Latest news with #Equibase
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fort Erie Reports On-Track Wagering Up 23 Percent Opening Day
Fort Erie Reports On-Track Wagering Up 23 Percent Opening Day originally appeared on Paulick Report. Opening Day at Fort Erie Race Track in Ontario was a galloping success on Tuesday evening thanks to a combination of perfect weather, a roaring crowd, and eight exciting races. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the Summer Solstice Cup, which featured a packed field of 11 Thoroughbreds hitting the historic dirt oval. Riding atop Ruby's Ghost, jockey Melanie Pinto had her work cut out for her after drawing the 11th post in the gate, but a late burst with an eighth of a mile left sent her charging up from third place and into the lead at the finish line. 'I was a little concerned about being in the 11 post because I knew we would be pretty far out and I wasn't sure how to set up the speed to get to the inside, or if we were going to get stuck out,' said Pinto after the ride. 'But luckily we broke clean, had a really good trip, and it all worked out.' Advertisement The connections of Pinto, owner Charles Fipke, and trainer Michaela Neubauer have been a longtime winning trio at Fort Erie. Having been together for so many years, Pinto said they feel like a family. 'Definitely,' agreed Neubauer. 'Melanie is like my little sister.' The fulsome racing fields attracted plenty of bettors to the wagering windows at the track, with on-track wagering hitting $112,000 for the day, an increase of 23 per cent over last year. Including remote wagering, Opening Day at Fort Erie Race Track reached a handle of $1.7 million. That's a decline from last year's $1.8 million (according to Equibase charts), which was achieved despite canceling the final race on the opening day card due to weather in 2024. Live racing continues through June at Fort Erie, including the track's busiest day of the year, Father's Day, on June 15, where two more cup races will be on the card, alongside a Farmer's Market. It's the track's first Sunday card, which means horses will be hitting the dirt at a special 12:15 p.m. post time. For a full list of the track's race dates and post times, visit This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
San Francisco Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Horse trainer Christophe Clement dies at 59 from rare eye cancer
Christophe Clement, who trained longshot Tonalist to victory in the 2014 Belmont Stakes and won a Breeders' Cup race in 2021, has died. He was 59. Clement announced his own death in a prepared statement that was posted to his stable's X account on Sunday. 'Unfortunately, if you are reading this, it means I was unable to beat my cancer,' it said. 'As many of you know, I have been fighting an incurable disease, metastatic uveal melanoma.' It's a type of cancer that affects the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. It accounts for just 5% of all melanoma cases in the U.S., however, it can be aggressive and spread to other parts of the body in up to 50% of cases, according to the Melanoma Research Alliance's website. The Paris-born Clement had been one of the top trainers in the U.S. over the last 34 years. He learned under his father, Miguel, who was a leading trainer in France. Clement later worked for the prominent French racing family of Alec Head. In the U.S., he first worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Clement went out on his own in 1991, winning with the first horse he saddled at Belmont Park in New York. 'Beyond his accomplishments as a trainer, which are many, Christophe Clement was a kind and generous man who made lasting contributions to the fabric of racing in New York," Dave O'Rouke, president and CEO of the New York Racing Association said in a statement. Clement had 2,576 career victories and purse earnings of over $184 million, according to Equibase. 'I am very proud that for over 30 years in this industry, we have operated every single day with the highest integrity, always putting the horses' wellbeing first,' he said in his farewell message. One of Clement's best-known horses was Gio Ponti, winner of Eclipse Awards as champion male turf horse in 2009 and 2010. He finished second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. In the 2014 Belmont, Tonalist spoiled the Triple Crown bid of California Chrome, who tied for fourth. Tonalist won by a head, after not having competed in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness that year. Steve Coburn, co-owner of California Chrome, caused controversy when he said afterward the horses that hadn't run in the other two races took 'the coward's way out.' He later apologized and congratulated the connections of Tonalist. Clement's lone Breeders' Cup victory was with Pizza Bianca, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Clement had seven seconds and six thirds in other Cup races. 'It was Christophe's genuine love for the horse that truly set him apart," Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association, said in a statement. "He was a consummate professional and a welcoming gentleman whose demeanor was always positive, gracious and upbeat.' Clement's statement said he would leave his stable in the hands of his son and longtime assistant, Miguel. 'As I reflect on my journey, I realize I never worked a day in my life,' Clement's statement said. 'Every morning, I woke up and did what I loved most surrounded by so much love." ___
Winnipeg Free Press
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Horse trainer Christophe Clement dies at 59 from rare eye cancer
