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Updated: 1 day 16 hours ago

SF Bloodstock to Send 15 Mares to Quality Road

Fri, 2024-02-02 16:49

SF Bloodstock will send 15 mares to Lane's End's Quality Road this spring, according to a post on X from Tom Ryan, SF's managing partner.

The news comes fresh off National Treasure (Quality Road)'s win in the $3 million Grade I Pegasus World Cup on Saturday. National Treasure is a 2020 colt from Treasure.

“During the 2023 season, SF Bloodstock had 12 mares IN FOAL to him at Atlas Farm,” Ryan said in the post, “and we plan to exceed that number this spring. If he starts the 2024 season how he finished his last season, his fertility will be well within the industry standard.”

National Treasure propelled Quality Road to the top of the leading General Sire list with earnings of $2.6 million. He has sired two graded stakes winners in 2024, including three-year-old Track Phantom in the GIII Lecompte Stakes at the Fair Grounds.

“He's a great sire from every aspect,” Ryan continued. “A great sales sire. Versatility across surfaces. He has sired champion colts and fillies. Now, his Pegasus-winning son, City of Light, is also taking off with a champion in his 2nd crop. National Treasure is an excellent example of what he can deliver. A top-class racehorse that can carry speed around two turns.”

The mares include Grade II winner Frolic's Dream, whose Quality Road yearling colt sold for a $650,000 at Saratoga in 2023; Canadian champion femaile sprinter Hazelbrook; Bourbonesque, the dam of Grade I winner Mongolian Groom and whose Quality Road filly sold for $525,000 as a yearling in 2023; Grade III Ontario Matron winner Kate's Kingdom; Pretty Milanova, a daughter of American Pharoah out of multiple Grade I producer Maryinsky (Ire); and True Style, a half-sister to Scat Daddy.

The post SF Bloodstock to Send 15 Mares to Quality Road appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

And So It Begins: Fierceness Makes Seasonal Debut In Holy Bull

Fri, 2024-02-02 16:05

Repole Stable's newly crowned Eclipse Award winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) is set to make a much-anticipated sophomore debut in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S., and–realistically–the homebred may not require his very best to make a victorious return to action.

Brilliant as he was in breaking his maiden by better than 11 lengths at first asking in Uncle Mo-esque fashion over the summer at Saratoga, he was equally disappointing when beaten a long ways from home in the GI Champagne S. Those who quickly jumped ship were made to feel the sting of that decision when Fierceness returned a whopping $35 when romping by 6 1/4 lengths in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, good for a 105 Beyer.

Of his seven rivals, only New Jersey-bred Sea Streak (Sea Siren) has earned a figure within 10 points of Fierceness's debut 95, so barring something unforeseen, he should take this first of two programmed preps on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

“By bringing him back in the Holy Bull we get good spacing to the Florida Derby and like the five weeks from the Florida Derby to the Kentucky Derby,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, whose previous Holy Bull winners include Algorithms (2012) and Audible (2018). “Knock on wood, everything's gone according to plan so far and hopefully continues to go that way. He's had some super breezes leading up to this, and we're super excited about getting him started.”

Candidates for the minors include D J Stable's undefeated rail-drawn Hades (Awesome Slew), an eight-length allowance winner in Florida-bred company Dec. 31 and trying two turns for the first time; and Otello (Curlin), also unbeaten in two starts and a latest half-length winner of the one-mile Mucho Macho Man S. Jan. 1.

Nysos Figures A Handful In Lewis

Speaking of undefeated colts, Baoma Corp.'s 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) will take all the beating as he looks to give trainer Bob Baffert an eighth victory in the last 10 runnings of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. and a record-extending 12th overall.

The May foal traded at odds north of 6-1 for his six-furlong debut at this track Oct. 21 and he made light work of nine others, graduating by 10 1/2 lengths in 1:08.97. The bay was a comparatively generous 20 cents on the dollar in a four-horse renewal of the GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Nov. 19 and those that swallowed the skinny odds walked away happy, as did those that took the 11-10 about the exacta over Stronghold (Ghostzapper). The latter returned to be second to GIII Southwest S. entrant Wynstock (Solomini) in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 16 and adds blinkers here for Phil D'Amato.

Baffert is taking the eyewear off 'TDN Rising Star' Coach Prime (Quality Road), who turned in a remarkable performance to break his maiden first time long at Del Mar Nov. 1 before finishing third in the Futurity last time. Coach Prime cost $1.7 million at Keeneland September in 2022.

Maycocks Bay Heads West For Southwest

As much as Fierceness stands out in the Holy Bull, Saturday's GIII Southwest S.–easily the richest of the day's four Triple Crown preps at $800,000–shapes as a much more wide-open contest.

Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder Godolphin sent out champion Essential Quality (Tapit) to win the 2021 Southwest S. en route to the Triple Crown, and Sheikh Mohammed's operation has the potential favorite here in the form of Maycocks Bay (Speightstown). A maiden winner at second asking in the Parx slop on Pennsylvania Derby day last September, the chestnut made no impact in his two-turn debut when a distant sixth at the Fair Grounds Nov. 23, but added Lasix last time and took a rained-off route by 10 3/4 lengths Jan. 7.

