Wandering Eyes

Clements swaying towards Vipasiri over 1200m Leg View the full article

No Sprint for Galvarino and Noh View the full article

Azzopardi aims to make most of Singapore stint View the full article

Lim's Cruising around ahead of Kranji comeback View the full article

Saifudin suspended three months, O'Hara fined $1,000 View the full article

California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) chairman Chuck Winner said that he had a conversation with California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s chief of staff Wednesday, and that he is planning to meet with the senator or a member of her senior staff. This, after the senator called for racing to be suspended at Santa Anita until an investigation into the 23 horses that have died at the track since late December has been completed. “I believe that racing at Santa Anita should be suspended until the cause or causes of these deaths can be fully investigated,” wrote Feinstein, in Tuesday’s letter. “I also ask for more information about what the California Horse Racing Board is doing to both investigate this matter and address some of the concerns that these incidents have rightly raised.” As to when the meeting might take place, Winner said, “the ball is in their court.” Winner described the conversation as positive and collegial. “They understand that what I’ve said publicly is a fact, that we don’t have the authority to suspend racing. I reiterated that, and they understood it, and appreciated that. They know that I’ve called a meeting [April] 12, at which time we’ll be discussing all the various options that we have.” On Tuesday, the CHRB announced a special meeting Apr. 12 to discuss a possible relocation of race dates granted to Santa Anita. “We all are hopeful of course that everything goes well, and we have a great weekend,” said Winner, about the upcoming four days of racing at Santa Anita. “There’s no planned action for that meeting. That will be determined at the meeting.” The Stronach Group COO Tim Ritvo told the TDN that racing was “running” as scheduled this weekend, beginning Thursday. The weekend’s card contains the $1-million GI Santa Anita Derby and the GI Santa Anita H., the latter of which was to be run in March, but was rescheduled due to a hiatus of racing of nearly a month at the facility while investigations into the track surface were conducted. The resumption of racing last weekend at Santa Anita was marred Sunday by the fatal injury sustained by the Peter Miller-trained Arms Runner (Overdriven). Announcement of the rescheduled CHRB meeting sent the rumor mill into over-drive. New York Times reporter Joe Drape tweeted that Santa Anita is “asking the California Horse Racing Board to allow its remaining dates” to be transferred to Golden Gate Fields, another Stronach Group owned facility in Northern California. In an email, Ritvo called this a “totally false story,” and added that Santa Anita has not been in talks with any other parties about possibly transferring its remaining winter/spring meet race-dates elsewhere. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association, confirmed that Los Alamitos has not submitted an application to receive dates from Santa Anita. “We have not submitted any application. We have not talked to Santa Anita. Santa Anita has not talked to us. I have not talked to anybody at the California Horse Racing Board about this,” said Liebau. “All I’m saying is, whatever the horse racing board decides is in the best interest of racing, we would do anything we could to accommodate the industry.” Baedeker previously explained to the TDN that the board has the authority to transfer race dates from one track to another track if it receives approval from both participating tracks. If the CHRB doesn’t receive approval from both tracks, then the board has the authority to unilaterally move race dates around, but only if it receives a race dates application which is subsequently posted for at least 10 days. If necessary, the board can hold an unscheduled board meeting at the end of those 10 days. In a further development Wednesday, the DRF reported that racing on the track’s 6 1/2-furlong downhill turf course has been temporarily suspended. This follows the catastrophic injury Arms Runner suffered Sunday in the GIII San Simeon S. on the same course. Four races–one on Thursday, one on Friday, and two on Sunday–will instead be run on the main track, and no date has been given as to when racing might resume on the downhill turf course, the DRF reported. In her open letter to the CHRB, Feinstein wrote that she is “appalled that almost two dozen horses have died in just four months.” She also mentioned the pending Barr-Tonko bill–The Horse Racing Integrity Act of 2019–which, if passed, would implement a national uniform medication program. “I would appreciate your views on this legislation and whether additional provisions should be added to strengthen it,” Feinstein wrote. “I understand the Board recently approved measures to strictly limit the use of whips on horses and to phase out the use of race day medications,” Feinstein wrote. “While these are positive initial steps, please let me know whether the Board is considering other actions that have been proposed by trainers and animal welfare advocates, including the complete elimination of medications such as Lasix and the use of synthetic track surfaces. In your view, would these or other steps be reasonable measures to prevent horse injuries and death?” Winner said that the investigation into the 23 fatalities is ongoing. “There’s a lot going on,” he said. “As you know, we’re working with the district attorney, and there are subpoenas out. There are 21 necropsies that are back and being studied and evaluated. And so, we are proceeding as fast as we possible can to try to determine what if anything can be pin-pointed as a cause or the cause.” The loss of one horse is “one horse too many,” said Winner. “But we also have to care about and do care about the human factor. All this talk about moving or cancelling, you have to think about the thousands of jobs at stake–people who have to feed their families, who work on the back stretch, or the concessions stands, or the valets, or the tractor drivers. All the support on the farms. People tend to forget that.” View the full article

