This second week of racing at Les Bois Park concludes Saturday with five Trial races of the prestigious Bitterroot Futurity (Races 1 through 5). The two-year-old Quarter Horses that have entered these Trials are competing for eligibility to start in the Final of the Bitterroot Futurity on Memorial Day Monday, May 26th,  with its estimated purse of $110,000!

Some of these youngsters will be making their first lifetime starts, while others will have a start or two as prep races for Saturday’s Trials. Still others have already made their way to the Winner’s Circle in Trials and/or Stakes Finals at other racetracks. These freshman speedsters will carry the colors and hopes of their respective stables – the skilled trainers and faithful owners – some of the most prominent men and women in the racing industry. Capitol Racing extends its appreciation and best wishes to the “connections” that stand behind each entry and to the Idaho Quarter Horse Racing Association, the sponsor of this prestigious event for two-year-old Quarter Horses.

Several notables among the contenders in the Bitterroot Trials include: Snazzy Special in Race #2 (trained by Monte Arossa for owners Denny & Sandy Weigt); Royal Sunny Beach in Race #4 (trained by Brent Bowman for Craig Giles); and Special Chickaleader in Race #5 (trained by Jay Pitcher for owners Wright, Demler & Jenson). In addition, take a look at Jr. Corona (Race #1), Sr Ocean Dream (Race #2), Hawk the Jewels (Race #3), Mables Sunny Girl (Race #4) and Trading for Fame (Race #5). Capitol Racing wishes “Good Racing” to all of the entrants in Saturday’s Bitterroot Trials.

Last year at Les Bois Park, seven-year-old Red Limo was honored as “Horse of the Meet”. Trained by Paul Treasure for co-owner Judd Whitworth, “The Limo” ran off three straight victories and tallied a Track Record for 4 ½ Furlongs. Red Limo begins his 2008 racing campaign in Race #8 Saturday. In 2007, the nine-year-old Runbyu was a staunch adversary for Red Limo. Runbyu, trained by Mike Scudder for Dennis & Gerri Cain of Parma, had three wins and three second-place finishes in eight races last year while earning $27,834. He had his start over the track last week and should be pointing for Saturday’s race. Also joining the mix tomorrow is the very competitive Won Ton Dulley, an invader from Portland Meadows, and Cashin Sam, who always seems to be in the money. Completing the field in Race #8 are Bizzy Bud, Trafico and Ba Paranoide.

Finally, racing fans should mark their calendars – next Saturday afternoon is the Preakness Stakes, second jewel in Thoroughbred racing’s “Triple Crown”. Live racing begins at Les Bois at 1:30 p.m. –  Will “Big Brown”, winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, be victorious in the Preakness?

This weekend Quarter Horse racing takes center stage at Les Bois Park. On both Friday and Saturday evenings Treasure Valley fans will have the opportunity to watch, wager and cheer on some of the most talented two and three-year-old Quarter Horses in the nation, at least at this point in the 2008 racing season. The prestigious Bitterroot Futurity and Bitterroot Derby share the spotlight.

Over the course of the weekend, with five full-field Trials of racing on both Friday and Saturday, the ten fastest two-year-olds will earn their way into the starting gate for the Bitterroot Futurity – this year with an estimated purse of $110,000! Seventy-nine youngsters have entered these Trials with an eye toward the Winner’s Circle in the Final of the Bitterroot Futurity on Memorial Day Monday, May 26th!

Friday, Races 1 through 5 will be contested by Bitterroot Futurity hopefuls. Some of these youngsters will be making their first lifetime starts; others will have a start or two as prep races for tonight’s Trials. Several have already made their way to the Winner’s Circle in Trials and/or Stakes Finals at other racetracks. These freshman speedsters will carry the colors and hopes of their respective stables – the skilled trainers and faithful owners – some of the most prominent men and women in the racing industry. Capitol Racing extends its appreciation and best wishes to the “connections” that stand behind each entry and to the Idaho Quarter Horse Racing Association, the sponsor of this prestigious event for two-year-old Quarter Horses.

Also on Friday’s racing card are two Trials of the Bitterroot Derby – Races 7 and 8. These events are for three-year-old eligibles and many have competed in 2007 and returned to the races again this year. Among the entrants for this year’s Derby is Decati, trained by Blaine Hadley for owner Richard Frandsen, who among his credits was the winner of the Bitterroot Futurity in 2007 and set a new track record for the event. Other horses to take note of include Checker, trained by Lin Melton for owners Denny Boer and Kelly Spackman, Proudestchick, trained by Jay Pitcher for co-owner Lamont Poulsen, and Showem and Shake Em, trained by Farrell Christoffersen for S. W. Sandall and GMS Racing. The Final of the Bitterroot Derby will be contested here at Les Bois on Saturday, May 24th (the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend). The speed of these Quarter Horses will impress you!

With our opening night of racing on Friday night and the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Treasure Valley racing fans welcomed in the 2008 racing season! Just over 4,000 patrons turned out for opening night and 4,155 joined the festivities on Derby Day. Wagering on both Friday’s and Saturday’s live races set records for Capitol Racing’s opening weekend. Local wagering on the Kentucky Derby was also at a high mark under Capitol’s management team. “We are tremendously pleased with the support and enthusiasm shown by our Treasure Valley racing fans” commented Steve Bieri, owner of Capitol Racing. “Whata way to kick off the 2008 racing season!”

Tonight is the first of our Ladies’ Nights for the new season. Ladies’ Night has been a very popular event with our patrons over our past two years of racing. It seems that the first race of the evening kicks off the party atmosphere throughout the facility. Be sure to ask about our drink specials for the evening.

This evening there are eight live horse races, seven for Thoroughbreds and one for Quarter Horses. Our featured race is Race #7 – a claiming race for Thoroughbreds that are three-year-olds or older. Nine Thoroughbreds contest this race, in post position order: Famous Pirate (Ken Elison, Trainer), Russian Seas (Tim Elison), Vibod (Kenny McReynolds), Greek Echo (Michele Naugle-Ellis), Mr Salty Jones (Mike Scudder), Tiger Tale (Lawrence Nixon), On the Ridge (Lynn Homer), Big Creek Cowboy (Brent Taylor) and Freedom Storm (Richard Rennie). Several horses that will probably command the bettor’s attention are Vibod – a 9-year-old who has won over one quarter of his lifetime starts and had six wins in 2007, Mr Salty Jones – who was a perfect three for three in 2007 though in lesser competition, and Famous Pirate – who has competed at a higher level and is due for a better effort this start. This competitive field of claimers go behind the starting gate to contest Race #7.

Our final race of the evening – Race #8 – features seven youngsters from many of the leading Quarter Horse stables here at Les Bois Park. In post position order: Chickado Doll (Lin Melton, Trainer), Bac Dancer (Bill Hoburg), A Royal Classic Song (Gary Simpson), Rum Running Okey (Karen Vickery), Shakem Chad (Farrell Christophersen), Haulin Quickly (Cliff Coffelt) and Better Bee Better (Jay Pitcher). These nine youngsters will go 330 yards to the finish line.

Stakes racing for Quarter Horses top the card this weekend with Trial races for the Bitterroot Futurity for two-year-olds and the Bitterroot Derby for three-year-olds. Some of these competitors will be among the fastest Quarter Horse youngster in the nation. So be sure to join us this coming Friday and Saturday nights as exciting racing action continues here at Les Bois Park (First Post 5:30 pm both evenings).