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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Alpha Delta Stables' homebred Raging Sea shakes off the rust of a nearly five-month layoff with a dominant victory in the $300,000 Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. View the full article -
Brown Panther - I don't think running eighth in the Cup is a failure. I'm meaning horses from Europe that come to Australian stables. Not hit and run missions. If a horse like Baeed or Enable had come down under and failed to fire a shot during a lengthy campaign, then I would relinquish my opinion. The Europeans who win in Australia are third rate at best. They're not even close to their best middle-distance/stayers. And they have 2500+ horses winning over 1400m in Australia. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
One day after a lower court in Kentucky denied a motion to make Amr Zedan's 'TDN Rising Star' Muth eligible for the GI Kentucky Derby by overturning Churchill Downs Inc., (CDI)'s ban again trainer Bob Baffert, Zedan's incorporated racing stable on Friday asked the Kentucky Court of Appeals to “vacate the Jefferson Circuit Court's order and issue a temporary injunction” to let his Good Magic colt at least begin the entry process to race in the first leg of the Triple Crown. Zedan's Apr. 19 motion proposed that “At a minimum, a partial injunction should issue enabling Muth to be stabled under Derby rules at Churchill Downs Racetrack by 11:00 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Such an approach will properly protect the rights and interests that hang in the balance and enable the upcoming Derby to proceed as it should, with all qualified horses racing and the very best horse winning.” Zedan is not only racing against the clock with his legal efforts, but against preceding court decisions. In addition to Thursday's denial of his injunction request in a Kentucky state court, Baffert (who is not a party to Zedan's lawsuit) lost a case at the federal level in 2023 that similarly sought to overturn his ban by CDI. CDI had barred Baffert from its properties shortly after the 2021 Derby, which the now-disqualified Zedan-owned and Baffert-trained Medina Spirit won while testing positive for betamethasone. Baffert's ban was initially just supposed to last for two Derbies. But in July 2023 CDI extended the penalty through 2024. Zedan's Apr. 19 filing in the appeals court disagreed with the judge's opinion in the lower Kentucky court that articulated “deep concerns” about “innocent third parties who will have their horses removed from the Derby field to make room for the Plaintiff's horse should the Court grant injunctive relief.” To the contrary, Zedan told the appeal court in his filing, “such harm is a phantom-there is no evidence that any competitor will suffer.” Zedan's reasoning continued: “Absent the unlawful ban, Muth would be waltzing into the Derby as the winner of the [GI] Arkansas Derby and no one would think twice about that. That's how horse racing-indeed, any competition-properly works. “The Jefferson Circuit Court noted that other competitors 'have done nothing wrong, have followed the rules, and worked hard only to be denied the opportunity to compete at the last moment,'” Zedan's filing pointed out. “But there was no showing or finding that any other horse would be ousted from the Derby if Muth is afforded his [qualifying] points, or that any other owner would be aggrieved.” Churchill Downs in recent years has limited the Derby to a draw of 24 entrants, with 20 being allowed to start. Should the appeals court rule in favor of letting Muth into the Derby, it could theoretically exclude bottom-dwelling qualifiers who wouldn't make the top 24 cutoff. If the court's injunction un-banned Baffert, other owners who have Derby candidates trained by him might also suddenly want in on the Derby, possibly excluding even more current qualifiers. Zedan's filing didn't see it that way, though. “If anything should bother other owners, it is the fact that none of them will be able to claim their horse as the deserving winner of this year's Derby without having an asterisk next to its name and the lingering, unanswerable question, 'Would that Thoroughbred have outrun Muth'?” the filing stated. Zedan's filing continued at a different point: “Without purporting to find any substantive justification for CDI's ban, the Jefferson Circuit Court denied Zedan's request for temporary injunctive relief. After rejecting several of CDI's defenses and determining that a dispute over standing did not prevent it from resolving Zedan's request, the lower court questioned the irreparable harm threatening Zedan. In particular, the court suggested that Zedan could have avoided its injuries by transferring its horses to a different trainer back in January-months before this year's Derby.” Zedan then argued in his filing that transferring Muth to a different trainer wasn't an option he wanted to pursue in 2024, even though he had done it in previous Derbies when Baffert's ban by CDI was in effect. “Zedan and like-situated owners experienced disappointing results after switching trainers prior to the 2022 Derby and the 2023 Derby, where their horses' performances materially declined,” Zedan's filing stated. “After returning to