BOSSIER CITY, LA—FEBRUARY 6, 2019—Louisiana Downs will host their second set of training races for 2-year-olds this season on Friday. The track will card eight races for 2-year-olds who remain eligible for the $250,000-est. Harrah's Entertainment Futurity. First post for the 220 yard races is set for 11:00 a.m. at the Bossier City racetrack. Trials for the grade 3 event will be contested on March 3 and the finals are scheduled for closing day of the 2019 Quarter Horse meet March 21. ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—FEBRUARY 5 2019—The 2019 Quarter Horse racing season continues at Harrah's Louisiana Downs, with the final of the $49,874 Louisiana Downs Maiden Stake set for Saturday. Trials were run on January 19 for accredited Louisiana-bred 3,4 and 5-year-olds. Quentonian won the third of six 350-yard trials, setting the fastest qualifying time of :17.526 seconds. Owned by Gilbert Morales, the 3-year-old was bred by Kirby Bruchhaus breaking from the rail under rider Guadalupe ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—FEBRUARY 5, 2019—Remington Park will kick off the first of several training race dates for 2-year-olds on Wednesday, with an 8-race card. Post-time has been set for 11 a.m. (CDT) and all races will be conducted at a distance of 250 yards. A number of summer sale yearling graduates, as well a couple who sold as short-yearlings in the 2019 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, will make their career debut on Wednesday. ...

By Tom Harris PORTLAND, OR—FEBRUARY 1, 2019—On Sunday Portland Meadows will have a special early post time of 11:10 am for the ten race card. The featured event will be the $11,0000 Mount Hood Handicap (not black type) for Quarter Horses at 400 yards. The Mount Hood Handicap has lured a field of eight to dash the distance as Corona B Gone (2-1) looms the morning-line favorite after winning the Portland Meadows Championship Bonus Challenge last December worth $17,000. Trainer Hector Magallanes will saddle the 4-year-old son of ...

SELMA, TX—JANUARY 31, 2019—Ten training races for Quarter Horse 2-year-olds, featuring several purchases from the summer yearlings in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma, will get underway at noon (CST) Friday (Feb. 1) at Retama Park. The South Texas racetrack will conduct the first of four currently scheduled 2019 training race days. All races on Friday will be contested over 250 yards. A number of yearlings purchased during the "summer sales" are scheduled to make their debut on Friday (Feb. 1). Here are a few ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 27, 2019—Winning streaks and perhaps the track record will be on the line when racing fastest dash, the $18,000 The Blink Of An Eye Handicap at 100 yards headlines the 8-race program on Friday night at Los Alamitos. First post is 7 p.m. Fans are reminded that Los Alamitos will be dark for live racing on both Saturday and Super Bowl Sunday. Live racing will resume on Friday, February 8. Owner Ed Allred, the sport's all-time leading owner, has two ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 29, 2019—A busy week is shaping up at Harrah's Louisiana Downs, beginning on Friday (Feb. 1) with 14 Mardi Gras schooling races scheduled, beginning at 11:00 am and live cards set for Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Saturday's Feature is the $25,000 Magnolia Stakes This week's stakes features a field of eight accredited Louisiana-breds competing at the distance of 870 yards in the $25,000 Magnolia Stakes on Saturday (Feb. 2). Defending champion Jw Who Dat has been installed as the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 26, 2019—Thirty-four sophomores will be in action in four 350-yard trials to the $101,000 Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes on Sunday night. The horses with the 10 fastest times will advance to the Maiden Stakes final to be held on February 17. Each of the four trials will feature a field of either eight or nine sprinters ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—JANUARY 23, 2019—HS Paul Walker, a homebred Osbaldo gelding and the fastest qualifier, drew post 8 for Saturday’s 400-yard, $211,142 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds at Sunland Park. Trained by Alvaro Hinojos for owner Fernando Solis Grajeda, HS Paul Walker made his sophomore season debut with a neck victory in the second of five Shue Fly trials on January 4. The gelding has ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NMvJANUARY 23, 2019vA dozen aged sprinters, topped by morning-line favorite Eye N Capo, have been entered in Saturday’s 350-yard, $50,000 Rio Grande Handicap at Sunland Park. Eye N Capo will be making his first-ever start at Sunland off of his neck victory as the 2-5 favorite in the 350-yard, $20,000 ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 22, 2019—Ronnie Brooks Keller's Twisted Sifter, the nation's leading Quarter Horse in wins in 2018 after scoring in eight of his 12 starts, will headline Friday's running of the $25,000 Cypress Handicap at Los Alamitos. The Cypress rescheduled for tonight after being cancelled due to electrical issue with the lights on ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 22, 2019—Two stakes will be contested at Harrah's Louisiana Downs on Saturday The fields are set for the $25,000 Party Girl Stakes for accredited Louisiana-bred fillies and mares as well as the $15,000 Swift Stakes. Sweet Bru Faces Seven in the $25,000 Party Girl Stakes The 14th running of the $25,000 Party Girl Stakes for accredited Louisiana-bred fillies and mares will run as the sixth race of Saturday's card. Sweet Bru owned by Jose Ortiz has ...

