March, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Respected Kentucky Horseman Robert ‘Gus’ Koch, 74, Passes

Robert “Gus” Koch, 74, died Saturday, March 20, 2021, at his beloved Mt. Carmel Farm near Cynthiana, Ky., after a 24-year battle with cancer.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Theresa, t10en children: Charles (Katie) Koch, Jennifer (Drew) Alvarez, Becky (Mark) Mitchell, Stephen (Wendy) Koch, Matthew (Kristen) Koch, Anthony (Jill) Koch, Amy (Brian) Sellers, Cecilia (Drew) Adams, Gus (Shelley) Koch, and Mary (Bryan) Flachbart, 33 grandchildren and two foster grandchildren.

Gus was a Marine, Vietnam veteran, and retired manager of Claiborne Farm. As a parishioner at the Church of the Annunciation, he faithfully led the Rosary before Saturday evening Mass for nearly 40 years, was a past Grand Knight of The Knights of Columbus (4^th degree), and was past president of the Parish Council.

Gus proudly served the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club as president in 1987 and was honored by that group as the 2004 Farm Manager of the Year. He was also a past member of both the Bourbon County School Board and the Bourbon Community Hospital Board.

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 23, 5-8 p.m. at the Church of the Annunciation in Paris with Rosary preceding at 4:45 p.m. Rev. Daniel Fister will celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial at the church Wednesday, March 24, at 10 a.m. and live streamed on www.facebook.com/paris.cdlex. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Paris. His sons and sons-in-law will serve as pall bearers.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to The Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund (www.horsefarmworkerseducationfund.com) or Church of the Annunciation Building Fund (1007 Main St., Paris, KY, 40361).

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Life Is Good Exits Breeze ‘A Little Off Behind,’ To Miss Santa Anita Derby

The unbeaten Into Mischief colt Life Is Good will not be entered in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3 after coming out of a six-furlong breeze on Saturday morning “a little off behind,” according to his trainer, Bob Baffert.

“It's nothing obvious but he cooled off a little behind,” said Baffert. “So he's going to miss the Santa Anita Derby and we've got to do some tests on him. The timing is not good.”

Baffert does not believe the setback will be career ending.

“He would show a little something while cooling out, but then he would walk fine,” he said. “They'll do a scan to see what they can find.”

Life Is Good worked alone at about 9 a.m. PT, going six furlongs in 1:11.40 and galloping out well past the seven-eighths pole. Santa Anita officials lit up the video screen in the field at Baffert's request after jockey Mike Smith said the colt was bothered by the screen when he last ran in the G2 San Felipe on March 6, winning by eight lengths but drifting in and out in the stretch.

“His work was unbelievable,” Baffert said. “He went perfectly straight. They had the screen on and he went around there like nothing. He was good. Then, all of a sudden, you get an uppercut like this. That's why you can't get ahead of yourself in this game.”

Workout video courtesy of XBTV.com.

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West, Life Is Good races for WinStar Farm and CHC Inc., which purchased the colt for $525,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He broke his maiden at Del Mar in November, then added the G3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 2 before his victory in the San Felipe.

Life Is Good was made the 2-1 favorite in the most recent Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool.

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Unbeaten Life Is Good to Miss Runhappy Santa Anita Derby

Unbeaten star 3-year-old 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) came out of a workout Saturday at Santa Anita with what appears to be a minor problem, one that will keep him from starting in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.

According to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the horse was off in his left hind leg.

Baffert said it was too early to tell if Life Is Good could still make the GI Kentucky Derby. But Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of WinStar Farm, the co-owners of the horse, told horseracingnation.com that Life Is Good would be “out for a few months.” If that turns out to be the case, he will not make the Derby. In the last round of betting in the Derby Future wager, Life Is Good was the 2-1 favorite.

Life Is Good worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.40 Saturday. Initially, Baffert was pleased with what he saw.

“He breezed really well,” he said. “Cooling out, we noticed the problem. Something is going on. It's nothing obvious. It's not that he's lame. He just isn't 100%.”

Baffert said the recent runaway winner of the GII San Felipe S. may be sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage for tests.

“The timing is bad,” Baffert said. “It's disappointing and frustrating. He is such a brilliant horse. At least this is not something that should be career ending.”

While Baffert may not be able to run what is considered his best 3-year-old in the Derby, he has a powerful bench. He has four other horses that have enough points at this juncture to make the Derby.

That group is led by GII Rebel S. winner and fellow 'Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense).

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Joan Of Arc Unleashed In Curragh Opener

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a daughter of one of Coolmore's top producers.

2.30 Curragh, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT
JOAN OF ARC (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of the standout characters on The Curragh's 2021 turf season opener, being Ballydoyle's full-sister to the Classic-winning Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire) and Group 1 winner Happily (Ire). An entry in the G1 1000 Guineas, the February-foaled bay missed out on a debut win by a nose at Dundalk in November and has an experience edge on a pair of Dermot Weld-trained Moyglare Stud homebreds including Emilie Gray (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal out of the dual Group 3-winning Carla Bianca (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).

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