Furthest Land, who could not win under a $35,000 claiming tag at Belmont Park one year ago, outfinished fellow long shot Ready’s Echo by three-quarters of a length to upset Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.

Furthest Land finished second under a $35,000 claiming tag at Belmont in October 2008 when haltered by trainer Mike Maker for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike has since gone on to win seven of 10 starts, including the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park in his last start. Santa Anita was the ninth different track Furthest Land has raced on in his last nine starts. He was also the third gelding to win a race on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup program.

Furthest Land paid $44.60 and was ridden to victory by Julien Leparoux, his third winner during the 2009 Breeders’ Cup.

35,000 claimers are pretty decent race horses but not usually stakes winners(Except maybe in their past). The biggest upset to me in horse racing history was Land Grant winning the 1980 Woodrow Wilson Pace.

Centaur LLC, owner of Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, defaulted on a loan to senior lenders Tuesday, October 27 when it missed a reported $13.4 million interest payment. The Indianapolis-based company stated in a press release issued October 29 that the decision to forego the interest payment on a $400 million-plus loan was done as part of an effort to restructure corporate debt. Centaur used the loan to pay a $250 million casino licensing fee and spent a total of $150 million on grandstand renovation and construction of its 92,000 square-foot racino, which opened in June 2008.

“Our business operations at the property level are healthy and generate positive cash flow from operations. We remain committed to putting our capital structure on solid ground,” Centaur Chairman Rod Ratcliff said in the release. “Restructuring our corporate debt will place us in a position for long-term success and benefit our customers, employees, horsemen groups, host communities and other stakeholders. We are confident our steps will ultimately strengthen the company.”

Down here in Florida, a racetrack is about to re-open. Hialeah Park which last had a race over eight years ago is going to host quarterhorse races beginning on November 28th.

Armed with its new quarter-horse permit — and racing dates approved this week by the state — Hialeah Park is gearing up for a Nov. 28 reopening. Roughly 150 construction workers are doing double shifts painting ceilings, patching damaged pipes and sweeping floors. As the deadline gets nearer, they might go to triple shifts.

“It will definitely be presentable. . . . for sure,” said Orlando Ceballos, the construction project manager.

Will Hialeah, which first opened in 1925, once again exude the grandeur that so many fondly remember?

Not completely, as large portions of the massive restoration effort won’t be done by the time Hialeah again welcomes the public.

Visitors at first will be allowed into the clubhouse area, but other sections still being repaired — such as the grandstand — will remain closed.

Gambling options will also be limited, as slot machines are not expected to arrive until a year or so from now.

I think it’s wishful thinking to believe Hialeah will prosper under those circumstances.

A man has been charged with blackmail over a threat to kill 4-year-old colt Conduit before his Group One victory at Ascot.

Ten days before Conduit tries to win his second Breeders Cup Turf in a row at Santa Anita, Calif., Manchester police said Wednesday the man would appear in court Dec. 1.

The police didn’t identify the man but the Guardian newspaper named him as 26-year-old Andrew Rodgerson and alleged he sent texts and e-mails threatening to kill the colt unless he were withdrawn from the race.

I wouldn’t be surprised if alcohol is involved. Access to race track barn areas and paddocks is restricted. A person, at least when my father was involved with horse racing, had to show their license to gain access to these areas. I’m not saying it would be impossible for Mr. Rodgerson or whomever issued these threats to carry them out, but it isn’t an easy matter either.

The British Formula One Grand Prix faced an uncertain future on Friday after the failure of a bond to cover the cost of redeveloping the Donington Park circuit.

“Donington Ventures Leisure Limited can confirm that a bond for 135 million pounds [$224.8 million] to cover the cost of the F1 redevelopment at Donington Park has been unsuccessful,” a statement said.

“Despite higher than expected levels of interest and very positive early indications, the bond — which was launched with Citi Group last week — has failed to secure enough subscription ahead of today’s deadline. Information regarding the circuit’s future plans is not yet available.”

Formula One head Bernie Ecclestone had given Donington, which has a 17-year contract to host the race from next year, until noon Monday to remedy a breach of contract after repeatedly extending deadlines.

Ecclestone has said that Silverstone, the circuit that put on the first championship race in 1950 but lost the contract after this year’s farewell, will be offered the chance to regain the Grand Prix.

If Donington isn’t available, I’m sure the race will be run at Silverstone instead. Bernie Ecclestone has made it known in the past that the British GP would continue at Silverstone if Donington didn’t get it’s act together.

Along with the Italian Grand Prix, the British GP is the longest continuously staged Formula One race.

The immediate future of racing in Michigan is in jeopardy for the second time this year as the racetracks prepare to cease operations as of Nov. 5 due to the lack of funding from the state, a situation made even more dire by Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s recent line item vetoing of virtually all of the monies directed toward horse racing.

The first time this year that funding issues came into play was in late July when state money ran out to operate the Office of Racing Commissioner, which resulted in the Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association taking $75,000 out of its purse pool to provide funding so that Hazel Park could continue its live race meet.

