July, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Seeking the Soul Retired

Charles Fipke’s homebred Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}–Seeking the Title, by Seeking the Gold), winner of the 2017 GI Clark H., has been retired from racing after suffering a tendon injury last month. Although stud plans have not yet been announced, Fipke said he plans to support the 7-year-old stallion.

“He’s at my farm in Paris, Kentucky, where he was born, and is recuperating nicely under the eye of farm manager Elke Krohn,” Fipke said Monday. “He’s a lovely horse, a Grade l winner who was genuine on the track and earned $3.5 million, and he’s got an incredible family that was developed by Ogden Phipps. I will support him with some of my best mares, you can be sure of that.”

In addition to the Clark, Seeking the Soul won the 2018 GIII Ack Ack S. and the 2019 GII Stephen Foster S. He was second in the 2018 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and in the 2019 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational. On the board in 20 of 32 starts, Seeking the Soul won seven times and retires with earnings of $3,470,153.

“He just loved to run,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “You can’t teach a horse that. That’s how the best of them are, they either have it or they don’t. You put a saddle on him, and he wanted to go. He was a tough horse on the track, and he was unlucky a few times in his races, but he had a mind on him and never got discouraged no matter what. He was a real racehorse.”

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Kentucky Downs: No General Admission, Reserved Seating Available For Purchase

Reserved seating for the 2020 RUNHAPPY Meet at Kentucky Downs are on sale now through the track's online ticket office at kentuckydowns.com/racing/live-racing/buy-tickets.

COVID-19 protocols and restrictions have forced Kentucky Downs to adjust its seating availability and admission policy. As a result, admission to the live race meet will be by reserved seating only. There will be no general admission and no tailgating for the 2020 live race meet, which runs Sept. 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 16. Horsemen and their employees with a valid Kentucky thoroughbred license will be admitted at no charge but will require a ticket for access to reserved-seating venues.

Ticketed seating will be available in three outdoor areas: an expanded Finish Line Pavilion, Turf Club Tent and picnic tables with all-weather umbrellas. Tables in every venue will be at least six feet apart. Seats must be purchased by the table, with no individual tickets sold.

In addition, a BYOT (Bring Your Own Tent) area will be sectioned into 10 feet by 10-feet spaces.

“Kentucky Downs' race meet has become a late-summer rite for horseplayers and sports fans in the region, as well as a bucket-list item for racing enthusiasts across the country,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' senior vice president and executive director. “The health pandemic has turned the world upside down, and we're just grateful that Kentucky has been allowed to safely open up racetracks at a reduced capacity. So we've worked hard and had to get creative to allow as many people as possible to enjoy our racing in person.”

The details:

Finish Line Pavilion: Located right before the finish line and near the paddock, Kentucky Downs' popular seating venue is being expanded to accommodate more horsemen and race-goers. A table of six costs $240, including box lunches and track programs. The area includes easy access to a cash bar and betting windows.

Turf Club Tent: This has been relocated to inside the sixteenth pole from its previous location in front of the main building. The more upscale seating option costs $390 for a table for six, including plated meals and track programs for guests, with easy access to a cash bar and betting windows.

Picnic tables: These open-air tables for eight have umbrellas and are positioned near the racetrack apron just before the sixteenth-pole. At $160 per picnic table, guests may bring in food and non-alcoholic beverages, with the venue in close proximity to a cash bar and the betting pavilion.

BYO Tent: Located in the grassy area behind the picnic tables, guests can bring their own tents to set up in 10 X 10-foot areas, which will accommodate up to six people for $100 per square. Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be brought in, with the venue adjacent to the restrooms and in close proximity to a cash bar and betting pavilion.

Horsemen: Those with a valid Kentucky Horse Racing Commission thoroughbred license, including hotwalkers, grooms, trainers and owners, are welcome at no charge but will not have access to reserved seating without a ticket.

Historical Horse Racing gaming in the main building will remain open throughout the live race meet, as will simulcasting on the second floor, with free admission. Due to COVID restrictions, the number of people who can be admitted is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis for both HHR and simulcasting. Guests will not have access to the racetrack areas without a ticket or KHRC license.