Saying horse racing is at a tipping point in terms of public acceptance, panelists at the April 2 KTFMC meeting voiced support for the 2019 Horse Racing Integrity Act (H.R. 1754) as a way to move the industry forward. View the full article

World of Trouble will seek his first graded stakes win when he takes on an expected seven foes, including 2018 Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso, in the 118th renewal of the $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack April 6. View the full article

Entering Vekoma in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) off just three starts wouldn't have been the master plan of George Weaver, but the trainer is plenty comfortable with the talent level of the Candy Ride colt. View the full article

Entering Vekoma in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) off just three starts wouldn't have been the master plan of George Weaver, but the trainer is plenty comfortable with the talent level of the Candy Ride (ARG) colt. View the full article

World of Trouble will seek his initial graded stakes win when he takes on an expected seven foes, including 2018 Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso, in the 118th renewal of the historic $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack April 6. View the full article

The Grand National is on;y days away now and if the Melbourne Cup is the “race that stops the nation” the Grand National is the race that stops the world! It’s always a fascinating race to watch with 40 horses charging down to the first fence. There has been some memorable victories so we have […] The post The 5 Greatest Grand National Races appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The five-day series offers 20 stakes representing four divisions this year. View the full article

In a text to horsemen April 3, the track announced that three scheduled races, which would have been contested at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside course, had been moved. View the full article

Ivan Dalos’s Avie’s Flatter (Flatter) is three-for-four at his hometrack of Woodbine and makes his first start south of the Canadian border Friday in Keeneland’s GIII Transylvania S. A debut winner sprinting on the Woodbine synthetic Aug. 12, the Josie Carroll pupil checked in a respectable fourth after breaking poorly when switched to turf and extended to a mile for the GI Summer S. Sept. 16. A dominant victor of the grassy Cup and Saucer S. there Oct. 7, the bay captured the Coronation Futurity S. going nine panels on the synthetic when last seen Nov. 18. Wesley Ward can never be overlooked at Keeneland and he sends out a strong contender in Onthewaytonevrland (Ire) (No Nay Never). A second-out graduate on the Gulfstream lawn Dec. 12, the gelding missed by a neck in a Santa Anita turf sprint Feb. 10 and returned to winning ways with a decisive score in the Rushaway S. on the synthetic at Turfway Park Mar. 9. Henley’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy) opened his account with a pair of turf wins last year, including the Kentucky Downs Juvenile S., and missed by just a nose in this venue’s GIII Bourbon S. Victorious in the Pulpit S. on the turf at Gulfstream Dec. 8, the chestnut missed by a neck in the Kitten’s Joy S. on the Hallandale lawn Jan. 5 and was a non-factor 10th when trying dirt in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds last time Feb. 16. View the full article

