NOW

RACING AND THE WINDS OF CHANGE

Ban of race day medication expected to be announced by AGCO

Haven’t we had this discussion before?

A quick Google search of ‘banning race day medications’ in horse racing will yield a plethora of news items going back five, 10 years and more. The Toronto Star featured a story on the Ontario Racing Commission contemplating such a move in 2014.

The tragic string of horse deaths at Santa Anita this winter and the subsequent announcement from Belinda Stronach and The Stronach Group that race day medications will indeed be banned once that track is up and running again March 29 seems to have finally got things moving.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is expected to announce next week a ban of race-day medication for the three racing breeds in this province. Lasix (furosemide), the anti-bleeding medication, is expected to continue be allowed.

There can be up to two dozen other “medications” administered to a racehorse on a race day including settling agents, vitamins and other anti-bleeding products.

There is a general consensus that the influx of medications for racehorses has played a part in weakening the breed. Check out the comments from SETH HANCOCK of Claiborne Farm below:

An informal, brief poll of horsepeople by Thoroughblog heard that the race-day medication ban was welcomed.

The ban is expected to note that veterinarians, other than the commission vet, will not be allowed in the barn when a horse is entered to race.

The Canadian Pari Mutuel Agency, which has put its revamped elimination guidelines on hold, is expected to eventually release these shortly with stricter withdrawal times for other treatments and procedures including Bute and Clenbuterol.

In the news currently is the use of bisphosphonates (tradenames Tildren and Osphos) which can delay the healing process in bones. Dr. Larry Bramlage spoke on this a year ago and previously as early as 2015.

While these monumental changes for horse racing can only be viewed as imperative for the health and safety of racehorses (and humans), there are other topics that remain to be addressed such as the long term effects of cortisone injections in joints (“tapping”).

And then there is the whip, which will be a major topic of discussion on March 28 of the California Horse Racing Board.

Some jurisdictions, such as Ontario, have whip rules that have seen the ‘crop’ made more into a bat with it’s shape and size, acting more of a noisemaker. Also, there are restrictions on how many times you can whip a horse in succession before a rider must give the horse a stride to respond.

However, this does not eliminate the daily visions of jockeys flailing away as a horse is fading through the stretch or trailing the field. It is much more disturbing to watch at tracks that do not have these whip rules in place. The public simply won’t stand for it anymore and nor should racing.

Taking away the whip does not seem to make sense and how tracks will be able to regulate what constitutes too much whipping in the stretch run will be difficult.

Horsepeople are accountable, veterinarians are accountable. Owners need to be educated on what their horse is getting each month. Trainers must do what is right for the horse and most of them do. Let’s continue to work on this.

KENTUCKY DERBY: CURRENT FAVOURITE WAR OF WILL GETS FINAL ‘PREP’

It is a $1 million race so not exactly a ‘prep race’ but the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on Saturday at 6:13 p.m. is the final race for current Kentucky Derby favourite WAR OF WILL. The Gary Barber 3-year-old colt, trained by Mark Casse, has won two stakes races on the Fair Grounds dirt and will be odds on to make it three straight.

War of Will is the handsome colt bought overseas by Mark Casse’s brother Justin.

Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Ltd., War of Will was originally bought back for $175,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. Justin Casse picked the colt out of the Arqana 2-year-old Breeze Up sale last May in France, and brought him back to the United States for a price of $298,550. Out of a daughter of Sadler’s Wells (Visions of Clarity, half-sister to 1997 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Spinning World), War of Will was racing on turf last year and placed second in the G1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine in his second outing. After a tough trip and fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, the colt romped in a maiden race on the sloppy main track at Churchill Downs. From his six career starts, War of Will owns two wins, a second and a third with earnings nearing $250,000.

Canadian Press published this story on how Casse is comfortable with War of Will being a Derby favourite.

Saturday, Fair Grounds, post time: 6:13 p.m. EDT  
TWINSPIRES.COM LOUISIANA DERBY S.-GII, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m

PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Roiland Successful Appeal James & Mary Durlacher Amoss Graham 122
2 Lemniscate Exchange Rate Susan Moulton & Magdalena Racing McPeek Hernandez, Jr. 122
3 Limonite K Lemon Drop Kid Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing Asmussen Ortiz 122
4 Sueno K Atreides Silverton Hill LLC Desormeaux Lanerie 122
5 By My Standards Goldencents Allied Racing Stable, LLC Calhoun Saez 122
6 War of Will K War Front Gary Barber Casse Gaffalione 122
7 Mr. Money K Goldencents Allied Racing Stable, LLC Calhoun Beschizza 122
8 Country House Lookin At Lucky Mrs. J. V. Shields, Jr., E. J. M. McFadden, Jr. LNJ Foxwoods Mott Saez 122
9 Bankit Central Banker Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing Asmussen Ortiz, Jr. 122
10 Spinoff Hard Spun Wertheimer and Frere Pletcher Velazquez 122
11 Hog Creek Hustle K Overanalyze Something Special Racing, LLC Foley Mena 122

In New Mexico on Sunday evening, the SUNLAND DERBY (G3), worth a whopping $800,000, could yield a major Kentucky Derby contender and Canadian PETER REDEKOP hopes it is his colt ANOTHERTWISTAFATE, a son of Scat Daddy. Read Canadian Thoroughbred‘s feature (paywall) on Peter Redekop in the latest issue.