This time, it appears that avenue is not likely, so unless some sort of legislative relief comes in the next week a total shutdown of the tracks could be imminent. Live racing is currently being held at Northville Downs, but with a state auditor necessary at all the tracks because of simulcasting, all sites would have to close because there would be no money to pay that person.

“This is political football being played with the budget,” said Hazel Park director of racing Ken Marshall, who said he is remaining optimistic that funding can be found to preclude any shutdown. “This is like being in the 15th round and if we’re going to down, at least we’re going to go down swinging. This battle is not over yet.”

Governor Granholm when announcing her vetoes, she said- “I believe that horse racing programs should be self-supporting.” I think horse racing should be self-supporting also. The sad news right now is that public interest in any form of horse racing is dying off. Some people in the industry think casinos or other forms of gambling at racing establishments can save the sport. The truth is, even racetracks with slot machines and poker tables aren’t doing well enough to sustain horse racing at the same establishment. If horse racing in Michigan can’t survive without public dollars, the industry should move on to somewhere they can be profitable.

Jenson Button has clinched his first Formula One title after capitalizing on his rivals’ miscues to finish fifth in a Brazilian Grand Prix won by Mark Webber.

The fifth-place finish Sunday was good enough to give Button an insurmountable 17-point lead in the drivers’ standings ahead of the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 1.

His closest competition for the title, Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello, started from pole but finished eighth after a puncture on his home track. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was fourth
.
Red Bull’s Webber took his second F1 win ahead of Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber and defending champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren at the 2.6-mile Interlagos track.

Button had only one Formula One triumph prior to this year. Who knows Webber could be the Jenson Button of 2010.

This year’s Formula One campaign saw more than its share of drama off the track. I will be surprised if the offseason is quiet one.

Starting with the Friday evening, Oct. 16, program at 7:05 p.m., the Isle Pompano Park is offering free programs for its own live cards to all on-track patrons and horsepeople.

“We’ve studied it and just finalized our plan late in the noon hour on Wednesday to move forward with this initiative as quickly as possible,” says the Isle Pompano Park’s director of racing operations, John Yinger. “There is a cost to doing it but we feel it can only drive on-track attendance and handle in the the right direction. Already the feedback is overwhelmingly positive from horsepeople and the fans here on Wednesday night that we informally mentioned it to.”

He adds the South Florida track is going into a hurry up offense to get the word out.

No mention of this in the local media but that isn’t surprising. Harness racing has never gotten the coverage the thoroughbreds do.

Pardon the pun, but I’m betting tip sheets won’t be free.

Daryl Busse, 67, for many years a leading driver-trainer both nationally and in Illinois, died Thursday evening, Oct. 8, at home, following a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

In his driving career, which ended in 2005, Mr. Busse won 5,651 races and drove the winners of $30,331,095.

Fifty-four quarantined horses are being removed from the Hoosier Park racetrack in central Indiana after two others tested positive for a contagious infection.

Hoosier Park officials had placed the horses in quarantine Sept. 12 after one thoroughbred at the stable began exhibiting signs of equine strangles, a bacterial disease common in horses that can be life-threatening.

Racing manager Jeffrey Smith told The Herald Bulletin none of the quarantined horses are showing signs of the disease, but that test results would not be available until after the Anderson track’s thoroughbred season ends Oct. 24.

16 other barns, housing over 1,000 horses, were free of the disease.

Note- Hoosier Park is also a standardbred track.

Another news report says Hoosier Park is on the verge of bankruptcy.

An Indianapolis television station has reported that Hoosier Park Racing & Casino is in danger of bankruptcy.

Fox 59 reported early Thursday morning that large loans due in the next 90 days may force Hoosier Park owner Centaur to file for bankruptcy.

“They are in very deep trouble, financially, and they don’t have much equity in the business,” State Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) told Fox 59, noting that Centaur CEO Rod Ratcliff has approached him saying Hoosier Park will fold unless the state can provide tax abatements. “They have two large bonds which are in jeopardy of not being paid.”

Indiana Deputy Gaming Commissioner Jenny Reske said several Indiana casinos have undergone bankruptcy reorganization.

Pardon the pun, but I’d wager not all those casinos double as racetracks. This news is further proof that casinos aren’t a silver bullet for the financial woes of the North American Racing Industry.(It just isn’t tracks, but racing associations like here.) Few people, gamblers or non-gamblers, appear interested in the sport anymore. It’s sad, and I think horse racing in the United States will be close to extinction in as little as a decade or two.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has won Formula One’s Japanese Grand Prix to revive his championship hopes.

Vettel finished ahead of Toyota’s Jarno Trulli and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s race at Suzuka.

Drivers’ championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP was eighth, a place below teammate Rubens Barrichello. Brawn GP needs just one point in the remaining two races to clinch the constructors’ championship.

