Wandering Eyes

Sunday Racing's Al Ain prevailed with a ground-saving trip in the March 31 Osaka Hai (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse to record his first victory in nearly two years. View the full article

D. J. Stable and Cash is King’s Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) tuned up for Saturday’s GI Central Bank Ashland S. with a half-mile work in :48.60 (12/32) at Keeneland Sunday. Working well off the rail under exercise rider Lucas Berticelli, Jaywalk produced fractions of :11.80, :23.40, :48.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.20. “Perfect,” Tyler Servis, son of trainer John Servis, said of the work. “She had her major work last week [six furlongs in company in 1:14.40 at Palm Meadows] and we did what we wanted this morning without much of a gallop out.” Jaywalk, who captured last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and was named champion 2-year-old filly, will be looking to rebound from a fourth-place effort while making her sophomore debut in the Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. “We didn’t want her to peak too soon,” Servis said of the Davona Dale. “She is a light-framed filly like a lot of fillies from the Unbridled’s Song line, and I think the heat in Florida got to her a little bit.” Also working for the Servis barn Sunday morning was Cash is King and Leonard Green’s Lucky Lee (Flatter), who is expected to go postward in Saturday’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. Lucky Lee covered a half-mile in :49.00 (17/32) with internal splits of :12 and :24, again well off the rail. “Same as Jaywalk; perfect,” Servis said of the work. A two-time winner at Parx last fall, Lucky Lee is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Feb. 2 GIII Withers S. “In the Withers, he was just spinning his wheels,” Servis said. “He was coming off a tight track in Florida and that track was cuppy and he never got hold of the track.” Also working for the Ashland, Mar. 16 GIII Honeybee S. winner Chocolate Kisses (Candy Ride {Arg}) worked a half-mile in :50.00 (23/32) at Keeneland Sunday for trainer Mark Casse. Working in company with the 3-year-old maiden winner Furiously Fast (Violence), Chocolate Kisses posted fractions of :12.60, :24.60, :37.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.40. “She ran well here last fall and she has confidence coming into the Ashland off a win,” said David Carroll, who is overseeing Casse’s Keeneland string. “She needs pace to run at, and the Honeybee set up real well for her.” Unbeaten in two starts this term, Chocolate Kisses was fourth in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland last October. View the full article

Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security exited his dominating triumph the the $1 million Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park in good order March 31. View the full article

Steve Asmussen captured his 11th leading trainer title at the Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred meet, which concluded Saturday, and he was the Texas track’s leading owner for the fifth time. “We are very appreciative of the Sam Houston meet,” said Asmussen, whose record 41 victories at the meet included Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute)’s win in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic. “The racing surfaces are excellent and frankly, the main track does not get the credit it deserves.” Asmussen also gave credit to longtime assistant Pablo Ocampo. “Pablo and his crew do such a great job,” said Asmussen. “He continues to play a key role each year in Houston.” Jockey Deshawn Parker picked up his second leading rider title at Sam Houston with 48 victories. “I am very fortunate to ride for great horsemen,” said Parker. “I want to thank Karl Broberg, Bret Calhoun and Steve Asmussen for putting me on such good horses. My agent Bobby Kelly did a great job. I love Sam Houston; especially the amazing turf course and have been treated very well here each year.” View the full article

D.J. Stable and Cash is King's champion filly Jaywalk tuned up for an expected start in the April 6 $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) by working a half-mile on her own in :48 3/5 over a fast main track March 31 at Keeneland. View the full article

