Penn National

The Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission reported Monday on the progress of its Equine Safety and Welfare Plan, a list of tangible steps intended to increase protections for horses racing at Pennsylvania's six tracks. The measures, which the commission began implementing Mar. 1, 2022, included an Integrity Hotline for reporting suspected illegal or unethical behavior. "Early results from the hotline and other measures have been promising and reinforce the thorough consideration that went into developing the action plan," said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, who chairs the commission. "Implementing the strategy...

Wow Whata Summer sprung the second biggest upset of the year so far when he crossed the finish line in front for the first time, besting previously undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis at odds of 83-1 in the GII Penn Mile S. Uncaptured Spirit (Uncaptured) hustled up to take immediate control with heavily favored Annapolis dueling another foe two lengths back in second and Wow Whata Summer engaged in a three-battle off their heels. Wow Whata Summer moved up inside the chalk as the first quarter went up in :24.08...

Having been scratched from the GIII Soaring Softly S. last weekend, 'TDN Rising Star' Haughty (Empire Maker) was re-routed for Friday's $150,000 Penn Oaks at Penn National and may have been a touch ring-rusty, but proved far too classy for her four overmatched rivals. A bit hesitant to load and on edge waiting for the gates to spring, the 2-5 chalk was tugging for her head as they raced under the wire with a circuit of the soft-rated turf course to travel as 60-1 outsider and turf debutante Irie Empress...

'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) makes his belated seasonal bow Friday in the GII Penn Mile S. A perfect two-for-two, the Bass homebred rallied to an impressive debut victory going two turns at Saratoga Sept. 4 and followed suit with a win in Belmont's GII Pilgrim S. Oct. 3, earning a field-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Originally scheduled to go on to the Breeders' Cup, the bay was sidelined by a hind ankle chip. Shug McGaughey saddles another talented son of War Front in Fort Washington. Graduating at second...

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association has released the 2022 stakes schedule for state-bred horses with 27 stakes to be run at Pennsylvania tracks throughout the year totaling over $4 million. The stakes action kicks off Apr. 25 at Parx Racing with two seven-furlong $100,000 races for older horses: the Unique Bella for fillies and mares, and the Page McKenney H. Seven $100,000 stakes will be carded on Pennsylvania Day at the Races Aug. 22 at Parx, including the first two events of the inaugural 2-year-old PA-Sired PA-Bred Stallion Series. The...

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns for a 9th season with a $2.2 million stakes schedule that spans April 16 through Oct. 3 and more than $400,000 in bonus money for owners, trainers and breeders. The Series, a competition among horses in four divisions, is designed to identify the best horses, and their owners and trainers, in the Mid-Atlantic region. It will be contested this year at Laurel Park, Hollywood at Penn Gaming, Colonial Downs and Parx, with Parx hosting this year's Championship Day. Horses competing in MATCH earn...

New Jersey native Bill Denver is today's subject in TDN's rotating series profiling racetrack photographers. We ask about memorable horses, races, and people they've viewed through the lens, and also talk about how the craft of equine imagery has evolved. Denver, 60, is the founder of Equi-Photo, which currently shoots the races and provides winner's circle photographs at Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands Thoroughbred meet, Parx, and Penn National. Separate from his work at East Coast tracks, Denver has previously freelanced for college athletic departments and numerous newspapers, including the New...

Robert "Bob" Beaubien, a longtime track superintendent at tracks including Penn National Race Course, Prairie Meadows, Turf Paradise and Delta Downs, passed away Sept. 1. Beaubien was widely known and respected among his peers, and he was an active participant at the annual Track Superintendent Field Day helping to share his knowledge with others. "Bob was a very nice guy and very knowledgeable," said Jake Leitzel, director of track maintenance at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. "He was the type of guy that would do anything for you....

The Pennsylvania-bred stakes schedule received a major boost for the remainder of the year, with four stakes doubling in value to $200,000, plus the addition of two $100,000 stakes. A total of $2.6 million in purses will now be paid out in restricted, state-bred stakes in 2021. "Our revenue has stabilized and the Race Horse Development Trust Fund has stood strong," Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's executive secretary Brian Sanfratello said. "We wanted to send a message that Pennsylvania is on the move and the premier place to breed and race."...

One month after initially stating at a Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission (PHRC) meeting that May backstretch raids at Parx yielded a "significant amount of contraband" and "items that have no business on the backside," Tom Chuckas, the director of Thoroughbred horse racing for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, gave a Tuesday update that now describes the yield from those searches in markedly less sensationalistic terms. "In the last months, enforcement action was taken both at Penn National and at Parx," Chuckas told commissioners at the June 29 PHRC meeting during...

Penn National Race Course announced a new partnership with software company HeadCheck Health, Inc. that will equip all staff with a customized system for optimizing concussion and injury management for jockeys within and between racetracks. HeadCheck is a secure HIPAA compliant system that aims to improve track management by allowing clear and immediate communication of suspected injuries and jockey health status. This program will help ensure nothing slips through the cracks and all jockeys receive appropriate care before returning to ride. Since 2019, HeadCheck--covered in the TDN this March--has worked...

'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution), a disappointing eighth as the favorite in the GII American Turf S. at Churchill Downs May 1, adds blinkers for Friday evening's GII Penn Mile S. at Penn National. The chestnut was perfect in his previous three trips to the post, including narrow wins in the Palm Beach S. Feb. 27 and Cutler Bay S. Mar. 27. The speedy Original (Quality Road) collected third in his previous two attempts in the GIII Kitten's Joy S. Jan. 30 and Woodhaven S. Apr. 17. He will be...