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Wesley Ward Well-Represented in May 13 Road to Royal Ascot at Gulfstream
Trainer Wesley Ward, who has saddled 12 winners at Royal Ascot during his remarkable career, will be well represented at Gulfstream Park on May 13 when he sends out legendary former-jockey Steve Cauthen’s Holding the Line for a start in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Ocean Maid for a run in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.
The Royal Palm Juvenile, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds, and the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-old fillies, will both provide their respective winners with an automatic berth into one of six stakes during the June 20-24 Royal Ascot meeting, as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend for shipping from the U.S. to England. The FTBOA will also offer a $25,000 bonus, above and beyond purse money won, to a Florida-bred winner in addition to the winner’s share of the purse.
These races represent the first-ever U.S. Automatic Qualifiers for the Royal meeting, building top-class international participation at Royal Ascot, boosting global awareness and deeper fan engagement around important industry innovations like the World Pool.
Holding the Line, an Irish-bred son of Soldier’s Call, is prominent in a field of 10 entered for the inaugural running of the Royal Palm Juvenile. Ocean Mermaid, a daughter of Kingman, will face 11 other fillies entered for the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. Holding the Line was purchased for $71,070 at the 2022 Tattersalls October yearling sale by Cauthen, ‘The Kid’ who rode Affirmed for a sweep of the 1977 Triple Crown before enjoying a highly successful career riding in Europe.
“He’s a horse purchased over in England. Steve picked him out with the hopes he himself can get back to Royal Ascot. They had him there last year commentating,” Ward said.
Holding the Line is unraced due to the lack of turf opportunities for 2-year-olds at Keeneland this spring. “There was only one race, and every trainer was allowed only one horse in the race if it oversubscribed. That entrant was Fandom,” Ward said.
Ward saddled Stonestreet Stables’ Fandom for a 6 ¾-length triumph on turf April 27 to earn his way to Royal Ascot, and Holding the Line is well prepared for his career debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile. “He’s a beautiful colt. He improved in his workouts at Palm Meadows when he was down in Florida on the grass. He’s bred top and bottom for the turf, so I’m anxious to get him on there,” said Ward by phone from his Keeneland base.
Holding the Line continued his training at Keeneland before shipping to Payson Park, where he breezed three furlongs in 37 seconds Saturday morning. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has been named to ride Holding the Line, who figures to face a stern test in his debut.
Trainer George Weaver entered Dew Sweepers LLC’s Blast Furnace in the Royal Palm Juvenile, as well as unraced No Nay Mets, who was purchased for $335,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale. Blast Furnace chased the Ward-trained Fandom at Keeneland in the April; 27 five-furlong maiden special weight race on turf before settling for second, No Nay Mets is a son of No Nay Never, whom Ward saddled for a victory in the 2013 Norfolk at Royal Ascot. Edwin Gonzalez has been named on Blast Furnace, while Luca Panici has the call on Irish-bred No Nay Mets.
Arindel’s revered breed-to-race farm has Reaper, an impressive 5 ¾-length winner over Gulfstream’s main track April 21, entered to make his turf debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile. Emisael Jaramillo was given the call aboard the homebred son of Brethren. Arindel will also be represented by Tiberian Sun, an unraced homebred son of Brethren. Reaper and Tiberian Sun are two of four Florida-bred entrants eligible for the FTBOA bonus. Jacks or Better Farm Inc.’s Northshore Drive, who finished third behind Reaper, and Iron Horse Racing Stable LLC and Harlow Stables LLC’s Mattingly, an unraced son of Bucchero, are also Florida-bred. Xaverius Racing Corp.’s Praiseworthy, Gerald James and Hall Performance LLC’s Shotgun Pro, and EAC Racing Stable LLC’s Zaino, round out the field.
Ward had been waiting patiently for Ocean Mermaid to make her debut before entering the Great Britain-bred filly in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.
“She’s a turf filly. She was purchased at Tattersalls. Unfortunately, there has been only one turf race in America, that being a colt race. The filly race at Keeneland here was rained off the turf,” Ward said. “Looking for a race with this race in mind from the onset, we sent her down there and had a nice breeze at Payson at my barn there. She’s ready to go.”
Ocean Mermaid breezed on turf at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, before putting in four workouts at Keeneland. She breezed three-furlongs in 37.80 at Payson Park Saturday morning. The daughter of Kingman was bought by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables LLC for $252,546 at the Tattersalls October yearling sale.
“She was purchased to go to Royal Ascot. That was the whole reason for the purchase, as Barbara does each and every year. Bloodstock agent Ben McElroy goes over every year and picks out a few horses that look like Royal Ascot candidates,” Ward said. Velazquez has the call on Ocean Mermaid.
Dew Sweepers LLC’s Crimson Advocate goes into the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies off a promising debut at Keeneland April 26. The George Weaver-trained daughter of Nyquist raced wide and in traffic before finishing third in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on dirt. Edwin Gonzalez has the call on Crimson Advocate.
Christian Cruz’s She Has Class is the long entrant to have visited the winner’s circle. The Javier Gonzalez-trained daughter of Khozan closed from off the pace to capture her debut in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on Gulfstream’s main track April 10. She Has Class is one of four Florida-bred fillies eligible for the FTBOA bonus.
Gary Barber and D. J. Stable LLC’s The Myth, an unraced daughter of The Factor trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse; Robin Kaiser’s Bucchera, an unraced daughter of Bucchero trained by Laura Cazares; and Cornejo Racing LLC’s Girvin Girl, an unraced daughter of Girvin trained by Carlos David; are the other Florida-bred entrants.