Larry and Karen Doyle’s KatieRich Farms typically sells most of its crop of youngsters as yearlings, but the commercial breeders will offer a solid eight-horse consignment at next Tuesday’s Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. “Generally, we race what we don’t sell [as yearlings], but we have kept some in the past and sent them to other consignors and going many years back every now and then we’d sell one or two ourselves,” said Mark Hubley, KatieRich’s president and head trainer. “[This year’s April sale] presented a great opportunity for us–it’s right at home and it’s easy. We knew they were going to have the sale last fall [during the yearling sales], so we protected some of our yearlings a little better–the ones we felt were maybe a little immature–and kind of pointed them to this sale.” While many of the Keeneland April 2-year-olds will ship in from Ocala, the KatieRich offerings will enjoy a bit of a home field advantage. They’ve been based at Keeneland since traveling over from KatieRich in Midway, KY at the end of last year. “We’ve been [at Keeneland] since Dec. 15, so the horses are at home and they’re acclimated,” Hubley said. “The main track didn’t open until March this year, but even so, we’ve been on the main track since then. They’ve already gotten acclimated to the area, and it’s all gone surprisingly smoothly, so I’m excited.” He noted, “As far as pedigree goes, they’re all pretty much by fairly commercial stallions.” When asked for some stand-outs among the group, Hubley is quick to mention hip 107, a colt by Hard Spun already named He’s Impressive. The grandson of MGSW 2-year-old Classic Elegance (Carson City) was bought back for $40,000 at Keeneland September. KatieRich sold his now 3-year-old half-brother Standard Deviation for $450,000 at the 2017 September sale. “He’s very attractive–his brother [Standard Deviation] ran third in the [GI Claiborne Breeders’] Futurity in October,” Hubley said. “He’s very fast and he’ll get some attention. He’s a big, strong, good-looking colt.” Another juvenile that Hubley is high on is Quick Passage (Candy Ride {Arg}), who sells as hip 127. The daughter of GSP Journey On was a $240,000 KEENOV ’16 in utero purchase and $160,000 KEESEP RNA. “She’s very nice and very fast too,” Hubley said. “I think she’ll get some attention. She’s just kind of plain and not very big.” Others among the KatieRich consignment include Make Us Smile (Empire Maker) (hip 119), a $175,000 September buyback out of Grade I winner Her Smile (Include), herself a $1.5-million KEENOV purchase; and Urban Diva (City Zip) (hip 118), who hails from the family of Grade I winners Sky Diva (Sky Mesa), Pure Clan (Pure Prize) and Finley’sluckycharm (Twirling Candy). Urban Diva was a $47,000 RNA. Her full-sister City Diva was third in last year’s Exacta Systems Juvenile Fillies S. at Kentucky Downs with Hubley training. She’s pointing for an allowance return at Keeneland, while her year-younger full-sister sports something you don’t see often for a 2-year-old entered at auction–six published breezes, up to four furlongs and including three from the gate. “We thought about racing her before the sale,” said Hubley, “But we’ve decided to just sell her instead.” As for the sale as a whole, Hubley admitted that he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. This will be the first Keeneland April sale held since 2014–it will feature a horses of racing age section for the first time ever. “It’s a big question mark–I don’t think anybody knows,” Hubley said. “I know the buyers will be there; I don’t know how picky they’re going to be, what they’re looking for or how impressive the horses are going to be. But, we know a lot of buyers will be there–many of them are based in Kentucky and the meet’s going on, and there should be more trainers around probably. I hope it’s successful, and I hope they do it again. We’ll just have to see how it goes.” The New York-based Doyles acquired the land that would become KatieRich Farms in 2007 and have built up their operation significantly with the help of lifelong friend Hubley. They currently have about 35 mares on the farm. Larry Doyle’s background is in finance and investing. Among past horses bred and sold by KatieRich was Instilled Regard (Arch), a $110,000 KEESEP RNA turned $1.05-million OBS March graduate of 2017. The 2018 GIII Lecomte S. winner makes his seasonal debut in a Keeneland allowance Thursday. Hubley still trains a small string of horses for KatieRich, and the farm has five other 2-year-olds who will not be offered at auction. One is expected to be sent to New York, while some of the others may be sold privately. KatieRich does have a runner who could be set for stakes company in the near future. Lady Apple (Curlin) finished second on debut for Hubley at Keeneland last April after RNA’ing the previous September, and a controlling interest in the filly was subsequently sold to Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Turned over to Steve Asmussen, she was a close second in Belmont’s Astoria S. in June, but was off the board in her next two tries over the summer. Lady Apple resurfaced at Oaklawn Feb. 7, and broke through the maiden ranks in fast time before adding an optional-claiming score there on the stretch-out Mar. 23. Hubley isn’t quite sure yet where Lady Apple could resurface next, but any stakes success could prove particularly valuable for KatieRich. “We’re very invested in that family,” Hubley said. “We have four of her half-sisters in foal, and we still have her dam.” The KatieRich babies will breeze Monday during the Keeneland April under-tack show, which begins at 11:00 a.m. Selling begins Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Visit www.keeneland.com for more information. View the full article

Nine 4-year-old fillies are set to run seven furlongs in the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 6 at Keeneland, including Eclipse female sprint champion Shamrock Rose. View the full article

Manifesto Novices’ Chase – Glen Forsa I know that Warren skipped Cheltenham with his race in mind for Le Bague Au Roi but I think she is better over a shorter trip and worth taking on at the current prices. Historically, Cheltenham takes a lot out of horses but I quite like the chances of Glen Forsa who […] The post Donald McCain – Aintree 2019 Preview – Thursday appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

