HRND News and Notes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Text Box: North Dakota Horse Park 2008 Schedule Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (and Labor Day Monday!) August 1 through September 7 Post Times: Fridays: 5:30 p.m. (Dollar Beer and Hotdogs!) Saturdays: 3:30 p.m. (Concerts after last race!) Sundays: 1:30 p.m. (Family day with Silver Scramble!) Gates Open: 4:00 pm Fridays, 2:00 pm Saturdays and 11:30 Sundays and Labor Day Daily Admission: Passes purchased in advance: $3.00 Passes purchased on race day: $4.00 Book of 25 passes: $50.00 Season Pass: $30.00 Ages 12 and under: FREE Track Ticket Office: 5180 19th Avenue North, Fargo, ND Tues, Weds, Thurs: 10 AM–3PM Fri, Sat, Sun: 1 hour before gates open Parking: FREE Programs: Available at the track Concessions: Food, beverage and merchandise stands located throughout the grounds. Alcoholic beverages available—must be 21 or older with ID. Accepted Items: Folding chairs, umbrellas, cameras Prohibited Items: Coolers and outside food and beverages Pari-Mutuel Wagering: Mutuel windows open for every race! Must be 18 years or older to wager!

Click on a link below for exciting news and events from Horse Race North Dakota and the North Dakota Horse Park!

 

 

 

 

 

Week Three Racing Recap

Ryan Roshau for HRND

 

Afternoon Delight

Speed holds up in the Bet America Mile as Tactical Delight leads them to the wire

 

Pace makes the race.  The old adage is one of the Ten Commandments of horse racing and in the $7,800 Bet America Mile on Sunday afternoon at the Horse Park, Tactical Delight laid down the law.

 

In scoring this stakes victory, the eight year-old gelding won his third straight race.  The Susan Olson charge triumphed in late May at Brown County in Aberdeen and backed it up with a near wire to wire effort in a $3,000 Claiming race June 20th at Assiniboia Downs.  In the Bet America Mile, ‘Delight nearly led from start to finish but he and jockey Jim Beeson sat in fourth two furlongs into the race.  The early pace setter and 2-1 favorite Aferds Code Red was caught by the time they turned up the backstretch by the eventual winner.  Seven year-old veteran Medallia de Plata stalked the pace in third.  For the last six furlongs it was Tactical Delight, ‘Code Red, and Medallia de Plata 1-2-3 and that is the way they finished in this merry-go-round renewal of the one mile handicap. The final time of the race was 1:43 4/5.

 

“He had a bad start I saw and I figured he’d be in front,” trainer Ken Olson said after the victory by Tactical Delight.  “He finished strong.  I figured they’d have to catch him and they couldn’t.  He loves the front end.”  With two straight victories coming into the race you’d have to figure that the betting public would love ‘Delight but instead they made him a 5-2 second choice after the Curt Rohweder owned and Dave Bernhardt trained Aferds Code Red, 2007 Derby winner in his last start here in Fargo.  Second choice at 2-1 was Tiger Jet, also trained by Bernhardt and the winner of last week’s Roughrider Handicap.  The lineup was powerful but only the front running ‘Code Red ran his race. Tiger Jet’s patented stretch did not serve him well on this day when speed was holding up and he finished a non-threatening sixth. 

 

For the winner, however, the race could not have set up any better. “He has been off a while so I didn’t really know how he’d do,” Ken Olson said after the race.  “But he worked a half mile in :51 and I figured he had a good shot in here.” 

 

And when he made the lead and didn’t stop while the others didn’t close, the pace made the race.

 

 

Lotsa speed in Flickertail

Lotsa Lil goes wire to wire in Saturday’s feature race for fillies and mares

 

Three shippers met three Horse Park veterans on Saturday evening at the in the $7,400 Flickertail Stakes for fillies and mares.  On this occasion, it was good to stick with the home team.

 

The Blaine Decoteau-trained Lotsa Lil may have went off as the 7-2 third choice but she controlled the race from start to finish and flew under the wire 3 ½ lengths in front of Canterbury Park invader and 9-10 favorite Slinkin. Kali’s Spell finished nearly 17 lengths back in third but was later disqualified to fourth.  Unite Tonite was placed in the show spot by the stewards.

 

Breaking from the five hole, the daughter of 1998 Triple Crown prospect Lil’s Lad had the lead past the stands for the first time.  On the backstretch, the lead increased to 1 ½ lengths and eventually the five year old mare and jockey Terry Bennett widened their lead at every call and the race became for second.

 

It was the simplest of victories for a horse who started this 2008 campaign at Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma where she had five consecutive off the board finishes.  She fared better at Fair Meadows where she won her registered her third career victory on the 4th of July.  The next start was a $8,500 Allowance test where she finished second going the Flickertail Stakes distance of one mile.  Her Fargo debut was a third place showing on August 2nd that set her up for her Flickertail score.

 

The $4,400 winners share for the campaigner owned by Orville Davis pushes her bankroll to over $30,000 in her career.

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