Wandering Eyes

Unbeaten ‘TDN Rising Star’ JUSTIFY (c, 3, Scat Daddy–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper) passed his first real class test with flying colors, effortlessly wiring the GI Santa Anita Derby to secure his spot in the starting gate on the First Saturday in May. Arguably the most hyped horse on the GI Kentucky Derby trail on the back of a pair of dominant victories at Santa Anita this winter, the $500,000 KEESEP buy was originally being pointed to the GI Arkansas Derby next weekend, but was re-routed to this test after stablemate and fellow ‘Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) was sidelined. Billed as a two-horse race between Justify and MGISW Bolt d’Oro, the Bob Baffert pupil was given the nod at 4-5 with his chief rival at even-money. Seizing the early advantage, Justify was well within himself as he ticked off early fractions of :23.96 and :47.85 while well clear of Bolt d’Oro. The Ruis runner closed the gap on the backstretch and the stage appeared set for the showdown everyone expected. However, Justify always had his rival’s measure and was still under a hand ride in the stretch, while Bolt d’Oro was asked for everything he had and guided to the inside of the leader by Javier Castellano. Hall of Famer Mike Smith gave Justify two taps of the whip in the final sixteenth and the he coasted home to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:49.72. Bolt d’Oro held second over longshot Core Beliefs (Quality Road). Justify is the 25th Grade I winner for the late Scat Daddy, who was also represented by GII Toyota Blue Grass S. runner-up Flameaway. The winner shares ownership with last Saturday’s GI Florida Derby hero Audible (Into Mischief), who he will face off with in Louisville. Part owners China Horse Club, WinStar and SF Racing are also the connections of today’s impressive GIII Bay Shore S. winner National Flag (Speightstown) and GII Tampa Bay Derby victor Quip (Distorted Humor), who takes Justify’s place in Arkansas. Justify’s breeder John Gunther is also responsible for today’s GII Wood Memorial S. winner Vino Rosso (Curlin). Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. O-China Horse Club, WinStar, Head of Plains, Starlight & SF Racing; B-John Gunther (KY); T-Bob Baffert. View the full article

Monomoy Girl secures the first grade 1 win for trainer Brad Cox in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 7 and ensures herself a spot in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). View the full article

Making his stakes debut at the highest level, Army Mule found room inside off the turn and rolled to 6 1/4-length score in the $400,000 Carter Handicap April 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Champion GOOD MAGIC (c, 3, Curlin–Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun) returned to winning ways and stamped his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby with a good-looking victory in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Saturday evening. Entering this off a best-of-54 half-mile in :48 flat at Palm Meadows Mar. 31, he was hammered down to 8-5 favoritism to improve off a disappointing third as the heavy favorite in his seasonal bow in Gulfstream’s GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 3. Breaking from post 11 in this full field, the $1 million KEESEP buy ran wide in mid-pack through an opening half in :47.40. Advancing on the backstretch run, Good Magic ranged up three-wide to take on pacesetting Flameaway (Scat Daddy) turning for home, took command in the stretch and kicked clear to score. Flameaway held second. Grade I winner Sporting Chance (Tiznow) veered out sharply in the final sixteenth, interfering with fellow GISW Free Drop Billy (Union Rags), but still crossed the wire third. Sporting Chance was taken down and Free Drop Billy was promoted to third after a stewards inquiry and jockey claim of foul. Runner-up to a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance from Hazit (War Front) on debut at Saratoga on GI Travers S. day Aug. 26, Good Magic missed by a half-length in Belmont’s GI Champagne S. Oct. 7. The chestnut broke his maiden in style next out with a decisive score in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which earned him an Eclipse Award. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1. O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY); T-Chad Brown. View the full article

Reigning juvenile male champion Good Magic takes home the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland April 7 and adds 100 points to his previous 34 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. View the full article

Monomoy Girl secures first grade 1 win for trainer Brad Cox in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 7 and ensures herself a spot in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). View the full article

Fatale Bere has given a good account of herself since she moved from France to Southern California in the fall of 2017, but she put it all together April 7 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Vino Rosso fought past Enticed in the Aqueduct Racetrack stretch then survived an objection and inquiry regarding a bumping incident in the lane to capture the Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) April 7. View the full article