Baffert, most of these horses returned to form.” Zedan's filing then made this leap of logic: “The undisputed evidence is that switching trainers hurts horses and diminishes performance, and that no one can substitute for Baffert in readying horses for the Derby. By all indications, switching to a different trainer would have left Muth handicapped and ultimately ineligible for the Derby.” At another point in the Friday filing, Zedan made the analogy that his stable “has as much standing as the New York Giants would have if they were, say, barred from the Super Bowl because the host stadium harbors a vendetta against the State of New York.” Zedan lashed out at CDI by stating that the gaming corporation was “excluding a horse based on a trainer's public 'narrative' rather than actual qualifications, compliance, and merit. CDI is betraying its principles, upending fairness, skewing the Derby, and casting a cloud over the ultimate 'winner,' which would now be a mere artifact of CDI's petty caprice… “No one should want to see the Derby unfold this way,” Zedan summed up. “To the contrary, the public interest is served by letting the public watch and cheer the very best horses at the Derby-as opposed to having CDI arbitrarily exclude a potential winning horse.” A request for comment emailed to CDI late Friday afternoon did not yield a reply in time for deadline for this story. The post Zedan Appeals Muth’s Derby Denial; Says Harm to Horses Who Might Get Excluded Is ‘A Phantom’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Given a cozy inside trip from gate one by Flavien Prat, Alpha Delta Stables' RAGING SEA (f, 4, Curlin–Stormy Welcome, by Storm Cat) went on the offensive in the stretch and powered clear to make a victorious seasonal return in Friday's GIII Baird Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland. Sent off as the 5-2 second choice while making her first start since annexing last year's GIII Comely S. in November at Aqueduct, the homebred fell into the box seat in the early going as Loved (Medaglia d'Oro) cut out even fractions while tracked along by Hidden Connection (Connect) to her outside. Loved continued to hold a short lead into the turn, but Hidden Connection was breathing right down her neck while Raging Sea was waiting for her cue just in behind. Hidden Connection got the better of the tussle on the front end and put away Loved nearing the stretch, but Raging Sea popped away from the inside soon after, wrested command a sixteenth of a mile from home and went further clear with each stride, scoring by about four lengths on the wire. Even-money 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) raced in between horses in the second flight, but was flat-footed when the real running started and grinded her way into a trifecta finish. Sales history: $300,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 8-4-1-1. O/B-Alpha Delta Stable LLC (KY); T-Chad Brown. The post Raging Sea Romps Home In the Baird Doubledogdare appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Despite the varying levels of industry experience and the assortment of roles held amongst the 80 attendees at the Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) event at Keeneland on Thursday, April 18, the sense of comradery was palpable throughout the day's program. The first HRWS event of the year, the sold-out program included a keynote conversation and two panel discussions focused on the topics of sales and bloodstock, along with a workshop activity and ample opportunity to converse with fellow industry women throughout the afternoon. Shannon Arvin, President and CEO of the Keeneland Association, alongside Julie Cauthen, a bloodstock agent and member of the Keeneland Inspection Team, kicked things off with a conversation moderated by Gabby Gaudet, a reporter/analyst for FanDuel/TVG and Keeneland. With a friendship that goes back to junior high, Arvin and Cauthen delved into the two different paths they have taken in establishing their careers within the Thoroughbred industry and how they've balanced that with motherhood. The importance of finding the equilibrium between the sacrifices made in one's personal life and professional life was a sentiment echoed by both women. “I'm all for leaning in but I feel it's also important at times to lean out,” said Arvin. “Just because you make a choice at one point in your life, it's not indicative of the rest.” The speakers also discussed the importance of having a supportive and motivating team around you, particularly when looking to advance your career within the industry, and emphasized the value of integrity and commitment. “If you can make that choice, be with the people that make you feel valued and that you respect, and then that path to advance is easier,” said Cauthen. “Show up. Just keep showing up over and over again. Even on days when you're discouraged, show up,” added Arvin. Horse Racing Women's Summit at Keeneland | courtesy of HRWS The program continued with the first panel, comprised of Allaire Ryan, Director of Sales at Lane's End Farm; Caroline Wilson of SF Bloodstock; Jill Gordon, Owner of Highgate Sales; and Dr. Kathleen Paasch, DVM, a Veterinarian and Shareholder at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Moderated by Alexa Zepp, a Quality Assurance Analyst