From breeding decisions to caring for a mare before and throughout her pregnancy, the birth of a foal represents a year or more of planning, spending and waiting. Ideally, the scenario proceeds uneventfully and the result is a healthy foal, but in the less than 5% of the time when things go wrong, they can quickly turn into a life or death scenario for both the mare and foal without immediate, educated assessment and intervention. A dystocia, which is the over-arching term for issues that interfere with the typical birthing process, generally refers to the foal being malpositioned in the birth canal, and thus preventing a normal delivery. The delivery of a foal is naturally a rapid, forceful event. When an animal with the muscling and abdominal strength of a typical broodmare continues to attempt to push a foal out when it is, for one reason or another, lodged, major complications can quickly arise, threatening the health of both the mare and foal. In a typical delivery, a foal will exit the birthing canal feet first, followed by its nose, head, shoulders, barrel, hips and finally hind legs. When that scenario does not happen in close succession, a variety of strategies can be implemented to assist the mare and ultimately save the lives of both the mare and foal. These can include manual manipulation by hand, the use of ropes or chains to create traction, rapid assisted delivery and c-section. There are a number of ways the process can go awry, all of which require immediate intervention, including: Red Bag Deliveries occur when there is a premature separation of the placenta before or during foaling. The equine placenta has two major parts–the red bag (chorioallantois), which is responsible for providing nutrients to the fetus during gestation, and the white bag (amnion), which surrounds the fetus and offers protection. In a typical foaling, the red bag should break just prior to the foal entering the birth canal, the white bag is what is seen first as the foal is being delivered and the red bag is passed within three hours of the foal being delivered. If the red bag appears first, it is imperative to carefully cut the bag open with surgical scissors, feel for the proper presentation of the front legs and nose of the foal, then carefully cut the white bag to expose the foal. Front leg(s) back-when one or both legs are flexed at the knee or contracted, it causes the foal to become trapped in the birth canal and unable to be delivered. Often this can be easily corrected by repelling the foal (pushing the foal back in) and manually manipulating to gain access to the flexed limb and extending it to resume normal delivery. Retention of the head occurs when either one of both of the forelimbs protrude through the vagina, but the head does not follow. This occurs when the foal is not positioned properly in the birth canal or is a wry neck fetus, resulting in the head and neck being bent backwards. To prevent the mare from continuing to push it is best to get the mare up and walking, as often this can help to correct the position of the foal. A sterile rope or cord can aid in the process, passing it over the foal’s lower jaw to allow the attendant or veterinarian to pull the head and neck into the proper position, however if that does not result in a successful delivery, a caesarian section or fetotomy (dismemberment of the foal surgically) may be necessary. Upside Down presentations are one of the more typical types of dystocias and occur when the front feet facing up and the head is turned the wrong direction, which means the foal has failed to rotate to the normal dorso-pubic position. In some cases, an experienced foaling attendant or veterinarian can use the presenting limbs to manually rotate the foal into the proper position, using traction to adjust the foal into proper position as delivery begins. In other cases, ropes or chains may be attached to the pasterns of the forelimbs to reposition the foal and begin delivery until the mare’s contractions can complete the process unaided. Hip Lock presentations occur when the foal’s hind quarters are unable to pass through the mare’s pelvic cavity for normal delivery. Typically, the issue is detected once the foal is partially delivered up to the thorax. Often the attendant will pull the foal down in the arcing presentation between her hind limbs, forcing the foal’s hind quarters into the area with the greatest diameter of the mare’s pelvis, which should then allow the foal to be delivered vaginally. Breech–In this scenario the hind limbs or quarter of the foal presents first and the mare’s continued contractions cause the placenta to separate, which can result in asphyxiation of the foal. If the foal is able to be delivered alive, the umbilical cord may have unknowingly been compromised, resulting in a variety of possible complications, including broken ribs or delayed hypoxia due to brain swelling that can lead to a dummy foal, seizures, etc. Early recognition is important and often a c-section or assisted vaginal delivery is required. When manual manipulation by hand fails, the next step is often assisted vaginal delivery (also called “controlled delivery”). In this scenario, the mare is put under anesthesia and her hind quarters are lifted so the foal is able to slip back into the birth canal, where it either naturally falls into a more desirable position or can be manipulated by hand into such a position that it can be delivered without surgical intervention. One of the most important factors in any type of birthing mishap is having an educated foaling attendant on hand who can make informed, timely decisions about how best to assist the mare, when to call a veterinarian and when to send the mare to an equine hospital for more invasive care. In the case of a severe dystocia, the question of whether the focus should be to save the mare or the foal will often arise. While the ultimate goal is a successful outcome for both, the question should be addressed prior to the severity of the dystocia reaching a climax. It is also wise to keep track of the amount of time that has passed since the mare was found to be in distress. If a veterinarian is called in for assistance, this can help him or her gauge how long they have to work on the dystocia before making the decision to send the mare to the clinic and can help them prioritize their approach to the situation at hand. View the full article

D. J. Stable and Cash is King's champion filly Jaywalk tuned up for an expected start in the April 6 $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) by working a half-mile on her own in :48 3/5 over a fast main track March 31 at Keeneland. View the full article

Australian quarantine restrictions won’t stop dual Group One-winning mare Viddora from competing in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize on April 28.Despite interim measures put in place in March to allow Australian horses to compete in Hong Kong without having to spend 180 days in a third country before heading home, they were very basic and only applied to horses travelling from Australia to Hong Kong and straight back.So Viddora, who came fourth in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai on Saturday… View the full article

John Size is confident punters have not seen the last of Champion’s Way this season after the promising three-year-old continued his unbeaten run with a commanding win at Sha Tin on Sunday.The horse has saluted four times from as many starts to begin his career and continues to answer whatever challenge is thrown at him on his march up the ratings.“He got it done and that’s about all you can do. He had a heavy weight, a wide gate and he did a bit of work the first 300m and he still managed to… View the full article

Zac Purton has become the second-most prolific jockey in Hong Kong racing history, moving past the legendary Tony Cruz with two winners at Sha Tin on Sunday.The Sunday double saw Purton move to 948 winners, eclipsing Cruz’s effort of 946 while recently retired Douglas Whyte is peerless with 1,813 across 23 seasons.The Australian rode a winner just hours after touching down in Hong Kong following his effort on Southern Legend at Dubai’s World Cup meeting on Saturday night.Purton piloted the… View the full article

After she ran sixth in her first start for Baltas, the Feb. 23 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) going a mile at Santa Anita, the trainer sent her to the quieter confines of San Luis Rey Training Center, and the mare rewarded his intuition March 30. View the full article

