SCORES

SATURDAY INFORMATION SESSION ON RACE-DAY MEDICATION BAN IN ONTARIO

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is holding an information session regarding the upcoming race-day medication ban, this weekend at Woodbine.

Since AGCO released Thoroughbred Directive No. 1: Standards, the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario says its members have many questions. In a statement online, they said: “Our members have reached out with their questions and concerns regarding this directive and future protocol. The HBPA has been engaged with the AGCO for clarification and moderation of the rule. The race day medication ban will now take effect 24 hours from post time of the first race.

“As a result of the conversations, questions and inquiries, the AGCO has scheduled an information session for this Saturday April 13th at 11:00 a.m. in the backstretch recreation room at Woodbine Race Track.”

The HBPA of Ontario urges its members, owners and trainers to attend.

WINX: HER FINAL RACE LATE TONIGHT

World’s top racehorse going out with a bang

Okay, so you have to get up early in the morning to tend to your horses.

But if there is one night that you might want to forfeit a little bit of sleep it will be tonight when the amazing WINX, the Australian mare who has done the impossible over the last two years, races for the last time.

The daughter of Street Cry (Ire) takes a 32-race winning streak into the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick racecourse late tonight (Saturday in Australia).

The $2.8 million race at 1 1/4 miles on turf goes at 1:05 a.m. EST.

Winx Stats

36 wins in 42 races

32 straight wins

24 straight Group 1 wins

$24 million AUS ($22.9 CDN)

Winx’s trainer Chris Waller talks to Andrew Webster of the Sydney Morning Herald today about the journey with the great mare (see innk below).

Waller appeared to be under the most pressure in early 2017 as the hype round Winx ramped up. He struggled with the media interest and scrutiny.

“That year she was expected to equal Kingston Town’s record of three Cox Plates,” he says. “She was public property. Everyone thinks winning is a given with her but with horses it’s not that easy. There are so many variables that can go against you.” – trainer Chris Waller

Meanwhile, the feisty mare was doing a media junket on Thursday sans ear muffs, which she wears regularly. That proved to be a dicey move as the 8-year-old started bucking as she was being led from the media area.

Trainer Chris Waller  told the Sydney Morning Herald:

“I shouldn’t have taken the ear muffs off this morning. I just wanted to take them off so you could all see her without the ear phones on. As soon as I did she could hear the clicking and the clacking so I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

Read Andrew Webster’s story about the public life of Winx here.

KENTUCKY DERBY – THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Canadian owned Anothertwistafate must win Lexington

with files from Keeneland media

Nobody said getting to the Kentucky Derby was easy, and the road traveled for Peter Redekop’s Anothertwistafate already has hit one minor speed bump.

After finishing second in the Sunland Park Derby (G3) on March 24, Anothertwistafate was scheduled to return to his home base at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California.

“We decided the next day to stay because of the quarantine at Golden Gate (for equine herpesvirus-1), and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” trainer Blaine Wright said. “The weather was good there (at Sunland), and he worked well (:46.80 for a half-mile) the day before we left last week.”

With the runner-up finish at Sunland, Anothertwistafate added 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to bring his total to 30, a figure that ranks 23rd on the leaderboard. The Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners and invitees that pass the entry box.

Two qualifying races remain and both are Saturday: the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and the Stonestreet Lexington (G3) at Keeneland. Anothertwistafate was entered Wednesday in the Stonestreet Lexington with Javier Castellano to ride the Scat Daddy colt for the first time. The race has 34 Derby points available on a 20-8-4-2 distribution to the top four finishers. The current cut line is 37.5 points.

“After Saturday, we’ll find out,” the 44-year-old Wright said of his plans for the final leg of the Derby journey. “I don’t know if I would work him in between (the Stonestreet Lexington and the Kentucky Derby). It depends on how he comes out of this. His races have been spaced out and he is carrying good flesh.”

A native of Washington, Wright never has started a horse at Keeneland.

“I have been to the races here once on a weekday,” said Wright, who also has stakes winner Anyportinastorm here. “I may run (Anyportinastorm) here or wait for an allowance race at Churchill.”

Although Wright is new to the races here, part of his team is not.

Anothertwistafate’s groom, Pascual Garcia, formerly worked for trainer Greg Gilchrist and was the groom for 2005 champion sprinter Lost in the Fog.

