Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Thursday, July 2
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Thursday's meetings at Bath, Wolverhampton and Catterick.
Month: July 2020
OBS President Tom Ventura Joins TDN Writers’ Room
As president of the sale company that conducted the final auction before the coronavirus pandemic shut down society as well as the first one after restrictions were lifted, OBS’s Tom Ventura has had to learn on the fly. Wednesday, he joined the TDN Writers’ Room podcast presented by Keeneland to offer his advice for the rest of the industry on keeping business going amidst COVID-19 and his impressions of the rebounding sale market.
Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Ventura said of the lessons gleaned through the pandemic, “One of the things that we learned real quickly, that you had to be pretty flexible and be able to adapt on the fly. There were restrictions coming down the pike, literally, as we were about to hold the March sale … As things were tightening up, it became very hectic, almost on an hourly basis as things were being changed. So we met with the local government officials and we got the advice, at the state level, what things were being required and what we could do. It was still feel your own way, because there wasn’t a lot of dramatic restrictions that were being put in place.”
Ventura noted that while phone bidding was ramped up for the March sale, the key to pulling off the delayed April sale in June was the incorporation of online bidding, something that will likely be a permanent feature in the auction world going forward.
“As we had to ramp back up for June, we put the online bidding into overdrive,” he said. “That was in play in terms of something that we wanted to get done, but it got moved to the head of the class real quick. And I really have to appreciate the work that [Tampa-based software company] Xcira did, because from OBS’s perspective, it’s obviously a super high priority for us. We were able and willing to work 24/7 to get it up and running for the spring sale and fortunately, Xcira jumped in right there with us to get it up. Now, it worked. I thought it was very good. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that it will down the road, but it certainly [did the job].”
Things looked ominous for both the racing and sales worlds at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but tracks resuming operations and positive results from Fasig-Tipton Midlantic this week suggest a rebound is underway. Ventura agreed that the mindset has changed and pointed to the upcoming OBS July sale as another barometer for the industry.
“The [July] sale, we’ll get a real true test of the depth of the market. We have another thousand horses on the market,” he said. “I’m hopeful, and I think based on our sale and the Fasig-Tipton sale, they held up pretty well comparatively, and they had a lot of participation. I think the other thing that’s going to benefit us now is that all the racetracks for the most part are up and running. There’s a positive frame of mind now, compared to March, as we were just in the beginning of this, as things were shutting down.”
Elsewhere on the show, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, the writers recapped Fasig-Tipton Midlantic and expressed concern about the vague safety protocols announced for the GI Kentucky Derby. Later on, in light of the number of top horses who have dropped off the Derby trail, they each picked one supplemental horse for their 3-year-old fantasy stables. Click here to listen to the podcast and click here to watch it on Vimeo.
The post OBS President Tom Ventura Joins TDN Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Crimes Against Nature Podcast Launches July 15
American Horse Publications award-winning writer Julie Bryant announced today the launch of a new podcast, Crimes Against Nature. Its purpose is to point a spotlight on crimes involving animals, including insurance fraud, stolen animals, drug trafficking, targeted kills and how animal cruelty can serve as a gateway crime to even more horrific events.
“For too long crimes against animals have gone under reported or unnoticed,” said Bryant. “With the uptick in horse shootings, the butchering of horses in the field, cattle rustling, dog fighting, theft and other crimes against animals, I felt led to start this podcast to hopefully bring some attention to these crimes, as well as to those who work tirelessly, many of them volunteers, to help locate the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
Bryant noted that the podcast will also examine laws that pertain to animal cruelty or animal abuse, particularly in light of the passage of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT) signed into law by President Trump in 2019.
“There was such a mixed response to the passage of the law in the animal community that I hope to help people understand when the line to animal cruelty is truly crossed in the eyes of the law,” she said. “Over the course of the podcast, I will be talking to legislators, members of law enforcement, veterinarians and forensic psychologists to help identify the signs of animal cruelty and abuse, and how ordinary citizens can help.”
The podcast will air its first full episode on July 15 with the story of Dallas Mounted Police horse “Cash,” a Percheron struck and injured by a brick during recent Black Lives Matter marches in Dallas. Bryant will also profile stories that continue to intrigue animal enthusiasts, such as the death of Alydar, as seen through the eyes of his surgeon, veterinarian Larry Bramlage, DVM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, as well as former Kentucky Thoroughbred Association Executive Director David Switzer, who was a member of the team that worked unsuccessfully to save Calumet Farms from bankruptcy after the death of the famous stallion.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Bryant said. “Having only shared the idea with a few friends, I have already received a number of tips about crimes against animals or animals involved in the commission of crimes against people. This is going to be a must-listen for people who are true crime and animal enthusiasts.”
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts to listen to the Crimes Against Nature trailer and receive updates, or click here to listen, learn more and leave your own tips about Crimes Against Nature.
The post Crimes Against Nature Podcast Launches July 15 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
First Winner For Social Inclusion Comes At Gulfstream Park
Joseph Imbesi's Social Exclusion made an auspicious debut at Gulfstream Park Wednesday while scoring a dominating 4 3/4-length victory and becoming the first winning offspring of sire Social Inclusion.
Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, the Steve Klesaris-trained 2-year-old filly ran five furlongs over a firm turf course in :56.60 seconds in the maiden special weight race.
Social Inclusion, a son of Pioneerof the Nile who finished third behind California Chrome in the 2014 Preakness Stakes, stood at Woodford Thoroughbreds near Ocala, Fla., for two seasons before moving to Diamond B Farm in Pennsylvania in 2019.
Trained by the late Manny Azpurua, Social Inclusion won the first two starts of his career in 2014 with ease at Gulfstream Park, including a 10-length romp in a 1 1/16-mile allowance, in which he set a track record of 1:40.97. He went on to finish third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and third in the Preakness in his next two starts. Social Inclusion retired after winning an allowance at Parx in 2015.
The Florida-bred Social Exclusion, who is Florida Sire Stakes-eligible, is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Genuine Treasure.
The post First Winner For Social Inclusion Comes At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
