Emma-Jayne Wilson captured this intriguing image of RIVER RUSH at rest at Palm Meadows. The Plate Trial winner is owned by Stronach Stables.
WHO WILL WIN 2013 BARBADOS GOLD CUP?
several past winners square off Saturday afternoon
Who will win the 2013 Gold Cup?
2/28/2013
ON Saturday the Barbados Turf Club will stage the running of the XXXII Sandy Lane Gold Cup, (GR. – Int – BAR) open to 3-year-olds and over (Weight-for-age), going 1800 metres.
Fifteen horses have taken entry, but only 12 are allowed to run, which means three are reserves.
Today we take a look at the form of some of the horses that will run on Saturday, and tomorrow we will take a look at the others.
Horse – Show Me The Money – 7-year-old chestnut horse, bred in Barbados
Owner – Blue Diamond Racing
Gate – 1
Form – 39 starts, won 8, placed second in 7 and third in 6
Earnings – $227,370
Trainer – Anderson Ward
Jockey – Rico Walcott
Weight – 125 pounds
Runs from on the pace, but if needed could be held up. Has won five times over 1800 metres, including the Gold Cup in 2011, but lost that race in the Stewards Room. Prefers the going good to firm. On his day, he is still capable of winning in this company.
read more…
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=sports&NewsID=29398
NATION NEWS – summarizes some Gold Cup contenders
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/time-against-king-david/
Jockey James Graham may be looking elsewhere but his colt IVE STRUCK A NERVE is all business as he gets up to win the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds last weekend at 140 t0 1.
Steve Queen for www.horse-races.net
The Jockey Club Amends Rule Book with “Retired from Racing” Clause
The Jockey Club has amended Rule 18 of the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book from Sold Without Pedigree to Sold as Retired from Racing so that an owner can retire a Thoroughbred from racing without affecting its breeding privileges, it was announced today.
Under the previous Rule 18, the Certificate of Foal Registration for a horse sold without pedigree was returned to The Jockey Club and cancelled, and the horse was no longer considered a Thoroughbred for breeding or racing purposes.
Under the amended Rule 18, the owner of a Thoroughbred can request that The Jockey Club attach a special notation to the Certificate of Foal Registration to indicate the horse should no longer be considered a Thoroughbred for racing purposes. Unlike the previous Sold Without Pedigree, horses that are Retired from Racing are still considered Thoroughbreds for breeding purposes.
“For myriad reasons, owners may not want their Thoroughbred to race again, but they do want the horse’s offspring to be eligible for registration with The Jockey Club,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director, The Jockey Club. “We developed the Sold as Retired from Racing rule with that in mind.”
To sell a horse as retired from racing, the owner must send a signed and notarized Sold as Retired from Racing form, a set of photographs of the horse, and the horse’s Certificate of Foal Registration to The Jockey Club within 60 days of the sale. The Jockey Club will stamp the certificate “Retired from Racing” and forward it to the purchaser. A copy of such stamped certificates will be made available at registry.jockeyclub.com for interested industry stakeholders.
The rule change comes as welcome news to owners, horsemen, and organizations dedicated to aftercare.
“I recently tried to sell a horse for breeding purposes only, but the horse ended up back at the track,” said Thoroughbred owner Earle Mack. “This new rule will help owners do what they believe is in the best interests of their horses. We surely owe our horses that.”
“This is a valuable tool to protect the future of retired racehorses,” said Rick Violette Jr., president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “It will simplify the transfer process and give owners the peace of mind of knowing the horses they retire will not race again.”
“This rule will greatly enhance Thoroughbred aftercare efforts,” said Mike Ziegler, executive director, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “Many owners and rescue organizations were hesitant about sending pedigree papers with a horse because they were worried the horse would end up back on the track. Now, the papers can travel with the Thoroughbred to its second career, making it easier to identify and more appealing to new owners.”
– See more at: http://blogs.courier-journal.com/racing/2013/02/27/11824/#sthash.q4VeJM07.dpuf
STEP ON UP AND NEW FRIEND – another great retired racehorse story
STEP ON UP, letter submitted by Elissa Blowe:
Jaroslav Drexler owned the horse and races under the name Equinox Stables. STEP ON UP was named claimer of the year by the TTRC a few years ago. Basically, the horse put trainer Marty Drexler on the map at Woodbine and when they lost him in a claiming race the barn was devastated. The horse made his way to the States and was claimed again and ended up running poorly over and over again for bottom prices, this was making Marty and I sick with worry about his fate. Thanks to numerous phone calls and some great connections helping us along the way we were able to buy him back for $3,000. We knew that we owed it to “Step” to have the retirement he deserved. We brought him home and gave him a year or so to recover from his injuries and other ailments. When the time was right Marty let me bring him here to Fort Erie to a small boarding facility where Cory Clark and I keep our riding horses. With Cory’s help we were able to restart “Step” and find him the perfect lifetime home. Former jockey Nikki Umiker had formed a bond with Step when he was on stall rest at John McInerney’s farm north of Toronto and she was not only able to provide Step with the best of care but she is also his best friend.
