August, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Phoenix Thoroughbreds Will Cease Racing In UK ‘For The Foreseeable Future’

Phoenix Thoroughbreds released a statement Tuesday announcing that the ownership group will cease racing operations in the United Kingdom immediately, according to the Racing Post. The group has racehorses with 11 different trainers in Britain.

“This has not been a decision we have taken lightly,” said Phoenix's founder Amer Abdulaziz Salman. “However, for the growth and wellbeing of our business and our partners internationally, we have taken the decision to leave the UK for the foreseeable future. It saddens me greatly to have to do this but at this juncture, we believe it is necessary. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us achieve our dreams so far.”

Abdulaziz was alleged in a New York court to be a money launderer for fake cryptocurrency OneCoin last year, and he has consistently declined to identify any investors in the Luxembourg-registered equine fund.

Prominent racing figures to have distanced themselves from Phoenix include: Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, trainer Martyn Meade, bloodstock advisor Dermot Farrington, and former vice-president and head of equine investments Tom Ludt.

Also on Tuesday, the Racing Post published a list of questions Phoenix has refused to answer, including queries about the money laundering allegations and the Luxembourg fund. Phoenix responded with a categorical denial of all the allegations against it, insisting they would “vigorously contest all allegations of wrongdoing.”

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Apprentice LaBarre Closes Out Colonial Downs’ Pick 4 With An Upset

Rebecca Grace LaBarre may be an apprentice jockey and may be competing at Colonial Downs for the first time ever, but she has made her presence felt in a big way so far at the track's summer meet, especially to Pick-4 players.

The New Kent track opened its racing season on July 28 and in each of the two Monday cards Colonial has conducted since, the 26-year-old has put an exclamation point on the final leg of the early Pick-4 with upset wins. Those wager-ending triumphs have sent Pick-4 payouts into five-digit territory both times.

Monday evening (August 10), her victory atop Bay Bridge in the fifth paid $21.00 but more importantly, triggered a .50 Pick-4 bonanza of $32,957 for the 9-2-1-5 combination. Solitary Jack ($47.60) won the first leg and was followed by Dude's Secret ($39.00) and Chaps ($4.20).

A week prior on August 3, her score aboard Thump returned $36.60 to win and resulted in a .50 Pick-4 payoff of $19,310.50 for the 4-6-2-2 combo. Raison d'Etat Girl kicked the first leg off with a $64.00 win followed by modest middle leg returns — The Great Samurai ($6.40) and Feeling Mischief ($4.40).

LaBarre began her riding career in January, 2019 at Laurel. She had competed primarily there and at Penn National before relocating to Colonial Downs two weeks ago. In the six cards Colonial has held, LaBarre has five wins. Her others have come aboard first or second favorites — Snaggletooth ($7.40), Hypnotist ($6.40) and Tolaga Bay ($3.60).

Colonial Downs, home of the Secretariat Turf Course, continues its summer season with cards every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM through September 2. The Grade 3 New Kent County Virginia Derby is slated for Tuesday September 1.

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“Tippy” The Crash Test Dummy Used To Make Equine Transport Safer

Areion Australia has made an equine crash test dummy that will be used to improve safety features in horse trailers. The company, founded by engineer Tom Hotchkin, is working on the creation of a prototype trailer that has rear-facing bays. Hauling horses in this manner means that if the trailer were to be involved in a crash, the brunt of the impact would be absorbed by the horse's hindquarters, rather than his head or neck.

“Tippy” is an 18-hand, 1,600-pound horse made of rubber. Hotchkin says that using a dummy will allow researchers to see what happens to horses involved in a trailer crash. From there, his company will be able to develop trailer technology that will better protect the horse.

The prototype trailer is made from plastic, so the surface is softer and smoother than traditional steel or aluminum trailers. It also features a patented restraint system that is like a seatbelt. The first trailers with these features are expected to be released next year.

Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Make Dreams Come True

When Saul Castellanos worked for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the 1980s, he used to ride in the horse van between Churchill Downs and Keeneland. Peering out the truck windows, he would see the white fences and seemingly endless pastures of Calumet Farm – the legendary expanse of land that raised eight Kentucky Derby winners and two Triple Crown legends.