STONESTREET LEXINGTON S.-GIII, $200,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Shang Shanghai Bobby Heiligbrodt, L. William and Corinne Asmussen Ortiz, Jr. 120
2 Hawaiian Noises Super Saver Wesley A. Ward Ward Velazquez 118
3 Sueno K Atreides Silverton Hill LLC Desormeaux Lanerie 118
4 Anothertwistafate Scat Daddy Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd. Wright Castellano 120
5 Harvey Wallbanger Congrats Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, Akman, Scott K. McPeek Hernandez, Jr. 123
6 Chase the Ghost Ghostzapper Holy Cow Stable, LLC Stewart Mena 118
7 Knicks Go K Paynter KRA Stud Farm Colebrook Jimenez 123
8 Owendale K Into Mischief Rupp Racing Cox Geroux 118
9 Zenden K Fed Biz Pichi Investments LLC Barboza, Jr. Gaffalione 118
10 Roiland Successful Appeal Durlacher, James and Mary Amoss Graham 118
Breeders: 1-Cloyce C. Clark Jr., 2-Wesley Ward, 3-Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc., 4-Pursuit of Success LLC, 5-Tony Holmes & Dr. & Mrs. Walter Zent, 6-Himanshu Shukla, 7-Angie Moore, 8-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC, 9-Brent Harris & Beth Harris, 10-James M. Durlacher & Mary Durlacher

ANOTHERTWISTAFATE is the 2 to 1 favourite to win the Lexington on Saturday.

Also at Keeneland on Lexington day John Oxley’s Canadian-bred colt Flameaway who has shown affinity for Keeneland during his career winning the Dixiana Bourbon (G3) on a sloppy track as a 2-year-old in 2017 and finishing second to Good Magic in last spring’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2) starts in the Ben Ali (G3).

Bred by Deb Holmes on B.C., the son of Scat Daddy has rounded into better form for trainer Mark Casse.

“He tailed off a little bit at the end of last year, but he came to us at the Fair Grounds (at the end of December) in great shape,” said David Carroll, who runs trainer Mark Casse’s Keeneland string and also oversaw the Fair Grounds contingent this winter. “We are very happy with him and he really blossomed here last spring.”

Winner of the Challenger at Tampa Bay on March 9 in his most recent start, Flameaway comes into the Ben Ali off two sharp works here: 5 furlongs in :59.80 on March 30 and a half-mile in :47.40 on April 6.

At Oaklawn, trainer Bob Baffert will try to add to his Derby fleet with Improbable, who is the 8 to 5 favourite to win the 9 furlong Arkansas Derby.

The race features Rebel winner Long Range Toddy and his rival Omaha Beach.

Saturday, Oaklawn, post time: 7:43 p.m. EDT
ARKANSAS DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Improbable  City Zip WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International,Ltd, Starlight Racing Baffert Ortiz 122
2 Six Shooter Trappe Shot Dundalk 5 LLC, N P H Stable and Herek, Wes Holthus Cohen 122
3 Omaha Beach  War Front Fox Hill Farms, Inc. Mandella Smith 122
4 Tikhvin Flew  Street Sense Bloom Racing Stable, LLC and Madaket Stables, LLC Asmussen Baze 118
5 Laughing Fox  Union Rags Lieblong, Alex and JoAnn Asmussen Santana, Jr. 118
6 Gray Attempt  Graydar Dwight Pruett Fires Elliott 122
7 Galilean Uncle Mo West Point Thoroughbreds, Barker, Denise and Hollendorfer Prat 122
8 Country House Lookin At Lucky Shields, Jr., Mrs. J. V., LNJ Foxwoods,McFadden, Jr., E. J. M. and Mott Rosario 118
9 One Flew South  Giant’s Causeway Zedan Racing Stables Inc O’Neill Borel 118
10 Jersey Agenda Jersey Town Charles E. Fipke Asmussen Vazquez 118
11 Long Range Toddy Take Charge Indy Willis Horton Racing LLC Asmussen Court 122

Breeders: 1-St. George Farm LLC & G. WattsHumphrey Jr., 2-Craig D. Upham, 3-Charming Syndicate, 4-Mineola Farm II, LLC & Silent GroveFarms, LLC, 5-Chester & Anne Prince, 6-Wynnstay LLC, Donna Moore &Jim Richardson, 7-Bar C Racing Stables, Inc., 8-J. V. Shields, Jr., 9-Gabriel Duignan, William Duignan &Tranquility Investments Limited, 10-Charles Fipke, 11-Willis Horton Racing LLC

ESCAPE CLAUSE & WONDER GADOT GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN G1 ON SUNDAY

Well, it is not happening on Canadian soil but the two top Canadian-bred older gals will have a battle royale on Sunday out at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, ARK.

The incredible ESCAPE CLAUSE, up for Champion Older Mare at this coming Thursday’s Sovereign Awards hosted by the Jockey Club of Canada,  gets a chance at Grade 1 glory on Sunday in the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap.

Canadian star Escape Clause arrived Monday night after a 21-hour van ride from her base at Turf Paradise in Phoenix to run in the race for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Awaiting her is champion Wonder Gadot, expected to be named Canadian Horse of the Year Thursday night, and Grade 1 winner MIDNIGHT BISOU.