Undefeated in his last 3 starts over the synthetic dirt at Golden Gate Fields, including a 7 length in the El Camino Real Derby, Anothertwistafate is making his second start on the dirt. He lost his debut in a sprint on dirt but has not been beaten since stretching out to route distances. Trained by Blaine Wright, the speedy colt has 10 Kentucky Derby points and would get 50 more if he were to win the Sunland Derby. He would need to win to be assured a spot in the Derby field. The colt’s El Camino win, however, earned him an automatic berth in the Preakness Stakes.

Anothertwistafate is the 3 to 1 second choice behind MUCHO GUSTO (Mucho Macho Man), from the Bob Baffert barn. This colt won the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in his last start.

Sunday, Sunland, post time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
SUNLAND PARK DERBY-GIII, $800,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Mucho Gusto  Mucho Macho Man Michael Lund Petersen Baffert Talamo 122
2 Anothertwistafate Scat Daddy Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Wright Hernandez 122
3 Hustle Up Abstraction Dale F. Taylor Racing, McQueen, B & Kirby, S Fincher Laviolette 122
4 Wicked Indeed Tapit Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC Asmussen Contreras 122
5 Cutting Humor  First Samurai Starlight Racing Pletcher Velazquez 122
6 Walker Stalker Stroll Gallegos Del Norte Racing Gonzalez, Jr. Medellin 122
7 Pasamonte Man  Strong Mandate Sam Britt Marr Tohill 122
8 Collusionist Ez Effort Eli Diamant Martinez, Jr. Juarez, Jr. 122
9 Diamond Blitz  Munnings Dart, Ron and Gwendolyn L. Desormeaux Desormeaux 122
10 Eye Cloud Point of Entry Mike Powers Norris Enriquez 122

**ESCAPE CLAUSE, the Manitoba-bred sensation, is also in action at Sunland on Sunday night. The amazing mare of Don Schnell is 5 to 2 and second choice for the $100,000 Harry Henson Stakes at 1 mile on the dirt.

WINX: the penultimate race on ‘Slipper’ night

Golden Slipper highlights Rosehill card Friday night

Winx will face eight rivals in the Group One George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill on [Friday night]  in what is set to be her penultimate race.

The star mare will start from post eight in the nine-horse field as she shoots for her 32nd straight win and 24th victory at Group One level.

She will be joined from the Chris Waller stable by Prompt Response and Ringerdingding.

George Ryder Stakes – Final Field and Barriers
No. Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp      Rating

1 LAND OF PLENTY Peter & Paul Snowden 1 59kg                  110
2 DREAMFORCE John Thompson Damian Lane 7 59kg        109
3 SO SI BON David & B Hayes, T Dabernig D. Oliver 6 59      101
4 WINX Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 8 57kg                              132
5 PROMPT RESPONSE Chris Waller 3 57kg                              112
6 EGG TART Chris Waller 2 57kg                                                 106
7 TELEPLAY Mick Price Tim Clark 5 57kg                                  95
8 RINGERDINGDING Chris Waller J.s McDonald 9 56kg      95
9 BRUTAL (NZ) Michael, Wayne,J.Hawkes T. Berry 4 56kg   94

The owners of the mare TELEPLAY are just thrilled to get a chance to race against Winx, as reported on Racing.com.

“She’ll beat us 100 yards but we’re a chance to run in the first four with the track going to be so wet.

The big race on the card is the prestigious GOLDEN SLIPPER (post time is approximately 1 a.m.), the richest race for 2-year-olds worth $3.5 million. The fancy colt YES YES YES drew a wide post and Coolmore Stud recently bought 50% of the son of first year sire RUBICK.

WOODBINE’S 3RD ANNUAL DERBY DAY PARTY

In an continued effort to draw new fans and prospective owners into racing, Woodbine is set to put on another big event.

Tickets are now on sale for Woodbine’s 3rd annual Derby Day Party, which will be held at the Toronto racetrack on Saturday, May 4 in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.

Woodbine’s first must-attend social event of the Thoroughbred season celebrates the 145th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby with a viewing of the first jewel of the U.S. Triple Crown from Churchill Downs.

Beginning at 12 noon on the first Saturday in May, this year’s event will be held in the Post Parade Dining Room, providing party-goers with a unique vantage point to take in Woodbine’s live racing action throughout the day.

Woodbine’s internationally-trained culinary team will serve up a new Southern-style menu created for this year’s Derby Day Party including 24-Hour Smoked Prime Beef Brisket, Rolled Chesapeake Oyster and Crab, Roasted Nectarine Benedictine Tea Sandwiches, Salted Caramel Cheesecake and Bourbon Pecan Balls.

General admission tickets for Woodbine’s Derby Day Party are $75. VIP tickets, which will include access to exclusive seating and open bar privileges, are available for $115. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ca.