Plenty will take a contrarian approach to the 3-1 morning-line favorite and many will land on Liberal Arts (Arrogate). The gray, arguably still under the radar and lightly regarded on the morning line at 8-1, has improved from start to start, with a good third in the GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 13 before racing away to a 2 3/4-length success in a sloppy renewal of the GIII Street Sense S. at Churchill Oct. 29.

The Southwest maps at an above-par pace and it would be surprising if that did not eventuate, given the presence of the speedy 'TDN Rising Star' Carbone (Mitole), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner Wynstock (Solomini), Springboard Mile hero Otto the Conqueror (Street Sense) and the aforementioned Maycocks Bay.

Looking for a longshot alternative? There are worse choices than Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}), a debut second to subsequent GIII Lecomte S. third Lat Long (Liam's Map) here Dec. 13 ahead of a visually impressive graduation Jan. 13. His figs are light, but the race flow could really flatter his style.

Schwartz Homebred Rates 'Grande' Chance In Withers

Take Charge Indy rejoined the WinStar stallion barn in 2020 after a successful stint in South Korea, and the foals from that crop performed well in 2023 to the tune of 22 individual winners. Barry K. Schwartz's El Grande O was one of two to succeed at stakes level, rolling home to best his fellow Empire-breds in the Bertram F. Bongard S. and Sleepy Hollow S. during a busy eight-race campaign. The dark bay will look to carry his speed around two turns for the first time in Saturday's GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct, having finished second to the sidelined Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun) in the Jerome S. over the one-turn mile Jan. 6.

Though far less experienced, Lightline (City of Light) is the 8-5 favorite on David Aragona's morning line. A $600,000 KEESEP acquisition by Albaugh Family Racing, the Brad Cox trainee overwhelmed a field of maidens at Horseshoe Indianapolis in September and has since run second to the well-regarded Stretch Ride (Street Sense) at Keeneland in October and to Carbone last time at Oaklawn.

“I'm happy with what we've seen from him to start his career. He ran a good race at Oaklawn last time and maybe got a little far back. It's a short stretch in a mile race,” said Cox. “He kind of didn't get as involved as we thought, but at the end of the day, I thought he got a lot out of it and it sets him up well for the Withers.”

Mission Beach (Curlin) was a debut winner in three starts for Bob Baffert and recently validated odds of 2-5 to take a first-level allowance sprinting at Laurel for Brittany Russell Dec. 22.

Sophomore Stakes Dot Holy Bull Undercard

Three other age-restricted graded stakes and one listed stakes are carded Saturday afternoon in support of the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

The races are distributed evenly on the dirt and the turf and arguably the most appealing of the quartet is the Swale S. With morning-line favorite Bentornato (Valiant Minister) expected to come out in favor of a start in the G3 Saudi Derby in three weeks' time, the money could come for Legalize (Constitution), who ships in from New Orleans for Cherie DeVaux off a victory in the Sugar Bowl S.

The filly counterpart, the GIII Forward Gal S., drew a field of seven, and the most interesting of the entrants is Gary Barber's Witwatersrand (Connect), who broke her maiden at first asking at Woodbine Sept. 1 and promptly topped the Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale on Gary Barber's bid of $230,000. Second in the Glorious Song S. five days later, she stretched out to win the GIII Mazarine S. Nov. 4. Witwatersrand needs to prove she can handle a dirt track, but her Palm Meadow breezes are positive enough.

Grass runners owned or co-owned by Repole figure prominently in the afternoon's two graded events on that surface. In the GIII Sweetest Chant S., Life's an Audible (Audible) looks to improve on her running-on second in the Jan. 6 Ginger Brew S., with stiff competition in the form of Milliat (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a slow-starting neck second in the Wait A While S. on U.S. debut Dec. 9. Oisin Murphy carries the Qatar Racing colors. In the GIII Kitten's Joy S., 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road, campaigned in partnership with St. Elias Stable, tries to make amends for a pace-compromised second to Tocayo (Always Dreaming) in the Jan. 6 Dania Beach S. First World War (War Front) was a first-out winner at Kentucky Downs and returns to the turf after finishing narrowly runner-up in the Mucho Macho Man.

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Women’s Summit Seeks Marketing & Communications Committee Applicants

Fri, 2024-02-02 12:36

After two annual events at Santa Anita Park beginning in 2022, the Horse Racing Women's Summit is accepting applications to join their Marketing & Communications Committee as a volunteer, the organization said in a release Friday.

The ideal candidate should be passionate about advancing the position and role of women in racing. A background in a marketing and/or communications role is desirable. This individual will be a key contributor to planning and promoting HRWS events.

For more information or to apply, send a resume and cover letter to Shona Rotondo, HRWS Executive Committee Member, Marketing & Communications Lead, shona@myracehorse.com.

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Champion Pretty Mischievous Back in Training for Four-Year-Old Campaign

Thu, 2024-02-01 18:16

Recently crowned champion 3-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous (f, 4, Into Mischief–Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit), off since finishing a rallying second in the GI Cotillion S. over a sloppy, sealed track at Parx Sept. 23, has begun to gear up for her 2024 campaign.

The Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' is currently in training with Brendan Walsh at Palm Meadows in South Florida and could potentially return to action over Kentucky Derby weekend.

“She went back to Brendan a couple of weeks ago,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. “She had a nice break in the wintertime up here at Jonabell. She's a big, strong filly anyway, but she did very well with her break. He'll probably start doing a couple of little two-minute licks with her in the next couple of weeks and start to step it up.”

Banahan added, “Nothing in stone in yet, but we'll probably look at trying to get her started at Churchill, maybe the (GI) La Troienne S. or something like that.”

Led by a thrilling, neck victory from post 14 with first-time blinkers in last year's GI Kentucky Oaks, Pretty Mischievous was a slam dunk as the nation's champion 3-year-old filly.

She backed up her 10-1 upset on the first Friday in May with another game tally at the top level, this time by a head, in the GI Acorn S. during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Following the tragic breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic), Pretty Mischievous crossed the wire first by a head while turning back to seven furlongs in a heart-breaking renewal of the GI Test S. at Saratoga.

After losing little in defeat in the Cotillion, she shipped to Santa Anita to take on older fillies and mares for the first time in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, but was scratched after showing signs of colic following the flight from Kentucky.

“She had a bit of a belly ache and just wasn't herself,” Banahan said. “I think it was maybe just a little bit with the shipping. She had a long season up to there and she answered every call. She trained O.K. (after shipping), but she just wasn't 100 percent, and you can't be running in a race the quality of the Breeders' Cup Distaff unless you're 100 percent. It wouldn't be fair to her to be taking a chance like that.”

A daughter of the all-conquering Into Mischief, Pretty Mischievous was produced by 2016 GI Spinaway S. winner Pretty City Dancer, who was acquired by Sheikh Mohammed's operation for $3.5 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Pretty Mischievous currently sports a record of 10-7-2-1 and career earnings of $1,944,560.

“She's in great shape now,” Banahan concluded. “Couldn't be better. We're very happy to have her back in the barn.”

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Victor Escobar Succeeds Brook Hawkins as NYRA Steward

Thu, 2024-02-01 17:48

Racing official Victor Escobar has been appointed New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) Steward, NYRA announced late Thursday afternoon. The former Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (OHRC) State Steward, where he'd been since 2021 and where he had played a central role in the implementation of Category 1 rules at Remington Park, Escobar will join NYRA Feb. 16. As OHRC Steward, Escobar was also responsible for public communication with the betting public immediately following stewards' decisions. He has also served as State Steward for the New Mexico Racing Commission and as an Association Steward at Rillito Park.

In 2023, Escobar was selected by the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) as the first American steward to participate in the International Stewards Education Program, a three-week immersion in the United Kingdom designed to facilitate international harmonization amongst stewards and judges.

The NYRA Board of Stewards is comprised of three officials who collectively officiate races and adjudicate disputes at all NYRA tracks. The Board includes the New York State Gaming Commission Steward, The Jockey Club Steward and the NYRA Steward.

Escobar, the son of retired jockey Victor Escobar Sr., succeeds Brook Hawkins, who has been the primary NYRA Steward since 2019.

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For Third Straight Spring, MSW Purses at Keeneland and Churchill Projected to Remain Level

Thu, 2024-02-01 16:23

Purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to remain unchanged for the third straight spring at both Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs.

Track executives disclosed the pre-condition book figures during the Feb. 1 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting.

Keeneland expects to write $100,000 MSW races for 3-year-olds and older horses, with 2-year-olds competing for $80,000, according to Gatewood Bell, Keeneland's vice president of racing.

Continuing a condition that Keeneland tried last fall, Bell added that there will also be four maiden-auction races written for $70,000, one for each sex going both short and long.

Back during Keeneland's 2021 spring meet, the comparable MSW purse levels were $79,000 and $60,000 for older and juvenile races, respectively.

Keeneland's $100,000 and $80,000 levels have been in effect since 2022.

Churchill's MSW races for older horses will remain at the $120,000 purse level this spring, according to Ben Huffman, the track's vice president of racing. He did not state an amount for 2-year-old races.

In the spring of 2021, Churchill carded two levels of MSW money. For the lead-in week to the GI Kentucky Derby, the purses were $115,000. After that, MSW races were written for $100,000.

In 2022, Churchill's MSW purses for older horses got raised to $120,000 for the spring meet.

The purse levels stayed that way in 2023, even after Churchill's corporate ownership opted to move the remainder of the meet to another Kentucky track in its portfolio, Ellis Park, in the aftermath of 12 equine fatalities that occurred in the first six weeks of the Churchill season.

Bill Landes III, the chairman of the KTDF advisory committee, who represents the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB) association on the KTDF board, briefly addressed both Keeneland and Churchill about potentially increasing those MSW purse levels in the future.

“If things come good for you, we would be amenable to any hike or anything you could afford us,” Landes said.

Braxton Lynch, who also represents the KTOB on the KTDF board, suggested that any available purse money would be better spent on upping the amounts carded for allowance races.