Christophe Clement, who trained longshot Tonalist to victory in the 2014 Belmont Stakes and won a Breeders' Cup race in 2021, has died. He was 59. Clement announced his own death in a prepared statement that was posted to his stable's X account on Sunday. 'Unfortunately, if you are reading this, it means I was unable to beat my cancer,' it said. 'As many of you know, I have been fighting an incurable disease, metastatic uveal melanoma.' It's a type of cancer that affects the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. It accounts for just 5% of all melanoma cases in the U.S., however, it can be aggressive and spread to other parts of the body in up to 50% of cases, according to the Melanoma Research Alliance's website. The Paris-born Clement has been one of the top trainers in the U.S. over the last 34 years. He learned under his father, Miguel, who was a leading trainer in France. Clement later worked for the prominent French racing family of Alec Head. In the U.S., he first worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Clement went out on his own in 1991, winning with the first horse he saddled at Belmont Park in New York. He had 2,576 career victories and purse earnings of over $184 million, according to Equibase. 'I am very proud that for over 30 years in this industry, we have operated every single day with the highest integrity, always putting the horses' wellbeing first,' Clement wrote in his farewell message. One of his best-known horses was Gio Ponti, winner of Eclipse Awards as champion male turf horse in 2009 and 2010. He finished second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic. In the 2014 Belmont, Tonalist spoiled the Triple Crown bid of California Chrome, who tied for fourth. Tonalist won by a head, after not having competed in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness that year. Steve Coburn, co-owner of California Chrome, caused controversy when he said afterward the horses that hadn't run in the other two races took 'the coward's way out.' He later apologized and congratulated the connections of Tonalist. Clement's lone Breeders' Cup victory was with Pizza Bianca, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Clement had seven seconds and six thirds in other Cup races. Clement's statement said he would leave his stable in the hands of his son and longtime assistant, Miguel. 'As I reflect on my journey, I realize I never worked a day in my life,' Clement's statement said. 'Every morning, I woke up and did what I loved most surrounded by so much love.' Besides his son, he is survived by wife Valerie, daughter Charlotte Clement Collins and grandson Hugo Collins. ___ AP horse racing:
Fox Sports
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Horse trainer Christophe Clement dies at 59 from rare eye cancer
Associated Press Christophe Clement, who trained longshot Tonalist to victory in the 2014 Belmont Stakes and won a Breeders' Cup race in 2021, has died. He was 59. Clement announced his own death in a prepared statement that was posted to his stable's X account on Sunday. 'Unfortunately, if you are reading this, it means I was unable to beat my cancer,' it said. 'As many of you know, I have been fighting an incurable disease, metastatic uveal melanoma.' It's a type of cancer that affects the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. It accounts for just 5% of all melanoma cases in the U.S., however, it can be aggressive and spread to other parts of the body in up to 50% of cases, according to the Melanoma Research Alliance's website. The Paris-born Clement has been one of the top trainers in the U.S. over the last 34 years. He learned under his father, Miguel, who was a leading trainer in France. Clement later worked for the prominent French racing family of Alec Head. In the U.S., he first worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Clement went out on his own in 1991, winning with the first horse he saddled at Belmont Park in New York. He had 2,576 career victories and purse earnings of over $184 million, according to Equibase. 'I am very proud that for over 30 years in this industry, we have operated every single day with the highest integrity, always putting the horses' wellbeing first,' Clement wrote in his farewell message. One of his best-known horses was Gio Ponti, winner of Eclipse Awards as champion male turf horse in 2009 and 2010. He finished second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic. In the 2014 Belmont, Tonalist spoiled the Triple Crown bid of California Chrome, who tied for fourth. Tonalist won by a head, after not having competed in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness that year. Steve Coburn, co-owner of California Chrome, caused controversy when he said afterward the horses that hadn't run in the other two races took 'the coward's way out.' He later apologized and congratulated the connections of Tonalist. Clement's lone Breeders' Cup victory was with Pizza Bianca, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Clement had seven seconds and six thirds in other Cup races. Clement's statement said he would leave his stable in the hands of his son and longtime assistant, Miguel. 'As I reflect on my journey, I realize I never worked a day in my life,' Clement's statement said. 'Every morning, I woke up and did what I loved most surrounded by so much love." Besides his son, he is survived by wife Valerie, daughter Charlotte Clement Collins and grandson Hugo Collins. ___ AP horse racing: recommended in this topic
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Kentucky Derby: All on Sovereignty's jockey Junior Alvarado, trainer and owner
Sovereignty won the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, securing a $3.1 million prize from the $5 million purse. The racehorse beat the favorite Journalism in the last stretch. Ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty is trained by William I. Mott, and owned by Godolphin. Wilmer Alexander Alvarado, popularly known as Junior Alvarado, was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. The 38-year-old's father was a jockey, as per Blood-Horse. Alvardo moved to the US in 2007 and started off on Florida tracks like Calder Race Course, per Equibase. Over 2,200 wins and $114 million in purse earnings as of 2025, per Equibase. Notable wins include the 2021 Preakness Stakes (Rombauer), 2019 Breeders' Cup Distaff (Blue Prize), and 2018 Manhattan Stakes (Spring Quality), per Blood-Horse. First jockey to win six races on a single card at Saratoga (August 2012), per NYRA. 2025 Derby was his first Kentucky Derby win in nine attempts, with a best prior finish of sixth (Mohaymen, 2016). Post-race, Alvarado told NBC Sports: 'This is a dream come true. Sovereignty gave me everything, and I just guided him home.' Born in South Dakota, William I. Mott started training at the age of 15. The 71-year-old worked for his father, who was a veterinarian. Mott moved to Kentucky in the 1970s, training for owners like Bert and Diana Firestone. Hall of Fame inductee (1998, age 45), one of the youngest trainers honored, per the National Museum of Racing. Over 5,600 wins and $340 million in earnings as of 2025, per Equibase. Mott told the Courier-Journal post-race: 'Sovereignty showed his heart today. This win means everything after so many close calls.' Founded in 1992 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, Godolphin has major stables in Dubai, the US, Europe, and Australia