In the drivers’ championship, Button’s lead over Barrichello was cut by one point to 14, with Vettel just two points further back.

The final two GP races of 2009 are Brazil in two weeks and Abu Dhabi on November 1st.

Like so many Formula One races, the order of finish was pretty much predetermined before hand. Pre-race penalties to Button and Barrichello dropped those drivers to well back on the grid and left them with little chance today.

Peter Wrenn, a winner of more than 8,000 races and current leading driver at Indiana Downs, has been handed a 30-day suspension by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. Wrenn was notified of the suspension, which took effect beginning Monday, Sept. 28, over the weekend.

Wrenn said Tuesday morning that he has appealed the ruling and asked for a stay, but since Indiana regulations stipulate that a stay would not go into effect for five days, he has filed an injunction in court. Wrenn is scheduled to drive at The Red Mile Tuesday afternoon and is awaiting word as of 9 a.m. from his lawyer on the status. However, Wrenn was taken off all his mounts at The Red Mile on Tuesday.

“As of right now I’m suspended until the end of October,” said a disheartened Wrenn. “I really don’t understand what’s going on. It’s a pretty sad deal.”

According to a notice posted in the Indiana Downs race office, Wrenn was suspended for driving the 12-1 outsider Magical Delight in an “unsatisfactory manner” in the eighth race Thursday, Aug. 6. Magical Delight finished fourth in the conditioned race, which carried a purse of $3,300. Wrenn’s suspension, which is for driving only, will conclude Oct. 27.

The suspension doesn’t happen at a good time for Wrenn. Lexington’s Grand circuit begins this week. I suspect racing officials knew that before handing down the suspension.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has won the Singapore Grand Prix and Brawn GP’s Jenson Button has extended his Formula One championship lead by one point.

Hamilton started from the pole on Sunday and protected his lead to finish 9.6 seconds ahead of Timo Glock. The German equaled Toyota’s best Formula One result by finishing second.

Fernando Alonso gave scandal-hit Renault a lift by finishing third for the French team’s first podium finish of the season.

By cheating at last year’s Singapore GP, Renault has brought at least a temporary case of bad karma upon itself. If the racing team’s fortunes don’t improve, will we begin to hear talk of the Singapore curse?

Well Said won the 64th Little Brown Jug Thursday afternoon at the Delaware, Ohio, fairgrounds, winning the $650,000 renewal in straight heats under rainy conditions. Driven by Ron Pierce, Well Said won his elimination in 1:51.1 and then wrapped up the race in straight heats by capturing the second in 1:51.4, over a racetrack rated as “good,” the first Jug ever contested on a track not listed “fast.”

Pierce worked Well Said into a second-over trip, following the cover of Mr. Wiggles. If I Can Dream, driven by Tim Tetrick, had the lead at the :56.3 half and still had control at the 1:23.2 three quarters, but at that point Well Said was in hot pursuit. The two elim winners battled side by side through the final turn and through the stretch, with Well Said winning out by one length. Straight Shooting and Dave Palone took show honors.

*****

Owned by Jeff Snyder and Susan Grange’s Lothlorien, Well Said was bred by Fair Winds Farm and Steve Jones. A son of Western Hanover, he is trained by Steve Elliott, who won his first-ever Jug. With 10 wins in 12 starts, Well Said now has seasonal earnings of $1,929,014.

The Jug is one of the premier events in horse racing but it will barely cause a blip in the sports pages tomorrow. How sad. Why doesn’t harness racing get the coverage the thoroughbreds do from the media?

Renault parted company with flamboyant Formula One team boss Flavio Briatore and his deputy Pat Symonds on Wednesday after accepting allegations that last year’s Singapore Grand Prix was fixed.

The two men were due to appear before the governing FIA in Paris on Monday to face charges, unprecedented even in a sport often mired in controversy, that the team ordered Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash deliberately to help Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso win.

Renault said in a statement it would not dispute the allegations.

“[Renault] also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team,” the team added.

Italian Briatore led the team to two Formula One constructors’ and drivers’ championships with Alonso in 2005 and 2006 after also winning titles with Benetton and Michael Schumacher in 1994 and 1995.

To maintain the integrity of their sport, Formula One will need to still come down on Renault. Renault admits they took actions to alter the outcome of a race. In other sports, people have gotten lifetime bans for such actions. If Formula One doesn’t want lose the confidence and trust of racing fans and its sponsors, they need to punish Renault very harshly.

Rubens Barrichello picked up his second win in three races to lead Brawn GP to a 1-2 finish at the Italian Grand Prix that tightened the Formula One title fight.

Barrichello and teammate Jenson Button both used one-stop strategies to get the sweep at the Monza circuit on Sunday.

Former Ferrari driver Barrichello shaved two points off Button’s overall lead by getting within 14 points with four races remaining.

Lewis Hamilton of McLaren crashed on his final lap while running third. That allowed Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari to take the final podium spot.

Button remains the favorite for the driving title but he isn’t a lock. IMHO he will win, but narrowly.