and Handicapper for Daily Racing Form, the panel entitled 'Navigating Sales' encompassed a wide-variety of discussion that ranged from how each woman's role varies at the sales, what it's taken to establish themselves in those roles, and how they've all learned to thrive amongst the hustle and bustle of the sales atmosphere. “I had a good foundation and second to that, it was really important to put together a team that could rally around and be the best they can be. I think having that solid, strong team, there's nothing that can replace that and I think that's the most important thing when starting anything,” said Gordon, whose Highgate Sales has quickly shot to the top since debuting in 2022. Ryan shared a differing perspective as someone whose family's involvement in the industry traces back four generations. She emphasized that despite being born into it, it was her determination and hard work that led to where she is today. “I've learned through trials and tribulations that there are people out there that will use one consignor this year and a different consignor the next year. I think if you dwell on things, you can easily get caught up. I try to be respectful of my peers, the jobs that they do and the services they offer, because at the end of the day we're all relevant in what we do,” said Ryan. “I grew up in [the industry], but where I got to today is because I was forced to make my own connections. My dad is still one of my biggest cheerleaders, but the best thing he ever did for me was say, 'you have to go do it yourself.'” Paasch, who was introduced to horses and learned to ride while growing up out west, completed an internship at Rood and Riddle in 2000 and has been there ever since. “If you don't have a racing background, don't let that discourage you. People are very happy to answer your questions. There is knowledge in years of doing this job, from the grooms to the managers, on every level,” she said. A native of Ireland who now travels nationally and internationally in her role with SF, Wilson paid homage to the connections she's made and the network she's built while forging her own path into the industry. “I do feel like I've had a lot of people that helped me along the way and I'll always remember that. I feel very passionately about paying that forward because I was just really nobody that landed over here halfway accidentally and this has now become my whole life,” said Wilson. Complimenting the event's first panel of the day, the second panel focused on 'Bloodstock Decisions,' with panelists including Kitty Day, Owner of Warrendale Sales; Cherie DeVaux, a Graded Stakes-Winning Trainer; Meg Levy, Owner of Bluewater Sales; and Dr. Natanya Nieman, DVM, General Manager and Resident Vet at WinStar Farm. Day and Levy, who both established their own consignment companies over 20 years ago, shared how they've seen the sales world evolve, particularly when it comes to the role women play. “When I started, women didn't show, only the men showed. There weren't any women consignors. And it evolved because there weren't enough men to do the job,” said Day. “I think women come into this industry for totally different reasons than men do. We love animals, we enjoy animals and we want to be around these animals.” “I don't think that we can deny the business is still male-dominated. In the end, we're all human and we have to interact with the structure that is there and figure out strategies to both get to the position we want and be successful,” added Levy. Though DeVaux, who went out on her own as a trainer in the spring of 2018, juggles plenty in her day-to-day schedule, she emphasized the importance of remaining grounded through staying true to yourself. “Don't compromise who you are as a person, your values or your goals. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. If one door closes, it might not have been your path,” she said. “Be open but always keep your core values and be true to who you are.” Stephanie Hronis | courtesy of HRWS Nieman shared her personal experiences as a member of the WinStar team since 2002. Since last year, she's taken on the role of general manager while continuing her duties as the farm's resident vet. “I felt like I owed it to myself and all of us to take the job and do what I can with it,” said Nieman. “Trust yourself and have faith in what you're doing. You do have the ability, you do have the knowledge, and you can do really whatever you want to do with it.” Stephanie Hronis, Executive Committee Chair of the HRWS, wrapped up the day with an interactive workshop activity focused on 'work-life balance.' “Being in this industry, it's not a one-size fits all. Our want, wish, hope with all of our events is that there are takeaways for you. No matter who you are or where you are in your career, there's a takeaway for you that you can apply both personally and professionally,” said Hronis. “We believe that by engaging, elevating and investing in women, we can change the sport of horse racing.” The next HRWS event is Tuesday, July 23 at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, Ny. To purchase tickets, click here. The post Momentum Of HRWS Continues To Build With Keeneland Event appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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