By Tom Harris PORTLAND, OR—JANUARY 19, 2019—A cast of seven will charge off the mark in Sunday's featured third race of the day, the 350 yard $12,000 added Gary Chumbley Handicap (not black type) at Portland Meadows. Looking to own the namesake of the race is GC Harrys Game, owned by Connie Chumbley and winner of three out of his last four starts including the Far West Futurity last November. Bred in Oregon by The Gary Chumbley Estate and trained by Scott Raley, the 3-year-old by ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 19, 2019—Idaho-breds BH Lisas Boy and Zoomin For Spuds, who were recognized this past Thursday at the AQHA Racing Champions Ceremony for having earned Supreme Race Horse honors, will make their 2019 racing debuts when they join a tremendous lineup of 18 older horses in the trials to the Grade 1, $157,200 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship on Sunday night. A pair of 400-yard trials – each featuring a star-studded nine-horse field - will be contested with the horses with the 10 fastest times advancing ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 16, 2019—Major futurity winners Cole Man 47, Powerful Favorite and KR Hi Five are among the 30 sophomores that will compete in the trials to the Grade 1, $198,700 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Saturday night. The horses with the 10 fastest times will return for the Winter Derby final on Saturday, February 9. Marin Jones and Steve McIntyre's Cole Man 47 could be one of the starts to shine on Saturday night when he headlines the second of four trials at 400 yards. Trained by Paul Jones, the gelding by ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 16, 2019—A1A Racing's Tarzanito, the winner of the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap and a stakes placed finisher in three other major races for older horses last year, will take on multiple stakes winner Twisted Sifter and several other major older horses in the featured $25,000 Cypress Handicap at 350 yards Friday at Los ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—ANUARY 16, 2019—Nine New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses have been entered in Saturday’s 440-yard, $85,000 Dona Ana County Handicap (R) at Sunland Park. Israel Bordier’s Major Bites, a 6-year-old son of Jesse James Jr and the 4-5 morning-line favorite, drew post 5 and will be ridden by Esgar Ramirez for trainer Jimmy Guerra. A Grade 1 winner during the Zia Park fall meet, the gelding has been assigned top ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 15, 2019—Racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs will resume on Saturday with this week’s feature, the $25,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes. The stakes drew a competitive field of ten accredited Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds going 350 yards. Eysa Jess Jumpn has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The daughter of Heza Fast Dash out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Jumpn was ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 15, 2019—Headed by the $25,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes (see related story), Saturday’s Louisiana Downs race card will also feature trials for the $15,000-added-Louisiana Downs Maiden Stake. Written for 3, 4 and 5-year-old ...

