UPWARD

 CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING BOARD MEETING

“Horse racing is an insular society and far too many people
were completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation. It’s not
1935 anymore. People love animals and don’t want to see them
be abused. That’s why there’s no more circus, no more
SeaWorld and why 41 states have laws on the books outlawing
dog racing.” ~ Bill Finley-TDN

Changes are in the air for horse racing, beginning in California which will have a reboot of the sport Friday at Santa Anita. The track has been closed for racing for three weeks after 23 horse fatalities but has been open recently for training. This past week, Kentucky Derby contender Gunmetal Grey fractured a leg in a workout on the Santa Anita main track and he has since had surgery.

The much anticipated California Horse Racing Board meeting on Thursday attracted owners, trainers, breeders, vets plus The Stronach Group’s Belinda Stronach, Tim Ritvo and Mike Rogers. A variety of topics were addressed including race-day medication, Lasix and the whip. The condition of the main track was also discussed.

At the end of it, protocols were put in place for race-day medications that will be banned and there was a unanimous vote to ban the use of the whip in a race for anything other than safety. The latter will still  have to go through a few other steps to become law.

Reaction to this meeting and to today’s re-opening of Santa Anita is mixed. As quoted above, these sad and scary last few weeks were the worst in horse racing’s modern-day history. Those who love horses, and love the sport – whether it’s from inside the barn, at a betting window, or behind a computer – have been rocked by what has happened at Santa Anita. And most knew this was coming. Perception IS reality and when the public has a negative opinion we must do what we can to address those concerns by changing our behaviour.

RIDING CROP BAN IN CALIFORNIA

Unanimously approved by CHRB pending 45-day public comment period

Arcadia, CA (March 28, 2019) — Santa Anita Park will resume live racing on Friday, March 29, under rules which modernize the sport of horse racing and provide the strongest medication regulations in the United States. Approval for a complete revision of the medication rules, which were agreed upon by The Stronach Group, parent company of Santa Anita, and the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), was passed this afternoon by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) at their monthly meeting.

Additionally, the CHRB unanimously voted to approve an amendment that limits a jockey’s cushion crop use as a corrective safety measure only, modernizing the centuries-old practice of striking a horse to make it run faster. As is California regulation, the rule must go out for a 45-day public comment period before it can be enacted by the Board. Jockeys racing at Santa Anita on Friday will do so under the current crop rules.

“Today was a watershed moment. We extend our thanks to the California Horse Racing Board for their swift and decisive action to evolve the great sport of horse racing not just for today, but to grow it for future generations,” said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President of The Stronach Group. “We commend not only the CHRB and Chairman Chuck Winner, but all of our industry partners, including the TOC and the California Thoroughbred Trainers, for taking these unified steps to lead the nation for the health and safety of our equine and human athletes. TSG continues to be committed to the principles of safe horse racing and are proud to lead the way in California. We are looking forward to working with our stakeholders in other jurisdictions and expediting these reforms at our all of our racetracks to put the horses first.”

Effective Friday, horses racing at the two tracks will do so with medication rules consistent with, or more restrictive than, the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) standards, which are the world’s benchmark for equine safety and welfare. This means that horses will race with no race day medication with the exception of the diuretic Lasix, which will still be permitted, but at a maximum of 50% of the previous levels. Additionally, all horses born in or after 2018 will race at Santa Anita and Golden Gate will do so with no race day medication, including Lasix. This means all two-year-old horses starting in 2020 and after will be racing medication free.

Two weeks ago, Stronach published an Open Letter addressing the Future of Thoroughbred Racing in California calling for sweeping changes to modernize the sport and raise the standards of how racing and training is conducted. In addition to today’s CHRB decisions, Santa Anita has implemented a number of enhanced protocols and procedures to help ensure racing and training safety and integrity. These include transparency of veterinary records, approval for workouts, and a commitment to purchase state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to aid trainers and veterinarians in identifying pre-existing conditions before they become injuries. This also includes a continued commitment to engage independent racetrack surface experts to continually review both the dirt and turf courses for consistency, composition and compaction.

Read Bill Finley’s Op/Ed in the Thoroughbred Daily News

 

FROM DUBAI TO GULFSTREAM IT IS A RACING LOVER’S DREAM DAY

*Thoroughblog will have Florida Derby day selections and Rainbow 6 thoughts Saturday morning

Saturday morning on this side of the world we will once again be watching one of the biggest racing days in the world. It is Dubai World Cup Day where $35 million will be doled out in purses. You cannot bet on racing in Dubai at Meydan racetrack but we can here and it is always an intriguing puzzle to sort out US, Japanese, European and Saudi horses. In fact, it is always a bit odd to see so many Saudi horses, some of them quite old and past their prime, in these rich races. There is no Lasix either. But with that we have still seen great performances including World Cup wins by the likes of Cigar, Arrogate and others.