D. J. Stables LLC is also represented in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies by Fumblerooski, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Liam’s Map trained by Joe Orseno. Double D. Racing’s Turf Rocket, a daughter of More Than Ready, is scheduled to debut for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer, who enjoyed international success this season after saddling Sibelius for a victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Arindel’s Kiss, Jeffrey Crooks’ My Sweetheart Dani and Starry Night Racing’s Scootaloo round out the field.
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The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has launched the “Know Your Play” campaign in partnership with EPIC Global Solutions, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). This is a major initiative designed to provide college-aged students with detailed content focused on responsible gaming, mental health and well-being, and financial literacy.
“College students are learning to navigate newfound financial independence and equipping this age group with resources to make informed decisions that can build good financial habits will serve them throughout their lives, whether they engage in gaming or not. While previous programs have focused on student-athletes, our campaign intends to educate the broader student population about responsible gaming concepts that can help this age group set realistic expectations and see gaming as a form of entertainment, not as a way of making money,” ROGA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Shatley said.
The campaign utilizes digital learning tools, resources, and videos available to all college-aged students at knowyourplay.org, even if they are not enrolled in a university. These resources will educate students on key responsible gaming concepts, including randomness, impulsiveness, and limit setting, while addressing myths like the illusion of control in sports betting. It will also focus on the role stress and mental health play in overall student wellbeing and provide practical tips for management. Additionally, extended resources will be piloted with select universities.
“EPIC has vast expertise and experience in creating programs that resonate with college-aged audiences and are delighted to partner with ROGA on a campaign that will provide critical education to college students across the country. By combining expert knowledge with personal stories, our program aims to foster a well-rounded understanding of financial literacy, decision-making, and risk-taking,” Teresa Fiore, SVP of Partnerships at EPIC Global Solutions, said.
The campaign will begin rolling out at college campuses over the next several weeks with in-person learning sessions and workshops in tandem with digital delivery tools for greater accessibility and reach, ensuring that the program effectively engages students across diverse campuses and demographics.
“College life presents unique pressures, from financial independence to academic performance, all of which can impact mental health. By fostering decision-making skills that bridge these areas, we’re helping students build resilience, manage stress, and develop healthy habits that will serve them well beyond their college years,” Kindbridge Group CEO Daniel Umfleet, said.
“College students face an increased risk of harm from gambling, making prevention education essential in protecting this important audience. RGC has a long history of creating prevention programs for young adults, and we are proud to partner with ROGA on this crucial initiative. This campaign will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions should they choose to gamble. By providing valuable information, digital tools, and resources, we are empowering young adults to approach gambling with a lower-risk mindset and reduce potential harm,” RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy said.
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Siyata Mobile Inc, a global vendor of Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) devices and cellular signal booster systems, announced a new order for SD7 handsets and related accessories for a new customer, a leading gaming and entertainment company located in Canada.
This order marks one of Siyata’s first entries into the gaming and casino industry, a sector with significant growth potential for the Company. The customer operates dozens of gaming, entertainment, and hospitality venues across Canada and will deploy the SD7 handsets for Push-to-Talk (PTT) communications among its security and maintenance teams.
“This new order is an exciting milestone for Siyata as we expand further into the gaming and casino market. There is a growing industry trend toward modern, cellular-based communication solutions. Casinos require reliable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use communication tools with exceptional audio clarity, and our SD7 handsets and accessories are an ideal fit for those demands. This casino is replacing traditional Land Mobile Radio (LMR) two-way radios with advanced PoC technology for its security and maintenance personnel. The SD7’s robust capabilities, including instant push-to-talk functionality and superior coverage, make it an attractive choice for businesses prioritizing security and operational efficiency,” Marc Seelenfreund, CEO of Siyata Mobile, said.
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CasinoCanada, the number one gambling guide for players in Canada, is thrilled to announce its new partnership with Ocean Spin a brand under the umbrella of LaLa Stars.
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LaLa Stars presents itself as an affiliate program that generates double-digit profits by making it easy and enjoyable to promote the brands. The program features a memorable design, a player-centric retention system, top-tier payment options, and game providers. Fast payments, flexible commission models, high-converting brands, powerful reporting, no middlemen, and outstanding conversion make LaLa Stars a popular choice. Additional company benefits are: a revenue share of up to 60%, a CPA of up to €500, hybrid CPA.
Ocean Spin Casino, a brand of LaLa Stars company, despite being quite new on the iGaming market, is a huge online gambling platform where all casino newcomers are greeted with a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €500, and 200 free spins plus one Bonus Crab. It comes as a first deposit bonus for a minimum deposit amount of €20. Sports-betting enthusiasts can also claim a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €100.
Ocean Spin Casino’s games include: gaming machines, roulette blackjack, betting, video poker, bingo, baccarat, jackpot games, and live games.
“We are excited to meet our new partner Ocean Spin Casino, and hope to bring maximum use and value to our community,” said Aleksandra Drigo, Sales Director at CasinoCanada. “This partnership perfectly reflects our dedication to highlighting the best in the gaming industry while offering our audience valuable insights and chances to experience top-notch gaming. We hope for a productive and long-term partnership!”
The partnership is now live, featuring LaLa Stars reviews and exclusive offers on the CasinoCanada website. This collaboration is set to deliver even more thrilling updates, exclusive content, and personalized promotions for the Canadian gambling community.
The post CasinoCanada Started a New Partnership With Ocean Spin by LaLa Stars appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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