October, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Prairie Meadows Stewards Hand Down One-Year Ban To Trainer Robert Roe

Trainer Robert Roe has been banned from racing for one year and fined $1,000, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. The ban was handed down by stewards at Prairie Meadows Racetrack after Roe admitted to accidentally spilling a banned substance into an equine feed supplement, and his trainee Candy My Boy subsequently tested positive.

The horse returned positive tests for active ingredients in a natural substance marketed as kratom after finishing second in races on Sept. 20 and Sept. 28. During a hearing on Oct. 22, Roe testified that he had purchased the substance for himself. He said he was aware he'd spilled the kratom into the joint supplement, but did not believe he'd spilled enough to affect the horse.

Candy My Boy was put on the vet's list for 180 days, and disqualified from both second-place finishes.

While not illegal in the United States, drugabuse.gov reports that kratom contains “compounds that can have psychotropic (mind-altering) effects (…) Kratom can cause effects similar to both opioids and stimulants (…) When kratom is taken in small amounts, users report increased energy, sociability, and alertness instead of sedation.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Monomoy Girl Primed For Big Effort in Distaff, But Will It Be Her Last?

Two years since Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) won the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff and after a lost 2019, the 5-year-old mare is apparently doing so well that trainer Brad Cox said she is better now than she was in 2018 when she crossed the wire first in all seven of her races. That could mean a second Distaff win. Could it also mean that she will be back for a third try in 2021?

Monomoy Girl has been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November sale and it was widely believed that she would be retired after this year’s Breeders’ Cup. But on a teleconference Wednesday to announce the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup, Cox said the possibility of her racing next year has been raised.

“I just think [the owners] have if it in the back of their minds that if she shows up and runs extremely well in the Distaff it could be a possibility that they’d like to campaign her in 2021,” Cox said. “Given the fact that she did not race as a 4-year-old, this is basically her 4-year-old season. For a mare who is five and about to turn six, she is somewhat lightly raced. I think a lot of it will hinge on what happens Breeders’ Cup day. I think there will be a meeting at some point after the Breeders’ Cup, either that night or the next day. At some point we are going to have to get a game plan ready. A lot of it will hinge on her performance Breeders’ Cup day.”

After her outstanding 3-year-old campaign, Monomoy Girl dealt with a few setbacks last year that kept her from making a start. The ownership group, which consists of Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group LLC, Monomoy Stables and Bethlehem Stables LLC, patiently waited for Cox to ger her ready for her return. She came back with a win in a May 16 allowance race at Churchill Downs and then won the GII Ruffian S. and the GI La Troienne S.

“As far as getting her back to the races it was a long road,” Cox said. “We had a couple of setbacks in ’19. For her to be able to compete at the Grade I level and win a Grade I was really amazing for us as a team. We feel like she is better this year than she was in 2018. It means a lot to us and our staff and the owners for her to not only make it back but to compete at the Grade I level.”

Monomoy Girl’s task in the Distaff will be made tougher if GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) runs in that race over the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 3-year-old filly has been pre-entered in both races, with the Distaff listed as the first preference. Trainer Ken McPeek said Wednesday that he and owner Peter Callahan have yet to choose which race she will go in, but he hinted that it may be the Distaff.

“We went ahead and took advantage of the fact she can pre-enter in both races without having to pay any fees,” McPeek said. “We figured we would take a look and see what the Classic looks like. We haven’t had an opportunity to sit down and study the past performances yet. We are going to do that in the next 24, 48 hours and get some clarity on what direction we will go in.

“I do think the Distaff is the first logical choice if you don’t know who all the competitors are in the Classic. It isn’t a decision set in stone yet. This gives us the ability to look and check out the other race. I have said all along the Distaff is the likely spot. But we are not going to rule out the other race until we’ve had a chance to analyze who all is running and how the pace scenario may set up. There is still a little bit of time and we don’t have to make a firm decision until the second of November, but I assume we will probably make it over the next couple or three days.”

McPeek said there were pluses and minuses when it came to both races.

“I really like her at a mile-and-a quarter,” he said. “That would be the pro for the Classic. But I also know it is a deeper race on paper. Another pro would be that she would get a bit of weight off [Swiss Skydiver would get a three-pound weight allowance in the Classic] in that race. That’s a couple of reasons to go in that direction. Monomoy Girl will definitely be the horse to beat in the Distaff. She is certainly a top filly, so you wouldn’t think that race would be easy. We have to study it and we will come to a conclusion soon.”

The Classic looks like the more imposing spot. The race has drawn a who’s who of the top male horse in training, including Authentic (Into Mischief), Improbable (City Zip), Maximum Security (New Year’s Day), Tiz the Law (Constitution) and Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike).

Cox said he would be excited to see Swiss Skydiver in the Distaff.

“I think it would be fantastic for racing if they were to meet up in the Distaff,” he said. “Obviously, you are talking about our horse already being a champion and that filly is definitely on the leader board and will probably take home champion 3-year-old filly honors this year. It would be a really good match up from the standpoint of being a fan. And I am a fan of racing and I think it would be a tremendous match up and I am looking forward to the possibility.”

The rest of the pre-entered field for the Distaff consists of Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), Dunbar Road (Quality Road), Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo), Horologist (Gemologist), Lady Kate (Bernardini), Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), Point of Honor (Curlin), Valiance (Tapit) and Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah), whose first preference is the GI Filly & Mare Turf.

