With the Chinese New Year just over the horizon, the best of the old and most promising of the new were both on display on a big day at Sha Tin Racecourse Jan. 24.
Monthly Archives: January 2021
Phil Galfond Wins Third Galfond Challenge, Chance Kornuth Concedes
Chance Kornuth put up a valiant effort against Phil Galfond in the Galfond Challenge, but the writing was on the wall. The Chip Leader Coaching founder trailed by more than $700,000 with under 10,000 hands remaining. He saw the writing on the wall and realized a comeback was out of the question.
Phil Galfond seems to always win. (Image: CardsChat News)
The $100/$200 pot-limit Omaha competition continued on Saturday with Kornuth down $680,000. After Chance lost a couple of buy-ins, he decided it was time to call it quits. With 25,400 hands complete of a 35,000-hand challenge, play has come to a halt.
Galfond entered the match four months ago as a heavy 4-1 favorite. He had already won two Galfond Challenges in 2020 against “VeniVidi1993” and “ActionFreak,” both online pros. And he’s widely considered one of the best PLO players ever.
Wildman Jack Relishes Return to Dirt in Palos Verdes
Wildman Jack relished a return to the main track Jan. 23 at Santa Anita Park, where he drew off to an emphatic 4 1/4-length win in the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3).
Getridofwhatailesu, Silver State Take Oaklawn Stakes
Getridofwhatailesu and Silver State both won their first career stakes races Jan. 23 at Oaklawn Park, where they took the Pippin Stakes and Fifth Season Stakes, respectively.
The Great One Romps in Santa Anita Maiden Race
Coming off a nose defeat when second in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 19, The Great One exploded against maiden special weight rivals for a 14-length score in second race Jan. 23 at Santa Anita Park.
Accused Midway Poker Tour Scammer Dan Bekavac Competes in WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Dan Bekavac, the organizer accused of scamming players in a 2020 Midway Poker Tour event, competed in a WPT tournament in Florida on Saturday. The players in Illinois he’s owed for months, however, won’t be receiving any of his winnings. That’s because he busted on Day 1, long before the bubble burst.
Dan Bekavac had money to play in a WPT event, but not the poker players he owes. (Image: Twitter/Chad Holloway)
The World Poker Tour is in the midst of hosting the first major live poker tournament in the US since March 2020. More than 700 players, including Bekavac, paid $3,500 to enter Day 1A of the tournament held in South Florida. Joe McKeehen, the 2015 WSOP Main Event champion, was among the 231 players who advanced to Day 2.
Bekavac, on the other hand, won’t be competing on Day 2 as he failed to bag a stack on Friday. That’s bad news for the poker players he still hasn’t made whole.
First Reported Foal a Colt for Champion Mitole
The first reported foal by Spendthrift Farm’s Mitole, winner of the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Park and champion sprinter in North America, is a colt that was born at Ballyrankin Stud in Lexington, according to Spendthrift.
Tide of the Sea Tops Maker Exacta in W. L. McKnight
Trainer Mike Maker saddled two horses for the $150,000 W. L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park, and those same two crossed the wire first in second in the 1 1/2-mile grass event for older horses.
Knicks Go Rolls to Victory in Pegasus World Cup
The Korea Racing Authority’s Knicks Go took the lead at the start and never looked back in rolling to victory in the fifth edition of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
Colonel Liam Edges Largent in Pegasus World Cup Turf
Finding room exiting the second turn, Robert and Lawana Low’s Colonel Liam rallied powerfully under Irad Ortiz Jr. to edge stablemate Largent in a photo finish in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.
Pacific Gale Upsets Inside Information at 16-1 Odds
The 6-year-old Flat Out mare found a new gear and blew past 2-1 choice Cinnabunny on the way to her first graded stakes victory in the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2).
HRI May be Quizzed After Loss to Liquidated Company
Horse Racing Ireland could be called upon by the Public Accounts Committee to explain the loss of €389,000 that arose after the company that used to undertake its cash-in-transit services went into liquidation in 2019.
One Michigan lottery ticket wins $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot
After a record run of 36 drawings without a jackpot winner, the 37th drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions game produced a single $1 billion winner last night when one lottery ticket sold in Michigan matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball.Mega Millions, Jackpots, Michigan, Winning Ticket Announcement, Multi-State Game
Zofelle Makes the Grade in Marshua's River
Heider Family Stables’ Zofelle returned from a seven-month layoff Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park, where she kicked it into gear down the home stretch to notch her first graded victory in the $125,000 Marshua’s River Stakes (G3T).
Always Shopping Delivers as La Prevoyante Favorite
Always Shopping showed her versatility in the $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23, scoring an emphatic three-length win over Delta’s Kingdom.
Prevalence Wows in Maiden Win at Gulfstream Park
The debut of Stage Raider, a half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, generated the early attention before the sixth race, a maiden race for 3-year-olds, at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23, but it was Prevalence that generated the talk after it.
Performer Returns to Winning Ways in Fred W. Hooper
Performer came to life in the stretch for jockey Joel Rosario and then wore down a determined Eye of a Jedi to prevail by a hard-fought neck in the $125,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.
Rally Time: Negreanu Runs Hot, Dominates Session for $385K Win
Daniel Negreanu booked a massive winning session on Friday, more than erasing the $298,000 loss he accumulated two days earlier. And he’s now back within striking distance against Doug Polk …. kind of, sort of.
Daniel Negreanu caught a sick heater on Friday. (Image: YouTube)
What a difference a day makes. The GGPoker ambassador took it on the chin Wednesday. He lost the equivalent of a median Las Vegas home value in just four hours of play. That brought his overall deficit to a bit over the $1 million mark for the first time.
Day 30 was brutal for Negreanu, who seemed a bit humbled afterwards. He didn’t complain about running bad for a change. Instead, he owned up to it and admitted his opponent simply outplayed him. There was no need for the Poker Hall of Famer to cry about bad luck or tip his cap to the other player on Friday, not after he booked a $390,032 win over 1,046 hands. His lead on the session had reached $430,000 at one point before Polk grabbed a few chips back late.
CHRB Declines to Overturn Scopolamine Ruling of Justify
The California Horse Racing Board voted Jan. 21 during a closed, executive session to let the last year’s stewards’ decision stand and leave Justify the winner of the 2018 Santa Anita Derby (G1), according to a release from the CHRB.
Caddo River Proves Rising Derby Threat in Smarty Jones
Trainer Brad Cox showcased his latest Derby contender Jan. 22 on opening day of the Oaklawn Park meet when Shortleaf Stable’s Caddo River took charge early in the Smarty Jones Stakes and widened for a 10 1/4-length victory under Florent Geroux.