Month: March 2021

TVG Features Live Coverage From Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park This Weekend

Swiss Skydiver, 2020's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner, will make her four-year-old debut live on TVG this weekend in the $300,000 Beholder Mile (G1), one of two graded stakes races on Santa Anita's nine-race card.

Todd Schrupp, Christina Blacker and Britney Eurton will be live at Santa Anita with exclusive interviews and expert analysis. Swiss Skydiver is scheduled to take on seven competitors in the $300,000 Beholder Mile, her first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in November which concluded a sophomore season in which she won five graded stakes races, including a thrilling win in the Preakness Stakes over male rivals. Regular rider Robby Albarado will be aboard for owner Peter Callahan.

The road to the Kentucky Derby will continue through Arkansas on Saturday and TVG's Mike Joyce and Caton Bredar will be reporting live from Oaklawn Park throughout the twelve-race card featuring the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), a steppingstone towards the Arkansas Derby (GI) which is scheduled for April 10. The Rebel Stakes will offer 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top four finishers and has drawn a field of eight of some of the most promising 3-year-olds in the country. Trainer Bob Baffert, who saddled Nadal to victory in this race last year, will send out two runners – Hozier and Concert Tour – to take on the 9-5 morning line favorite Caddo River for trainer Brad Cox.

Saturday at Oaklawn will also feature the 8-year-old debut of Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) champion Whitmore for trainer Ron Moquett in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes. The Eclipse Award winning sprinter has won the Hot Spring Stakes for the past four consecutive years and will have Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the irons.

The 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil will also return to action on Saturday at Oaklawn in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) and face four rivals including recent Sam Houston Ladies Classic (G3) winner Letruska. The 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil will have Florent Geroux in the irons for trainer Brad Cox.

TVG will also be broadcasting from Gulfstream Park this weekend and Gabby Gaudet will be reporting live from the track with insights and interviews throughout the twelve-race card which features the $75,000 Silks Run Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint.

In addition to racing from Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park, TVG will feature racing from Gulfstream Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

The post TVG Features Live Coverage From Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park This Weekend appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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First Mares In Foal For King Of Change

G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner and G1 2000 Guineas second King Of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}) has had his first mares scanned in foal. They include Table Forty Six (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), a seven-time winner who is from the immediate family of G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks third Mezzogiorno (Unfuwain) and Group 2 winners Monturani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and Anda Muchacho (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}); and Ramamara (Ire) (Trans Island {GB}), a winning half-sister to the listed-placed Trinity (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}) and a daughter of dual Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Fly Me (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}). King Of Change stands at Derrinstown Stud for €7,000.

The post First Mares In Foal For King Of Change appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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New York Turf Writers Cup Renamed In Honor Of Hall Of Famer Jonathan Sheppard

The New York Racing Association, Inc. [NYRA] announced today the renaming of the New York Turf Writers Cup steeplechase stakes in honor of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard.

The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard for 4-year-olds and up going 2 3/8 miles is slated for Thursday, Aug. 19 during the summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course. What was known previously as the New York Turf Writers Cup is one of two Grade 1 steeplechase races on the Saratoga docket, along with the $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial set for Thursday, July 22.

“It seems fitting that one of the premier steeplechase stakes in the country is going to be named in honor of Jonathan Sheppard,” said Bill Gallo, Director of Racing for the National Steeplechase Association. “He has been the dominant force in American steeplechase racing for decades and has always represented the sport in a positive way, particularly at Saratoga, where his success has gained national attention. We thank NYRA and the New York Turf Writers for honoring Jonathan in this fashion.”

The 80-year-old Sheppard announced his retirement from American racing in early January. He capped an incredible 56-year racing career in which he was the leading National Steeplechase Association trainer 26 times, campaigning 15 Eclipse award winners over hurdles and flat ground.

Sheppard made an indelible mark on New York racing, winning at least one race at Saratoga for 47 consecutive years from 1969-2015. He was also the leading Saratoga trainer in 1984 and 1985. Fittingly, Sheppard earned a reputation for dominating the New York Turf Writers Cup, figuratively stamping his name on a race he won 15 times before the announcement that his name will literally be synonymous with the contest.

