Jump to content
NOTICE TO BOAY'ers: Major Update Coming ×
Bit Of A Yarn

BOAY Racing News


35,487 topics in this forum

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 131 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 133 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 133 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 127 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 139 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 143 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 152 views
    • Journalists

    Successful surgery for Mansour

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 151 views
    • Journalists

    Gore double for part-time trainer

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 154 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 155 views
    • Journalists

    Yearning for elusive stakes win

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 159 views
    • Journalists

    Kameko powers to Trophy success

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 145 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 142 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 145 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 146 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 156 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 155 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 143 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 167 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 160 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 131 views
    • Journalists

    Strong winning claims for Boyd

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 138 views
    • Journalists

    Strong winning claims for Boyd

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 143 views
    • Journalists

    Strong winning claims for Boyd

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 156 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 134 views


  • Posts

    • I have mentioned this before, but that is the bit that has surprised me the most. For a supposedly intelligent and experienced betting agency nothing they have done appears to have been designed to maximise turnovers.  Jamming heaps of meetings on Sundays and leaving Thursdays and Fridays vacant does not boost turnover. Did the Sunday idea come from NZTR, or Entain? Did they discuss it between them? Was it designed to achieve something? Did those two mentioned in the article get the boot because their initiatives haven't achieved anything, and in face may have impacted turnovers negatively?
    • Is that your polite way of saying you told him to fuck off Pam?
    • Marc Wampler has been involved with racing since 1993 and currently is the racing manager and bloodstock agent for Pocket Aces Racing as well as offering similar services to private clientele. When breeding, the first thing Wampler asks his clients is whether they are breeding a racehorse or a sales horse. He says he believes it's an important initial step in the process as the pool of potential stallions to use varies depending on the answer. “If breeding to race, the stud book offers many options and an opportunity to find value. If breeding to sell, the focus narrows to commercial sires–in today's market that usually means the most-recently retired, fashionably bred, graded stakes winners–and it will take money to make money.” From there, Wampler says he likes to start zeroing in on specific stallions by establishing a stud fee range that suits the mare, based on her pedigree, performance, and physical. “Over-breeding your mare can be just as dangerous as under breeding, especially from a commercial standpoint. You don't want your weanling or yearling to show up at the sale as one of the worst-bred progeny by a particular sire.” “I also like to make a critical assessment of each mare's physical attributes and flaws so I can match her up to a stallion who will hopefully improve her weaknesses and further enhance her assets.” Wysteria, 9, Tale of the Cat–Smokey Diplomacy, by Dynaformer Wyseria is going to Gun Runner. She is an unraced Tale of the Cat mare whose first foal, MGSW Implicated (Connect), won the GII Nassau Stakes at Woodbine last summer. She defeated 2023 Canadian Horse of the Year MGISW Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in the process. For 2025, we were looking for a stallion who could take Wysteria to the “next level” commercially and now that she is a Grade II winner producer, we felt like the step up in stud fee (relative to her other matings) was justified. We considered other options, however, Gun Runner seemed like the best fit for Wysteria as he was an ideal match physically and we were able to avoid excessive, up close, male line in-breeding with him on the 5-cross. That, and his yearlings averaged more than $520,000 in 2024, with 10 individuals topping the seven-figure mark. Neom | Thorostride Neom, 9, Mineshaft–Noble Grey, by Forestry Neom is a mare that we purchased privately shortly after her half-sister broke her maiden at Santa Anita in January of 2023. The half-sister is MGSW & MGISP Ag Bullet (Twirling Candy) and she has gone on to become a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of more than $1.3-million. Neom will be bred to Arabian Lion in 2025. There are many factors that make him a very exciting, young stallion prospect, however, the key trait for her is the “curb appeal” he should bring to this mating. Neom is a big, sturdy mare, correct through the knees and ankles and hard to fault physically. However, she is being bred commercially, and while it might not have anything to do with her foal's ability to run, her lack of “flash” could hurt us in the sales ring. We love the fact that Arabian Lion is a Grade I winner