With Parx Racing closed throughout January, and with Charles Town Races canceled much of the month with weather and track issues, claiming activity in the mid-Atlantic region fell by about 25 percent in January 2016 versus the prior January.

Overall, 114 horses changed hands via the claimbox last month, a drop of 25 percent from the 154 claimed in January 2015.  The gross value of those claims was off by 22 percent, falling to $1.168 million.  The average increased by about five percent, to $10,246.

Parx Racing’s closure was the biggest factor in the decline.  That track, whose 2016 opening was originally scheduled for mid-February but has now been pushed back to February 27, saw 34 horses claimed in 2015.  In addition, Charles Town lost six of the 12 race days it had scheduled in January, as well as five of eight races on another day.  As a result, just two horses were claimed at Charles Town, down from 14 a year ago.

Laurel Park was the biggest beneficiary of the declines at other tracks.  The number of horses claimed there jumped from 55 last January to 77 this year, a 40 percent rise.  The value of those claimed horses was $900,000 for an average value of nearly $11,700.  At Penn National, meanwhile, the number of horses claimed dipped from 51 last year to just 35 this past month, with a gross value of $258,500 (average: $7,386).

The January claimbox report covers claiming activity at Penn National, Laurel Park, and Charles Town Races.

 CLAIMING TRAINERS FOR THE MONTH

[su_row] [su_column]Who’s claiming horses

  1. Kieron Magee — 10 claims for $87,250.00
  2. Hugh McMahon — 7 claims for $101,000.00
  3. Jamie Ness — 6 claims for $58,500.00
  4. Claudio Gonzalez— 5 claims for $63,500.00
  5. Wayne Potts — 4 claims for $49,000.00
  6. Gerald Brooks — 4 claims for $48,000.00
  7. Daniel Velazquez — 4 claims for $46,000.00[/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/2″] Who’s losing horses

  1. Jamie Ness — 7 lost for $127,000.00
  2. Kieron Magee — 6 lost for $76,000.00
  3. Claudio Gonzalez— 5 lost for $74,500.00
  4. Scott Lake — 4 lost for $22,500.00
  5. Gerald Brooks — 3 lost for $40,000.00
  6. Rudy Rodriguez — 3 lost for $35,000.00
  7. Hugh McMahon — 3 lost for $35,000.00
  8. Brandon Kulp — 3 lost for $26,250.00
[/su_column][/su_row]

Overall 65 trainers claimed at least one horse during the month, while 78 had one or more claimed away.

 CLAIMING TRAINERS YEAR-TO-DATE

RANK
TRAINER
CLAIMS
VALUE OF CLAIMS
1Magee, Kieron10$87,250.00
2McMahon, Hugh I.7$101,000.00
3Ness, Jamie6$58,500.00
4Gonzalez, Claudio A.5$63,500.00
5Potts, Wayne4$49,000.00
6Brooks, Gerald E.4$48,000.00
7Velazquez, Daniel4$46,000.00
8Trombetta, Michael J.3$53,000.00
9Lake, Scott A.3$19,750.00
10Allen, III, A. Ferris2$55,000.00
11Eppler, Mary E.2$47,000.00
12Aguirre, Anthony2$34,000.00
13Stickler, Jr., Lester J.2$19,000.00
14Kulp, Brandon L.2$18,750.00
15Capuano, Dale2$15,000.00
16Pradenas, Sergio H.2$15,000.00
17Cartagena, Keisy2$14,000.00
18Kreiser, Timothy C.2$13,750.00
19Shea, Timothy H.2$10,250.00
20Reynolds, Joan A.2$10,000.00
21Perri, Gina2$8,000.00
22Houghton, Dove P.1$35,000.00
23Salvaggio, Mark V.1$25,000.00
24Servis, Blane1$25,000.00
25Plummer, Bobby Lee1$20,000.00
26Fairlie, Scott H.1$16,000.00
27Gaudet, Lacey1$16,000.00
28Farro, Patricia1$15,000.00
29Dilodovico, Damon R.1$15,000.00
30Juarez, Calixto1$12,500.00
31Albright, Amy1$12,500.00
32Schoenthal, Phil1$12,500.00
33Gamber, Robert E.1$10,000.00
34Ayres, Jr., Joseph W.1$10,000.00
35Beattie, Cody1$8,000.00
36Zimmerman, Matthew John1$8,000.00
37Vargas, Jorge A.1$7,000.00
38McKenna, Todd1$6,250.00
39Mick, Stephen R.1$6,250.00
40Mosco, Robert1$6,250.00
41Nunn, Douglas1$6,250.00
42Shuman, Mark1$5,000.00
43Worton, Dorothy Elisabeth1$5,000.00
44Wolfendale, Howard E.1$5,000.00
45Houghton, T. Bernard1$5,000.00
46Sillaman, Richard P.1$5,000.00
47Albright, George R.1$5,000.00
48Sacco, Gregory D.1$5,000.00
49Mancilla, Carlos A.1$5,000.00
50McClellan, Erin C.1$5,000.00
51McMahon, W. Thomas1$5,000.00
52Stites, Flint W.1$5,000.00
53Maldonado, Jonathan1$4,750.00
54Hartsell, Jr., John J.1$4,500.00
55Davis, Samuel G.1$4,500.00
56Daniels, Patrick B.1$4,500.00
57Cornwell, Jr., James L.1$4,500.00
58Demasi, Kathleen A.1$4,000.00
59Geist, David W.1$4,000.00
60Graci, Kimberly A1$4,000.00
61Iannotti, IV, Thomas1$4,000.00
62Kravets, Bruce M.1$4,000.00
63Vick, Timothy M.1$4,000.00
64Salvaggio, Jr., Michael W.1$4,000.00
65Kopp, Glenn1$4,000.00