“As much as Bill likes to focus on the MSW numbers, [and] I think we're really lucky to be where we are on the MSW numbers, if we ever got a chance [to] put [a purse] increase somewhere, I'd love to see a bigger gap between MSW and allowance, with allowances going a little higher. They become so much harder to win that I think there should be a little more reward there.”

KTDF board member Rick Hiles, who serves as the president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protection Association, agreed with Lynch.

“I've been saying for years there should be a bigger gap between maidens and the non-winners of two or 'a-other-than' [allowance conditions].”

The KTDF is funded by three-quarters of 1% of all money wagered in the state on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race gaming, plus 1% of all money wagered on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting.

On Thursday the KTDF advisory committee approved the recommendation of allotment requests that the Churchill and Keeneland purse estimates were based on, but the full Kentucky Horse Racing Commission still has to vote on final approval of the funding.

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Economic Impact of Maryland Horse Industry Grows to $2.9 Billion

Thu, 2024-02-01 15:54

Maryland was one of the breakout states in the American Horse Council's report on the economic impact of the national horse industry, released on Jan. 31.

The total economic impact of the industry grew 38% between 2017 and 2022, from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion. In addition, the industry's direct contribution to Maryland's GDP grew by 40.5% between 2017 and 2022. The industry is responsible for 28,434 jobs, and horse industry wages total more than $1.24 billion.

The survey, conducted in 2023 by the American Horse Council, determined that Maryland contains over 717,000 horse enthusiast households, or about 30% of the population, with a total horse population estimate of over 94,000. More than 37,000 Thoroughbreds live in Maryland, making them the most populous breed in the state.

“The horse industry is a vital part of Maryland's economy and Maryland's landscape,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “Horses provide both job opportunities and the environmentally beneficial green space that are essential to Maryland's productive future. We are proud that Maryland has more horses per square mile than any other state in the country.”

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Letter To The Editor: Racing Surfaces And Testing

Thu, 2024-02-01 15:33

by Dr. Mick Peterson and Dr. Wayne McIlwraith

This year marks 15 years since the Racing Surfaces Testing Lab (RSTL) was founded by an engineering faculty member at the University of Maine and an orthopedic surgeon from Colorado State University. The non-commercial material testing lab emerged out of the 2006 Grayson-Jockey Club Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at the urging of Dennis Moore of Hollywood Park and Dan Fick of The Jockey Club. Initially located in one stall of a two-car detached garage in Orono, Maine, the independent non-profit was made possible by donations from The Jockey Club, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Churchill Downs Inc., The New York Racing Association, California Association of Racing Fairs and Oak Tree Foundation.

The RSTL in 2023 has little in common with that modest start. Now located in Lexington, Kentucky, the RSTL is in a 3,400-square-foot building on a 1/4-acre lot. The fenced lot is filled with vans and trailers that performed more than 70 pre-meet inspections at 53 racetracks in 2023. The lab no longer just performs standard tests but develops tests in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and racetrack operators, researchers, and graduate students from Europe, Latin America, and Australia. Fifteen years ago, surface standards for horse racing in the United States lagged behind other racing jurisdictions and sports. Today, thanks to a combination of federal legislation and a unique gift, horse racing in the United States has the potential to become an international model for safety and consistency across sport surfaces.

The beginning of the shift started with a 2019 gift from The Jockey Club which enabled the RSTL to take over existing on-site testing and the maintenance database. The single set of equipment previously available for pre-meet inspection had been based in Maine and later in Lexington to serve all racetracks in the United States. The gift provided funding for equipment to be located in Lexington as well as on the West Coast.

With this equipment, the RSTL could perform pre-meet testing at racetracks across the United States and respond quickly if concerns arose. Laboratory material testing was modernized with new equipment, which allowed critical testing to be performed in less than an hour instead of over several days. The existing database was replaced by a new system hosted by The Jockey Club, which started the RSTL on a path to more comprehensive data storage and provided a modern interface for the racetracks to enter maintenance data. The timing could not have been more auspicious. Demand was poised to far outstrip the testing capabilities that existed prior to receiving the gift from The Jockey Club.

When the HISA Safety Regulations went into effect in July 2022, pre-meet inspection, material testing and daily measurements were required at all covered racetracks. As a result of these regulations, the Maintenance Quality System protocols developed over the previous decade had become more than suggestions followed by a few of the most progressive racetracks. Using the new equipment, pre-meet inspections were immediately implemented by the RSTL for HISA. Today, after only one and a half years, test data is available from all covered racetracks. Updated information infrastructure from The Jockey Club forms the backbone of a system that feeds data to HISA in real time. Epidemiological models of horse injuries can now begin to include quantitative racetrack surface data.

Work remains. Dirt, turf and synthetic racetrack surfaces need continuous improvement. Complete daily monitoring of the tracks exists at only a few racetracks. Real-time race surface data is needed by superintendents and researchers. However, the data infrastructure and regulatory framework is in place. New information can be fed to racetrack maintenance personnel. The commitment of the RSTL is unchanged. The design of equipment and testing protocols are all publicly available and subject to peer review. Data from the tracks is widely shared among other racetracks. No other racing jurisdiction and very few other sports have combined research with transparency to build surfaces that are consistent, from day to day, and throughout the United States and Canada.

Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D. is the Director of the Racetrack Safety Program and Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He is also the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory. Wayne McIlwraith is the founding director of the Orthopaedic Research Center, a University Distinguished Professor in orthopaedics and holds the Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedic Research at Colorado State University.

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Lone Star Meet to Feature 21 Stakes Worth $2.8 Million

Thu, 2024-02-01 15:10

Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie will begin the 2024 Thoroughbred Racing Season on Thursday, Apr. 18 and conclude on Sunday, July 14. The season will encompass 41 race days, featuring 21 stakes worth a total of $2.8 million.

The richest day of the meet, Lone Star Million Day, will take place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 with over $1.2 million in purses. Six stakes have been scheduled, including the GIII $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile for 3-year-olds and up and the 1 1/16-miles $300,000 Texas Derby.

The full 2024 Lone Star Park Racing Calendar is available on the Lone Star Park website or by clicking here.

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National Treasure to Stand at Spendthrift Farm Upon Retirement

Thu, 2024-02-01 13:33

Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to MGISW National Treasure (Quality Road– Treasure, by Medaglia D'oro), last year's GI Preakness S. hero and a thrilling winner of Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream.

“National Treasure is the kind of stallion prospect we all look for because he possesses every quality that excites you about his potential to become an important sire,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “He was precocious enough to place in a very good Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he's an American Classic winner at three and now a leading older horse at four. National Treasure is fast, has tremendous heart, and he's a very good-looking colt with exceptional sire power and pedigree. We are thrilled to partner with the 'Avengers' team on his future stallion career, and we wish them the best of luck on what could be a special year ahead for National Treasure.”

Campaigned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan, National Treasure earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in the Pegasus.

“He's just going to get better and better,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “And he's a fighter. That's a huge quality you want to see in a horse.”

National Treasure, a $500,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, began his career at two with a debut victory at 6 1/2 furlongs over subsequent GISW Practical Move (Practical Joke) at Del Mar. He finished runner-up to Cave Rock (Arrogate) a month later in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita, before traveling to Keeneland and running a good third behind 2-year-old champion Forte (Violence) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

As a 3-year-old, National Treasure became his sire Quality Road's first Classic winner with a victory in the Preakness over GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic). He completed his sophomore season with a narrow defeat when runner-up by a nose to Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, earning a 107 Beyer for the performance.

“National Treasure is an exceptional colt and his tenacity and appetite for racing are immense,” said Tom Ryan of SF Racing. “Winning the Preakness was epic, and his performance in the Breeders' Cup, where he laid his body on the line against the Horse of the Year, showed that we have a serious horse on our hands.”

Ryan continued, “National Treasure's efficiency at a high speed is one of his weapons. He's very light on his feet. His Pegasus running style brought on a new dimension that gives him options going forward. He's a beautiful, streamlined specimen. We think breeders will love him, and his pedigree is well-rounded and deep, giving him a chance to become a household name for Spendthrift. We are extremely proud of him.”

Out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Treasure, National Treasure hails from a deep family that has been developed through generations by his breeder Peter Blum, who first raced National Treasure's sixth dam Mono in the mid-1960s. An earner of $3,322,000 to date, National Treasure's next start has yet to be determined.

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Andrew Offerman Named NYRA’s Sr. Vice President of Racing and Operations Following Resignation of Frank Gabriel

Thu, 2024-02-01 12:35

Frank Gabriel, who has served as the New York Racing Association's Sr. Vice President of Racing Operations since 2022, has resigned, effective Feb. 18, it was announced Thursday. Andrew Offerman will succeed Gabriel as NYRA's Sr. Vice President of Racing and Operations.

“On behalf of NYRA and the broader racing community in New York, I thank Frank Gabriel for his many contributions to NYRA and to Thoroughbred racing,” said David O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “Because of Frank's hard work during a period of great transition, NYRA continues to be defined by its premier racing product and organizational commitment to safety and integrity.”

During his tenure at NYRA, Gabriel led the efforts to successfully adopt and implement Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) rules and regulations while conducting the country's leading stakes program. He was responsible for significant operational changes that have increased veterinary scrutiny on all horses stabled on NYRA property. In addition, Gabriel adjusted NYRA's stakes program and purses to ensure the highest quality racing product throughout the year.

“My time at NYRA has been deeply fulfilling, and I would like to thank the NYRA Board, David O'Rourke and the entire NYRA team,” said Gabriel. “I wish them the best of luck moving forward.”

In his new role as Sr. Vice President of Racing and Operations, Offerman will be responsible for the leadership and oversight of racing functions at NYRA including the development, planning, and execution of NYRA's stakes program, marquee events and live racing offerings at Aqueduct Racetrack, Saratoga Race Course and, when complete, the new Belmont Park. Additionally, he will retain oversight of several of NYRA's general frontside operating departments including mutuels, parking, programs, security and cleaning.

Andrew Offerman | Coglianese

Offerman joined NYRA as Vice President and General Manager of Operations in November of 2022 to oversee frontside operations at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Beyond those core responsibilities, Offerman led the process to transition all of NYRA and NYRABets pari-mutuel wagering processing to United Tote. This move followed the 2022 acquisition of a 49 percent position in United Tote by NYRA Content Management Solutions LLC, a NYRA subsidiary.

