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News from Arizona:

Rillito Posts Increases - Tucson, AZ - May 6, 2011 - Rillito Race Track ended its live season with improvements in every category. In 2011, the track in Tucson, Arizona, conducted 11 days of racing January 15-February 20, with 37 races for American Quarter Horses, compared to 33 races over 10 days in 2010.

This year saw 191 Quarter Horses making 274 starts, compared to last year’s 177 head making 243 starts. Purses in 2011 totaled $128,400, with $121,600 paid last year. Rillito handled $379,267 on this season’s live races, compared to $324,794 in 2010. - AQHA

Sonoita horse races could shut down - SONOITA, AZ - May 8, 2011 - State funding cuts are now threatening to shut down a Sonoita tradition.

"Racing has collapsed in other small towns such as Duncan and Douglas and Safford and St. Johns and Kingman and Globe," Kay said. "They are all not having races this year and for us to put on one weekend it's so important for everybody to come down and support Sonoita and our 96th annual horse races."

This year's races were put on purely by private donations. Organizers say they'll have a good shot at continuing these races next year if they get the community to come out.

Read More: KGUN9-TV

Ry Eikleberry “three-peats” as top jockey at Turf Paradise track - PHOENIX, AZ - May 5, 2011 - On Sunday, May 1, after the 3rd of nine races, Ry received his third consecutive award as Turf Paradise’s leading jockey, the first “three-peat” (2008-2011) at that track.

Arizona Governor vetoes bill that would have helped racetrack - April 28, 2011 - Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer vetoed legislation Wednesday that Yavapai Downs horse racetrack officials said was pivotal in keeping the Prescott Valley track open.

Yavapai Downs racetrack could close, owners warn; Contact Arizona governor to help save Yavapai Downs - April 22, 2011 Up Date - April 22, 2011 - The future of the Yavapai Downs racetrack could be in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer. If the governor doesn't sign a bill that would keep the track's nonprofit property tax status, the president of the Yavapai County Farm & Agriculture Association that runs the track says the track could be in danger of closing.

Yavapai Downs makes two big hires - PRESCOTT, AZ - April 8, 2011 - Yavapai Downs this past month hired Fred Hutton, a nationally respected horseracing official, as its new director of racing and racing secretary.

Turf Paradise GM balancing responsibilities - Cave Creek, AZ - March 5, 2011 - High atop Turf Paradise, about 15 department heads gather for their weekly staff meeting. The next day, around the same time, about a dozen Cave Creek town staff members - department heads, if you will - gather for their weekly staff meeting. The common thread is Vincent Francia.

Yavapai Co. F'grounds Hires Murphy, Mullaney - Prescott, AZ - March 3, 2011 - The Yavapai County Fairgrounds’ board of trustees has contracted Bill Murphy to be its consulting executive director and Mike Mullaney to be its on-site general manager.

Arizona Gaming Bill Dies - Feb. 28, 2011 - Racino Bill HB 2220 would have allowed horse- and dog-racing facilities to also offer casino-type gaming but failed to get a hearing this session.

Mesa Arizona council to allow off-track betting - Mesa, AZ - Feb. 24, 2011 - Mesa's new zoning ordinance will allow off-track betting parlors, the City Council decided Thursday.

Panelists debate expanded Arizona gambling proposals - Feb. 22, 2011 - As lawmakers and the governor turn every stone and flip every couch cushion for any extra money, the debate about the expansion of gambling – and the money that it could bring to state and local coffers – flares around Arizona.

RACE FOR EDUCATION FORMS NEW ALLIANCES AND OFFERS MORE OPTIONS - Lexington, Ky. – Feb. 16, 2011 – With ten potential scholarship opportunities offered by the Race For Education (RFE) in 2011, students’ dreams of obtaining a college education just got a little closer.

John Doyle wins final race to capture NHC XII - by Eric Wing, NTRA - Jan. 29, 2011 - John Doyle of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the $500,000 first-place prize and title of DRF/NTRA Handicapper of the Year at the 12th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC) Saturday night.

Arizona bill would legalize casinos at horse, dog racetracks - Jan. 20, 2011, With Arizona facing a $1 billion budget shortfall next fiscal year, a freshman lawmaker and racing industry leaders are trying to revive a push for Arizona to join 12 other states in allowing casino games at horse and dog tracks.

AQRA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet Set for January 22 - TUCSON, AZ - JANUARY 14, 2010 - The Arizona Quarter Horse Racing Association's annual meeting and awards banquet will be held January 22, 2011 at the Historic Rillito Park race track in Tucson.

Horse racing returns to Rillito Park - Jan. 12, 2011 - The 2011 horse racing season kicks off this Saturday, Jan. 15, and continues on weekends through Sunday, Feb. 20, at Rillito Park Race Track. Post time is 1 p.m.

Bassett, Burgess Named To Hall of Fame, Hudson To Receive Special Recognition - RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico - December 21, 2010 – Arizona native, Trainer John Bassett along with former jockey and racing official Jerry Burgess round out the 2011 class to be inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame during ceremonies in June.

Lack of state aid puts local racing in doubt - Dec. 8, 2010 - “This was a trying year,” Dean Fish, president of the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association, told members present at the annual meeting last Saturday night. As a result, the future of racing is very much in doubt here in Santa Cruz County.

