Maryland Jockey Club

As part of its on-going educational series, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) will conduct a seminar featuring three nationally known trainers on Nov. 21, at Charles Town Race & Slots. New York-based conditioner Allen Jerkens heads the list of invitees, along with A. Ferris Allen III and Robbie Bailes - two trainers working mainly in Maryland. The seminar will be an open forum, allowing the audience to ask questions of the trainers. "It should be a great evening for horse racing followers, especially with a Hall of Famer like Allen Jerkens in attendance," said Virginia Thoroughbred Association Field Director Mark Deane.

The purse for the featured 2005 West Virginia Breeders Classic race has been increased to $500,000. The 1 1/8-mile event is the highlight of the annual West Virginia Breeders Classics Night. The racing card for West Virginia bred-or-sired horses will be held Oct. 8 at Charles Town Races & Slots. "We're very excited, this event gets bigger and better every year," said Sam Huff, president of the West Virginia Breeders Classics, Ltd. The purse increase was approved last week by the West Virginia State Racing Commission.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Last month in Hagerstown, former Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich called the slots referendum a "punt" by a General Assembly that sometimes passes its tough decisions to the public. On Tuesday, the public voted yes, in effect kicking the issue back to the legislature with a mandate to take action. Approval of the constitutional amendment pushes the General Assembly to finally approve a slots legalization bill after several years of stalemate, including four years of failed attempts by Ehrlich, a slots advocate.

A Huevo and Original Gold will defend championships at the 19th annual West Virginia Breeders Classics Night on Saturday at Charles Town Races & Slots. A Huevo, trained by Michael Dickinson, and Original Gold, trained by Ronnie Brown, both romped to victory a year ago. Jockey Ramon Dominguez rode both horses. The 9-year-old A Huevo will defend his title in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic - a mile-and-an-eighth test for 3-year-olds and up - while Original Gold will defend her title in the $250,000 Jefferson Security Bank Cavada West Virginia Breeders Classics race - a 7-furlong race for fillies and mares 3 years old and up. The two events are part of an impressive eight-race card which also features six other $75,000 tests.

Thoroughbred owner Robert Cole Jr., who competes regularly at the Charles Town Races & Slots, has been nominated for an Eclipse Award. And based on some impressive statistics from the 2006 campaign, the 43-year-old resident of Highland, Md., just might wind up in the ultimate winner's circle on Jan. 22, 2007 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Heading into the weekend, Cole's thoroughbreds have 186 wins, 93 places and 50 shows in 449 starts, good for a 41.4 win percentage while finishing in the money 73.4 percent.

If a proposal to open a race track in Western Maryland becomes reality that could be good economic news for Hancock, the town's mayor said Wednesday. cont. from front page "There could be jobs tied to that. I'll anxiously wait to hear more," Mayor Daniel Murphy said. He said he could not endorse the project, however, because he had no details of the plan. Maryland horse-racing executive Joseph A. De Francis has said he will compete with Delaware track owner William Rickman Jr. for a new racing license in Allegany County.

Charles Town-based jockey Travis Dunkelberger is closing in on 3,000 career wins. Entering today's action at Charles Town Races & Slots, the 30-year-old native of Lennox, S.D., has 2,999 victories. He has been riding thoroughbreds for 13 years - mostly at the West Virginia thoroughbred oval. According to statistics from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Dunkelberger has accepted 463 mounts in 2007 and shows 90 wins, 71 second-place finishes and 79 third-place finishes.

The Charles Town Dash, scheduled for Independence Day at Charles Town Races & Slots, has attracted 19 nominations. "It's a race, by invitation, and eight horses will get firm invitations," Charles Town Racing Secretary Doug Lamp said when discussing the 7-furlong test which will carry a $100,000 purse. "Confucius Say (trained by George Yetsook) will be the top-weighted. " The others on the "priority" list include (trainer in parenthesis): Crafty Schemer (Benny Feliciano Jr.)

The biggest lottery in state history is taking shape, and even though you and I can't play, that doesn't mean we can't get involved. The jackpot will be measured not in mere millions, but in billions, and so exclusive is this lottery that only six to 10 men will be eligible to buy a ticket. This is proper, since all of them are having a hard go of it and could use a boost. The group includes known paupers such as Peter G. Angelos, William Rickman Jr. and Joseph De Francis.

larryy@herald-mail.com Management and horsemen at the Charles Town Races & Slots are considering adding an 11th race on the program for the remainder of the 2003 session. "We're very much in favor of this but management still has some concerns," said Dick Watson, president of the Charles Town Division/Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. "The one added race will enable us to get 50 more horses on the racetrack each week. I think it will extrenely beneficial.