Month: January 2021

True Timber ‘Slightly Off,’ Ruled Out Of Pegasus World Cup

Trainer Jack Sisterson revealed via Twitter on Wednesday that Grade 1 Cigar Mile winner True Timber will be forced to miss this Saturday's G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. The 7-year-old son of Mineshaft came up “slightly off” after training on Wednesday, Sisterson wrote, and the trainer “elected to defer to caution and not compete in the Pegasus.”

Sisterson added: “Although it would have been a life changing experience having a runner in the Pegasus, True Timber gave us the excitement leading up towards the Pegasus. Best of luck to all the runners in the Pegasus. We and True Timber will be rooting for you!”

Owned by Calumet Farm, True Timber's record includes five wins, five seconds, and nine thirds from 29 starts for earnings of $1,215,150.

The remaining Pegasus field includes: Knicks Go, Sleepy Eyes Todd, Harpers First Ride, Code of Honor, Jesus' Team, Tax, Math Wizard, Mr Freeze, Independence Hall, Kiss Today Goodbye, and Coastal Defense.

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Early Nominations For 2021 Triple Crown Due Jan. 23

Early nominations for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to become eligible to the 2021 Triple Crown series are due Saturday, Jan. 23 with a $600 payment.

Nominations can be made online at www.TheTripleCrown.com or by calling the Churchill Downs Racing Office at (502) 638-3825. Information regarding nomination forms to be mailed can also be found on www.TheTripleCrown.com.

The 2021 Triple Crown will begin with the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) at 1 ¼ miles on Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 146th running of the $1 million Preakness (GI), its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 153rd running of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (GI), the series' 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Last year's Triple Crown attracted 369 nominations, 347 horses during the early phase and 22 horses during the late nomination phase.

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible between Jan. 24-March 29 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

Representatives accepting Triple Crown nominations for the host tracks include:

The post Early Nominations For 2021 Triple Crown Due Jan. 23 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hernandez Jr. Takes Two Stakes, Earning Him Jockey Of The Week Title

After two stakes victories at Fair Grounds on “The Road to the Derby Kickoff Day,” Brian Hernandez Jr. was voted Jockey of the Week for January 11 through January 17. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Trainer Chris Block gave Hernandez, Jr. a leg up on Charlie's Penny in the Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Dismissed at odds of 9.20-1, Charlie's Penny sat a clear stalking trip behind the pacesetter Littlestitious, then rallied on the turn for home and went on score an authoritative 3-1/4-length win.

“She was able to get herself in a nice position quickly,” Hernandez Jr. said.  Going around the first turn and then once she got outside she travelled nicely with her ears up the whole way.  She was there for me.  I just had to be a good passenger.”

Riding for trainer Dallas Stewart in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes for 4-year-olds and up, Hernandez Jr. had the mount on Title Ready. A clear fourth in the early going, Title Ready rallied on the turn for home, then closed strongly to take the lead and drew away to win by 1-1/4 lengths.

“You know coming out of two Grade 1's, he's not chasing Authentic and those horses around there today,” Hernandez Jr. explained. “We thought that if he broke good and got himself in the race, it would benefit him.”

The Louisiana native is the son of retired jockey Brian Joseph Hernandez. Hernandez Jr. was awarded the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice in 2004 and is a multiple graded stakes winning jockey. He rides the Kentucky circuit and Fair Grounds in the winter. His younger brother, Colby, is also a jockey.

Weekly stats for Hernandez, Jr. were 23-5-6-1.  He led all jockeys by total purse earnings of $326,840.

Hernandez Jr. out-polled fellow riders Antonio Gallardo who won two stakes races at Tampa Bay, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who led all jockeys by wins with 10, Umberto Rispoli who won two stakes at Santa Anita and Sheldon Russell who won three stakes races at Laurel.

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Swaps: A Well-Oiled Machine

Barry Irwin, now the head of Team Valor International, was entering his teenage years in Southern California when Swaps burst onto the scene in 1955. “He just really excited me and caught my imagination,” Irwin recalled. Irwin was hardly alone. Swaps’ popularity became so enormous that Union 76 gas stations began distributing posters of him. “I kept pushing my father to get gas there so I could get more pictures,” Irwin said.

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