VINO ROSSO (c, 3, Curlin–Mythical Bride, by Street Cry {Ire})finally put it all together then survived a steward’s inquiry to make the grade and stamp his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby in Saturday afternoon’s GII Wood Memorial S. Sitting in midpack behind a hot pace set by a run-off leader, the $410,000 KEESEP yearling advanced outside of favored Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro) turning for home. The 4-1 shot brushed with his rival repeatedly in the run to the wire, but ultimately found more and kicked away late for a three-length tally in 1:49.79. Bob Baffert trainee Restoring Hope (Giant’s Causeway) rounded out the trifecta. Vino Rosso took his debut here in November followed by a Tampa optional claimer on the stretch out Dec. 22. Third in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 10, he was a somewhat disappointing fourth in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 10. This victory represented the third straight on the card for trainer Todd Pletcher, who took the GI Carter H. with fellow St Elias Stable-owned Army Mule (Friesan Fire) followed by the GIII Bay Shore S. with National Flag (Speightstown). Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1. O-Repole Stable & St Elias Stable. B-John D Gunther (Ky). T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

Monomoy Girl secures first grade 1 win for trainer Brad Cox in the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 7 and ensures herself a spot in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). View the full article

MONOMOY GIRL (f, 3, Tapizar–Drumette, by Harlan’s Holiday) ran to the money in Keeneland’s GI Ashland S., taking the field gate-to-wire for a dominant victory. Breaking on top from her rail draw, the $100,000 KEESEP buy was hard held by jockey Florent Geroux as she registered a comfortable opening half-mile in :47.98. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut effortlessly skipped clear to win as she pleased by five lengths in 1:43.74. Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve) completed the exacta. Opening her account with a pair of wins on turf in September, Monomoy Girl romped in the Rags to Riches S. when switched to the main track in October and missed by a neck in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 25. She returned to winning ways last time in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 17. Lifetime Record: 6-5-1-0. O-Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group & Bethlehem Stables; B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch; T-Brad Cox. View the full article

NATIONAL FLAG (c, 3, Speightstown–Date to Remember, by Bernardini) became the latest highlight in an incredible run of stakes success for the powerful team of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing as he flew home in the Aqueduct stretch like he was shot out of a cannon to take the GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct Saturday by some five lengths. Last year’s GIII Futurity S. winner Engage (Into Mischief) completed the exacta, followed by pace-pressing Aveenu Malcainu (Into Mischief) in third. The final winning time was 1:23.16, and the winner’s performance came just one race after his ‘TDN Rising Star’ stablemate Army Mule (Friesan Fire) dropped jaws with a dominant performance in the GI Carter H. National Flag, a $600,000 KEESEP yearling, defeated Engage to break his maiden second out at Saratoga last August. Fifth in the GI Hopeful S. a month later, he bounced back with a big-figure optional claiming tally going this distance at Gulfstream Mar. 2. His owners have been represented recently by the likes of GI Florida Derby winner Audible (Into Mischief), and will have brilliant and unbeaten Justify (Scat Daddy) in the GI Santa Anita Derby later this afternoon. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0. O-WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing. B-Siena Farms LLC (Ky). T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

FINLEY’SLUCKYCHARM (m, 5, Twirling Candy–Day of Victory, by Victory Gallop) earned her well-deserved first Grade I victory with a gritty score in the Madison S. at Keeneland Saturday. Quickest away from the stalls in post 12, the dark bay was out-footed by Grade I winner American Gal (Concord Point) and pressed that rival from second through swift early splits of :21.96 and :44.31. Gaining a slight edge on the pacesetter in the lane, she was joined by Miss Sunset (Into Mischief) and Lewis Bay (Bernardini) to the outside, but called upon her class to gut out a narrow victory in 1:22.82. Miss Sunset was second with Lewis Bay in third and American Gal fourth. Runner-up in the 2016 GI La Brea S., Finley’sluckycharm won the GIII Winning Colors S. and GIII Chicago H. last term. Just missing behind Eclipse finalist and dual Grade I winner Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper) in the GII Honorable Miss H., the $77,000 KEESEP buy returned to winning ways in the GII Thoroughbred Charities of America S. here in October, but could only manage ninth in the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint Nov. 4. The 5-year-old kicked off this term with a runner-up effort in the Mardi Gras S. in her first try on turf at Fair Grounds Feb. 13. Lifetime Record: 15-10-3-0. O-Carl R Moore Management LLC; B-Lakland Farm (KY); T-Cret Calhoun. View the full article