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Promising Juvenile Drain The Clock Stays Undefeated, To Target Stakes Company

Slam Dunk Racing's Drain the Clock stayed undefeated Wednesday at Gulfstream Park West, scoring a length victory in the featured optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds,

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained colt had to work a little harder to prevail over stablemate Worlds On High in the six-furlong sprint than he did in his Sept. 12 debut at Gulfstream Park, where he scored a front-running six-length victory.

Drain the Clock broke alertly but settled just off the early pace contested by Tiger and Worlds On High past fractions of 22.08 and 45.21 seconds for the first half-mile. The son of Maclean's Music swung three-wide off the turn into the homestretch and mounted an extended stretch drive to overtake Worlds on High, who is trained by Joseph for Don and Rebecca Ming.

“He sat off there nicely and came under some pressure at the quarter-pole. I thought once he switched leads late by the three-eighths pole, he started going away,” Joseph said. “It was a workmanlike performance. Hopefully, he'll continue to build on that.”

Drain the Clock ($4.20) ran six furlongs in 1:10.67. Samy Camacho picked up the mount from leading rider Edgard Zayas, whose wife gave birth to their second daughter Wednesday.

Drain the Clock is expected to run in a stakes next time out.

Joseph was also extremely pleased with the performance of Worlds On High, who had debuted with a victory in a Sept. 18 $50,000 maiden claiming race at Gulfstream.

“He's a big trier. Today, he really ran big,” Joseph said. “I think World On High is a really nice horse also. He wasn't far off today.”

Worlds On High, who was ridden by apprentice Alberto Burgos, finished 1 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher The Distractor.

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Arch Cat Steps Up In Saturday’s Bold Ruler

Burns Thoroughbred Racing's Arch Cat will take on graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bold Ruler at Belmont Park.

The 45th renewal of the Bold Ruler in Race 9 headlines a loaded 10-race card that also offers the $80,000 Zagora at 12 furlongs on the Widener turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 6; and the $80,000 Awad at 1 1/16-miles on the inner turf for juveniles in Race 8. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Daniel Velazquez, who notched the first two stakes wins of his career with Laobanonaprayer [Maid of the Mist] and Brooklyn Strong [Sleepy Hollow] on Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card at Belmont, the 6-year-old Arch Cat will be making his 38th career start in the seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up on Big Sandy.

The hard-knocking Arch gelding, who sports a record of 13-3-12 with purse earnings of $363,485, was claimed for $16,000 in June 2019 at Parx and has since won 6-of-14 starts for the new connections.

Velazquez said he has taken a patient approach with Arch Cat's training routine.

“He's a horse that came with some bumps and bruises,” said Velazquez. “It wasn't an equipment change but more of maintenance control with him. A light training program is good for him. He's an older horse.”

Arch Cat enjoyed a three-race win streak that began in February in a Parx allowance sprint and continued through an optional-claiming score at Delaware Park in July into an impressive stalking effort to win a Laurel Park allowance on August 20 that garnered a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. He finished third last out in a seven-furlong allowance on September 23 at Parx that was won by multiple stakes winner My Boy Tate.

“He's as fast as anybody,” said Velazquez. “Tactically, he could be second or third off of any pace. I love the seven-eighths distance for him, I think that's really his cut.”

Kendrick Carmouche, who guided Laobanonaprayer to a patient stalking score in the Maid of the Mist, has guided Arch Cat to three previous victories in four attempts and will be reunited with the bay from post 4.

“Kendrick really clicks with that horse and he was riding him even before I claimed the horse,” said Velazquez.

Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing, and Two Rivers Racing Stable's Phat Man enters with back-to-back triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in one-mile tilts at Gulfstream Park from a rallying score in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper on January 25 that garnered a 101 and a closing second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile that earned a career-best 102.

Trained by Kent Sweezey, the 6-year-old Munnings gelding sports a ledger of 27-7-8-1 with purse earnings of $518,253. He will contest a distance shorter than one-mile for the first time since his December 2016 debut when fifth sprinting 5 ½-furlongs on the Fair Grounds turf.

Phat Man has posted nine breezes at Monmouth Park dating back to August 19 with four bullet efforts, including a sharp three-eighths in 34 flat on October 25 in preparing for his return from an eight-month layoff.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for the Gulfstream Park Mile effort, retains the mount from post 6.

Share the Ride, trained by Antonio Arriaga for owner Silvino Ramirez, is another former claimer looking to make the grade. The 5-year-old Candy Ride gelding was haltered for $16,000 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming tilt on July 5 at Monmouth.

Two starts back, Share the Ride went gate-to-wire to win the six-furlong Mr. Prospector by 3 3/4-lengths on September 12 at Monmouth. He followed last out with a pacesetting third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational.

Manny Franco retains the mount from post 2.

R. A. Hill Stable's graded-stakes placed Majestic Dunhill enters in search of his first win in 10 starts since capturing the seven-furlong City of Laurel in November 2018.The 5-year-old Majesticperfection gelding has two seconds and one third from five starts this campaign, including a last-out second in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint on September 25 at Belmont that earned a 97 Beyer.

Joel Rosario has the return engagement from post 5.

Rounding out the field are Mihos [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Wendell Fong [post 3, Luis Saez].

America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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