Travers, Big T and more: The week in social media
Action at Timonium. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Thoroughbred racing is in full swing at the Maryland State Fair, improvements are being made to the turf course at Laurel Park, and the historical Travers Stakes is highlighting the racing world this weekend.
Here is what the racing world has been buzzing about this week:
Mid-summer Derby time
One of the highlights of the summer racing season is coming up on Saturday, August 24. The $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) will be taking place at Saratoga and post positions for the historical “Mid-Summer Derby” were drawn on Tuesday.
A field of 12 will assemble for the Travers Stakes, with honors as the 5-2 morning line favorite going to Belmont Stakes runner-up, Tacitus. There was a bit of disappointment in the air when it was announced that top runners such as Maximum Security, Game Winner, and War of Will would all be on the sidelines for the big event, but fans will still see a large field of quality runners in the 1 ¼-mile event. Along with Tacitus, this year’s edition of the Travers Stakes has attracted Owendale, Code of Honor, Highest Honors, Laughing Fox, Everfast, Mucho Gusto, Chess Chief, Looking at Bikinis, Scars are Cool, Endorsed, and Tax.
Post time for the Travers Stakes is set for 5:45 p.m.
The field for the 150th Running of the Runhappy Travers! #Travers150 pic.twitter.com/m4QvCtKKsp
— NYRA (@TheNYRA) August 20, 2019
Big T time
Thoroughbred horse racing kicks off at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium this week, beginning on August 23.
There will be over $185,000 in purse money each day, and there are two stakes races on the schedule. On August 24 the $75,000 Maryland Coalition Stakes will be held for horses three-years-old and up, at a distance of 6 ½ furlongs. The second stakes event, the Timonium Distaff, will take place on August 31. Maryland bred and sired fillies and mares will compete in the 6 ½ furlong dash for a purse of $75,000.
The live Thoroughbred racing meet ends on September 2.
Improvements to the Laurel lawn
While live Thoroughbred horse racing will be taking place at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium, Laurel Park will be working on improving its turf course.
The outside rail is scheduled to be replaced with a safety rail, and work will also be done on the grass itself. There are plans for the turf to be aerated, reseeded, and fertilized before the fall meets begins on September 6. This type of work will not only make the course more aesthetically pleasing, but will also improve the grass and its roots, allowing the turf to drain faster and grow stronger which will improve the racing surface.
LATEST RACING NEWS
Dean Delivers seeks return to winning ways in Dave’s Friend
Dean Delivers, winner of July’s De Francis Dash, returns to Laurel Park Saturday to headline the Dave’s Friend Stakes.
Piassek: Handicapping maiden races
In the first of an occasional series, handicapper John Piassek discusses handicapping maiden races focusing on one race from Laurel.
Mid-Atlantic Three Stars: November 18
Your five-minute read to catch up on all the Mid-Atlantic racing action you may have missed over the weekend…
Teachintherelease goes all the way in Funkhouser Memorial
Teachintherelease got an unexpectedly easy early lead and turned that into a front-running score in Saturday’s Randy Funkhouser Memorial Stakes.
Laurel: Stakes winner Speedyness makes return Friday
Speedyness, winner of Laurel Park’s Miracle Wood Stakes earlier this year, returns from a six-month break Friday at that same track.
WVBC winner Runaldo headlines Funkhouser Memorial
Runaldo, winner of last month’s Sam Huff WV Breeders Classic, headlines Saturday’s Randy Funkhouser Memorial. to close out Charles Town’s stakes schedule.