By Tom Harris PORTLAND, OR—JANUARY 13, 2019—Connie Chumbley’s Sneakin TR will look to score his tenth career win on Monday as he takes on CM Once ina Bluemoon and several others in the 350 yard Quarter Horse allowance contest at Portland Meadows Monday afternoon. Trained by Scott Raley with Robert Burney to handle the riding assignment for the 8-year-old son of TR Dasher. Sneakin TR was runner-up by a neck in The Portland Meadows John ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 10, 2019— Grade 1 stakes winner Mickey Ward and six-time stakes winner Joe Legacy are among the eight runners that will face off in the $20,000 Barbra B Handicap at 550 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Eight races are on tap starting at 5:20 p.m. (PST). Owned by Ralph and Carolyn Fales and trained by their son, Matt Fales, Mickey Ward won the Grade 1 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship at 870 yards on ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 8, 2019—Stakes action continues Saturday at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs with a competitive field of distance specialists entered in the $15,000 Marathon Stakes. This will be the 14th running of the 870 yard stakes, with defending champion Jw Who Dat and multiple-stakes winner Jessa Little Rusty leading the field of eight. Jw Who Dat, a 7-year-old son of Agouti out of the Heza Fast Man mare Ew Comment was bred in Louisiana by J W Owens. Now owned by Giovanni Barron and ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 4, 2019—Major stakes winners Kiddy Up Cowgirl and One Sweet Racy will headline a great lineup of aged mares in the 18th running of the Grade 1, $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap at Sunday at Los Alamitos. The Charger Bar is the marquee event of a terrific nine-race card that will also feature a $20,000 allowance event featuring a full field of mares, two other allowance sprints, and a 4-½ furlong Thoroughbred race led by Saddle Club, who enters with a five-race win streak at the Orange County oval First ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—JANUARY 2, 2019—Woodys Copy Cat and HS Paul Walker are among the 48 New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds entered in Friday’s 400-yard Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) trials at Sunland Park. A brown daughter of Woodbridge trained by Cynthia Gonzalez for owner Enrique Barrera, Woodys Copy Cat will be making her first start since November 4, when the filly scored a neck victory in the 400-yard, $315,000 New Mexico Cup Futurity ...

BOSSIER CITY, LA—DECEMBER 31, 2018—A field of ten quality sprinters will compete in Saturday's $15,000 Harrah's Dash, the first stakes of the live racing Quarter Horse season at Louisiana Downs. Isabel Huitron's Globito is the 9-5 morning line choice in the 250-yard feature. Trained by Josue Huitron, the 4-year-old son of Pappasito has won 8 of his 12 career efforts, including a victory in the $20,000 Evangeline Downs Dash on October 5. His most recent win came at Zia Park on December 19 when he ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 28, 2018—Ted G. Abrams’ Jessies First Down, a homebred FDD Dynasty gelding and the sport’s two-time reigning world champion, will end his 7-year-old campaign in Sunday’s 440-yard, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (G1). Trained by Jimmy Padgett, Jessies First Down will be making his first start since September 23, when the gelding scored a half-length victory in the 440-yard, $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs. ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 27, 2018—Stakes winners Mommas Dynasty, Striver and Silver Jet Dash, plus the Grade 2 futurity placed gelding Purty Fancy Dude are among the nine 2-year-olds that will compete in the first stakes race of the new meet at Los Alamitos, the $20,000 Holiday Handicap at 350 yards on Saturday night. Nine races are on tap starting at 6 p.m. Juan Carlos Chavez's Striver established herself as a one of the top fillies at Los Alamitos after her early season exploits saw her post a second place finish in the ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 27, 2018—Nine New Mexico-bred fillies and mares, headlined by morning-line favorite Mamacita Cartel, have been entered in Sunday’s 400-yard, $85,000 Lou Wooten/Sydney Valentini Handicap (RG2) at Sunland Park. A 4-year-old daughter of Big Daddy Cartel trained by Cynthia Gonzalez for owner David Bloomer, Mamacita Cartel is coming off of a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length win as the 8-5 favorite in the 400-yard, $145,000 New Mexico Filly & Mare ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 24, 2018—Bigg Daddy, a sorrel son of Big Daddy Cartel campaigned by the Too For Two partnership, is one of a dozen New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses entered in Friday’s 400-yard, $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG2), the opening-day feature at Sunland Park. Trained by Wes Giles, Bigg Daddy returns to New Mexico off of his third-place finish in a 440-yard Texas Classic Derby (G1) trial at Lone Star Park on October 19. The gelding has banked ...