There are no major stars in the World Cup field and in fact NORTH AMERICA, owned by Ramzan Kadyrov, is the morning line favourite and this one-dimensional front runner was beaten 51 lengths in the World Cup last year.

THUNDER SNOW, winner of last year’s World Cup, was 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Classic so he is a good horse, as is Gunnevera, who was 2nd in the Classic.

YOSHIDA has shown flashes of brilliance and Canadian owned SEEKING THE SOUL, while unproven at 1 1/4 miles, was 2nd in the Pegasus World Cup.

**Free Equibase PPs

**To get a ton of info and see lots of photos, visit http://horse-races.net/

DUBAI WORLD CUP FIELD

Post Horse Jockey Trainer Odds
1 Gunnevera E. Jaramillo A. Sano 14-1
2 Capezzano M. Barzalona S. bin Ghadayer 5-1
3 North America R. Mullen S. Seemar 7-2
4 Audible F. Prat T. Pletcher 11-1
5 Seeking the Soul M. Smith D. Stewart 8-1
6 Pavel J. Rosario D. O’Neill 40-1
7 Gronkowski O. Murphy S. bin Ghadayer 25-1
8 Axelrod R. Ffrench S. bin Ghadayer 20-1
9 New Trails C. Beasley A. bin Harmash 33-1
10 Yoshida J. Ortiz W. Mott 8-1
11 K T Brave J. Moreira H. Sugiyama 25-1
12 Thunder Snow C. Soumillon S. bin Suroor 4-1
13 Dolkong O. Doleuze S. Foster 16-1

DUBAI SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MORNING

Post Time Race     Purse Race Name        Notes

7:45 a.m. ET 1        $1 Million Dubai Kahayla Classic (Arabians)

8:15 a.m. ET 2         $1.5 Million Godolphin Mile – last year’s winner HEAVY METAL is now 9, he is in dull form; MUNTAZAH (Dubawi) is the big fave

8:50 a.m. ET 3       $1.5 Million Dubai Gold Cup (T) – 2 miles, Melbourne Cup winner CROSS COUNTER is the fave

9:30 a.m. ET 4        $2 Million Al Quoz Sprint (T) –2 time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner STORMY LIBERAL faces BLUE POINT

10:05 a.m. ET 5      $2.5 Million UAE Derby – Canadian bred RAZEENA (maiden filly by Malibu Moon bred by David Anderson) and Canadian-bred VAN BEETHOVEN (Scat Daddy) bred by Ballycroy Training Centre are in tough against filly DIVINE IMAGE

10:40 a.m. ET 6      $2.5 Million Dubai Golden Shaheen – American sprint stars IMPERIAL HINT, XY JET and PROMISES FULFILLED have the inside posts

11:20 a.m. ET 7      $6 Million Dubai Turf (T) – the amazing mare ALMOND EYE, Japan Cup winner, is odds on; John and Tanya Gunther of Vancouver will start their Group 1 winner WITHOUT PAROLE

12:00 noon ET 8     $6 Million Dubai Sheema Classic (T) – Canadian International winner DESERT ENCOUNTER is razor sharp

12:40 p.m. ET 9   $12 Million Dubai World Cup – big field with last year’s winner THUNDER SNOW meeting Canadian owned SEEKING THE SOUL, US fellow GUNNEVERA and Ky Derby 3rd AUDIBLE in wide open race

FLORIDA DERBY DAY – IS HIDDEN SCROLL A KENTUCKY DERBY HORSE?

6:30 p.m. post for huge KY Derby stepping stone, Mandatory Rainbow 6 payout

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, Gulfstream, post time: 6:30 p.m. EDT
XPRESSBET FLORIDA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY WT

1 Hidden Scroll Hard Spun Juddmonte Farms, Inc. Mott Castellano 122
2 Current  Curlin Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert V. LaPenta Pletcher Franco 122
3 Harvey Wallbanger Congrats Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, McPeek Hernandez, Jr. 122
-Scott K. Akman, Paul Braverman, Magdalena Racing & David A. Bernsen, LLC.
4 Bourbon War  Tapit Bourbon Lane Stable & Lake Star Stable Hennig Ortiz, Jr. 122
5 Everfast Take Charge Indy Calumet Farm Romans Landeros 122
6 Hard Belle  Hard Spun Thoroughbred Champions Training Center LLC Mejia Batista 122
7 Maximum Security New Year’s Day West, Gary and Mary Servis Saez 122
8 Bodexpress  Bodemeister Top Racing, Global T’bred & GDS Racing Stable Delgado Juarez 122
9 Code of Honor  Noble Mission (GB) W.S. Farish McGaughey III Velazquez 122
10 Union’s Destiny Union Rags Los Samanes LLC Avila Reyes 122
11 Garter and Tie Brooks ‘n Down Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. Nicks Sanchez 122