at seven furlongs. but it is just as important for the commercial success of her offspring that he is an extremely handsome son of Justify that sold at public auction for $600K. Big and pretty sells! Pocket Aces Racing Pocket Aces Racing has been around for 20 years now and for much of that time we have sold, or placed, our fillies and mares once their racing careers are over. However, enough time has gone by now that we've been able to see a few of those fillies and mares go on to have success producing sales horses and racehorses for other people. Considering this, we've become more cautious about which fillies and mares exit our program, especially ones we anticipate having an upside in the not-too-distant future and that might not sell particularly well at the time of retirement. Homeroom Angel with her 2025 Drain the Clock colt | Courtesy Pocket Aces Racing Spellbook, 6, Unified–Swampoodle, by Broken Vow We purchased Spellbook as a racing prospect at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling sale. At the time, we were particularly excited about her potential as a racehorse. She had good size, scope and strength and a very athletic way of moving. However, as she matured into her backend 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons, her physique changed dramatically. She finished out at 16.3 hands and filled that frame out like a tank, and less like a sleek racing machine, by the end of her 3-year-old year. She ran once, and acquitted herself quite well, finishing 4th in a maiden special weight at Laurel as an early 3-year-old. However, she got so big as that year wore on that it became increasingly difficult to keep her sound long enough to sustain any kind of racing campaign. We have decided to breed her to Blazing Sevens for 2025. We knew, going into the breeding season, we would be looking for a commercial stallion for Spellbook as our goal is to sell. With that in mind, we focused on new stallions for 2025 that represented the best value. As we went through the process, we realized that Blazing Sevens was ticking all our boxes. Strong sire line through Good Magic, Grade I winner at two and classic-placed at three (just missing a win in the Preakness, by a head, to National Treasure), as well as being a high-priced sales yearling himself. However, none of those were the key factors in selecting Blazing Sevens. The key was value. There are multiple first-year stallions which met our pedigree, performance and sales criteria but Blazing Sevens' $12,500 stud fee represented a much better value than any of the others. The stud farms are smart. They know breeders have migrated from proven to potential and they price first-year stallions accordingly. We felt like Darby Dan did an excellent job of creating instant demand, especially with key industry insiders, by pricing Blazing Sevens reasonably and not adding $5,000-$10,000 on his stud fee just because he's a freshman sire. Hopefully, that demand will carry over to the sales ring. Homeroom Angel, 7, Will Take Charge–Reading Room, by Indian Charlie Homeroom Angel is a 7-year-old Will Take Charge mare that we purchased privately as a 2-year-old. We campaigned her until her 5-year-old season and she won three races for us while hitting the board six times from 17 starts. There were two main reasons why we decided to keep her: first, she had an excellent physical. At 16.1 she has great size; she is correct through her knees and ankles and tracks well. She also has tons of strength through her hip and gaskins with the kind of bone you like to see in a broodmare prospect. Second, by the time we retired her in early 2023, her dam's half-sister England's Rose had established herself as a stakes winning and graded stakes-placed filly whose career best was a 2nd place finish in the 2022 GI Matriarch Stakes. At the Keeneland January 2023 sale, England's Rose sold as a racing/broodmare prospect for $600,000 and was subsequently bred to Flightline. In addition, her 2-year-old half-brother of 2024 broke his maiden at Saratoga last summer (sidelined since but he's back on the work tab now). We have decided to breed Homeroom Angel to Blazing Sevens as well and the reasons for that decision are similar to the reasons we are breeding Spellbook to him. It also helps that Blazing Sevens' sire, Good Magic, has done very well with Fappiano line mares, which is the male line Homeroom Angel hails from. The post 2025 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift Farm: Marc Wampler appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • A Florida-based veterinarian has found herself in the crosshairs of a state law barring her from obtaining a license issued by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) having already been employed by the agency within the prior two-year period–a rule that has some industry stakeholders scratching their heads at a time when many jurisdictions are already struggling to find enough regulatory and practicing veterinarians, including in Florida. “I have no job right now because I came down here to take that job and moved over to Tampa,” said veterinarian Christine Storck, who explained that she has lived in Florida on and off for 15-20 years. She said she's hoping to find a regulatory job elsewhere around the country this summer as an alternative. “I'm out of luck in Florida basically. I've worked at the racetrack since graduation,” Storck said. Between Dec. 22, 2023, and May 1, 2024, Storck worked in the test barn at Tampa Bay Downs collecting blood and urine samples. Storck said she worked between 28 to 30 days during that window, filling in for another veterinarian when needed. Though Storck was employed by the FGCC, the work she conducted fell under the umbrella of the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), the