Spring is fast approaching and soon horse racing season will be in full bloom. Cleveland area thoroughbred track Thistledown released its 2012 stakes schedule which will include $903,000 in purses and will be highlighted by the 78th edition of the Ohio Derby on July 7th.

If you missed the 2011 edition of the Buckeye State's biggest race you missed up and coming 3 year old Caleb's Posse who nearly earned 3 Year Old Horse of the Year Honors after capturing 2 Grade I races, including a Breeders Cup triumph, after winning in North Randall.

"Last year’s edition of the Ohio Derby will be a tough act to follow," Racing Secretary Bill Couch said in a press release today. "I'll be scanning the country for horses the caliber of Caleb's Posse, those whose owners are looking for late-summer graded events with an eye on the Breeders' Cup. I'll be looking for horses that, like 'Posse early last year, are diamonds in the rough—young promising horses on the improve. Recruiting such horses to continue the tradition of the Ohio Derby is what keeps me going."

Live Racing will return just in time for Kentucky Derby weekend on May 4th with opening day featuring a $50,000 stakes race.

Catlaunch will join the millionaires’ club if he defeats his eight rivals in the $50,000 George Lewis Memorial Stakes at Thistledown this Saturday. The 10-year-old fan favorite has banked $981,844 in 86 career starts for owner/breeder Scioto Farm, including 37 wins, and the winner’s share of the $50,000 Lewis Memorial would put him over the top.

The odds appear heavily in Catlaunch’s favor. Regular rider Luis Gonzalez will be aboard again for trainer Ivan Vazquez, and Gonzalez has already won seven Ohio stakes this year, including Catlaunch’s last three races. He drew the inside post, which suits his love of the lead and gives him the shortest way around. Fifteen of his wins have come at Thistledown, and he has five wins and three seconds in 10 starts at the Lewis’s 1 1/8-mile distance. The only concession he will make Saturday is a four-pound weight differential; he will carry 120 while the rest of the field carries 116.

With gaming having been legalized in Ohio in phases over approximately the past 80 years, Gov. John R. Kasich initiated a comprehensive review to ensure that the state’s laws for horse racing, the Ohio Lottery and casino gaming are consistent and uniform, and provide the maximum benefit to Ohioans.
The result is an agreement in principle between the Office of the Governor and Rock Ohio Caesars, LLC (ROC) that would provide significant additional funds to Ohioans, increased regulatory certainty for ROC and additional policies for the Ohio Lottery and horse racing. Highlights include:

 $110 million in additional payments to the state over the next 10 years by ROC;
 ROC would pay Ohio’s Commercial Activity Tax on wagers minus payouts, instead of on wagers only;
 $350 million to the state in video lottery terminal (VLT) license fees, plus 33.5 percent of all VLT sales revenue;
Portions of the agreement would require approval by the General Assembly, and in some cases the Casino Control, Lottery and Racing commissions. Portions of the agreement only apply to ROC.

CASINOS

 $110 Million in Additional Payments: ROC would provide an additional $10 million annually for the first five years and $12 million annually for the five years after that;

Thistledown racetrack will be getting a shot in the arm in the near future as the state has agreed to allow slot machines at the struggling facility. The deal to allow slots at the thoroughbred track comes after Rock Gaming LLC, and its casino partner, Caesars Entertainment Inc., agreed to pay the state an extra $110 Million in fees from the Cleveland casino project that had been halted after the state was looking for extra funds.

Work was restarted on the casino project downtown after a month of downtown as Dan Gilbert and Ohio Governor John Kasich announced the news about the deal.

Thistledown is the place to watch and wager on the Preakness Stakes. Live racing begins at 2:30pm, plus fun all day long:

Tropikana from WENZ -- Z HipHop Cleveland 107.9 -- will be at Thistledown from 3 to 5 pm for a Preakness pre-party.

Join Player Rewards and register to win a trip to the 2012 Kentucky Derby in Louisville, courtesy of Horseshoe Casino & Hotel Southern Indiana! Plus, enter the Preakness Picks Contest for a chance to win cash.

Enjoy our Preakness day buffet in Silks, noon to 6pm, $35. Reservations required; call 216-662-8600.

Take home Preakness souvenirs! Tees, caps and glasses available.

Free admission, free parking.

Animal Kingdom won the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby under the twinspires of Churchill Downs. Here is the video of the race along with the payouts of race.

16 Animal Kingdom $43.80 $19.60 $13.00
19 Nehro . $8.80 $6.40
13 Mucho Man Man . . $7.00

$2.00 Exacta 16-19 $329.80
$0.50 Trifecta 16-19-13 $988.10
$1.00 Superfecta 16-19-13-14 $24063.00
Super High Five Carryover $220429.95
$1.00 Double 7/16 $196.50
$0.50 Pick-3 1/7/16 3 of 3 $1184.55
$0.50 Pick-4 8/1/7/16 4 of 4 $6146.10
$0.50 Pick-5 1/8/1/7/16 5 of 5 $213895.34
$2.00 Pick-6 2/1/8/1/7/16 5 of 6 $12251.80
Pick-6 Carryover $514582.84

Thistledown kicks off their 2011 season today at 1:50 when the first horses are loaded in the gate and make the trip around the North Randall oval.

It won't be business as usual for the track this year. New owner Harrah's has moved back the post time, embraced social media, and will try to attract new guests to the sport in a number of ways.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to offer quality horse racing at different times in an attempt to showcase the experience for a new audience,” said Thistledown general manager Lee Dillard. “We also will use concerts, events and giveaways to market to new customers. We have a great product to offer, and I want everyone to see it. We will be the place to start your weekends.”

On the three Saturdays that comprise the Triple Crown—May 7, May 21, and June 11—post time will be 2:30 p.m. The later start time will allow the folks at the Big T to have their live racing card flow right into the Triple Crown races. On Fridays from May 27 through September 2, first post will be 3:15 p.m. and the track will lure patrons by offering drink specials and live music. A notable subtraction from this year will be the Ohio 7 & 7 in which Thistledown shared cards with other Ohio Thoroughbred tracks.

Northfield has decided to forgo Saturday night racing this season so Thistledown may counter the move by offering live weekend night racing at its track.

Lee Dillard, the new General Manager at the Big T, tells the Plain Dealer:

"It would be a chance for us to introduce our racing product to a new customer and still appeal to our existing customers with afternoon racing during the week."

With Northfield axing night racing on Saturday nights, it will allow them to simulcast this years Triple Crown races which will likely cut into the handle at Thistledown.

Dillard is looking at ways to bring in a whole new type of crowd to the struggling North Randle racetrack. He mentioned during his time at Louisiana Downs he brought in car shows, motorcycle shows, fairs, concerts, flea markets to the facility to boast attendance and wagering.