October, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Agreement In Place For Turf Paradise Meeting

Representatives of the Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) and the management of Turf Paradise in north Phoenix have signed an agreement that will allow for 84 days of live racing at the track beginning Jan. 1, 2020 and running through May 4, 2021.

The Arizona Racing Commission was to meet in special session Oct. 30 to approve the dates after a disagreement in the wording of the agreement between the two parties led to a 24-hour delay in submitting the plan to the ARC. The Commission will also consider contracts for simulcasting of next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup programs at Keeneland. The request for the approval of the 84-day meeting will now be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled meeting of the ARC Nov. 12.

“Many thanks to Arizona Racing Director Rudy Casillas for hosting the forum for dialogue between the two parties,” said Turf Paradise’s General Manager Vincent Francia. “An equal amount of thanks to AZHBPA President Bob Hutton and track owner Jerry Simms for committing to dialogue until everything was resolved. Now, it’s time to race. “There’s a lot to do in a short time, but we’ll be ready.”

Racing will take place five days a week from Monday to Friday with post time at 12:30 p.m. local time. The lone exception is Kentucky Derby day May 1. Horsepeople will begin arriving Nov. 19 to prepare their barns, with horses to follow Nov. 25. The first conditions book and stakes schedule can be found at www.turfparadise.com.

The post Agreement In Place For Turf Paradise Meeting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hollie Doyle To Get First Breeders’ Cup Mount With Mighty Gurkha In Juvenile Turf Sprint

Hollie Doyle will cap a season of personal landmarks and record-breaking feats with her first ride at the Breeders' Cup.

Doyle is set to partner G3 winner Mighty Gurkha, trained by Archie Watson, in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

It will be her first ride in a race in the United States and her first ride outside Europe.

“Arrangements are being made for Hollie to go out to Keeneland,” said Bruce Raymond, who manages Mighty Gurkha for owner Mohammed Rashid. “She knows the horse better than anyone and she has done nothing wrong on him.”

Mighty Gurkha won the Sirenia Stakes in September having previously finished fifth of six when hot favorite for a G3 at Deauville.

“There was a bit of a cock-up in France when the blind didn't come off quickly enough,” Raymond said. “He used to be a bit dodgy in the gate but he won't be at Keeneland where he will have two stall handlers holding him and the gates are a bit larger.

“We know he is quick but whether he is quick by American standards we don't know. We can only be hopeful.”

Doyle, who claimed her first Royal Ascot win this season, rode her first G1 winner on Glen Shiel in the British Champions Sprint before breaking her own record for the most wins in a year by a female jockey in Britain. She has ridden 126 winners.

Former jockey Raymond said: “Hollie is a good jockey and probably the equal of Tom [Marquand], her boyfriend. She doesn't go anything wrong, she is in a good position all the time, she always gets them out of the gates smartly and I don't know why.

“She deserves everything. I don't think of her now as a lady jockey, I just think of her as a good jockey.”

This story was originally published on Horse Racing Planet and is reprinted here with permission. Find more content like this at HorseRacingPlanet.com.

The post Hollie Doyle To Get First Breeders’ Cup Mount With Mighty Gurkha In Juvenile Turf Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Pensioned Awesome Again, Milwaukee Brew Welcomed To Old Friends Farm

On Friday, Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, announced the arrival of two new stallions: Multiple graded stakes winners Awesome Again and Milwaukee Brew.

Both were pensioned from stud duty in 2019 at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs, near Paris, KY., and have now been donated to the non-profit organization.

Awesome Again, now 27, boasts an exemplary resume as both a racehorse and a stallion. He broke his maiden at Hollywood Park in just his second start as a 3-year-old in 1997. He returned a few weeks later to capture that year's Queen's Plate Stakes at Woodbine. Back in the U.S. that summer the son of Deputy Minister went on to win the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and was third to Deputy Commander in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

At 4, he completed an undefeated season that included five graded stakes victories, among them The Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), The Whitney Handicap (G1), and one of the most memorable editions of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), where, looking defeated, he rallied in the stretch to defeat grade 1 winners Coronado's Quest and Swain and that year's Kentucky Derby-Preakness hero, Silver Charm.

As significant in the breeding shed as he was on the track, Awesome again sired three champions: Ghostzapper, 2004 Horse of the Year and champion older horse; Ginger Punch, 2007 champion older mare; and Nominee, a multiple champion in Trinidad and Tobago. His other elite runners include: Old Friends retirees Game on Dude–who captured 14 graded stakes and is the only three-time winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in history–and Awesome Gem, who captured the Hollywood Gold Cup at age 7; Breeder's Cup Distaff winner Round Pond; Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko; and 2019 year Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston.