Wonder Gadot, by the high class American sire Medaglia D’Oro was bred in Ontario by David Anderson and is owned by Gary Barber. Midnight Bisou is by double Breeders’ Cup Sprint champ Midnight Lute.

Escape Clause is from blue collar bloodlines as a Manitoba-bred by Going Commando, who stands at Ziprick Thoroughbreds  for a fee of $1,250.

Going Commando was a 3-time winner on the track from 16 races and he is out of stakes winning mare regal Miss Copelan.

Going Commando’s 2nd dam is Fort Erie stakes winner (Ontario Colleen) Regal Pennant. This is the successful breeding line of Ontario breeder Ian MacIntosh. Escape Clause’s dam is CTHS Sales Stakes winner Danger Pay, a daughter of Coronation Futurity and Plate Trial Stakes winner CIRCULATING, a son of Bold Ruckus who was bred by Gus Schickedanz and races for Phil Sherwood and Sheehan Farms.

Owner-trainer Don Schnell said Escape Clause left Sunday morning and the lengthy trip, approximately 1,300 miles, was broken up with an overnight stop in Odessa, Texas.

Escape Clause, a 5-year-old, will represent the first Oaklawn and Grade 1 starter for Schnell, 66, a trainer for 45 years.

“It seems like the older she gets the better she gets,” Schnell said Wednesday morning. “People thought I was crazy to bring her down to Del Mar to run her in a stake there and at Santa Anita. I always had faith in her. I’m used to training $3,000, $4,000 horses. I don’t get the chance to train good horses and she developed into a good one. Maybe we’re crazy, but I’m going to give her a try at one Grade 1.”

Escape Clause has been a win machine in Canada and the Pacific and Mountain time zones, capturing 20 of 30 career starts, including the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap March 24 at Sunland Park in her last start when she set a track record (1:34) for a mile. Escape Clause is an 18-time stakes winner, owns track records for 6 ½ furlongs and 7 furlongs at Century Downs in Canada and finished second against males in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby in 2017 at Assiniboia Downs in Canada.

Schnell said Tyler Baze, a recent addition to the Oaklawn jockey colony, will ride Escape Clause in the Apple Blossom, among the country’s biggest events for older fillies and mares. Baze has ridden Escape Clause in her last three starts, including a 5 ½-length victory in the $100,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 12 at Santa Anita. Escape Clause won the Harry Henson by 7 ¼ lengths.

Sunday, Oaklawn, post time: 5:42 p.m. EDT
APPLE BLOSSOM H.-GI, $750,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Elate Medaglia d’Oro Claiborne Farm and Dilschneider, Adele B. Mott Ortiz 120
2 Chocolate Martini  Broken Vow Double Doors Racing & Nine Thirty Racing Amoss Bridgmohan 116
3 Escape Clause Going Commando Schnell, Don, Arnason, Barry and True North Schnell Baze 117
4 Viva Forever  Milwaukee Brew Ron Paolucci Racing, LLC Walder De La Cruz 114
5 Wonder Gadot  Medaglia d’Oro Gary Barber Casse Cohen 118
6 Midnight Bisou  Midnight Lute Bloom Racing Stable, LLC, Madaket Stables LLC Asmussen Smith 122

Breeders: 1-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider, 2-Savino A. Capilupi, 3-Cam Ziprick & Arnason Farms, 4-Paul O’Sullivan, 5-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., 6-Woodford Thoroughbreds

SEAN CLANCY WRITES ABOUT THE WHIP

Jockey turned journalist suggests not turning the whip over in a race

While the California Horse Racing Board announced this week that today’s races will NOT be whipless races after all, there are continued conversations about the use of the whip in horse racing.

As Clancy mentions, there is simply no reason for flailing whips in any race. A horse is fading back to last place? A horse is winning by 10 lengths? You see it at most tracks every day and wonder what in the world is that rider doing?

It is hard to argue that whipping a horse in the heat of a battle makes the race a bit harder on a horse.

“We struggle to keep horses sound, I mean struggle. The fragility of the horse is shocking. Own them, manage them, the attrition rate is rapid, flat and jump, America and Europe. Beyond physical soundness, we are constantly trying to keep horses mentally sound, trying to keep them calm, trying to build trust, trying to work as a team. Then, on game day, you hand over the horse to get whipped. It doesn’t make sense. Do whips lead to harder races for horses? They certainly can’t make them easier, that we know.” – SEAN CLANCY

The solution? Why not ban a rider from turning the stick over? In Ontario there is a rule that the whip cannot be raised up over shoulder height and it is a rule that is generally well followed but there are still plenty of fines each year. Restricting whip use to keeping it turned down seems like a good place to start the move to whipless races.