Rachel Alexandra to 'Race For a Cure'

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Rachel Alexandra, who last month became the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness (gr. I), will “race for a cure” for the remainder of her 2009 campaign. A $20,000 donation to a breast cancer nonprofit, the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, from the Jackson Family Fund at the Blue Grass Community Foundation, will be the inaugural contribution.

Rachel Alexandra’s co-owners, Jess Jackson, and his wife Barbara Banke, originally created a fund to share the winnings of their 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin with the Lexington-based Blue Grass Community Foundation, and plan to continue sharing their success with charitable, worthy causes.

“Rachel Alexandra is a magnificent horse. In her honor, we are making a gift to the Susan B. Komen Race for a Cure" said Banke.

Rachel Alexandra, who won this year’s Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) by 20 lengths prior to her historic Preakness win, has won eight of 11 career starts and is in training for her next race, the grade I Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park June 27. Each new success on the track by Rachel Alexandra will help replenish the charitable fund.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51321/rachel-alexandra-to-race-for-a-cure

Great cause!!!! Don't forget to watch the Mother Goose at Belmont next weekend. Justpat, can you get some pics of her training? If you have a chance?

Sorry to hear about Team Valor's Sailor's Cap. I lost a horse to Colitis X and I know how painful it is.

[Forkboy]

1. That's cool.

:thumbsup:

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2. Seabiscuit, others to be inducted into New England Hall of Fame.

The legendary horse Seabiscuit was among those voted into the New England Racing Hall of Fame last week, just days before the race that made him a star was canceled for this year.

The Massachusetts Handicap, which Seabiscuit won in 1937, will run in 2009, Suffolk Downs racetrack announced Friday. Christian Teja, a Woodstock native who is vice president of marketing at the Boston track, cited difficult economic conditions. Known as “The MassCap,” the $500,000 event has been New England’s most recognized horse race, drawing famous trainers and jockeys from all over the country.

“Our partnership does not think we can responsibly incur the expense of the MassCap when we are fighting to save jobs and maintain current purse levels for the horsemen who are here every day,” Richard Fields, Suffolk’s principal owner, said in a statement.

Massachusetts-born jockey John “Chris” McCarron, trainer Edward “Ned” Allard, owner and breeder Gil Campbell, and handicapper Dave Wilson are this year’s other Hall of Fame inductees. They will be honored at the New England Turf Writers Association annual dinner on July 16 in Danvers, Mass. The names of the four will be added to a plaque on exhibit at the TD BankNorth Garden’s Sports Museum. The Hall of Fame started in 2005.

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/x931199234/Horse-Racing-Seabiscuit-others-to-be-inducted-into-New-England-Hall-of-Fame

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3. Churchill Downs after dark attracts 28,011

Whether you are for slots at racetracks or not, it is clear that the path to salvation for the racing industry will not ride on gaming alone. Long term, the industry will grow based on the ability of its leaders to think outside of the box and utilize some much-needed creativity. To that end, the executives at Churchill Downs led by CEO Bob Evans deserve a lot of credit for the overwhelming success for the implementation of Friday’s first Downs After Dark, Churchill’s new series of night racing dates throughout the summer meet.

Excitement was clearly in the air as a younger than usual crowd filled the seats at Kentucky’s most famous track. At a somewhat controversial $10 a ticket, it is clear Friday night was a revenue generator in a struggling economy, proving that racetracks can draw a crowd if the product is marketed correctly. On a night that featured no major stakes races, one long shot Derby contender in Flying Pegasus and a top purse of $57,000, the feeling was more like the Kentucky Oaks than a typical weekday of American racing.

The beer lines were long, the betting windows overpopulated and it was a struggle to walk from one end to the other. It was as if the ’50s and ’60s heyday of racing returned for one night in 2009. A crowd of 28,011 was on hand.

"We had to park and walk like it was Oaks or Derby day," said Jeff Ratanapool, a mortgage broker at Century mortgage and semi-regular at Churchill. "It’s a great way to attract fans who don’t usually come to the track"

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/inaugural-downs-after-dark-attracts-28011/

[joeybee12]

4. Good for her...

...three to go!