In a three-way fight to the wire, My Miss Lilly was able to edge Sara Street to win the $300,000 Gazelle Stakes (G2) by a half-length at Aqueduct Racetrack April 7. View the full article

Multiple graded stakes winner Finley'sluckycharm wins the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 7 at Keeneland and retains her spotless record as unbeaten in Kentucky. View the full article

The Wesley Ward-owned and -trained Bound for Nowhere, an 8-1 shot, drew clear to win the April 7 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland by four lengths over Bucchero. View the full article

Warrior's Club, owned by a group of investors put together by Churchill Downs two years ago, scored his first graded stakes victory in the Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 7. View the full article

Making his stakes debut at the highest level, Army Mule found room inside off the turn and rolled to about a six-length score in the $400,000 Carter Handicap April 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ ARMY MULE (c, 4, Friesan Fire–Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector) kept his perfect record in tact with yet another ultra-impressive victory in Aqueduct’s GI Carter H. Saturday. Prepping for this black-type bow with a best-of-30 half-mile at Palm Beach Downs in :49 flat Mar. 30, he was sent off at 2-1 behind favored MGSW Awesome Slew (Awesome Again). Riding the rail, the $825,000 EASMAY grad ran in a joint second, keeping close tabs on the longshot pacesetter through swift early splits of :22.09 and :44.93. Seizing command in the lane, Army Mule was in a race of his own from there and stormed clear under a hand ride to win for fun by six lengths in a sharp final time of 1:20.94. Awesome Slew completed the exacta. Army Mule is the first Grade I winner for Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy), as well as the stallion’s most expensive produce. Tabbed a ‘Rising Star’ off an 8 1/2-length graduation in his career bow at Belmont last April, Army Mule was subsequently shelved and resurface at Gulfstream Jan. 31 with another dominant score, winning an optional claimer by 7 1/2 lengths. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. O-St Elias Stable; B-Hope Hill Farm (PA); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

Warrior's Club, owned by a group of small investors put together by Churchill Downs two years ago, rewarded the group with their first graded stakes victory, in the Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 7. View the full article

On April 6, the Association of Racing Commissioners International board updated its model rule on jockey safety by requiring that at least one of the required medical professionals on site be trained in diagnosing concussions. View the full article

MY MISS LILLY (f, 3, Tapit–Wicked Deed, by Harlan’s Holiday) earned her black-type badge and stamped her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks May 4 with a determined effort in Aqueduct’s GII Gazelle S. Saturday. Away alertly from the outside post in this six-horse affair, the 5-2 shot settled in a two-wide fourth as Sara Street (Street Sense) and Mo Shopping (Uncle Mo) dueled through an opening quarter in :23.97 and a half in :48.31. Launching a three-wide bid on the backstretch, the $670,000 KEESEP buy drew even with pacesetter Sara Street and Virginia Key (Distorted Humor) in the lane and the trio battled to the wire with My Miss Lilly edging clear late for a narrow victory in 1:50.42. The ultra-game Sarah Street held for second over longshot Virginia Key and favored Midnight Disguise (Midnight Lute) came on for fourth. My Miss Lilly captured her debut sprinting in the slop at Aqueduct Dec. 23 and was third next out in the GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Feb. 3. She was last seen finishing third behind Midnight Disguise and Sara Street in this venue’s one-mile Busher S. Mar. 3. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1. O-Courtlandt Farms; B-Winchell Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Mark Hennig. View the full article