U of A’s Race Track Industry Program began its 37th annual confab with some optimism

Turf Paradise changes some live/simulcast days

Chaplain Last To First at Turf Paradise - Phoenix, AZ - Dec. 4, 2010 - Simon Hudy’s Chaplain, ridden by Jorge Carreno, made a move from the rear to the field to the front and drew out to win the $25,000 Caballos Del Sol Stakes for older sprinters on Saturday at Turf Paradise.

Take A Corona Easy fastest in AQRA-Turf Paradise Quarter Horse Futurity Trials - PHOENIX, AZ—NOVEMBER 28, 2010—Gerardo Ochoa's Take A Corona, scored a commanding three lengths win Sunday afternoon to become the top qualifier for the AQRA-Turf Paradise Quarter Horse Futurity. - Coady Photography

Los Lunas upsets filly division in Arizona Breeders Futurity - PHOENIX, AZ - Nov. 27, 2010 - First-timer Los Lunas posted a big upset Saturday at Turf Paradise in the $45,600 Arizona Breeders' Futurity filly division, while Jamaican Memories defeated favorite Montellano winning the $54,179 colt and gelding division. -Coady Photography

AZ-Bred: A Plain Brown Rapper Wins John Deere Juvenile Challenge - New Orleans, LA - November 19, 2010 - Jockey Larry Payne guided A Plain Brown Rapper to a neck victory in the $150,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2), outrunning Fast Movin Vic to notch his first graded stakes victory.

Rillito track wins a welcome phase-in on rent - Tucson, AZ - November 18, 2010 - Rillito Race Track, the historic, gritty little track that hosts thoroughbred and quarter-horse racing in Tucson every winter, has received yet another reprieve from extinction.

Plan would hike Rillito Park rent - November 14, 2010 - Even with a sharp rent increase, horse racing is likely to continue at Rillito Race Track for another four years.

MICHAEL THE MAN SCORES ON TURF IN JACK COADY - Phoenix, AZ – November 13, 2010 - Michael the Man showed he really does have an affinity for grass as he captured the $25,000 Jack Coady Sr. Stakes at Turf Paradise on Saturday.

Thank You Mr Jack Scores in Turf Paradise Derby - Phoenix – AZ – November 7, 2010 - Thank You Mr Jack, owned and trained by Dennis Marsteller, picked up the first stakes victory of his career in Sunday’s AQRA-Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby (G3) in Phoenix. - Shawn Coady / Coady Photography

Tucson car dealers have eyes on Del Mar - November 4, 2010 - Karl Watson said Wednesday that he and Paul Weitman are part of a "small group of horsemen that are trying to help the city (of Del Mar), if they can, to preserve racing in Southern California."

Baffert headed to Arizona Sports Hall of Fame - Oct. 28, 2010 - The Arizona Sports Hall of Fame has put out its 2011 list of nominees: 31 former coaches and athletes with Arizona roots.

THANK YOU FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF MY HEART - Oct. 28, 2010 - I want to start by saying Mark was the most amazing man I’ve ever known. He was a loving husband and an adoring father. Losing him has ripped a hole in our hearts. As my children and I began a new journey that we never wanted to take the love of so many has been felt.

Trainer Valorie Lund makes big gamble on Atta Boy Roy for Breeders' Cup Sprint - Oct. 27, 2010 - And after driving him from Arizona to Louisville in early April, she is 11 days from her dream of showing the world how good the Washington-bred horse.

CREDIT: Reed Palmer Photography, Churchill Downs PHOTO 1 (RoywithLund): Churchill Downs (Grade II) winner Atta Boy Roy and jockey Calvin Borel were accompanied by trainer Valorie Lund on a pony as the Breeders' Cup Sprint contender walked to the track prior to a four-furlong workout on Friday.

TIME FOR A CIGAR UPSETS BANK OF AMERICA TURF PARADISE CHALLENGE - Phoenix, AZ - October 17, 2010 - Turf Paradise played host to three Bank of America Racing Challenge stakes on Sunday afternoon. Each of the winners from the Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge (G3), John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge and Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge earned a berth to compete on November 19 during the Bank of America Challenge Championships at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. - Coady Photography

Favorites Deliver Saturday at turf paradise - Phoenix, AZ - October 16, 2010 - Heavy favorites El Rancho and Stormy Crystal held up their end, winning their respective divisions of Turf Paradise’s ATBA Fall Sales Stakes on Saturday.

Downtown Richard Fastest John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile - PHOENIX, AZ—OCTOBER 3, 2010— With his first win since April, Downtown Richard pulled away to a 1 ¼ length victory in the second of three John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile trials on Sunday. - Coady Photography

Silent Race Call Honors Fallen Rider Mark Villa; Hezamazing posts easy win in Bienvenidos Stakes - PHOENIX, AZ - October 1, 2010 - The outside post wasn’t a problem for heavy favorite Hezamazing as he had no trouble posting an easy win in Friday’s $25,000 Bienvenidos Stakes, the opening-day feature for the Turf Paradise meet. - Shawn Coady/Coady Photography

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