Month: April 2021

Oaks Day Back Where It Belongs

LOUISVILLE, KY – Now, this is much more like it.

With a forecast calling for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s, the GI Kentucky Oaks returns to its traditional spot on the calendar Friday.

While last year's delayed GI Kentucky Derby and Oaks were both conducted spectator-free over Labor Day weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited crowds of between 40,000-50,000–health and safety protocols in place and all-are expected to be on hand at Churchill Downs this weekend.

Following the withdrawal of Ava's Grace (Laoban) earlier this week, a field of 13 sophomore fillies will line up, headed by undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin). The Shadwell Stable colorbearer and $1.05-million KEESEP graduate punched her ticket to Louisville for Todd Pletcher just getting up for a narrow victory over Pass the Champagne (Flatter) in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 3.

Malathaat, the 5-2 favorite on the Oaks morning line, is a daughter of the brilliant Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), who finished a troubled fourth as the favorite in the 2013 Oaks.

The aforementioned lightly raced Pass the Champagne has made a nice appearance during the special training session reserved for Derby and Oaks runners this week for the husband-and-wife team of George Weaver and Cindy Hutter. Aboard his stable pony, Weaver has accompanied Pass the Champagne to the track while his other half is in the irons aboard the chestnut.

Like Malathaat, Search Results (Flatter) also heads to the Oaks with an unblemished record. The Klaravich Stables representative made it a perfect three-for-three for Chad Brown with a good-looking score in Aqueduct's GIII Gazelle S. Apr. 3.

'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) and Clairiere (Curlin) will renew their rivalry once again with the former currently holding a 2-1 advantage. Travel Column got the better of Clairiere in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28 as well as the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks last time Mar. 20. Clairiere defeated Travel Column by a neck in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 13, respectively.

In addition to Travel Column, two-time Oaks winning-trainer Brad Cox, represented by last year's upsetter Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), will also saddle longshot Coach (Commissioner). Cox, of course, also trains the favorite for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, unbeaten 2-year-old champion Essential Quality (Tapit).

Juddmonte homebred Millefeuille (Curlin) wasn't done any favors drawing wide in post 14 (she'll move in a slot), but is another who has caught the eye during training hours beneath the Twin Spires this week. She was second behind Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) after leading in the stretch in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 27.

Friday's loaded Oaks program also features: the popular Maxfield (Street Sense) in the GII Alysheba S.; returning GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the GII Edgewood S.; last year's Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil in the GI La Troienne S.; GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GII Eight Belles S.; and a field of 11 for the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S.

Six hours of live Kentucky Oaks coverage begins Friday at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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‘Maybe It’s A Good Thing’: Derby Trainers Unconcerned About This Year’s Lasix Rules

The general consensus around the Churchill Downs backstretch this week has been that requiring hopefuls on the Road to the Kentucky Derby to race without Lasix has not been a major hindrance for the year's 3-year-old crop. 

Precisely half of this year's Kentucky Derby field has never raced on Lasix, while all 20 entrants completed their final prep without the diuretic medication, which aids in preventing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in racehorses. 

“This may not be a popular opinion,” warned David Carroll, assistant to dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. “I was pro-Lasix, but having seen that now, you know what, maybe it's a good thing. Maybe no race-day medication is a good thing. I think a lot of things we do, we're creatures of habit, and we have a tendency to do things because that's the way we've always done it, not the way it's meant to be, and not what's best for the horse.”

“I would say it's an individual thing,” said two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O'Neill. “And in an ideal world, if the horse doesn't have any kind of tendency to have any kind of nosebleed, running without Lasix, they do seem to come out of the races with more energy, and they get back to their normal exercise energy quicker. So they recover quicker, I think, without Lasix.”

Many trainers spoke out against the restriction of Lasix use for years before a ban was implemented for 2-year-old runners in many jurisdictions last year. Now, both the Triple Crown series and the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, as well as the World Championship races themselves, are all scheduled to be conducted without race-day Lasix. In several jurisdictions, all graded stakes races will be held Lasix-free.

“It's something, I think, we all in this sport kind of knew it was coming,” O'Neill said. “Just – if you look around the world, most of the big races around the world are run Lasix-free. So as much as I was apprehensive, like I think a lot of horsemen were and are, I think the longer we've done it, the more able to – I've been able to adjust.”

Some trainers have altered their pre-race and pre-workout regimens, while others say they have not.

“Obviously last year we started with the 2-year-olds not being on Lasix, so we really didn't do anything particularly different with them at all,” said Carroll. “From a personal perspective, we had a few that showed some traces (of EIPH), but no bad cases.”

“We have a little bit different diet leading up to works and races,” O'Neill said. “Just, we're more thoughtful of not having much in their stomach for exercise, which probably, we should have been thinking of that. Anyways, so just try to have them a little bit more light going into their works and races. It's definitely been something that we've been more conscientious of with no Lasix.”

While the majority of this year's Kentucky Derby trainers agreed that the Lasix ban wasn't harmful to the current 3-year-old crop, they remain concerned about requiring older horses, those who are used to running with Lasix, to now race without it.