He has sired 13 millionaires and five multi-millionaires as well as four Breeders' Cup Champions. Awesome Again is also the first Breeders' Cup Classic winner to sire a BC Classic winner (Ghostzapper).

Milwaukee Brew, 23, earned eight wins in his 24 starts and is best known for his back-to-back victories in the 2002 and 2003 Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Other wins include the 2002 California Stakes (G2) and the 2000 Ohio Derby (G2). The son of Wild Again retired in 2003 with earnings of well over $2.8 million. Also a prominent stallion standing at Adena Springs North, near Ontario, his top runners include Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Milwaukee Appeal, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Ginger Brew, and Panamanian champion Coltimus Prime

The new stallions will join Adena's Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, who were retired to Old Friends in 2015.

“We're very grateful to Frank and Belinda and everyone at The Stronach Group for trusting us with these two great Thoroughbreds,” said Old Friends founder and President Michael Blowen. “The Stronachs have always been extremely generous when it comes to supporting their retirees. When Alphabet Soup's cancer needed special attention, Frank made sure all of his medical bills were taken care of. And I adore Awesome Again's victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic even though he beat Silver Charm.”

“When it comes to Awesome Again and Milwaukee Brew, they are two of the best-natured stallions I've been blessed to work with,” said Adena Springs Stallion Manager Bill Drury. “When it came time to consider retirement settlements, if not my own backyard, there was no place I would rather they be than with Michael at Old Friends. His has a reputation of exemplary care, and the fan access is exactly what these champions deserve in their twilight years.”

In addition, in the coming weeks, a third Adena stallion, Silver Max, will be pensioned with Old Friends. Silver Max, is perhaps best known for ending reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan's nine-race win streak with his upset win in the 2013 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. In 2012 Silver Max had earned his first graded stakes over the same oval with a score in the Transylvania Stakes (G3T). He retired in 2014 with 12 wins from 27 starts and over $1.9 million in earnings.

The post Pensioned Awesome Again, Milwaukee Brew Welcomed To Old Friends Farm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

New York Breeding Fund Adopts Mare Residency Rule Changes

In a public meeting subject to the Open Meetings Law, the Board of Directors of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund on Oct. 29, 2020 adopted new rules concerning the residency requirements for dams of New York-bred foals, including certain mares that were purchased at public auction on or after Nov. 1, 2019.

It is anticipated that these new rules will become final upon publication in the State Register of New York on or about Nov. 18, 2020, and shall have retroactive effect with regard to eligible mares purchased at public auction sales occurring on or after November 1, 2019.

The new rules establish definitions for resident mares and non-resident mares and set forth program eligibility requirements for their foals. Under the new rules, a resident mare would be a mare that is continuously in residence in New York State from date of conception in New York State or within 120 days after her last cover in the year of conception occurring outside of New York State and that remains in the state until foaling the following year, with no breed-back required. Mares that maintain their New York State resident status can be covered each season by a stallion located anywhere in the world.

A non-resident mare would be a mare that does not qualify as a resident mare. However, under the new rules, a non-resident mare that is purchased in foal through public auction will be deemed to be a resident mare for all purposes if all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) the mare is purchased for at least $50,000 in the public auction, (2) the mare is present in New York State within 15 days after the sale is concluded, (3) the foal from public auction mare is foaled in New York State and (4) the mare thereafter is continuously in residence in New York State from within 120 days after her last cover in the year of conception of another foal and remains in residency until foaling.

Breeding Fund chairman John Poklemba noted, “These changes will bring the New York Thoroughbred Breeding Program more in line with other states by removing perceived barriers to mares locating here. Also, by allowing high-priced mares to establish residency by moving to New York after they are purchased at auction, we expect to see even more quality New York-breds following in the hoofprints of Grade 1 winners such as Tiz the Law and Simply Ravishing.”

Breeding Fund executive director Tracy Egan said, “The Board can review the threshold price annually at its summer meeting and adjust it up or down as needed to recruit quality mares.”

There is an incentive to purchase New York-sired New York-breds pegged to these rule changes. One year after adoption, the Fund and NYRA will begin providing up to $650,000 per year in purse bonuses to owners. The bonus will be $5,000 every time a New York-sired New York-bred wins at the maiden special weight or allowance level at NYRA's tracks.

While the measure adopted by the Breeding Fund's board states that it starts in November of 2019, in practice the new rules would become effective starting with the mixed sales in November 2020 and the foal and breeding seasons of 2021.

For a complete description of these newly adopted rules, click here.

The post New York Breeding Fund Adopts Mare Residency Rule Changes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post