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Horse racing must make better use of technology to create new betting products and experiences or it will be left behind other sports and entertainment industries. That was the message of Friday’s technology session on closing day of the Association of Racing Commissioners International’s 84th annual Conference on Equine Welfare and Racing Integrity at the Hotel Hot Springs. Panelists said that the likelihood of widespread sports betting, which is based on fixed odds in contrast to horse racing’s parimutuel structure, provides a pathway to innovation. Moderator J. Curtis Linnell, the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau’s executive vice president, said all entities involved in racing should work toward increased participation in horse racing through betting. “Betting is the juncture in which the marketplace comes to horse racing,” he said. “That is where participation by the customer happens.” Sean Pinsonneault, an industry consultant and previously executive vice president of strategy and wagering for Woodbine Entertainment Group, said racing’s big days and the creation of “jackpot” wagers in recent years are ways the sport has created excitement. “There are lot of positives that come from this industry, but it’s changing the way we do things,” he said. Pinsonneault used as an example offering a partial cash-out option on multi-race wagers, where the bettor who remains alive in the wager has the option to get partial payment or bring in partners who buy part of the bet for the remaining legs. Pinsonneault said that is being done in the United Kingdom, which has resulted in a 30-percent boost to pool income and with 80 percent of the cash-outs being partial. He said the bet increases spending and retention of customers, modernizes the multi-race experience and maximizes player engagement. He added that its “Deal or No Deal” concept is ideal for sharing on social media to let people know part of a so-far winning bet is up for sale. Linnell added that’s the technology version of “20 years ago when a long shot won the first race, a guy would be walking around the clubhouse saying ‘Who wants to buy half my Daily Double ticket?'” Pinsonneault also said Australian racing’s wagering went from 70 percent via its parimutuel system and 30 percent fixed-odds wagering to 32 percent parimutuel and 68 percent fixed odds through corporate bookmakers — a change that has seen the betting on horses increase 38 percent in 10 years. “As an aside, when Winx was making her 18th or 28th start trying to set the world record for consecutive wins, everybody knew she was going to win,” he said about Australia’s great racemare who has won 23 straight races. “Some of the corporate bookmakers offered fix odds on lengths of win. There was a tremendous amount of action on that horse, rather than just offering a win bet that was going to pay 5 cents on the dollar. That shows you innovation in a fixed-odds environment.” The panel also suggested studying innovation in other highly regulated industries, such as the financial sector’s addition of derivatives that resulted in an explosion in investment. Linnell encouraged experimentation in the pursuit of the home-run idea and emphasized the need for increasing the speed from innovation to implementation. Linnell said the TRPB, racetracks’ investigatory body which oversees a wide range of integrity issues, stands ready to help regulators creating new betting-product models that comply with their rules and laws are legal, accountable, audit-able and fair to the betting public. “We’re going to find a jurisdiction in North America that is innovative and wants to challenge the status quo,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time. Hopefully we can find that sooner rather than later, and we can bring some of these innovations to the customers of horse racing. And that’s more money flowing back to the industry.” Ed Martin, ARCI’s president and CEO, said the likely expansion of sports betting will pave the way for racing to use fixed odds in addition to the parimutuel model. “I think it’s incumbent on every racing commission to have your general counsel look at any bills going through your legislature to make sure that they are broad enough, that you aren’t restricted in language in regards to wagering on horse racing, that it has to be parimutuel,” he said. “In some states it’s constitutional; in other states it’s a statute. You might give serious thought to slipping something in a bill that’s going through the legislature to give you maximum flexibility. It’s not only the racing’s commissions’ responsibility. It’s the responsibility of the tracks, the horsemen, the breed registries and everybody involved in this. “This sport is in a highly competitive environment. We can be sitting here talking about parimutuel wagering 10 years from now. But you just saw these statistics about fixed-odds wagering and where the market is taking wagering. You talk about bets going offshore because we cannot offer these opportunities domestically because we as an industry have not done what we needed to do to adopt to the technology coming forward. This is about the survival and competitive position of an industry. We can debate Lasix for five more years. But if we don’t debate this stuff, we’ll be debating Lasix in front of an empty grandstand.” Changes to ARCI’s Model Rules One of ARCI’s most important missions is to research, develop and approve rules and regulations that can a blueprint for racing jurisdictions to adopt. Among the changes approved by the ARCI board after being recommended by its model rules committee: The concussion protocol for jockeys was amended to require that at least one of the previously-required medical professionals on site must be adequately trained in diagnosing concussions. The new rule also mandates establishment of guidelines for clearing jockeys to ride after sustaining a concussion. The scale of weights that jockeys carry in quarter-horse races was moved up four pounds in each age class (now 124 pounds for 2-year-olds, 126 for 3-year-olds and 124-128 for older horses). The addition of recommended best practices in the case of lighting during the races, which proved fortuitous with Thursday’s overnight and Friday morning’s thunderstorms in Hot Springs. The model-rules committee looked at other sports to see how they handled lightning, landing on a version of the NCAA lightning protocols. Maryland’s Hopkins New ARCI Chair Mike Hopkins, the longtime executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission, was sworn in Thursday as ARCI’s new chair, following Washington State Racing Commission’s Jeff Colliton. ARCI chairs serve one-year terms. Dr. Corrine Sweeney, a noted equine researcher and member of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, became chair-elect after holding the post of treasurer. Marc Guilfoil, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, was voted recipient of the Len Foote Award in recognition of exemplary service and contribution to racing integrity by a commission executive director as chosen by his/her peers. “There are a lot of smart people in this room, and I’m not one of them,” Guilfoil said. “But my daddy taught me a long time ago that common sense goes a long way in life. We can never have enough common sense in horse racing.” View the full article

Undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) kicks off her sophomore season Sunday in Keeneland’s GIII Appalachian S. Besting re-opposing fellow ‘TDN Rising Star’ Daddy Is A Legend (Scat Daddy) by 1 1/4 lengths on debut at Belmont Sept. 16, the $320,000 FTSAUG buy followed suit with a decisive score in this venue’s GIII Jessamine S. Oct. 11. The Chad Brown trainee put on a show at Del Mar Nov. 3, rallying six wide to capture the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in style. She enters off a five-panel bullet in 1:00 flat at Palm Meadows Mar. 31 (1/12). Daddy Is A Legend earned her own ‘Rising Star’ moniker in her next start going nine panels over this course Oct. 27 and captured the GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar last time Nov. 25. The dark bay receives Lasix for the first time here. Thewayiam (Fr) (Thewayyouare) has been on a hot streak for trainer Graham Motion, capturing all three of her starts at Gulfstream this season. Kicking off 2018 with a victory in Ginger Brew S. Jan. 6, the bay went on to take the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Feb. 3 and the GIII Herecomesthebride S. exactly one month later. Debby Oxley’s Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon) is a Grade I winner on the dirt at Keeneland after romping by 5 1/2 lengths in last term’s GI Alcibiades S. and she tries turf for the first time in this spot. The Mark Casse trainee was last seen finishing a well-beaten seventh behind GI Ashland S. contender Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 17. View the full article

ELECTRIC FOREST (f, 3, Curlin–Forest Music {MGSW & MGISP, $370,566}, by Unbridled’s Song) followed in the hoofprints of her ‘TDN Rising Star’ half-brothers Maclean’s Music (Distorted Humor) and Kentuckian (Tiznow) with a good-looking debut win at Keeneland Saturday. Away a step slow from post 11, the 5-2 shot quickly got her legs beneath her and moved up the four path to sit mid-pack off an quick first quarter in :22.03. Progressing up the outside as they hit the half in :45.75, the Stonestreet homebred was even with leader East Moon (Speightstown) exiting the bend, but that rival began to edge away a bit in early stretch. However, Electric Forest would not let her get away that easy and kept on finding to overtake that foe in the final furlong and kick clear to a one-length victory in 1:17.23. The winning connections Chad Brown, Stonestreet and Jose Ortiz team up again later in the card with champion and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. favorite Good Magic (Curlin). Maclean’s Music made just one start, but he made it count with a 116 Beyer Speed Figure and has proved his worth as a stallion, siring GI Preakness S. winner Cloud Computing in his first crop. Kentuckian, a $610,000 KEESEP yearling, is a Grade III winner. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O/B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY); T-Chad Brown. View the full article