Grand National 2021: Cloth Cap heads Aintree field as The Storyteller is withdrawn
The Storyteller is the only withdrawal as the final field of 40 horses is named for Saturday's Aintree Grand National.
Month: April 2021
Jennifer Hoyt Promoted To Director Of Racing At Oaklawn Park
Jennifer Hoyt, who has served as Media Relations Manager for the last 10 years, has been promoted to Director of Racing. In this new role, she will work closely with Vice President of Racing Jason Milligan and will be primarily responsible for the promotion, planning and success of Oaklawn's live racing product.
“Jennifer's passion for horse racing is second to none,” Milligan said. “She has numerous contacts with horsemen and owners within the industry and I am excited for her and the future of Oaklawn.”
“I couldn't have written up a more perfect role for myself,” Hoyt said. “This really is my dream job. I'm excited to be even more involved with the racing program, while also continuing to promote Oaklawn's races to fans across the country.”
Hoyt has nearly 25 years of experience working in the Thoroughbred industry. In addition to working at Oaklawn, she has held positions at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Gulfstream Park, Arlington Park, and Lone Star Park. She is a longtime member of the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup notes teams and has twice been part of the Dubai World Cup notes team. Hoyt is an avid supporter of Thoroughbred Aftercare and has been working closely with the Arkansas H.B.P.A. on a new program in 2021, which she hopes to grow in her new role.
Hoyt will continue to oversee Media Relations efforts during the live meets.
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California Senate Rejects CHRB Appointment Of ‘Woman Who Is Not Beholden To The Old Boys’ Network’
In an event that hasn't occurred in over 20 years, Monday saw the California State Senate reject the governor's reappointment of Wendy Mitchell to the California Horse Racing Board. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mitchell had a 29-5 vote for confirmation at 2:30 p.m. that turned into a 17-20 denial by 3:30 p.m.
No individual senator claimed responsibility for the lobbying that occurred in that intervening hour, though one anonymously speaking senator indicated Mitchell's role as a consultant was a concern. However, she has no clients connected to horse racing.
“Change is hard,” Mitchell told the Los Angeles Times. “I get that. It's slow and sometimes painful for those accustomed to the status quo. Sadly, it would appear that [Monday's] confirmation vote was the old guard of the industry fighting back against reform — reform of horse racing and reform of being implemented by a woman who is not beholden to the old boys' network.”
Mitchell's case is expected to again be taken to a vote at an undetermined time in the future. She has served on the CHRB since 2019.
She is the principal of WM Consulting, described on its website as a firm which “translates how government operates to companies that are working to achieve specific business goals.”
Read more at the Los Angeles Times.
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McCarthy: Oaklawn Mile Could Propel Rushie To ‘Bigger And Better Things’
Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy will try to pad his sparkling Oaklawn resume when Rushie makes his 4-year-old debut in Saturday's $400,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses.
McCarthy, a former Todd Pletcher assistant, has won half of his eight career Oaklawn starts, including the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses in 2018 with City of Light and last year's $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares with Ce Ce.
Rushie is a winner in Hot Springs, too, claiming a closing-day first-level allowance route last year when McCarthy sent a handful of promising young horses to Oaklawn late in the meeting after racing in California was shuttered (COVID-19).
Rushie went on to capture the $500,000 Pat Day Mile (G2) for 3-year-olds Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs and will be making his first start since finishing seventh in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. It was his first race against older horses.
“Had himself a nice break, 60-day break, after the Breeders' Cup,” McCarthy said Tuesday afternoon. “Horse has come to hand quickly. A spot like this for $400,000 over a racetrack we know he likes seemed to make sense and possibly propel him on to some bigger and better things here later in the year, hopefully.”
The consistent Rushie – first, second or third in 6 of 8 lifetime starts – competed against many of the country's top 3-year-olds last year, including Authentic, Swiss Skydiver, Charlatan, Honor A. P. and Art Collector.
Rushie's three victories have been at a mile or a mile and a sixteenth, but McCarthy said he believes the colt may be able to effectively handle longer distances later in 2021. The hope, McCarthy said, is in “bigger races going a little bit farther than at a mile.”
“I don't think a mile and an eighth is going to be a problem,” McCarthy said. “Hopefully in the fall of the year he's able to get a mile and a quarter. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Obviously, Pat Day Mile, one-turn mile, he was very good. He was good there around two turns. He's won at 3 of 4 racetracks that he's gone to, so I'm good with it. We've got plenty of options in front of us. If he stays healthy, he'll dictate where we go.”
From the first crop of Grade 1 winner Liam's Map, Rushie has earned $503,151 for owners Jim and Donna Daniell.
The projected nine-horse Oaklawn Mile field from the rail out: Long Range Toddy, Jon Court to ride, 117 pounds; Gun It, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117; Wells Bayou, Florent Geroux, 124; Rushie, Joel Rosario, 124; Blackberry Wine, David Cabrera, 121; By My Standards, Gabriel Saez, 124; Pioneer Spirit, Ramon Vazquez, 124; Home Base, Francisco Arrieta, 117; and The Sound, Martin Garcia, 121.
Long Range Toddy (first division of the 2019 Rebel at Oaklawn), Wells Bayou (2020 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds) and By My Standards (2020 Oaklawn Handicap) are also Grade 2 winners.
Probable post time for the Oaklawn Mile, which goes as the ninth of 13 races, is 4:49 p.m. (Central). Last year's Oaklawn Mile runner-up, Improbable, went on to capture three Grade 1 events and was named the country's champion older dirt male.
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