Month: August 2020

Swiss Skydiver Returns To Churchill, Will Be ‘Uncomplicated’ To Get Ready For Kentucky Oaks

Peter Callahan's newly minted Grade I winner Swiss Skydiver returned to Churchill Downs Tuesday evening and made her reappearance beneath the Twin Spires Wednesday for the first time since her 3 ½-length triumph in the $600,000 Alabama (GI).

Swiss Skydiver had a routine gallop Wednesday during the exclusive training window from 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern) for horses preparing for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). Tyler Gaffalione will have the call on Swiss Skydiver for the Oaks.

“Tyler got her ready as a 2-year-old and rode her twice to start her career,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “Through different circumstances – either he was zigging or we were zagging – he didn't get to ride her back. Brian Hernandez is my regular rider and he has a commitment in the Derby aboard Art Collector and our thought was if she ran well in the Oaks that we would try the Preakness (GI).

“She'll work either Friday or Saturday and be ready for the race. It'll be just a maintenance breeze here at Churchill. Other than that it's uncomplicated to get her ready for the Oaks.”

Joining Swiss Skydiver on the track at 7:30 a.m. was Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo, who broke from the starting gate and galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Edgar Medina. King Guillermo will be making his first start since his runner-up effort behind Nadal in the May 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby (GI).

“Having not raced in four months, we wanted him to get reacquainted with the gate,” trainer Juan Avila said. “Everything went well this morning there.”

A trio of Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders also joined Swiss Skydiver on the track Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. including the first local appearance from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables' $400,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) winner Speech, who arrived at Churchill Downs just past noon Tuesday. The three-time winner had an easy 1 ½-mile gallop. Her stablemate, Jim and Donna Daniell's $600,000 Blue Grass Stakes (GII) third-place finisher Rushie, who trained just past 8 a.m. Rushie is also nominated for the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.

Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's graded stakes placed Necker Island was the only other Derby contender, besides King Guillermo, on the track at 7:30 a.m. where he galloped 1 ½ miles with Hillary Hartman in the saddle. Trainer Chris Hartman reported Necker Island is scheduled to work in company Friday morning.

Four Kentucky Derby contenders were on the track prior to the exclusive training session: Lloyd Madison Farm's $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up Major Fed galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. under exercise rider Margarito Fierro; West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's Arkansas Derby third-place finisher Winning Impression galloped 1 ½ miles under rider Emerson Chavez; John Oxley's Blue Grass Stakes fourth-place finisher Enforceable jogged about 1 3/8 miles; and George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) third Max Player galloped about 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Juan Vargas.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate galloped 1 ½ miles at 9:45 a.m. with exercise rider Faustino Herrarte in the saddle. Trainer Dale Romans reported Attachment Rate is nominated to the Pat Day Mile and the race decision remains en flux.

Bruce Lunsford's Blue Grass (GII) and Ellis Park Derby winner Art Collected arrived at Churchill Downs from the Skylight Training Center on Wednesday morning and will train over the track on Thursday.

The post Swiss Skydiver Returns To Churchill, Will Be ‘Uncomplicated’ To Get Ready For Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Spanish Language Announcer Sues NYRA, Says He Was Paid Less than Whites Doing Same Job

Luis Grandison, a Black Latino who is a native of Panama and who served as the New York Racing Association’s Spanish language race caller from 2014 through March 2020, has sued NYRA claiming he was discriminated against because he was paid less than white Americans who call the races in English.

According to a suit filed Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court, Grandison was paid $60,000 a year. The suit claims that long-time NYRA announcer Tom Durkin earned $440,000 a year before retiring in 2014 and that his replacement, Larry Collmus, was paid in excess of $200,000 annually. Collmus left NYRA in January and was replaced by John Imbriale. The lawsuit claims that Imbriale also earns in excess of $200,000 annually.

“Although Grandison and his fellow full-time race callers performed the same primary duty (i.e., announcing), NYRA paid the white American race callers more than double Grandison’s salary despite Grandison having just as much experience as them, working more months per year than they did, and performing additional advertising duties not required of them,” the suit reads.

Grandison was furloughed in March when racing was shut down by the coronavirus. His job was then terminated in June. The suit alleges that NYRA’s treatment of Grandison amounted to “unlawful discrimination against him on the basis of his race, color, and national origin…”

“Defendant purposely discriminated against Plaintiff because of his Black and Latino/Hispanic racial background, thereby denying him equal terms and conditions of employment enjoyed by his white counterparts,” the suit also alleges.

NYRA Director of Communications Pat McKenna issued a statement defending the racing organization and its history of diversity.

“The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is proud to have the most diverse broadcast and TV team in the sport of horse racing today, and maintains a fair and equitable workplace,” the statement read. “NYRA–like so many businesses across the state and nation–has faced significant financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been forced to make adjustments to its workforce in order to maintain operations and safeguard its future.”

Grandison began his career in Panama and called races at Hipódromo Presidente Remón in Panama City before moving to the U.S. in 2009. When he was brought on board by NYRA to call the races, then CEO and President Chris Kay said the hiring of Grandison was an “important initiative that will help enhance and personalize the guest experience for our Spanish speaking fan base.”

According to the suit, Grandison’s salary when hired was $32,000 and that he subsequently received raises until reaching the $60,000 mark. His job, the suit claims, involved more than just announcing and that he was required to promote NYRA racing on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, a role that was not required of Durkin, Collmus or Imbriale.

Grandison is seeking unspecified damages for discrimination.

The post Spanish Language Announcer Sues NYRA, Says He Was Paid Less than Whites Doing Same Job appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Nearly 40 Horses Need New Homes After West Virginia Trainer Killed In Motorcycle Accident

West Virginia-based Thoroughbred trainer Leslie Condon was killed when struck head-on in a motorcycle accident on Aug. 20, leaving behind nearly 40 horses in need of new homes. According to racingbiz.com, Condon's longtime friend Diana McClure is coordinating the care of those horses, and has set up a GoFundMe account to pay expenses while dispersal is arranged.

Condon has seven horses in training, six of which she owned herself. Trainer Sherry Lee Jackson has taken over the duties on Condon's horses at the track.

Another 31 horses were located at Condon's farm, including the stallion Weave It To Me (Bernardini), whose first foals are 3-year-olds this year.

“Leslie's horses were her passion and her life,” wrote McClure on the GoFundMe page. “We are asking for and will be so grateful for donations to help care for Leslie's beloved horses as we find homes for all of them.”

Read more at racingbiz.com, and the GoFundMe page is available here.

The post Nearly 40 Horses Need New Homes After West Virginia Trainer Killed In Motorcycle Accident appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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