“Andrew Offerman has quickly established himself at NYRA as a leader, strategic thinker and highly effective operator,” added O'Rourke. “This combination of skills and talent will benefit New York's horsemen and NYRA as we plan for the new Belmont Park and the consolidation of all downstate racing at one world-class venue on Long Island. The future of Thoroughbred racing in New York State is bright, and I congratulate Andrew on his promotion to this important new role.”

Prior to NYRA, Offerman served as Sr. Vice President of Racing Operations at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. Offerman was hired directly upon completing his M.S. from the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program in 2010, and became the company's top racing executive in 2017.

“Thoroughbred racing is incredibly important to the culture and economy of New York State,” said Offerman. “And NYRA plays a central role within a broader ecosystem that translates to jobs and opportunity for thousands of New York families. Beyond that core mission, NYRA is responsible for the stewardship of historic races and treasured venues where champions have competed for generations. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to the future of this organization at an especially exciting time for NYRA.”

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KY Derby Week, Spring Meet Tickets Go On Sale Feb. 1

Thu, 2024-02-01 10:21

Tickets for the 150th GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, along with the entire Spring meet at Churchill Downs, are available as of 12 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. The meet, which runs April 27 to June 30, features events such as Opening Night, Dawn at the Downs Dining, 502's Day, Champions Day, Thurby and Taste of Derby. The Spring meet will also see the debut of the new paddock redesign project. Tickets for all events, including Derby weekend, are available to purchase here.

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Len Green To Receive Marylou Whitney Award At Annual Saratoga Brunch

Thu, 2024-02-01 09:37

Len Green will be honored by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy with the Marylou Whitney Award at its Annual Fundraising Brunch Aug. 14, the organization announced Thursday. Founder of The Green Group, a CPA firm specializing in the Thoroughbred industry, Green also works with son Jon who manages D.J. Stables, the owners of Eclipse winners Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) and Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief).

“Len and his late wife Lois have silently, although generously, supported an increasing number of NY Chaplaincy vital initiatives and events over the course of the past several years,” said Ramon Dominguez, President of the Board of the NY Chaplaincy. “In doing so, they have set a tremendous example for others, and we are immensely grateful for this.”

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Medaglia d’Oro Filly Delahaye Impressively Wires Gulfstream Allowance

Wed, 2024-01-31 15:27

5th-Gulfstream, $72,000, Alw (NW1$X), Opt. Clm ($25,000), 1-31, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.88, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.
DELAHAYE (f, 4, Medaglia d'Oro–Bella Carina, by War Front) sat a no-cover trip three and four wide on her debut over this course last February, but jockey Javier Castellano lost the crop with judgment day approaching and the filly went down to a narrow defeat behind the future MSP Love Appeals (Speightstown). Away for 8 1/2 months thereafter, the $550,000 Keeneland September yearling raced more prominently in an Aqueduct maiden and shot clear late to graduate by a handy 3 1/4 lengths at 65 cents on the dollar when last seen Nov. 5. Favored here at an arguably overlaid 9-10 and carrying the Three Chimneys colors for the first time, Delahaye tugged her way to the front without expending much energy and led her rivals along through sedate fractions of :24.01 and :48.92. Castellano sat hard against Delahaye around the turn, cut the ribbons once heads were turned for home and she easily held sway to the wire. She covered her final 2 1/2 furlongs in :28.20 and sprinted the final sixteenth in a very slick :5.50. Delahaye is the ninth winner worldwide from 11 runners bred on this cross, a number that includes the stakes winners Ticker Tape Home and Golden Canary. Ben Leon's Besilu Stables acquired the stakes-winning second dam Grand Prayer (Grand Slam) in foal to Medaglia d'Oro for an even $1 million from the Ned Evans dispersal at Keeneland November in 2011, a little more than a year after the mare's daughter Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) won the GI Ruffian H. for Evans and Mark Hennig. Grand Prayer's value appreciated further still when her Medaglia d'Oro foal of 2010, Valid, became a three-time graded winner and Grade I-placed on the dirt. Malibu Prayer is also the dam of the MGSP Grand Love, whose sire Gun Runner is out of Quiet Giant (Giant's Causeway), a $3-million purchase by Besilu from the same dispersal. Leon also paid a sales-topping $8.5 million for champion Royal Delta (Empire Maker). Bella Carina is the dam of a 2-year-old Not This Time colt that was bought back on a bid of $350,000 at Keeneland September last fall and a yearling colt by Gun Runner. She was not bred last season. Sales history: $550,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $104,650. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-William H Lawrence & Three Chimneys Farm; B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (KY); T-Chad C Brown.

 

Delahaye and @jjcjockey in front in the 5th race for trainer Chad Brown. #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/jqN5RATJhf

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) January 31, 2024

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Weir Appointed Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga Director of Strategic Growth

Wed, 2024-01-31 14:40

Kim Weir, former major gifts fundraiser at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, has joined Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS) as Director of Strategic Growth. Weir will work closely with Dr. Erin Sisk, Co-Founder of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, and the THS Board of Directors and staff to develop and implement a strategic growth plan for the Saratoga Springs-based impact sector organization.

