Latest News
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.
There is a new hero in Mexico as FBM® launches the thrilling Croc’s Lock™. This slot game merges an engaging storyline with a disruptive game mechanic based on the Lock feature and two accumulators, taking players into a cartooned adventure with Super Croc full of golden coins to collect.
Croc’s Lock is a 30-line slot filled with adrenaline and great prizes. Super Croc is the character around all action happens. Working with 15 independent reels, Croc’s Lock offers gaming sessions where Super Croc exploits lead the player through an entertaining journey with three new features. The surprise element is always present, as the big prizes can come on the main game or bonus free spins modes.
Extra Coins and Extra Spins unlock extra fun!
The central reel is the focus of the Croc’s Lock game mechanic. Every time players obtain a Super Croc on this position, the Lock Feature is activated. Super Croc liberates all the existing lock symbols and may open the bonus with Extra Coins, Extra Spins or both accumulators combined.
If the bonus mode starts with one chest open, players get five free spins. This number increases to ten free rounds when Super Croc triggers Extra Spins and Extra Coins at the same time. Each accumulator of the Croc’s Lock slot game presents a different feature:
- Extra Spins – Super Croc releases thunders from its fingers, increasing the free spins counter during the bonus rounds.
- Extra Coins – Super Croc changes the reels by shooting flaming coins to introduce more lock symbols on each free round.
The character stays on the central reel during the bonus plays. The features attached to each accumulator appear in the first free spin and can be repeated several times during the bonus rounds.
When players get into the bonus with one of the accumulators active, Super Croc keeps contributing with coins for the unopened chest. These contributions can lead to the opening of the other accumulator, allowing players to benefit from the combined effect of Extra Spins and Extra Coins.
Four jackpots, reel rewinds, and Luck Has Arrived to collect bags of coins
The Lock feature is just a part of Croc’s Lock’s adrenaline injection. This FBM slot offers a complete feature set, including four Progressive Jackpots and two game features ready to keep the players engaged on the screen: Rewind and Luck Has Arrived.
- Progressive Jackpots – Croc’s Lock offers access to four different prize levels – Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand – through a jackpot vault that can appear on the reels during the main game or bonus rounds.
- Rewind – part of the Super Croc special powers, this feature changes the game round outcome. When Crocs hits the paw, one or more reels will change the symbol displayed and deliver a winning round to the player.
- Luck Has Arrived – the lasers coming from the eyes of the Super Croc pre-announce this feature, anticipating a big win for the player.
A villain, a hero and great graphics engage players in a disruptive FBM slot!
Several factors contribute to the immersive game experience offered by Croc’s Lock. Besides the rewards included in the product’s feature set, this FBM slot involves casino players and operators through a compelling narrative with the traditional duel “hero vs villain”.
On one side, the Lock represents the evil force of the game and is visible on all lock symbols landed on the 15 independent reels, bringing challenges to the game hero on each spin. On the other side, Super Croc embodies the superpowers of the good forces on a joyful character, who guides the player on all relevant moments of the game with entertaining animations like the dances, the paw hit, the Extra Spins thunders, the Extra Coins flaming coins or the Luck Has arrived lasers.
The sound effects of Croc’s Lock add an extra layer of enthusiasm, completing the visual effects and animations of the game with sounds that keep on the player’s mind with catchy rhymes and melodies.
Available for the Galaxy II, Auria and Shadow III casino cabinets, Croc’s Lock starts its expansion journey in Mexico. Designed for players looking for significant prizes in durable and long-lasting gaming sessions, this title promises to enchant slot fans spread all over the country.
Following the releases of Jin Qián Link Spirits™ and Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees™, FBM continues renovating its slots portfolio with an innovative, reliable, high-performing casino game. Croc’s Lock is compatible with different casino floor layouts and ready to add value to the casino operator’s portfolio with an exciting narrative and compelling aesthetics, features, and game mechanics.
AGS, a global gaming supplier known for its high-performing slot, table, and interactive products, has been named one of U.S. News & World Report’s 2025–2026 Best Companies to Work For.
AGS was selected as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Companies to Work For, placing in the top 30 percent of 2,119 publicly traded companies evaluated. To be eligible, companies were required to have more than 75 employee reviews on Glassdoor submitted between 2021 and early 2025, alongside strong workplace data across key metrics.
The U.S. News evaluation assessed companies based on employee sentiment and six key workplace factors: quality of pay and benefits, work-life balance and flexibility, job and company stability, physical and psychological comfort, belonging and esteem, and career opportunities and professional development.
AGS was honored in the following categories:
- Best Companies to Work For – Overall
- Best Companies to Work For in the West
- Best Companies to Work For in the Media and Communications Industry
- Best Companies to Work For – Top Workplace Environment
- Best Companies to Work For – Top Engineering Jobs
In Nevada, AGS was one of only two companies featured on the 2025–2026 list.
“Our recognition by U.S. News & World Report is especially meaningful because it reflects what our employees have shared about their experience working at AGS,” said Kim Nasuta, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. “The hundreds of Glassdoor reviews submitted over the past several years tell a powerful story about a culture rooted in trust, transparency, and opportunity. We are proud to foster an environment where people feel supported, empowered, and excited to come to work every day.”
AGS was also recently named a 2025 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation and in Atlanta, and recognized by USA TODAY as a 2025 Top Workplace in the U.S.
Last Thursday, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed into law three bills — Bills 11, 12 and 13 — each of which are related to illegal gambling in the county.
The first, Bill 11, sets requirements on “electronic amusement devices” in public establishments. Operators of the establishment are now required to obtain a permit from the Honolulu Police Chief to use such a device on the premises, or else forfeit the device.
The Police Chief could deny a permit application if the proposed location of the device “would be reasonably likely to result in an increase in criminal activity, vandalism, litter, noise or traffic congestion,” according to the bill. The bill also requires anyone with a permit to allow a police officer to enter the premises and inspect the device and other records.
Meanwhile, Bill 12 allows the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting to deny permit applications for properties that have been cited for a gambling-related public nuisance within the previous two years.
And Bill 13 allows landlords to request a police escort while inspecting a private property for nuisance claims, with the accompanying officers authorized to document law violations or unsafe conditions, and to warn people not authorized to be there to leave.
In tandem, the three bills are meant to clamp down on illicit gambling rooms, which often become hotspots for associated complaints of criminal behavior.
-
Compliance Updates7 days agoMGCB Showcases National Leadership on Illegal Gaming Enforcement at 2025 NAGRA Conference
-
Latest News7 days agoSYNOT Games enters the Argentinian iGaming market with Betsson as a trusted partner
-
Compliance Updates7 days agoWyoming Committee Proposes Tax Rise on Sports Betting
-
Canada6 days agoVancouver Resident Purchased Winning $40 Million Lotto Max Ticket While Quenching Sparkling Water Craving
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoThe Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) Selects New Board Chair
-
Canada6 days agoNetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform
-
Latest News6 days agoCT Gaming Marks Another Milestone in Perú
-
Canada6 days agoUser-Centric Redesign for Casinosfiables.ca