Sam-Son Farm’s Up With the Birds, back in his home country, where he was named 2013 Canadian Horse of the Year, snapped a 12-race winless streak with a 1 1/4-length score in the $200,000 Nijinsky Stakes (Can-IIT) July 24 at Woodbine.
Monthly Archives: July 2016
Songbird All Heart at Saratoga
Songbird, as if she wanted to toy with onlookers and viewers across the nation to build the drama, took Carina Mia’s best shot during the final turn in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), but was still able to win in her signature fashion.
Neymar Faces Immense Pressure at Rio Summer Olympics
All eyes will be on Neymar when the Olympic Games begin next month in Rio de Janeiro. The 24-year old Brazilian soccer star will face the same kind of pressure he would in a major poker tournament. Maybe more. And Neymar knows all about competing on the felt as much as he does on the […]
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Tin Type Gal Rallies to Take Boiling Springs
Trainer Graham Motion decided to scratch Tin Type Gal from the July 22 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) in favor of the July 24 Boiling Springs Stakes (gr. IIIT) and the move paid off when the Tapit filly won the Monmouth Park fixture.
Rank Group, 888 Holdings eyeing merger and joint bid to acquire William Hill
The pace of UK gambling market consolidation sped up over the weekend on reports that casino operator Rank Group and online gambling business 888 Holdings were teaming up on a joint bid to acquire bookmaker William Hill.
As first reported by the Sunday Times, Rank and 888 are in “advanced talks” regarding a merger that would create a £2b firm. Assuming that deal gets done, the pair would then make a £3b play to acquire Hills, creating a truly full spectrum gambling operator.
Rank and 888 subsequently issued a joint statement saying they saw “significant industrial logic” in acquiring Hills, a move they believe will result in “substantial revenue and cost synergies.” While no formal approach has yet been made to Hills, UK takeover regulations give Rank and 888 until Aug. 21 to propose specific terms of a deal.
Rank operates over 50 Grosvenor casinos and nearly 100 Mecca Bingo clubs, as well as a young but thriving online division. 888 is an online-only operation with a particularly strong poker vertical. Hills has the UK’s second largest (if currently underperforming) online division as well as the UK’s largest retail betting presence that generates over half of its overall revenue.
Destin Remains On Track for Jim Dandy
Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Destin, who fell a nose short of winning the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (gr. I), remains on target for the July 30 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course.
'Chrome' Back to Los Al After San Diego Win
Seemingly everyone that got within earshot of trainer Art Sherman wanted to express their appreciation for what they experienced the day before, when California Chrome and Dortmund did battle in the stretch during the San Diego Handicap (gr. II).
Beholder Brilliant in Del Mar Breeze
Three-time champion Beholder July 24 worked five furlongs in :59 1/5 at Del Mar and seemingly could not have done it easier.
Lanerie Scores Unusual Double at Ellis Park
Jockey Corey Lanerie scored an unusual double July 23 at Ellis Park, where he won publicity races aboard a camel and an ostrich.
$422 MILLION: Powerball climbs again on rollover
This week Powerball will be the hot ticket, featuring a lump-sum cash payout of nearly $300 million.Powerball, Jackpots, Multi-State Game
Stonestreet: Rachel's Valentina Retired
Stonestreet Stables’ homebred filly Rachel’s Valentina, who is out of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, has been retired, Stonestreet announced via Twitter July 24.
Gaming Industry News Weekly Recap – Stories You Might Have Missed
THE AMERICAS
CG Technology’s underpaying scandal forced the resignation of its CEO; Valve Corp ordered 23 eSports skin-betting operators to stop using its Steam marketplace; a Chinese consortium that includes Giant Interactive Group emerged as the frontrunner to buy Caesars Interactive’s social gaming operations; online gambling was the fastest growing segment of the British Columbia Lottery Corp’s annual report; tribal casinos posted their biggest revenue gain in a decade while Pennsylvania’s casinos set a new revenue record; the developers of the Bait app found a way to marry sports betting with Uber-style ratings; Larry Flynt won his casino tax fight with Gardena city council; Nevada casinos prepped for the return of Olympic betting; Ainsworth’s Bernie Gamboa explained why Latin America really gets him hot and Betgenius’ Peo Lekare explained the role culture plays in Latin America’s sports betting market; Rafi Farber offered a mid-year review of gambling stock performance; the World Series of Poker 2016 identified its November Nine and Jason Mercier was named WSOP 2016 Player of the Year.
EUROPE
William Hill pushed CEO James Henderson out the door following the company’s online hiccups; Poland gave its state-owned lottery a monopoly on online casino operations; Amaya Gaming trimmed “dozens” of staff at its London office; Bet365 and PokerStars topped Italy’s online betting and poker charts; Betsson’s Q2 numbers lived down to their advance billing; Greek police broke up a Taiwanese-led online betting ring; eSports Integrity Coalition’s Ian Smith discussed the nine threats keeping him up at night and BD Sport Europe’s Tom Van Beem explained why Dutch gamblers are nonplussed by their country’s online gambling legislative progress.
California Diamond Shines in Paddock Sale
California Chrome and California Diamond were the stars of the Barretts paddock sale July 23, held immediately after the races at Del Mar.
'Chrome' Edges Dortmund in Del Mar Battle
The Del Mar crowd roared as California Chrome put a head in front of Dortmund in the final turn of the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II) July 23, but little did they know the battle they were in store for in the stretch.
'Chrome' Edges Dortmund in Del Mar Battle
The Del Mar crowd roared as California Chrome put a head in front of Dortmund in the final turn of the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II) July 23, but little did they know the battle they were in store for in the stretch.
Enola Gray Still Perfect After Del Mar Run
Nick Alexander’s homebred Enola Gray continued her blitz through the Californa-bred ranks July 22 in the $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar.
Paulassilverlining Rolls to Honorable Miss
Entered off back to back graded stakes wins, grade II winner Paulassilverlining will try to extend that streak to three against a deep field of female sprinters in the $200,000 Honorable Miss Stakes (gr. II) July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Aparicio Rides First U.S. Winner
Arturo Aparicio, an 18-year-old apprentice from Panama, landed his first and second wins in the United States July 17 at Ellis Park.
Mokat Surges to San Clemente Victory
J K Racing Stable’s triple stakes-placed Mokat put it all together for her first stakes win July 23 at Del Mar, bursting past rivals nearing the home turn and galloping away to win the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT).
Late Run Lifts Dacita to Victory in Diana
With a strong outside rally in the final furlong, Dacita (CHI) just edged Recepta at the wire to win the $500,000 Diana Stakes (gr. IT) July 23 at Saratoga Race Course.