Chief Stipe

I don't really know but is 40 mins jogging "slow distance work" by your measure?

Ocean Emperor’s New Zealand future is likely to focus on weight-for-age racing. View the full article

Pick Me Up In Rio will close out an encouraging first campaign at Riccarton tomorrow. View the full article

Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar will take her place against her male counterparts in the Queensland… View the full article

Stewards Report from Te Rapa 03 June 2018 TeRapa030618..pdf

‘Rock Star’ Justify Posts Final Breeze For Belmont SPONSORED BY: by Paulick Report Staff | 06.04.2018 | 8:37am Justify breezing five furlongs in preparation for the Belmont Stakes Following the successful training pattern used three years ago for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sent Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify out for his final breeze on Monday morning in preparation for the June 9 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park Under Martin Garcia (who also worked American Pharoah in his final breezes before the Belmont), Justify worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Churchill Downs on a fast racetrack, galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60 and seven furlongs in 1:27.20. Internal splits were :12.80, :24.80, :37.00 and :48.80. “It was a really nice breeze and exactly what we were looking for,” Baffert said. “He relaxed nicely and seemed very happy. Martin was very happy with him as well so I was happy, too. He was a little fresh earlier in the week so it was good to see him relax nicely.” American Pharoah also worked five furlongs on the Monday before the Belmont, going in 1:00.20 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13. “He's become a rock star like Pharoah,” Baffert said. “Let's see if he can do it.” Justify, who will attempt to become horse racing's 13th Triple Crown winner, is expected to ship to Belmont Park on Wednesday. Owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify enters the mile and a half Belmont unbeaten in five career starts. He made his racing debut at Santa Anita on Feb. 18, winning a maiden race by 9 ½ lengths, took a March 11 allowance contest by 6 ½ lengths, then won three consecutive Grade 1 races: the Santa Anita Derby by three lengths, the Kentucky Derby by 2 ½ lengths and the Preakness by a half-length. Mike Smith will be aboard Justify in the Belmont. “Mike, just like any other rider, has to have the horse underneath him to succeed,” Baffert said. “A good rider's job is to keep the horse out of trouble and make split-second decisions if he needs to. Really the biggest part of the race is breaking cleanly from the gate. With Pharoah, he broke about one length slower than the field. It could've been a bad situation but he got into a good position early. After the gate break, you just have to see how the race plays out.” Justify will face as many as 10 foes, including Preakness runner-up Bravazo. Post positions will be drawn for the Belmont Stakes on Tuesday at Citi Field in New York, where Baffert will throw out the first pitch before a New York Mets-Baltimore Orioles baseball game. In other Belmont Stakes news from Churchill Downs, Preakness runner-up Bravazo left trainer D. Wayne Lukas' Barn 44 early Monday morning via van to New York while Preakness third, Tenfold, jogged one mile following his five-furlong breeze in 1:01.60 Saturday at Churchill Downs. Breeders' Futurity winner Free Drop Billy walked trainer Dale Romans' Barn 4 shedrow following his five-furlong move in :59.20 Sunday at Churchill Downs. Tenfold is scheduled to fly to New York on Tuesday and leave Churchill Downs at approximately 10:30 a.m. while Free Drop Billy is scheduled to join Justify and Restoring Hope on Wednesday's flight. The Belmont Stakes field could possibly be comprised of the following 11 horses (with trainer): Blended Citizen (Doug O'Neill), Bravazo (Lukas), Free Drop Billy (Romans), Gronkowski (Chad Brown), Hofburg (Bill Mott), Justify (Baffert), Noble Indy (Todd Pletcher), Restoring Hope (Baffert), Seahenge (Aidan O'Brien), Tenfold (Steve Asmussen) and Vino Rosso (Pletcher). Immediately following Justify's work, stablemate and fellow Belmont Stakes contender, Wood Memorial (GII) third Restoring Hope, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 under jockey Florent Geroux (splits: :12.60, :24.40, :36.20, :48.40 and 1:00.20 with a gallop out of 1:26.40). “Restoring Hope went really well,” Baffert said. “He's always been a really good work horse. He's sort of a one-paced horse. He went a little faster than Justify but I thought overall the work was very good.”

