Thursday, December 09, 2010
Turfway Park Renames Derby Prep Race
KENTUCKY...
Turfway Park has not renewed its contract with Lane's End Farm in Lexington, and the northern Kentucky track's Kentucky Derby prep race will have a new name next spring.
The race will be known as the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes when it is contested for the 40th time on March 26. The Kentucky Enquirer reports Spiral Stakes is the race's original name and that it was begun as a race for horses "spiraling up" to the Derby.
The new sponsor will be Vinery, a thoroughbred firm with farms in Lexington, Florida and New York. Lane's End had sponsored the race since 2002.
The race was also downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status last week. The newspaper reports 24 races were downgraded or dropped altogether from graded status partly because fewer races are being run nationwide.
Turfway Park has not renewed its contract with Lane's End Farm in Lexington, and the northern Kentucky track's Kentucky Derby prep race will have a new name next spring.
The race will be known as the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes when it is contested for the 40th time on March 26. The Kentucky Enquirer reports Spiral Stakes is the race's original name and that it was begun as a race for horses "spiraling up" to the Derby.
The new sponsor will be Vinery, a thoroughbred firm with farms in Lexington, Florida and New York. Lane's End had sponsored the race since 2002.
The race was also downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status last week. The newspaper reports 24 races were downgraded or dropped altogether from graded status partly because fewer races are being run nationwide.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:01 PM 
