Associated Press

Compiled by NTRA Communications

All times EDT

INDUSTRY GROUPS ANNOUNCE PLEDGES TO TRF

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and many members of the Jockeys' Guild who ride at its three racetracks, along with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and The Jockey Club, have jointly pledged more than $100,000 in financial support in 2009 to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), which provides humane retirement options for Thoroughbreds at the end of their racing careers, it was announced today.

NYRA will contribute $50,000 while NYTHA and The Jockey Club will donate $25,000 each. All 29 of the regular NYRA-based riders have pledged to donate, through a voluntary checkoff program, $1 from each mount.

In January, The Jockey Club instituted a voluntary retirement checkoff option for owners and breeders that benefits Thoroughbred Charities of America and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, with The Jockey Club matching the checkoff donations with up to $200,000 in 2009.

CORVI WINS $74,000 NHC QUALIFYING HANDICAPPING TOURNEY AT RED ROCK

Joe Corvi, a Newport Beach, Calif., resident with a degree in quantitative statistics, captured first place in the $74,000 Red Rock Firecracker Shootout, a Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) qualifying event held July 4-5 at Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.

Corvi, 65, defeated 148 players at Red Rock, finishing with a total bankroll of $299.30 to easily outdistance second-place finisher, George Tommila ($206.70). Rhonda Wall finished third ($205.90). Corvi collected $22,000 for his victory, and the top three finishers all earned berths in the $1 million DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship which will be held on January 29-30, 2010, at Red Rock.

The Firecracker Shootout was the first NHC Super Qualifier of 2009. Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., will hold the next Super Qualifier on August 29 with the top six finishers earning a berth in the 2010 NHC.

RACING TO HISTORY

July 10, 1982 - Landaluce, a two-year-old daughter of Seattle Slew, won the Hollywood Lassie Stakes by 21 lengths under the guidance of Laffit Pincay Jr. She ran the six furlong race in 1:08, just 3/5 of a second off the track record at Hollywood Park.

July 11, 1997 - Breeders' Cup Ltd. announced that supplemental entry fees would be added to the purses of Breeders' Cup Championship Day events.

July 12, 1971 - Bold Ruler, sire of 82 stakes winners, including Secretariat, died at Claiborne Farm.

July 13, 1986 - Jockey Kent Desormeaux rode his first winner, a three-year-old filly named Miss Tavern, in the fifth race at Evangeline Downs.

July 13, 1996 - Cigar tied Citation's record of 16 consecutive victories, winning the Citation Challenge at Arlington International Racecourse.

July 13, 2006 - The condition of injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro took a turn for the worse when it was discovered that the colt has developed acute laminitis in his left hind foot.

July 13, 2007 - Funny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby, was retired. The popular New York-bred gelding then began a second career as a stable pony.

July 14, 1951 - In his last race, Calumet Farm's six-year-old Citation won the Hollywood Gold Cup by four lengths, and became racing's first millionaire horse.

July 14, 1999 - Television Games Network (TVG) made its official debut with horse racing programming available to 1.1 million C-band satellite homes though Superstar/Netlink Group, the nation's largest satellite programming provider.

July 15, 1966 - Dr. Fager won his first race by seven lengths at Aqueduct racetrack. He was sent off at odds of 10-1.

July 15, 1972 - After finishing fourth in his racing debut on July 4, Secretariat won his first race, under jockey Paul Feliciano. The six-length victory occurred at Aqueduct.

July 15, 1987 - Jack Van Berg became the first trainer to win 5,000 races when he sent Art's Chandelle, a $10,000 claimer, to victory at Arlington Park.

July 15, 1999 - The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) confirmed that it had completed its purchase of the horseracing assets of Winner Communications via its newly formed subsidiary, NTRA Investments LLC.

July 15, 2000 - Three-year-old filly Hallowed Dreams kept her record perfect and tied Cigar's and Citation's record of 16 consecutive wins by taking the Dixie Miss Stakes at Louisiana Downs.

July 16, 1998 - Breeders' Cup Limited announced that a new $1 million turf race for fillies and mares would be added to Breeders' Cup Championship Day beginning in 1999. The race would be called the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and would be run at 1 1/4 miles.

WEEKEND STAKES RACES

(Unrestricted stakes in N.A. worth $100,000 and up)

SATURDAY, JULY 11

Hollywood Gold Cup, 3&up, $700,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Hollywood Park

Man o' War Stakes, 3&up, $500,000, Grade I, 1 3-8M (T), Belmont Park

Princess Rooney Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $350,000, Grade I, 6F, Calder

Smile Sprint Handicap, 3&up, $350,000, Grade II, 6F, Calder

American Derby, 3yo, $300,000, Grade II, 1 3-16M (T), Arlington Park

Dance Smartly Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $300,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M (T), Woodbine

Royal Heroine Mile Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $250,000, Grade II, 1M (T), Hollywood Park

Carry Back Stakes, 3yo, $200,000, Grade II, 6F, Calder

Arlington Handicap, 3&up, $200,000, Grade III, 1 1-4M (T), Arlington Park

Azalea Stakes, 3yo fillies, $200,000, Grade III, 6F, Calder

Modesty Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $200,000, Grade III, 1 3-16M (T), Arlington Park

Arlington Sprint, 3&up, $200,000, 5 1-2F (T), Arlington Park

Long Branch Stakes, 3yo, $175,000, 1 1-16M, Monmouth Park

Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, 5F (T), Calder

Toronto Cup Stakes, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-8M (T), Woodbine

SUNDAY, JULY 12

Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, Grade III, 6F, Hollywood Park

Landaluce Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 6F, Hollywood Park