“Our tickets sell very quickly when we're at full capacity with unlimited general admission,” Nicholson said. “So we cannot stress enough how important it is to purchase seats early in order to avoid getting shut out. The good news is that we do have a sixth day this year that should allow more people to enjoy America's most unique race meet, with Kentucky Downs' nation-leading full fields and low takeout.”

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Aidan, Donnacha O’Brien Banned From Attending Racetracks For Two Weeks Due To COVID-19 Protocol Violations

Aidan O'Brien will not be able to saddle his runners in person at this weekend's Juddmonte Irish Oaks meeting at the Curragh after breaching Irish racing's COVID-19 protocols.

Both O'Brien and his son Donnacha have been barred from attending any race meetings for two weeks by the Irish Horse Racing Board.

The two trainers were referred to the panel having failed to enter the Curragh through the health screening area on the day of the Irish 2,000 Guineas meeting. They were each also fined €2,500 ($2,839).

Under COVID-19 protocols brought in by Horse Racing Ireland to allow race meetings to go ahead behind closed doors, health screening is mandatory to all attendees who are required to head to to the health screen check-in area immediately on arrival.

A statement from the IHRB said: “At a referral hearing of Aidan O'Brien (Trainer) & Donnacha O'Brien (Trainer) following a referral from The Curragh on [June 12] both trainers were fined €2,500 & prohibited from attending a racecourse for two weeks for failing to enter The Curragh through the health screening area.”

The penalty will be an inconvenience to the trainers but unlikely to disrupt their big race plans with Aidan O'Brien having not attended either Royal Ascot or the Investec Derby meeting and Donnacha having not been present at Chantilly when Fancy Blue delivered the 21-year-old his first Classic victory in the Prix de Diane.

Originally published at HorseRacingPlanet.com. Republished with permission.

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TIF Lauds Keeneland For Proactively Addressing Late Odds Shift

Keeneland didn't just offer customers free programs and past performances over their recently concluded five-day summer meet, they made a highly unusual announcement on Saturday morning.

After customer complaints on Friday afternoon, Keeneland explained a late odds change from the previous day's races, assuring the public the bets were appropriately time-stamped before betting was closed.

It's a tiny, first step for an industry which has too often left the majority of its customers behind, promoting the access of a few massive wagering syndicates above the experiences of the general public.

The field for Keeneland's sixth race on Friday jumped from the stalls and #3 Early Mischief was 10-1. While it doesn't happen often, the odds for the race were still on the screen as the field broke away. The next time the odds appeared on the screen, after the race was finished and Keeneland was showing a head-on replay of the start of the race, Early Mischief was listed at 5-1.

Those who bet the race, bet racing in general or simply observed the incident, commented negatively on the situation via social media in its aftermath. Incidents such as these occur with regularity across the sport, often leading to substantial frustration from customers and, in general, silence from racetracks and bet-takers.

Needless to say, concerned customers could have a variety of questions.

Was the bet entered after the race started and Early Mischief ended up on the lead?

Why does it take the tote system so long to update?

Is there anything nefarious involved here?

These are all fair questions. Customers ask these questions because incidents like the one at Keeneland occur with regularity across North American racing. Day in and day out.

Much to their credit, Keeneland did publish a statement on Saturday morning following the Early Mischief odds shift:

“In Keeneland's 6th race on Friday, there was a significant late odds shift on the winner, Early Mischief (3). Upon request from Keeneland, the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau analyzed the wagering records. During the last cycle, 26 percent of the win pool was received ($61,000). Of this amount, $16,000 was wagered on the 3 horse, dropping his odds from 10-1 to 5-1.

“Upon examination, several large win wagers were placed on the 3 horse just prior to post and those were reflected as horses left the gate. Keeneland refreshes win odds every 10 seconds to give the customer as accurate a picture as possible.

“All wagers were time stamped properly and were placed prior to the start of the race.”

CLICK HERE to read more on Keeneland's announcement…

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