On the eve of the 2019 Grand National Festival, we take a look ahead at the first day of racing where there is a stellar line up of racing forecast to take place at Aintree over the next three days. Devenish Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) The 2019 Grand National Festival kicks off in a […] The post Grand National Festival Preview – Day 1 appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Some 125 days of racing at the tracks of the New York Racing Association (NYRA), including live coverage of the entire 40-day meeting at Saratoga, will be broadcast on the MSG+ network. In addition to MSG+, all NYRA programming can be found on MSG GO, MSG Networks’ live streaming and on-demand platform for smartphones, tablets and computers. “With the height of the horse racing season set to get underway, we’re excited to once again present our viewers with unrivaled coverage of NYRA racing from three of America’s most iconic racing venues,” said Jeff Filippi, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production, and Executive Producer, MSG Networks. “This year, horse racing fans will be provided with even more live race coverage and in-depth analysis from a dynamic team of broadcasters.” The programming schedule kicks off this Saturday, Apr. 6, with a special Wood Memorial edition of Saturday at the Races beginning at 3 p.m. ET. “NYRA is thrilled to continue our partnership with MSG Networks in presenting unparalleled live racing coverage to the world’s largest television market,” said Eric Donovan, NYRA’s Director of TV Broadcast Operations. “MSG Networks has been extremely supportive of our shift in television philosophy to the current live format, and with NYRA’s world-class on-air talent and production staff, viewers can expect another outstanding year of racing coverage on MSG+.” The acclaimed Saratoga Live program will air each day from the Spa, including a 5 1/2-hour Saratoga Live program on Travers Day, featuring five Grade I events in addition to the main event. For 2019, NYRA has added retired jockey Gary Stevens, Laffit Pincay III and handicapper Jonathon Kinchen to a team that includes Greg Wolf, Andy Serling, Maggie Wolfendale, Tom Amoss and Paul LoDuca. Larry Collmus, the voice of NYRA and of the Triple Crown, will provide the race calls. View the full article

Two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}–Tanino Sister {Jpn}, by Rousillon) has passed away due to laminitis in Newmarket, England, the Japanese Racing Association announced on Wednesday. Also a champion at two and twice more as an older mare, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) heroine was 15. “An irreplaceable horse,” jockey Hirofumi Shii, who rode Vodka to her Derby victory, told the Japan Times. “We may never see the likes of such a horse again.” Bred by Country Bokujo in Japan, the tremendously popular bay raced for owner Yuzo Tanimizu and trainer Katsuhiko Sumii. Among her top flight wins were two editions of the G1 Yasuda Kinen (2008/2009), the 2008 G1 Tenno Sho Autumn, the 2009 G1 Victoria Mile and the G1 Japan Cup later that year. She was also the first filly in 64 years to land the Tokyo Yushun over the colts, which was later elevated to Group 1 status. In addition, she took her talents overseas to Dubai twice, running fourth in the 2008 G1 Dubai Duty Free and fifth and seventh, respectively, in the 2009 G2 Jebel Hatta and the G1 Dubai Duty Free. In all, Vodka won 10 of her 26 starts, with earnings of $13,147,826. Added Yutaka Take, who partnered with Vodka in their Tenno Sho Autumn victory, “A very memorable horse. I think she is worthy of being called a great horse.” As a broodmare, Vodka has produced Tanino Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has twice been placed at the group level in Japan, and two other winners. Her dam is a half-sister to Japanese Group 3 winner Three Avenue (Jpn) (Afleet) and Vodka has a juvenile colt by Frankel. She was bred back to that sire last spring. View the full article

Escape Clause (Going Commando), a 17-time winner at Western Canadian tracks who made a successful transition to the Southern California circuit this winter, will make her next appearance in the GI Apple Blossom H., owner and trainer Don Schnell told the Oaklawn notes team Wednesday. It will be her first crack at the Grade I level. “She’s been quite a story,” said Schnell, who is based at Turf Paradise in suburban Phoenix. “She knows how to win, but we’re taking on some monsters in the Apple Blossom. But she deserves one try there.” The Manitoba-bred 5-year-old earned her first black-type victory via disqualification in the grassy Kathryn Crosby S. last November and subsequently finished third in the GIII Red Carpet S. The easy winner of the GIII La Canada S. at Santa Anita Jan. 12, the bay exits a 7 1/4-length success in the Mar. 24 Harry Henson S. in which she established a new track record of 1:34 for Sunland’s two-turn mile distance. Schnell said that Escape Clause will van to Oaklawn Sunday or Monday and that Tyler Baze, who recently relocated to the Hot Springs oval, will retain the mount. View the full article