By Tom Harris PORTLAND, OR—DECEMBER 22, 2018—Two Quarter Horse stakes races will highlight the Sunday program at Portland Meadows with the running of The Memorial worth $10,000-added for Oregon bred 3-year-olds at a distance of 350 yards. The $11,000-added Holiday Handicap at 870 yards makes up the second half of the double feature for 3-year-olds and upward. In the Memorial, Okey Dokey Road will look to win his fourth consecutive race at ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 15, 2018—Los Alamitos Race Course has saved its richest race for last, as the final night program of the year-long Quarter Horse meet will feature California's richest horse race of any breed in 2018, the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity at 400 yards on Sunday night. Now in its 24th running, the lucrative futurity will offer total prize money of ...

By Tom Harris PORTLAND, OR—DECEMBER 15, 2018—The biggest day of Oregon horse racing will take place on Sunday as nine of the ten races on the program will be stakes or special events for state-breds on Oregon Championship Day. The $30,000 Baxter Andruss Futurity will be the richest race of the day worth just over $30,000 and older Quarter ...

THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS[G1] • 46TH RUNNING – 440 YARDS
SATURDAY NIGHT – DECEMBER 15 • 9TH RACE AT LOS ALAMITOS BH LISAS BOY, 6-Year-Old Gelding
(Mighty Invictus-Apollo Snowbound, by Snowbound) Lifetime Record: 35-20-8-2 $697,662 • 2018 Record: 8-4-2-1 $245,214 Qualified by winning the Brad McKinzie Los ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 13, 2018—Ed Burgart has made the morning line for the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos for the past 38 years so he knows a thing or two about strong and talented fields for this classic 440-yard race. "This was the toughest line I've ever made for the Champion of Champions," he said. "It's just a great field and a super competitive race." The 10-horse field for Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions will be headed by eight Grade 1 winners, which includes two past winners of this race, and a lineup of horses with total combined earnings of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 12, 2018—Javier Rosique’s Jordan Eagle, a brown son of One Famous Eagle and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 2-year-olds entered back in Saturday’s 400-yard, $311,470 EVD Futurity at Evangeline Downs. Trained by Josue Ponce, Jordan Eagle made his local debut with a dominating 3 1/4-length victory in the sixth of 11 trials on November 23. The colt, a $35,000 buy at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, has earned $17,493 from four races. Jordan Eagle drew post 10 and will be ridden by Jesse ...