Weir duties will include development the THS fundraising strategy and expanding the engagement of the organization's herd of retired racehorses through therapy and program utilization

“I am certain that our team will immediately benefit from Kim's diverse business background, successful fundraising skills and her deep relationships across the Thoroughbred industry” said  Dr. Erin Sisk. “Kim's understanding of the racing landscape and personal commitment to sharing the gift of horses with all who need them, will provide our young and growing organization with an invaluable new asset to help us realize our bold vision for the countless lives we can heal and help with the therapeutic benefits of our horses.”

Weir also served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association in Washington, DC.

The San Diego native graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations and received her M.B.A from the Mason School of Business at the College of William and Mary. She and her husband, Bob, moved to Saratoga Springs from the Washington D.C. area in 2018.

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Letter To The Editor: The Implications of Choosing Not To Run in This Year’s Derby

Wed, 2024-01-31 14:21

The Derby is not just any race. It is the pinnacle of American horse racing from virtually every angle: breeding, owning, training, riding and yes, even betting (who doesn't want bragging rights for picking the winner?).

And the Derby race/event has grown to such importance for the entire industry (the hoopla around the Derby as an event got bigger in the preceding years even while horse racing has been struggling), that its import flows far beyond the private parameters of ownership of Churchill Downs, Inc. Derby day is an industry-wide event even though it is run by a private entity. And herein emerges the problem that begs for a resolution.

The owners of horses trained by Bob Baffert, in refusing to switch barns in order to get their horses eligible to the Derby race, are, in essence, calling out the management of the Derby race by Churchill and boycotting the race.

I write this from the perspective of years of graduate study in political economy during my Ph.D. work. These owners have made (and undoubtedly not deliberately so) a huge first step in challenging the balance of power in the industry between owners/breeders and the racetracks.

Churchill, in arbitrarily extending the ban on their trainer and shortening the time for the required transfer of their horses from their chosen trainer to someone else (the transfer date was conspicuously set days before the Robert Lewis prep race at Santa Anita), had, apparently gone too far. Churchill was intrinsically questioning both the owner's management and judgment in the care of their horses. The owners, in turn, by not transferring their horses to another trainer and thus choosing not to run in the Derby, are questioning the management of the Derby race itself by Churchill Inc.

The implications from this small group of owner's decisions go far beyond themselves, their trainer and Churchill itself. Not only are these owners challenging Churchill's authority to interfere with the management and use of their property rights, by boycotting this year's Derby, they are preventing (again not deliberately) the breeders of the horses in question from participating in the Derby.

This battle of the power of Churchill Inc. over the Derby race with these owners has rippling effects on the breeding industry itself.  You breed a top horse, it gets sold and then doesn't get to participate in the Derby because of a battle between Churchill Inc. and a specific trainer that leads to the owners withholding the horse.

This situation needs to be resolved.

And the power of Churchill Inc. over a race that is now, de facto, an industry race (while proprietary to Churchill Inc.) needs to be curbed so that any similar situation doesn't re-occur. Decisions directly impacting the Derby race need to be subject to countervailing power by the key interest groupings in the industry-with representatives actually in the boardroom concerning key decisions on the Derby race. Such arrangements are not uncommon in business. Even the trainers do not have a voice regarding their own eligibility and seemingly arbitrary decisions regarding their participation.

The Derby is the Derby because everyone wants to run their top horses if they are ready for the race. As soon as capable, top horses are not put on the path to the Derby, the race can lose its significance before too long. The Derby race is too important to the industry to be allowed to be run without Industry-wide input to assure its continued impact.
–Armen Antonian Ph.D

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Dana Stead Named Equine Safety and Integrity Veterinarian

Wed, 2024-01-31 13:51

Dr. Dana Stead, DVM, has been named Equine Safety and Integrity Veterinarian, according to Churchill Downs Wednesday. In this role, Stead will provide veterinarian support and oversight at all CDI-owned racetracks including at Churchill Downs. Stead joins CDI's Equine Medical Director Dr. William Farmer, DVM, supporting equine safety at the Company's Thoroughbred and Standardbred racetracks across the U.S. Stead will begin his new role on Feb. 5.

“I look forward to working together with the horsemen and women across all of CDI's properties and am dedicated to promoting and ensuring the well-being and safety of each of our equine and human athletes,” said Stead.

With over 16 years in equine veterinary medicine, Stead also was the owner and operator of his own veterinary practice, serving multiple California-based racetracks, including Santa Anita Park and Del Mar. During that period, his responsibilities ranged from conducting pre-race examinations, emergency triage and serving as the racing veterinary supervisor for 25,000 races, with over 200,000 starters.

Stead, who holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University, has also been a member of the Breeders' Cup veterinary team for 14 of the last 15 years.

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HISA To Fund Three Scientific Studies On The Use of Furosemide

Wed, 2024-01-31 13:28

Following a recommendation from its Furosemide Advisory Committee (FAC), the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Board of Directors approved $773,500 in grant funding for three scientific studies on the use of furosemide (also known as “Lasix”) to be conducted over the next two years by the Nationwide Children's Hospital, the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and Washington State University, HISA said in a Wednesday release.