Jockey Victor Espinoza returned to the winner's circle March 30 for the first time since he resumed race riding in February aboard St. Joe Bay in the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Owner Joseph Besecker and trainer Claudio Gonzalez dug deep in their pockets to claim Mr. Brix for $50,000 at Laurel Park in October, but the investment proved worthwhile March 30 in the $80,000 Caixa Eletronica Stakes at Aqueduct. View the full article

SECRET SPICE (f, 4, Discreet Cat–Chimayo, by A.P. Indy) was an 11 1/4-length track-and-trip romper two back in October, and reproduced that sort of effort Saturday evening to post an 11-1 upset. Third behind eventual Grade I winners Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) and Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in Del Mar’s Desi Arnaz S. in November of 2017, she could do no better than a pair of seconds from three tries, all in allowance company, in her next trips to the post. Off that aforementioned breakthrough optional claiming tally Oct. 7, she resurfaced to be third at 11-10 over good ground and the same distance behind Just a Smidge (Into Mischief) Feb. 7. Facing a very accomplished field here led by GISW Marley’s Freedom (Blame), Secret Spice broke well from the rail and tucked in to draft behind pacesetting Selcourt (Tiz Wonderful). She was shuffled back a bit when Just a Smidge uncorked a big middle move to take it to the leader down the backside, but was back into third as they swung for home. Blowing past Selcourt in upper stretch, she won with plenty of room to spare as Marley’s Freedom closed belatedly to cut the margin of victory to 2 1/2 lengths. MGISW Paradise Woods (Union Rags) seemed at one point in the race to be dropping out of it, but got going again late to round out the triple. Secret Spice, the fifth Grade I winner for her sire–who also excelled at a mile–stopped the clock in 1:38.69. Sales history: $4,500 yrl ’16 KEESEP; $125,000 2yo ’17 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 10-3-2-2. O-Little Red Feather Racing. B-Godolphin (Ky). T-Richard Baltas. View the full article

Little Red Feather Racing's Secret Spice crossed the wire well clear of her rivals March 30 in the $400,000 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

A hard-scramble duel to the wire turned in to a make it or break it moment March 30 for Focus Group, who was ultimately declared the winner following a photo finish in the $250,000 Pan American Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security made the jump from debuting in a $16,000 maiden claiming race to a grade 1 winner look easy when he pulled clear in the stretch to win the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

MAXIMUM SECURITY (c, 3, New Year’s Day–Lil Indy, Anasheed), dangled in for just $16,000 when he romped by 9 3/4 lengths on debut here Dec. 20, continued his ascent up the class ladder with a five-length victory in Saturday’s GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby. He added facile starter/optional claimer romps in January and February, and was 9-2 stretching out and getting tested for class. Allowed a somewhat surprisingly easy time of it up front as favorite Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) was wrangled in to avoid another duel, the Gary and Mary West homebred was all by his lonesome heading for home and proved not for catching at that point. He tiooed the clock in 1:48.96. Longshot maiden Bodexpress (Bodemeister) spiced up the exacta, with GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) checking in third. Hidden Scroll never looked happy under restraint and was off the board. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0. O/B-Gary and Mary West (Ky). T-Jason Servis. View the full article

A calculated move from Drayden Van Dyke put favored Catapult in position to do his best running March 30 in the $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T), but it was 8-year-old former claimer Ohio who held safe in the shadow of the wire. View the full article

BREAK EVEN (f, 3, Country Day–Exotic Wager, by Saint Ballado)upped her record to three-for-three with an impressive five-length romp in Oaklawn’s Purple Martin S. A five-length graduate of a Fair Grounds off the turfer Jan. 1, she returned 27 days later to take a salty optional claimer there. Backed at 9-5, the Klein homebred took no prisoners, and was essentially in a race of her own throughout. She stopped the clock in 1:10.15 with Lady T N T (Justin Phillip) and Tomlin (Distorted Humor) rounding out the exacta and trifecta, respectively. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. O-Klein Racing. B-Richard & Bert Klein (Ky). T-Brad C Cox. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday’s Insights features a full-brother to G1 International Sprint hero Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). 2.35 Doncaster, Novice, £5,800, 3yo, 7f 6yT COUNTRY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a well-regarded newcomer representing Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and William Haggas and has the pedigree to back up the expected market support, being a full-brother to Luck Or Design (Ire), later known as Lucky Nine (Ire) when capturing the 2014 G1 International Sprint at Kranji. Also a half to the Japanese Group 3-winning sprinter Teehaff (Jpn) (Storming Home {GB}), the bay will have to be smart to contend with King Power Racing’s 420,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate Fox Champion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a Richard Hannon-trained winner at Kempton when last seen in October. View the full article

Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot worked five furlongs March 30 at Oaklawn Park in a bullet :59 in advance of a scheduled start in the April 14 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). View the full article

A field of 10 is taking shape for the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2), which will most likely be contested for its original purse of $750,000 April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot worked five furlongs March 30 at Oaklawn Park in a bullet :59 for five furlongs in advance of a scheduled start in the April 14 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). View the full article

Six Column Stables and Randall Bloch's Champagne Anyone fought off the late charge of favorite Dunbar Road to win the March 30 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). View the full article