“Jonathan Sheppard's long and storied career, in particular his accomplishments at Saratoga Race Course, will be remembered for years to come,” said NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke. “His decades of commitment and success within the sport make this a well-deserved honor. It's only fitting that he is celebrated with a stakes race at the Spa in light of his unprecedented streak of 47 years with at least one winner at Saratoga.”

The Ashwell, England native is the winningest trainer in U.S. jump racing-history and is one of only two trainers to win championships with both flat and jump horses. Equibase credits him with a career ledger of 3,426 wins with 3,099 runner-up efforts and 2,975 third-place finishes in 20,997 starts with earnings of more than $88 million.

Sheppard, an 11-time Colonial Cup winner, trained 15 Eclipse Award champions: Athenian Idol (1973); Cafe Prince (1977-78): Martie's Anger (1979); Flatterer (1983-86); Jimmy Lorenzo (1988); Highland Bud (1989); Forever Together (2008); Informed Decision (2009); Mixed Up (2009); Divine Fortune (2013); and Winston C (2019).

In flat races, Sheppard produced impressive winners as well, with Informed Decision winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and Forever Together capturing the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf the year prior.

A 1990 Hall of Fame inductee, Sheppard continued building on a historic legacy for the next three decades. In his final year of training in 2020, Sheppard finished atop the NSA trainer standings, besting runner-up Jack Fisher, who had been the leading trainer nine years running.

Sheppard last won the New York Turf Writers Cup with Winston C in 2019.

The post New York Turf Writers Cup Renamed In Honor Of Hall Of Famer Jonathan Sheppard appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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New York Turf Writers Cup Renamed in Honor of Hall of Fame Trainer Jonathan Sheppard

The GI New York Turf Writers Cup steeplechase stakes has been renamed in honor of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, the New York Racing Association announced Friday.

The $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard for 4-year-olds and up going 2 3/8 miles is slated for Thursday, Aug. 19 during the summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course.

“It seems fitting that one of the premier steeplechase stakes in the country is going to be named in honor of Jonathan Sheppard,” said Bill Gallo, Director of Racing for the National Steeplechase Association. “He has been the dominant force in American steeplechase racing for decades and has always represented the sport in a positive way, particularly at Saratoga, where his success has gained national attention. We thank NYRA and the New York Turf Writers for honoring Jonathan in this fashion.”

The 80-year-old Sheppard announced his retirement from American racing in early January. He capped an incredible 56-year racing career in which he was the leading National Steeplechase Association trainer 26 times, campaigning 15 Eclipse award winners over hurdles and flat ground.

Sheppard made an indelible mark on New York racing, winning at least one race at Saratoga for 47 consecutive years from 1969-2015. He was also the leading Saratoga trainer in 1984 and 1985. Fittingly, Sheppard earned a reputation for dominating the New York Turf Writers Cup, figuratively stamping his name on a race he won 15 times before the announcement that his name will literally be synonymous with the contest.

“Jonathan Sheppard's long and storied career, in particular his accomplishments at Saratoga Race Course, will be remembered for years to come,” said NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke. “His decades of commitment and success within the sport make this a well-deserved honor. It's only fitting that he is celebrated with a stakes race at the Spa in light of his unprecedented streak of 47 years with at least one winner at Saratoga.”

The Ashwell, England native is the winningest trainer in U.S. jump racing-history and is one of only two trainers to win championships with both flat and jump horses. Equibase credits him with a career ledger of 3,426 wins with 3,099 runner-up efforts and 2,975 third-place finishes in 20,997 starts with earnings of more than $88 million.

In flat races, Sheppard produced impressive winners as well, with Informed Decision winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and Forever Together capturing the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf the year prior.

A 1990 Hall of Fame inductee, Sheppard continued building on a historic legacy for the next three decades. In his final year of training in 2020, Sheppard finished atop the NSA trainer standings, besting runner-up Jack Fisher, who had been the leading trainer nine years running.

The post New York Turf Writers Cup Renamed in Honor of Hall of Fame Trainer Jonathan Sheppard appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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