Here is a wonderful photo of Step and his buddy Donte. Nikki writes “My little dog Donte loves Steppie. He loves sitting on him while I finish my night chores. Steppie really likes Donte too. My dog will sit right at his feet until I put him on.”
STEP ON UP now lives with Umiker and Donte.
CANADIANS ELSEWHERE
PHIL THE FOX won a maiden $25,000 claiming race at Parx on Feb. 26 for Rainbow End Racing Stable, breeder Ron House. Previously trained by Darren Glennon, the Philanthopost 3yo is out of Foxs Consort by Foxtrail and he was making his first start since his debut late last year when he lost his rider at Woodbine.
MARK FROSTAD 3YO’S work on Thursday:
County Lineman (ON) Colt 3 1:13.80 b 1/2
Pyrite Mountain (ON) Colt 3 1:13.80 b 1/2
WEEKEND STAKES
Horses from the MARK CASSE, BRIAN LYNCH, ROGER ATTFIELD and MALCOLM PIERCE barns are major players in stakes races this weekend, let’s cheer them on!
The big event of the weekend is the BIG ‘CAP, although, for those of us in the east, it’s on at 7:30 at night, it does not seem to be the more interesting race there is, but Game on Dude tries to become the 3rd horse to win the Big Cap twice:
Saturday, Santa Anita Park, post time: 7:30 p.m. EST
SANTA ANITA H.-GI, $750,000, 4yo/up, 1 1/4m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Ron the Greek Full Mandate Lezcano Mott 122
2 Handsome Mike Scat Daddy Gutierrez O’Neill 117
3 Deacon Speakin’ Timber Legend Delgado Pender 108
4 Called to Serve K Afleet Alex Stevens Canani 118
5 Clubhouse Ride Candy Ride (Arg) Bejarano Lewis 115
6 Richard’s Kid Lemon Drop Kid Baze O’Neill 118
7 John Scott Bertrando Garcia Gaines 116
8 Stephanoatsee A.P. Indy Leparoux Motion 116
9 Game on Dude K Awesome Again Smith Baffert 125
10 Guilt Trip Pulpit Talamo Baffert 117
The CASSE stable is looking to get out of a current dry spell in a big way with major players in stakes all over this weekend. American jockeys ride most of the starters but local jockey Patrick Husbands will get a chance to shake things up as he is on last year’s top 3yo PROSPECTIVE at Tampa Bay Downs.
Saturday, Aqueduct, post time: 5:02 p.m. EST
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Champion Boy K Big Brown Castro Guerrero 116
2 Escapefromreality Read the Footnotes Cohen Schettino 116
3 Ore Pass K War Pass Pimentel Trombetta 116
4 Amerigo Vespucci Henrythenavigator Rodriguez Tullock Jr 116
5a Transparent Bernardini Ortiz Jr McLaughlin 116
6a Now and Then Tiznow Alvarado McLaughlin 116
7 Siete de Oros A. P. Warrior Arroyo Preciado 116
8 Vyjack Into Mischief Rosario Rodriguez 123
9 Elnaawi K Street Sense Hill McLaughlin 116
10 Sky Captain K Sky Mesa Mena Casse 116
11 West Hills Giant Frost Giant Espinoza Terranova II 116
12 Overanalyze K Dixie Union Velazquez Pletcher 123
CLEARLY NOW, owned by Leonard Zneith’s Uphill Stable, is one to seriously consider in the Swale:
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:35 p.m. EST
SWALE S.-GIII, $150,000, 3yo, 7f
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Undrafted K Purim Garcia Ward 117
2 Merit Man With Distinction Desormeaux Hess Jr 121
3 Little Distorted K Distorted Humor Bravo Wolfson 117
4 Dighton B L’s Appeal Cruz Cintron Jr 117
5 Clearly Now K Horse Greeley Saez Lynch 117
6 Gombey Dancer Dixie Union Lanerie Kenneally 117
7 Nevada K Tapit Lopez Orseno 117
8 Tulira Castle War Pass Trujillo DiVito 117
9 Triple Cross Werblin Pino Rice 119
10 Forty Tales Tale of the Cat Castellano Pletcher 117
11 Singanothersong Songandaprayer Santana Pellegrini 117
12 Res Judicata Smarty Jones Rocco Jr Servis 119
13 Are You Kidding Me Run Away and Hide Prado Attfield 117
TAMPA BAY
Race 8 – 4:15 PM Daily Double / Exacta / Trifecta ($.50 minimum) / Superfecta ($.10 minimum) Pick 3 ($.50 minimum) (Races 8-9-10) / Pick 4 ($.50 minimum) (Races 8-9-10-11)
STAKES
Challenger S.
Purse $60,000. For Four Year Olds And Upward. One And One Sixteenth Miles.
PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Shellback (PA) 6/G L D Coa 118 G S Bennett
2 Argentine Tango (FL) 4/C L F Jara 118 S I Gold
3 Nicklaus Way (KY) 4/G L A Serpa 118 I R Wilkes
4 Thank U Philippe (FL) 6/G L D Centeno 120 M D Wolfson
5 Flatter This (KY) 6/H L A A Gallardo 118 K O’Connell
6 Th Original Scotty (ON) 5/H L R Feliciano 118 Y Belsoeur
7 Prospective (KY) 4/C L P Husbands 124 M E Casse
8 Meowser (KY) 4/C L R D Allen, Jr. 118 I R Wilkes
TURFWAY Race 9 – 5:11 PM
STAKES
John Battaglia Memorial S.
Purse $75,000. For Three-Year-Olds. This race will be limited to twelve starters. Preference to startwill be given in the following order: Graded/Group Stakes winners (in order I-II-III). Stakes winners, then highest career earnings. Failure to draw into this race cancels all fees. Nominations closed Thursday, February 21, 2013 with 48 nominations. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (All Weather Track)
PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Stormin Monarcho (KY) 3/C L F Geroux 118 J Berndt
2 Silver Tongued (OH) 3/C L R Morales 124 J L Greenhill
3 Mellow Fellow (KY) 3/G L P W Ouzts 118 T Richardson
4 Let’s Run (KY) 3/C L B Creed 118 M J Maker
5 Admiral Kitten (KY) 3/C L F C Torres 124 M J Maker
6 For Greater Glory (KY) 3/C L M Pedroza 118 S Hobby
7 General Election (KY) 3/C L A Jimenez 118 K Gorder
8 Takin the Sloroad (KY) 3/G L T L Pompell 118 G S Bush
9 Bye Bye Bernie (KY) 3/C L R A Prescott 118 K J Breen
10 Star Contender (ON) 3/C L N Arroyo, Jr. 124 M E Casse
11 Avare (KY) 3/R L S J Sellers 124 D F O’Neill
12 Giant Finish (NY) 3/C L G Saez 118 A W Dutro
BLACK GOLD STAKES AT FAIR GROUNDS
Queen’s Plate contender UP WITH THE BIRDS, winner of the Coronation Futurity, makes his 3yo debut in the Black Gold Stakes on the grass at Fair Grounds in Saturday. The Stormy Atlantic colt has never tried turf but looks like a serious factor in the race.
Trainer Malcolm Pierce also has Canadian-bred TONIGHT WE DANCE in the LaCombe Stakes on the grass on the same card. She is owned by Mike Ambler and is making her grass debut.
Spendthrift expands “Breed Secure” program to Canada
Spendthrift Farm is introducing its popular “Breed Secure” program to Canadian breeders in 2013 through its Canada-based, Grade 1-winning stallions Court Vision and Victor’s Cry, who are both standing their second season at Park Stud in Ontario.
The Breed Secure program was launched two years ago to relieve commercial breeders of the risk of paying stud fees on some of Spendthrift’s young stallions, and the program was recently expanded to 10 of Spendthrift’s Kentucky-based stallions, as well as in New York with Dublin and Louisiana with My Pal Charlie. Now Canadian breeders will be able to take advantage of the program.
“The bottom line is that breeders deserve a better deal, and Breed Secure is one of the programs Spendthrift has to help level the playing field between the breeder and stallion owner,” said B. Wayne Hughes, owner of Spendthrift Farm. “We’re pleased about how well-received it’s been by breeders, and we look forward to offering it to Canadian breeders with two young stallions we’re very excited about.”
The Breed Secure program works like this: The breeder has the freedom to choose the sale of the resulting offspring, either as a weanling or a yearling at public auction. Upon sale, the breeder gets the first proceeds up to $6,000 for a weanling, or $12,000 for a yearling. Any dollars after those amounts would go towards paying back the stud fee, and once the stud fee is paid back the breeder gets to keep the balance. Any shortcomings are completely forgiven if the sale doesn’t meet the minimum for Spendthrift to receive any proceeds, and Spendthrift is only entitled to receiving a maximum of the full amount of the stud fee and nothing more.
“I believe it’s a far superior alternative to foal sharing, and maybe it will eventually replace foal sharing in the industry,” said Hughes. “Breed Secure allows commercial breeders to breed a mare to a stallion of their choice without having any risk as it relates to the stud fee. When that breeder takes his or her weanling or yearling to sale, if he or she doesn’t make a reasonable profit then not a dime of the stud fee will be owed to Spendthrift. Hopefully there is a tremendous profit made at sale, and when that happens, he or she would only be responsible for paying back the stud fee and not a dime more.”
For more information on the Breed Secure program and how it could benefit your commercial breeding program, please contact Ken Wilkins at 888-816-8787 or 859-699-4887, or Park Stud at 519-941-3944.
FANS asking QUESTIONS about Beyer Figures
Comments on the following story by Dick Jerardi came in fast and furious as fans and readers try to figure out Beyer Speed Figures these days and the fact that they are not based just on final time..
Making Beyer Speed Figures is an art/science based on mathematics. That was never more obvious than last Saturday at Fair Grounds when Randy Moss, one of the original fig makers on the Beyer team, was confronted with data that was, at first glance, confusing.
The Mineshaft Handicap…
http://www.drf.com/news/dick-jerardi-beyer-figures-not-always-based-just-final-time