After paying the price for his involvement in an early speed duel last time out, Juddmonte Farm’s Hidden Scroll will seek a change of pace in Saturday’s $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Hidden Scroll set a fast, pressured pace before coming up short in deep stretch to finish fourth in the $400,000 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream March 2. The son of Hard Spun, who earned the 6-5 favorite’s role in the 1 1/16-mile Florida Derby prep on the strength of a front-running 14-length debut victory Jan. 16, was pressed while setting fractions of 22.80 and 45.69 seconds for the first half mile, which ultimately rendered him unable to withstand the stretch drives of victorious Code of Honor and runner-up Bourbon War.

“It’s not the education that you’d like to give one. I would probably have preferred to have him behind the other speed horse that was in the race, but [setting a pressured pace] was the way it turned out,” Mott said. “We’re going to play the hand that’s dealt out. We hope in the next race, whatever the pace scenario may be, he’s in a spot that gives him the best chance. “

Hidden Scroll, who was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite after drawing the rail post position for the 68th Florida Derby, will once again clash with Code of Honor and Bourbon War, rated at 3-1 and 7-2, respectively, in the morning line.

Mott has taken measures to prevent a repeat of the Fountain of Youth pace scenario Saturday, placing Hidden Scroll behind horses during his subsequent workouts at Payson Park in Indiantown, FL to make the brilliantly fast colt more receptive to rating in a race. The Juddmonte homebred has responded to the education while blossoming physically in the aftermath of such a grueling race in only his second lifetime start.

“He hasn’t lost his appetite. He’s really a great eater and that’s what you like to see. He seems like he feels good all the time. He’s continued to work well,” Mott said. “Some horses kind of fall apart on you after a real hard race. He seems like he’s done well. He’s one of those horses that gets better with the work.”

** The RAINBOW 6 will be in mandatory payout mode Saturday if it is not won today. There are 3 stakes races on a nice card today at the Florida track. The carryover for the Rainbow 6 is $2.5 million.

Should it carry over to tomorrow the total pot of gold could be over $5 million. Check for updates and some selections tomorrow morning on Thoroughblog.

WOODBINE NEWS

Trainer NORM MCKNIGHT won his 20th race of the Oaklawn Park meeting in Arkansas on Thursday with Ontario-bred WHISPERING SPEAKER (Proud Citizen). The 5-year-old mare, bred by Frank DiGiulio Jr, won an allowance race in her second start at the track this year.

The win was the 36th for owners M and M Racing of Mike and Mickala Sisk who have set a goal of 50 wins for the meeting. The record number of wins for an Oaklawn meeting is 48 set by Dan Lasater. The M and M silks might make an appearance at Woodbine this season.

McKnight has a litany of horses already revving up at Woodbine. The leading trainer at Woodbine for the last 2 years is nominated for Outstanding Trainer at the April 18 Sovereign Awards.

And at Woodbine, with three weeks until opening day, the locals have been getting into  the groove and nice spring weather has been welcomed in the last week. It remains to be seen how many horses are actually going to be ready to fill up races on opening weekend but certainly there will be some returning faces from parts in the south.

Horse of the Year 2017 PINK LLOYD has had 2 workouts for trainer Bob Tiller and the popular champ. Meanwhile, Pink Lloyd’s 3-year-old half-brother ARI GOLD SPEEDWAGON, a grey son of Souper Speedy, has also had 2 workouts including a fast half mile on Thursday in 47 2/5. Ari Gold Speedwagon (a take-off on 1980s band REO Speedwagon) has yet to race and he is also trained by Bob Tiller.

BOLD SCRIPT, a Woodbine Oaks/Queen’s Plate contender for Chiefswood Stable, is expected to contest the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland on opening weekend. Keeneland gets underway next Thursday,

 

HASTINGS RACING CLUB ANNOUNCES NEW CONTACTS

Due to the very unfortunate passing of Club Leader, Richard Yates the two Hastings Racing Clubs have been reorganized. Three well known horsemen have stepped up to plate and a total reorganization is well underway: Mark Freeman, Matt Elder & Nigel Reid are taking over the management of the two clubs.

Club Members will be hearing from them very shortly and they will be able to answer all of the club members questions going forward. You can reach them via email at the following addresses:

Nigel Reid, reidnigel@mc.com

Matt Elder, mattelder11@yahoo.com

Mark Freeman, mfreemandjoglobal@gmail.com