“I think with this particular crop, for my cohort, it's not been an issue,” said Hall of Fame nominee Todd Pletcher. “I can't speak for everyone else, but I think some of the bigger concerns are around older horses that maybe have been running on Lasix for three, four, five years and then have to come off with it. But bleeding can be an issue for horses, with or without Lasix.”

“You have some horses that struggle with that,” echoed John Sadler. “I've had some older horses, and I have to say no more stakes for them. They've got to run in the easier races. They weren't capable of running without Lasix.”

“I do feel bad for the horses who have been racing on it for years, and now have to stop,” Carroll concluded. “For older horses now that have been racing on it for the last three to four years, I think that's really hard. I wish they'd made it more of a progression.”

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McIngvale To Place Derby Bet On Track

Owner James 'Mattress Mack' McIngvale, who earlier this week announced that he would be making a bet in excess of $2-million as a hedge against a promotion in which customers of his Gallery Furniture chain will be refunded in the event that favored Essential Quality (Tapit) prevails, has confirmed that the bet will be placed on site at Churchill Downs in order to maximize the money that goes to purses.

McIngvale has bet through casinos on similar promotions on the World Series and Super Bowl, where he is able to secure fixed odds. But he is committed to placing the bet at Churchill, which allows local horsepeople to benefit most.

“This is the first horse-racing event I've been able to use as a promotion,” said McIngvale. “The people at Churchill Downs have been great working with me on using their trademarks and this and that. Of course, I've been receiving calls from across the country, legal bookmakers wanting me to bet with them, people in some states where they don't contribute much if anything to the [betting] pool. Their pitch is that $2 million won't effect the pool, but you'll get the same odds as you would at Churchill.

He continued, “Well, I don't want to do that, because I'm a horseman. I know what pays those purses is the handle. So all the money I'm betting will be at Churchill Downs. Let's face it, Churchill Downs has to make some money, too, to put on the show. So it's good for Churchill, which is a tremendous track and promoter of horse racing, but most of all it's good for the owners, trainers, jockeys, the backstretch workers who put their life into the game. I didn't want to bet someplace else or offshore. I wanted to go where the track's dollars were maximized and the horse owners' dollars were maximized to support the ecosystem of the entire game.”

The purse account at Churchill receives about 10% of all on-track wagering, so a bet of $2 million will contribute about $200,000 to purses. That number would be half–or less–if the wager were placed through other means.

McIngvale has already wired $4 million to Churchill Downs and plans to spend Derby day at the track.

“I haven't decided how much I'm going to bet. It depends on how many mattresses we sell,” he said. “But it will be at least $2 million. I have to figure whether to bet it all at once, or bet $500,000 three or four different times. How to structure it, whether I want to bet any exactas or just win bets or any place and show bets. I've got a lot of people advising me. I'm just worried about Essential Quality. I hope he wins. He's deserving. It should be a great event. I'm just glad that whatever money I'm betting will go mainly to the horsemen and Churchill Downs, where it deserves to go.”

Marty Maline, executive director of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent Protective Association, applauded McIngvale's move to bet on track.

“When people see these monstrous numbers in total handle wagered on a track's card, they think the horsemen get a tremendous split from all of that,” Maline said. “But there's a huge difference between $100 bet on a racetrack and $100 bet off-track as far as what goes to purses. I certainly don't want to denigrate the ADWs, because that's broadened the market and allowed people to bet who otherwise couldn't. But a bet at the track contributes far more to purses than anywhere else it might be placed. Good for Mattress Mack.”

The post McIngvale To Place Derby Bet On Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘Indescribable’: Rene Diaz Breaks Through With First Winner At Gulfstream

Apprentice jockey Rene Diaz broke through to notch his first career win Thursday at Gulfstream Park after guiding Jessica ($14) to a three-length victory in the afternoon's third race.

The 21-year-old jockey achieved the ever-important milestone in front-running fashion aboard the Michael Yates-trained 5-year-old mare, capturing a seven-furlong sprint for $12,500 filly and mare claimers.

“It feels amazing. It felt like the wire was getting further and further away from me,” Diaz said. “Thank God, my parents and everyone that supported me. I'm grateful for the connections, also — Mr. Yates, Shadybrook Farm. It's just amazing, an amazing feeling. Indescribable.”

Diaz, who grew up in South Florida and played high school soccer with fellow Gulfstream jockey Romero Maragh, worked his way up the ladder on the South Florida backstretches.

“I was just freelancing in the backstretch, working for everybody and helping everyone out. Picking up things little by little, learning little by little,” he said. “It's been a long three years of practicing until I decided this was my year to start. So much has happened due to the coronavirus. I'm just happy to be here and blessed.”

Diaz, who won his first race on his 18th career mount, expressed gratitude to the trainers who helped him realize his dream of becoming a jockey.

“I first started in the shedrow, shedrowing horses for [trainer] Aubrey Maragh. He gave me a huge chance. He was a big support. Also, [trainer] Monica McGoey was a big support. She's really the person that let me get my gate card and gave me a whole bunch of horses to breeze,” Diaz said. “Then I started expanding my horizons with [trainers] Joe Orseno, Happy Alter, and Louis Roussel, where I learned a lot.”

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