The studies will examine the 48-hour period before the start of a Covered Horserace, including the effects of furosemide on equine health and the integrity of competition. Researchers will be required to present final reports on their findings to the FAC on or before Jan. 31, 2026.

“The Furosemide Advisory Committee is grateful to the expert researchers who responded to our request for proposals and look forward to partnering with Nationwide Children's Hospital, the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and Washington State University on this important research,” said FAC Chairman Dr. Scott Palmer, VMD. “The lifelong health and well-being of Thoroughbreds is our top priority. This work will help ensure we have policies in place to safeguard these remarkable animals and the integrity of the sport.”

Under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, HISA is required to fund scientific research on the topic of furosemide to inform the FAC's future recommendations to the HISA Board on whether and how to amend their existing furosemide regulations.

A request for proposals was issued by HISA in August 2023. Out of those submitted, the following were recommended by the FAC and approved:

Examining Associations Between Furosemide Treatment & Racehorse Health and Welfare

Principal Investigator: Amanda Waller, Bsc, PhD, Research Scientist, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital
This study will examine the effects of race day furosemide treatment on the health and welfare of Thoroughbreds as well as their long-term racing performance. An analysis will be conducted to assess the association between pre-race furosemide administration and fatal injury, while also comparing the performance metrics–including lifetime earnings, career length, lifetime starts, starts per year, placings and average speed figures–of horses that raced exclusively on furosemide as 2-year-olds and horses that did not receive furosemide as juveniles.

 

Effects of Repeated Furosemide Administration on Electrolyte Homeostasis and Bone Density in Healthy Adult Exercising Thoroughbreds

Principal Investigator: SallyAnne L. DeNotta, DVM, PhD, DACVIM., Clinical Assistant Professor, Large Animal Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine
This study will examine the effects of repeated furosemide administration on electrolyte homeostasis, parathyroid response and urinary electrolyte excretion in exercising adult Thoroughbreds. The study will also examine the effects of repeated administration on bone density and strength using minimally invasive methods of measurement, including DEXA scan and OsteoProbe.

 

Does Pre-Race Administration of Furosemide to Thoroughbred Racehorses Prolong Their Racing Careers?

Principal Investigator: Warwick Bayly, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM, Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Washington State University
This study will examine the impact of severe exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) on horses' careers and the health of the racing industry more broadly. In doing so, the study will assess whether regular furosemide treatment is associated with more career starts and greater longevity and the impact of banning furosemide for 2-year-olds on the duration of their careers and number of lifetime starts. The study will also seek to determine the extent to which severe EIPH impacts the number of subsequent starts, the periods between them and, when applicable, the time between the diagnosis of severe EIPH and retirement.

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Equine Economic Study Finds Diverse Sectors And Employment Positively Impacted Since 2017

Wed, 2024-01-31 12:20

With increases since 2017 in both the total value impacted and equine-related employment, the 2023 findings of the Equine Economic Impact Survey by the American Horse Council (AHC) reflect the positive contributions of the equine industry on the U.S. economy, the organization said via a release Wednesday.

The survey offers a comprehensive overview of the economic impact and trends within the sector and highlights how the industry reaches far beyond the pastures and ranch land across the country.

Highlights include:

  • Diverse Economic Sectors Impacted: $177 billion. That's the total value added in 2023 from the equine industry, up from $122 billion in 2017. The equine industry's ripple effect extends beyond the traditional sectors, influencing a broad spectrum of industries. From agriculture and tourism to veterinary services and technology, the survey showcases the interconnectedness of the equine world with other economic realms.
  • Employment Boost: The survey reveals a substantial impact on employment with 2.2 million jobs linked both directly and indirectly to the equine sector. Not only are breeders, trainers, veterinarians and farriers represented, but so are truck drivers, nutritionists, chemists, police officers and journalists.
  • Slight Downshift in Population: While there is a slight downshift in the total population of horses from 2023 (6.6 million) compared to 2017 (7.2 million), that's only a slight consideration when compared to the growing numbers in jobs and expenditures.

“The Economic Impact Study is the most effective tool in our advocacy quiver,” says Julie Broadway, president of the AHC. “When the industry needs to take aim at an issue, this data is invaluable in helping us paint the picture of the contributions the industry makes and the breath & depth of its composition.”

Click here to purchase a copy of the study.

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NYRA Adds Feb. 29 Card To Big A Winter Meet

Wed, 2024-01-31 11:17

Following the approval of the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has added a Thursday, Feb. 29 card to the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, the organization said in a release Wednesday.

NYRA, with the support of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB), requested to add the additional card following the cancellation of racing Jan. 20-21 at the Big A due to arctic temperatures.

The schedule is currently being conducted Friday-Sunday. Aqueduct will host a Presidents' Day card on Monday, Feb. 19 with four-day race weeks to resume Feb. 29.

The winter meet, originally scheduled for 47 days, began on Jan. 1 and continues through Saturday, Mar. 30 and features 26 stakes races worth $3.5 million in purses.

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