by Martha Claussen OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 10, 2018—The excitement is building for Saturday night’s card at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana. Seven stakes will be contested, highlighted by the LQHBA Louisiana Million (RG1), the richest race in Louisiana. To win a race of that magnitude is a dream of a lifetime for a breeder, owner, trainer and jockey. On Saturday night, one of the connections will celebrate with incredible joy as ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 6, 2018—Three American Quarter Horse stakes, topped by the 400-yard, $48,735 AQRA Turf Paradise Open Futurity, are on the docket for Turf Paradise’s eight-race Sunday program. Yuriana Ramirez’s One Famous Icon, a stakes-placed colt by champion Mr Jess Perry and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 2-year-olds entered back in the AQRA Turf Paradise Open Futurity. Trained by Rigoberto Guillen, One Famous Icon is coming off of a neck victory in the second ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 6, 2018—Ronnie Brooks Keller's multiple stakes winner Twisted Sifter will go after a nation's best ninth victory in 2018 when he heads the $25,000 A Ransom Handicap for 3-year-olds at 350 yards. First post is 7 p.m. (PST). To be ridden by Jonathan Roman for trainer Roman Figueroa, Twisted Sifter has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the meet. He began the year in the claiming ranks, but all he's done is win since breaking his maiden on February 11. The son of FDD Dynasty has climbed the ranks along the way, even scoring wins in the Sgt Pepper Handicap, Chingaderos Handicap and Dreams Come True Ranch Stakes on Bank of America Racing Challenge Night. He'll be going after his fifth victory in a ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 4, 2018—Three American Quarter Horse stakes are on the schedule when Fair Grounds Racecourse hosts its annual Louisiana Champions Day on Saturday. Following is a preview of all three stakes: Louisiana Champions Day Derby (RG3) Second Down Leaving, a bay son of Coronas Leaving You racing for Eulalio Argote and Victor Alvarado, is one of a dozen state-bred sophomores entered in this ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PORTLAND, OR—NOVEMBER 30, 2018Sig Aumueller’s Okey Dokey Road, a homebred son of champion Okey Dokey Dale, will be seeking his first stakes victory in Monday’s 400-yard, $15,650 Portland Meadows Fall Derby. Okey Dokey Road will be stretching out in distance off of his neck victory in a 350-yard, $4,500 non-winners-of-three allowance dash at Portland Meadows on October 29. The gelding has won three of eight starts and has earned $10,093. Okey Dokey Road drew post 9 and will be ridden by Robert Burney for trainer ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 29, 2018—Five official stakes for American Quarter Horses, topped by the 440-yard, $200,000 Zia Park Championship (G1), will headline Sunday’s 10-race program at Zia Park. A field of 12 aged runners, including two also-eligible entries, has been entered in the Zia Park Championship. Major Bites, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, will be facing open company off of his 1 1/2-length victory in the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 25, 2018—Graded derby winners Jess My Kiss, A Political Lady and Black Fryday are among the sophomores that will be in action in the trials to the Grade 2, $162,850 Southern California Derby on Friday at Los Alamitos. The eight-race program will also feature a Pick Six carryover of $9,147 and starts in race number three. Thirty-three runners will be in action in the trials with the horses with the 10 fastest ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PORTLAND, OR—NOVEMBER 23, 2018—Connie Chumbley’s GC Harrys Game, a homebred stakes-winning son of champion Carters Cartel, will make his next start in Sunday’s 400-yard Baxter Andruss Futurity trials at Portland Meadows. Trained by Scott Raley, GC Harrys Game will be stretching out in distance off of his half-length victory in the November 4, 350-yard Far West Futurity at ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—NOVEMBER 22, 2018—Unregulated Cash, a Favorite Cartel gelding owned and trained by Jose Botello, is one of 26 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s 400-yard AQRA Turf Paradise Open Derby trials at Turf Paradise. Unregulated Cash brings a three-race win streak into the first of three heats. The gelding will be stretching out in distance off of his neck victory as the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 22, 2018—Thirteen races featuring a total of 110 juveniles will make up a huge night of trials to the Grade 1, $1,878,425 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos. First post is 5:15 p.m. The ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 21, 2018—Parsons Family Limited Partnership's Thermonuclear Energy looks to defend her Grade 3, $50,000 Las Damas Handicap title when the 5-year-old mare heads a field of eight distaffers in the 400-yard race on Saturday at Los Alamitos. First post is 6 p.m. To be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Chris O'Dell, Thermonuclear Energy has been one of the most highly regarded mares at Los Alamitos over the past ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 21, 2018—Fifty-five 3-year-olds have been entered in Saturday’s 400-yard EVD Derby trials at Evangeline Downs. Patrick Richardson’s Stone Cold Leader, an Indiana-bred son of Brookstone Bay trained by Joe M. Davis, is coming off of a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Eos A ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 20, 2018—Ramiro Jaime Flores’ Patriotic Games, a graded stakes winning son of First Down Dash, is one of 92 2-year-olds entered in Friday’s 400-yard EVD Futurity trials at Evangeline Downs. Raced in Louisiana and Texas, Patriotic Games has earned $299,158 from seven starts, and his three wins include ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 17, 2018—Two provisional berths to the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions will be up for grabs when a superstar cast of horses led by stablemates Mr Pyc To You, the defending Champion of Champions winner, and 2015 winner Heza Dasha Fire compete in the Z. Wayne Griffin ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 16, 2018—A pair of accomplished Grade 1 winners, BH Lisas Boy and Hold Air Hostage, are among the 11 sprinters entered in Saturday's 440-yard, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos. A homebred 6-year-old son of Mighty Invictus owned and trained by Bill Hoburg, BH Lisas Boy has been made the 2-1 morning-line favorite by track linemaker Ed Burgart. The gelding has won two graded stakes at Los Alamitos this year, the 400-yard, $157,000 Brad McKinzie Winter Championship (G1) in February, and the 440-yard, $50,000 Bank of America California Championship Challenge (G3) in August. ...