31 years, Tiz the Law stalked Authentic on the outside before challenging at the top of the stretch. Yes! Baffert shouted in the paddock, where he watched the race on the video screen. Tiz the Law had already won the Belmont, the kickoff to the reconfigured Triple Crown that was run in June at a shorter distance.
Tiz the Law is a big favorite in a Derby unlike any other
Kentucky Derby entry Tiz the Law runs during a workout at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. The Kentucky Derby still has horses Tiz the Law is the biggest favorite in 31 years but just about everything else makes the 146th edition unlike any other. Quietude cant hurt, said Barclay Tagg, trainer of 3-5 favorite Tiz the Law. Tiz the Law won the Travers by 5 1/2 lengths over the same distance at Saratoga a month ago. A win by Tiz the Law would make Tagg the oldest trainer to win a Derby at age 82.
Long shot Shedaresthedevil pulls off upset in Kentucky Oaks
Florent Geroux rides Shedaresthedevil, second left, and John Velazquez rides Gamine, right, going into the first turn during the 146th running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Long shot Shedaresthedevil won the Kentucky Oaks in record time, overtaking favorite Gamine at the top of the stretch and holding off Swiss Skydiver for a 1 1/2-length victory Friday in the 146th Kentucky Oaks for fillies at Churchill Downs. 7 post, staying within reach of the heavily favored Gamine before coming on near the final turn and gaining the lead entering the stretch. Once ahead, she turned it up more with Florent Geroux aboard, pulling away from Swiss Skydiver and rolling to victory in the $1.25 million marquee event. Swiss Skydiver, who started along the rail, returned $3.80 and $2.60. Postponed from May along with the Kentucky Derby because of coronavirus concerns, the Oaks went off on a hot, sunny day without spectators.
From Derby DQ to doping, a chaotic year in horse racing
What happened next set horse racing off on a year-long odyssey of chaos. From a historic DQ to doping, lawsuits to a global pandemic, and then a Triple Crown turned upside down. What happened next set horse racing off on a yearlong odyssey of chaos: from a historic DQ to doping, from lawsuits to a pandemic, and now a Triple Crown turned upside down. Instead of leading off on the first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby shifted to Labor Day weekend. Who would have ever thought youd run the Kentucky Derby with no fans? Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said.
Ahead of Kentucky Derby, worker shortage looms for trainers
The Trump administrations immigration squeeze and the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic threaten to leave the horse racing industry short of workers, racing officials warn as they prepare for a reconfigured Kentucky Derby. Pea argues that H-2B visa workers have less legal protection than their American counterparts. Low pay is part of the problem, contends Elisabeth Jensen, the executive vice president of the Kentucky Equine Education Project, an organization that supports the state's horse industry. To accommodate the number of horses with a limited supply of workers, trainers have to work with fewer horses. Laurie Mays, a project manager at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, is in charge of developing a local workforce for the horse industry.
Coronavius forces changes for Kentucky Derby jockeys
(AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)Jockeys riding in the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby have to arrive by Monday and then quarantine upon returning to their home tracks, just one of many changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, Churchill Downs had proposed an arrival date of Aug. 24 nearly two weeks before the Derby on Sept. 5. Smith will bolster his trip to the Derby with a riding assignment the following weekend at Kentucky Downs near the Tennessee border. Smith will be joined by some other Derby jockeys. Their coronavirus tests from Churchill Downs will be honored at the southern Kentucky track.
Country House win in 2019 Derby upheld by appeals court
LOUISVILLE, Ky. A federal appeals court has upheld the decision by Churchill Downs stewards that made Country House the winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Friday affirmed a U.S. District Court decision to dismiss a lawsuit by Gary and Mary West, who own Maximum Security. The Wests sued the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, its executive director, members and stewards after the race in May 2019. The Wests sought to reverse the track stewards decision, contending it violated their rights to due process. Maximum Security won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.
Kentucky Derby, Oaks will run with limitations on spectators
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Churchill Downs officials have gotten their wish, announcing Thursday that when the rescheduled Kentucky Derby is run in September there will be spectators in the stands just more spread out than usual. The historic track got the go-ahead to run the Derby and Oaks this fall with spectators under strict guidelines to limit crowd density for the marquee Triple Crown race that annually attracts more than 150,000. Andy Beshear and local health officials, Churchill Downs will reduce capacity in general admission, outdoor reserved seating, premium dining and suites. Attendance obviously will be lower this year with new health protocols, and Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery isn't thinking about numbers. Churchill Downs will announce information on tickets and seating in the coming days.
Many struggling in horse racing hope return brings lifeline
FILE - In this May 7, 2020 file photo the sun rises over the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Horse racing is in a state of transition at a time usually reserved for Triple Crown season. There is some light at the end of the tunnel as tracks including Churchill Downs in Kentucky are getting back to live racing without fans. Were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully, Maryland-based owner and trainer Linda Gaudet said from Louisville, Kentucky, where shes preparing for racing to return Saturday at Churchill Downs. Like other businesses, it will happen gradually and on a case-by-case basis, with people like Gaudet hoping horse racing will eventually get back on its feet.
Drug reform in U.S. horse racing faces obstacles
FILE PHOTO: May 4, 2019; Louisville, KY, USA; A general view at the start during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. However, Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement to Reuters that the company had serious concerns about the bill and did not think federal legislation was practical, reasonable, or imminent. Despite being synonymous with horse racing in the United States, Churchill Downs is not really a horse racing company, said Shawn Smeallie, executive director of the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, which is lobbying for the bill. NATIONAL STANDARDNorth American horse racing is fragmented, with no one body or commissioner overseeing the sport as a whole. But the drug is widely used in North America before races because the diuretic helps horses quickly shed pounds.
feeds.reuters.com