Justify Smooth and Easy in Final Pre-Belmont Work Son of Scat Daddy ran five furlongs in preparation for final leg of Triple Crown. By Alicia Wincze Hughes Today, 10:45 AM Sponsored By Bob Baffert has reached a point in this five-week journey through the American classics where he's out of new material as far as Justify is concerned. The Hall of Fame trainer has stated in every way possible what an exceptional animal the chestnut son of Scat Daddy is. And each time the conditioner finds the right adjectives to describe what the unbeaten dual classic winner has accomplished in his meteoric five-race career, the big chestnut runner backs him up by behaving every bit like the wondrous athlete he has been deemed. As Justify stepped onto the Churchill Downs oval June 4 for his last major piece of work in advance of his Triple Crown try in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (G1), it was more of the same from him and his camp. After watching the colt cruise through a five-furlong breeze in 1:01 2/5 that was as easy as he pleased, Baffert reiterated how spoiled he was to have a horse whose actions could deliver the most definitive statements. "(Jockey) Martin (Garcia) said he didn't even take a deep breath," Baffert said of the work. "All seems good." After dropping jaws with his sizzling four-furlong work in :46 4/5 at Churchill May 29, Justify put in a steadier effort June 4, but one that still featured his trademark ease. After breaking off solo at the half-mile pole, Justify was well in hand while registering splits of :12 4/5, :24 4/5, :37, and :48 4/5 and put in a big gallop out to six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 and seven furlongs in 1:27 1/5. "He went a little quick last time so I wanted to go three quarters with him," said Baffert, who arrived in Louisville the evening before to oversee Justify's final pre-Belmont work. "Just kept him in hand the whole way and let him gallop out seven-eighths. He went smooth and he relaxed nice. Last time he was a little bit fresh, I think, and really wanted to do a little bit more. But Martin was happy with him."

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of race 1, Celebrating Volpe Veloce 2200, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638(3)(b)(ii). The Informant, Mr Jones, alleged that Amateur Rider, Mr Cushing, used his whip excessively when riding DEFER. Mr Jones read the Rule aloud to Mr Cushing. Mr Cushing admitted the breach ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2)and Whip Regulation(b)Following the running of Race 9, the Mount Hutt Trotting Club Handicap Trot, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S Renault against Licensed Open Horseman, Mr R Payne, alleging a breach of Rule 869(2) in that he used his whip outside of Clause (b) of the use of Whip Regulations. Rule 869(2) ...View the full article

For a big horse he sure glides across the ground.

Yes. When I was a harrier/runner as a teenager I followed the Lydiard method. The key thing was to build a base with aerobic work. A lot of trainers still do lots of long jogging when the horses are in race mode. Lydiard would say at that stage you only jog for recovery or maintenance. Racing takes over from reps and intervals. Also Lydiard's concept of jogging wasn't what most would call jogging. It was running at a steady state rhythm at a reasonable pace with the key being to maintain the aerobic state at whatever pace you could. So some days it might be slower or faster than others.

Victorian trainer Matthew Leek has been disqualified for 12 months after being found guilty of attem… View the full article

Hugh Bowman has announced his intention to return to the Sydney racing fold early next month. View the full article

A colt bred on the same cross as a New Zealand-bound stallion has won the French Derby overnight. View the full article

New Zealand jockey Mark Du Plessis has been engaged to ride Queensland hope Most Important in the Gr… View the full article

Born To Boogie put a number of setbacks behind her to make a winning debut at Ascot Park this aftern… View the full article

Yeah she's a special one. Lovely head on her.

Can we move on please.....I have.... ?‍♂️?‍♂️

David and Emma Haworth are keen to head south later in the winter with their emerging racemare Red S… View the full article

The connections of Reevederci pulled the right rein when they let the youngster take his chance at A… View the full article

New Zealand Bloodstock chairman Joe Walls has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. View the full article

Heaven Rocks A rocks'em in Northeast Series 08:48 AM 04 Jun 2018 NZST ck to USA homepage Entries Results Heaven Rocks A and driver David Miller World Wide Racing Photo CHESTER, PA - Following a pair of runner-up efforts since arriving in North America, the third time was a charm for Heaven Rocks A ($2.60), who stubbornly held his ground to parry Bettors Edge a quarter mile from home en route to a 1:50 score in a $30,000 Great Northeast Series event on Sunday afternoon (June 3) at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding began his brush from midfield, as Sicily (driven by Montrell Teague) completed a :27 first quarter, put in motion by David Miller to slipstream the cover of Bettor Memories (Tim Tetrick) off the first turn before pushing clear with a circuit to go. After maintaining a stout pace through a :54.3 half, Heaven Rocks A faced a stern first-over challenge from Bettors Edge (Andy Miller) up the far side. Bettors Edge — a winner last week — worked to within a head of the leader, but was sternly rebuffed at the conclusion of a :28.1 third quarter. Heaven Rocks A powered clear off the far turn and handily maintained three and a half lengths of clearance over Always At My Place (Corey Callahan), who circled three-wide off cover to just nab Bettors Edge for second. Heaven Rocks A, who defeated Australian sensation Lennytheshark earlier this year, increased his career record to 13 wins from 30 starts.Ross Croghan trains Heaven Rocks A for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Dana Parham, and Misty Miller.

As champion racemare Winx begins pre-training ahead of her next campaign, her trainer Chris Waller s… View the full article