Around The Backstretch

A tour of the items making news around the world of horse racing.

North America

Pedigree Patterns: A victory for California in Pacific Classic - Thoroughbred Times
Acclamation scores sixth win for California-breds in Del Mar's richest race

Del Mar: Hollendorfer closing in on 6,000th win | Daily Racing Form
Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is within two victories of the 6,000th of his career, and he has a chance to reach that milestone with three starters at Del Mar on Wednesday.

Pacific Classic day handle down | Daily Racing Form
Ontrack attendance soared, but all-sources handle was down to its lowest level in more than a decade on Sunday’s Pacific Classic program at Del Mar compared with the corresponding day in 2010.

Hastings successfully draws younger crowd to the track - PaulickReport.com
"An aggressive campaign by track owner Great Canadian Gaming Corporation to attract a younger demographic – with bands, celebrities, Facebook and, of all shuddering things, Weiner Dog Races – seems to be paying off. Attendance, and more importantly, betting figures are up dramatically. Suddenly, it’s becoming cool to go to the track."

Saratoga: Hurricane Irene will leave her mark on track's bottom line | Daily Racing Form
Hurricane Irene may have done minimal damage to the grandstand and barn areas, but it dealt Saratoga a rather substantial blow from a business standpoint when it passed through the area Sunday.

Monmouth Sustains Only Minor Storm Damage | BloodHorse.com
Monmouth Park dodged serious damage during the worst of Hurricane Irene, which hit New Jersey and caused evacuations, road closures, and flooding.

With Anticipation Has 'English' Flair | BloodHorse.com
Thursday's With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) features a pair of 2-year-olds from the first crop of turf champion English Channel.

Gulfstream to add Trakus system, new tote boards - PaulickReport.com
Press Release: Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino announced today a $3 million capital improvement project that will include the installation of six new Daktronics boards throughout the facility, approximately 250 stadium seats in the Tiki Hut area, and the addition of the Trakus system to enhance video and instantaneously digitize races.

Caracortado regains winning form in Del Mar Mile - Thoroughbred Times
After five consecutive unsuccessful attempts in graded stakes, Caracortado finally regained his winning form in the $200,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2) on Saturday.

Parx Racing's "Win and You're In" Greenwood Cup under investigation - PaulickReport.com
The July 16 running of the $200,000 Greenwood Cup Stakes – a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In contest at Parx Racing that qualifies the winning Thoroughbred for an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Marathon – is under investigation, but a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission would not comment on the reason purse money for the race has been held up beyond confirming that an investigation is under way.

NYRA to Announce Improvements for Saratoga | BloodHorse.com
The New York Racing Association is inviting the public to participate in a Sept. 1 community forum to review a menu of potential capital improvement projects for Saratoga.

Churchill Unveils Derby, Oaks Logos | BloodHorse.com
Churchill Downs has unveiled the logos for the 138th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Kentucky Oaks 138 (gr. I).

Travers

EquiSpace: Travers Day 2011: The Day in Pictures
The 142nd running of the Travers Stakes gave us all we could ask for with the gritty Stay Thirsty taking the laurels and reins of the 3-year-old division.

Pletcher Eyes Options for Stay Thirsty, 'Mo' | BloodHorse.com
Trainer Todd Pletcher said Aug. 29 that Travers (gr. I) winner Stay Thirsty would most likely head to the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) and Uncle Mo's options include the Kelso (gr. II) and Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II).

Pennsylvania Derby “an option” for Uncle Mo - Thoroughbred Times
Trainer Todd Pletcher was still working on plans for Mike Repole’s top three-year-olds on Monday morning and indicated champion Uncle Mo was a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and could start next in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) on September 24 at Parx Racing.


International

Handicappers' Corner: A rundown on the top performances from round the globe : Timeform Features : Horse Racing
There was some outstanding racing in the US, despite the intervention of Hurricane Irene. Simon Rowlands reveals the ratings to come out of it as well as out of some of the Group races in Europe....

Pour Moi retired to stud following serious injury - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
POUR MOI ante post favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has suffered a ligament injury and will be retired on Sunday according to a source close to connections.

Irish Champion Stakes Betting: So You Think heads field of six : Timeform Features : Horse Racing
Aidan O'Brien's Eclipse winner So You think features among the six horses declared for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday....

Libranno to join Hannon raid on Prix de la Foret - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
LIBRANNO will join late Celebration Mile withdrawal Strong Suit on his next start when they go head to head in the Qatar Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on October 2.

Maybe, just maybe, the best two-year-old in Europe - Thoroughbred Times
Maybe bolstered her case as the best two-year-old filly in Europe with a 1 3/4-length victory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-G1) on Sunday at the Curragh.

Moonlight could go for Abbaye as Matron ruled out - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
FREDDIE HEAD has suggested Moonlight Cloud could drop in trip for the Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp on Arc day after ruling the three year old out of Saturday's Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes.

GOODWOOD Brilliant Hughes steers Dubawi Gold to glory - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
THE genius of Goodwood struck again on Saturday as Richard Hughes delivered a consummate ride on Dubawi Gold to take victory in the Group 2 Celebration Mile.

Dubawi team eye Moulin in bid to avoid Frankel - Horse Racing News | Racing Post
DUBAWI GOLD could head for France and the Qatar Prix du Moulin as trainer Richard Hannon shys away from taking on Frankel for a third time in the Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.