agency responsible for managing the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's (HISA) anti-doping and medication control program. In the lead up to the start of the latest Tampa Bay Downs meet, which started on Nov. 20, Storck geared up for another stint at the track, this time as a third-party Lasix administrator, for which she needed a Pari-Mutuel Wagering (PMW) license. Initially, Storck's employment appeared a formality. Steven Maners, regional program administrator for the FGCC's division of pari-mutuel wagering, asked Storck on Oct. 30 if she would also work in the test barn during November before taking up her third-party Lasix administrator position, according to an email Storck shared with the TDN. Horse heads to the test barn | Sarah Andrew Storck's assistance was requested because the veterinarian in that position had just had shoulder surgery and would be under temporary physical therapy restrictions, “leaving the test barn without a state veterinarian for race dates November 20, 23, 27, 29 & 30,” Maners wrote. Soon after that, the FGCC had a change of heart. Storck said that she was alerted by the commission that, because she had previously been employed by them during the prior two-year period, she was barred from being licensed by them within that timeframe, as per this state statute. When asked about Storck's situation, an FGCC spokesperson wrote that the commission must follow Florida law. “In short, section 16.715(2), Florida Statutes, prohibits any applicant from holding a license issued by the Commission under chapter 550, Florida Statutes, for two years after being employed by the Commission.” The spokesperson also wrote that the agency's offer of employment letter “warns new hires that all employees of the Commission are subject to the employment restrictions set forth in Section 16.715.” In response, Storck said that she had gone through the hiring process with Maners, and feels misrepresented by him. Storck's case was heard by the Florida Gaming Control Commission on Dec. 5. In the meeting, her attorney, Tana Storey, argued that the statute should “not be read in black and white,” and that it was never written to capture a “part-time seasonal employee” much needed for regulatory needs in the state. Storey also claimed that prior to Storck's previous stint working for the commission, Maners told the veterinarian she would have to withdraw a pending PMW license application, but didn't inform Storck of this statute. “In fact, [Maners] repeatedly informed her it would not be an issue,” she added. In an email Storck shared with the TDN, dated Nov. 30, 2023, Maners told Storck that “the new law that was adopted when the FGCC was established states that no one can be employed by the FGCC if they have held a PMW license within the last two years.” Maners also adds that, “withdrawing the license application will not preclude you from reapplying at a future time, we just need this so that we can consider you for the state veterinarian position,” according to the email. At the hearing, the state's legal team, however, urged the FGCC to apply the statute as written. “I think the speaker has outlined that the problem lies with the statute, not with the commission being bound to follow it. So, you are members of the executive branch, it is your job to execute the law. Not write the law, not change the law. Not wish the law would work differently than it is written,” said Ross Marshman, the FGCC's acting executive director, in the hearing. Ross Marshman | FGCC WEB The commission voted unanimously to accept the staff's recommendation. Florida isn't alone in having a rule like this. A New York statute states that “no employee of the commission may acquire any direct or indirect interest in, or accept employment with, any applicant for or any person holding a license, registration, franchise, certificate or permit issued by the commission for a period of two years commencing at the termination of employment with the commission.” California, however, has no such restriction on licensees employed or formerly employed by a racing commission, said Jeff Blea, the California Horse Racing Board's (CHRB) equine medical director. “In light of the fact there's a significant shortage of regulatory and private practitioners on the racetrack, I don't see any value in restricting a veterinarian's ability to perform either duty based on their previous employment with a state racing commission,” said Blea. According to one senior veterinary official who spoke on background, the restrictions in place in states like Florida and New York are safeguards against bribery in return for favorable treatment and other possible conflicts of interest. Scott Hay, a long-time Florida-based racetrack veterinarian, said that he was unaware of the state statute prior to becoming aware of Storck's case. “I don't understand why that's a safeguard for the industry,” Hay said, of the rule. “If you're moving back and forth, or you're working in the test barn as well as working as a practicing veterinarian, I can certainly understand the conflicts that could be created. But if you cut your ties from one and move to another, I don't understand that.” Storck said that she was surprised the FGCC didn't bend the law in her favor. “My lawyer had a good persuasive case,” said Storck. “The reality is tough luck.” The post Florida Statute Hamstrings Regulatory Veterinarian Storck appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • Part of the reason the sport will head into a terminal decline MF. The next generation involved/interested isn't big enough and don't or aren't able to to do the volunteer thing, pretty much the same across most clubs orgs , but the worst will be seen in racing imho.
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...