Tax and 10 rivals square off April 6 in the $750,000 Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) that will award 100-40-20-10 Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers and should send at least two horses, and possibly more, to the Derby. View the full article

The connections of four 3-year-old males made their horses eligible for the 2019 Triple Crown by making a $6,000 payment at the close of the supplemental nomination period that closed Monday, Apr. 1. Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Christopher Dunn, Rose Petal Stable and Foard Wligis’ Hoffa’s Union (Union Rags) is easily the most promising of the quartet. The bay gelding has but one racetrack appearance under his belt, a monstrous, front-running 15 1/2-length victory going a mile and a sixteenth at Laurel Park. Hoffa’s Union has been entered for Saturday’s GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. Two of the other three late nominees are also scheduled to take part in the Wood–Grumps Little Tots (Sky Mesa) has not missed the top three in any of his four appearances, including an 8 1/2-length graduation at the Big A Feb. 18, while Joevia (Shanghai Bobby), a close second to Haikal (Daaher) in the Feb. 9 Jimmy Winkfield S., comes into the Wood off a runner-up effort to the impressive Alwaysmining (Stay Thirsty) in the Private Terms S. at Laurel Mar. 16. Spun to Run (Hard Spun), a recent 7 1/4-length allowance winner at Parx Mar. 23, is the last of the newly added foursome. View the full article

Champion and five-time Grade I winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) is recovering from a mild case of colic and will miss a planned start in the May 4 GI La Troienne S., co-owner Sol Kumin confirmed to TDN Wednesday. The story was first reported by Blood-Horse. The Brad Cox trainee, last seen capturing the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff to wrap up her Eclipse-winning season, has been shipped to WinStar Farm for a brief respite and is expected to return to training soon in preparation for a potential 4-year-old debut in the GI Ogden Phipps S. June 8. “Brad moved her from Fair Grounds to Kentucky to go to Churchill, and when she got there she got a little colicky,” Kumin said. “Obviously with a filly like that, we didn’t want to screw around, so we figured we’d just give her a little time. If there are no complications, the plan would be to ship her back to Brad in three weeks.” Annexing the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and GI Ashland S. to begin her sophomore campaign, the chestnut scored a gutsy triumph in the GI Kentucky Oaks and kept it rolling with victories in the GI Acorn S. and GI Coaching Club American Oaks. She crossed the wire first in the GI Cotillion S., but was disqualified to second before exacting revenge in the Breeders’ Cup. Monomoy Girl was sent to Ocala after that for a full two months off. She returned to the worktab Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds and breezed five times, most recently going five furlongs there in 1:03 flat (18/21) Mar. 23. “We went to Paul Sharp [Stables] and felt because she had a long campaign and started early, we should just give her 60 days,” Kumin said. “It was the right thing to do, so we gave her the time and she came back to Brad, he galloped her for a while and she had five breezes. We were deciding between the Apple Blossom and the La Troienne and our gut was to run in the second race rather than face Midnight Bisou and Elate second, third off the layoff when we were first off. That was the target as of 10 days ago, but stuff happens.” Monomoy Girl was briefly considered for a start in the GI Pegasus World Cup after her Breeders’ Cup triumph, but ownership ultimately elected to pass after the intense nature of her 3-year-old campaign. With a much less taxing season expected for her this year, Kumin said a start in the 2020 Pegasus remains a distinct possibility. “The Breeders’ Cup is 100% our goal for the year, but we talked about the Pegasus last year and we decided to give her time,” he said. “This year, she’ll be starting later, and we wouldn’t give her as much time off since she’ll only run two or three times before the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll have to see and we’ll talk to all the partners.” Kumin also sounded cautiously optimistic about bringing Monomoy Girl back for a full 5-year-old campaign, while allowing that a lot can happen before then and saying a decision would be made by her entire ownership later on. “This is a group that really enjoys racing,” he said. “All the partners love racing, so if she’s in good form and wants to run, I would think that this group would consider bringing her back. We’re all racing guys and if the horses are in good condition and want to run, we’ve generally run them in the past.” View the full article