April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Contenders Record Final Kentucky Oaks Works

Several GI Kentucky Oaks-bound fillies put in their final major workouts Saturday morning leading up to Friday's Churchill Downs Classic. Leading the Churchill Downs worktab, Phoenix Thoroughbred's Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map), winner of the Mar. 27 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks in her most recent start, worked a half-mile in :49.20 under Danny Ramsey for trainer Kenny McPeek.

“She had a breeze last week in :59, which was a bullet work,” McPeek said. “So today I just went a half with her, something simple, again just a basic maintenance work. She's eating good, and like King Fury, she's doing super good, fingers crossed.”

Also at Churchill Saturday, Juddmonte Farms' Millefeuille (Curlin) worked five furlongs in :59.60 in company to produce the fastest of 29 works at the distance. Ailsa Morrison was aboard the Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up for trainer Bill Mott.

“It looked good to me,” trainer Bill Mott said of the work that began after Millefeuille had galloped once around.

At Belmont Park, Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja (Honor Code) worked a half-mile in :48.20 for trainer Rob Atras. After breaking her maiden at Aqueduct Feb. 21, she finished runner-up in the nine-furlong GIII Gazelle S. The grey is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Monday.

“I was very happy with it,” Atras said. “I wasn't worried about the time but the track must have been playing fast because the work didn't look that quick to me. She did it easily down the lane and had a nice even gallop out.”

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Essential Quality Tops Loaded Derby Worktab Saturday

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) headlined a quintet of hopefuls that put in their final major works at Churchill Downs Saturday morning ahead of next weekend's Run for the Roses. Also working on an overcast morning were Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun (Into Michief), Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock (Dialed In) and Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury (Curlin).

Heading the Brad Cox Derby team, last season's juvenile champ worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. With exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, the likely Derby favorite worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 outside of fellow Godolphin-owned Spa City. The duo began their work at the half-mile pole through splits of :12.80, :24.80 and :48.20. The recent GII Toyota Blue Grass S. winner completed a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“We keep radios on all of our riders, so that way, we can stay in contact throughout the work,” Cox said. “Galloping out around the turn, I got on the radio to Edvin and told him not to let him go too strongly. Spa City is a horse we used as a workmate for Essential Quality the last three or four works. He's a good matchup for him because he's a good work horse.”

Shortly after Essential Quality completed his work, Mandaloun, with Florent Geroux in the saddle, worked five furlongs in 1:00 outside of recent Keeneland allowance winner Joe Frazier. The GII Risen Star S. scorer started about six lengths behind his stablemate and completed swift opening fractions of :23.20, :35.60 and :47.60. Mandaloun galloped out strongly around the first turn through a six-furlong time of 1:12.60 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27.20.

“Going into the pole, Joe Frazier was a little bit strong and I didn't want to ask Mandaloun to catch up to him too much,” Geroux said. “I didn't want to get him in the bit too early, so we started six or seven lengths behind but going around the turn and he really picked up the pace. He has a big stride to him and was full of himself getting over this track.”

King Fury put in his final workout for the Kentucky Derby, with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard during the period reserved for training horses pointed to the Derby and Oaks. King Fury worked a solo five furlongs in 1:00.20. He reeled off splits of :12.80, :25.20, :36.80, and :48.40. Hernandez Jr. guided him out to 1:12.80 for six furlongs and 1:26.60 for seven furlongs.

“Everything was good,” Hernandez Jr. said. “He did it with his ears up and he seems like he's a happy horse. He's got a little confidence in himself coming out of the Lexington. He's coming into the Derby with some confidence.”

The GIII Lexington S. winner moved up to No. 20 on the points leaderboard following the defections of Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) and Dream Shake (Twirling Candy).

“We weren't fretting about it too much,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “It was all up to a higher power, if we didn't get in, then [the plan] was to go on to the [May 15] GI Preakness S. [at Pimlico]. Those things are out of our control. What other people do with their horses, it's not something we spend a lot of energy on. We would have worked him the same today, if he was going to Baltimore or if he was staying here.”

Trained by Chad Brown, Highly Motivated went five furlongs in 1:00.40 under exercise rider Peter Roman immediately after the break. Runner up to Essential Quality in Keeneland's Apr. 3 GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and eagerly pulled away from stablemate Southern District, while galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20 and seven furlongs in 1:28.40.

“I thought he breezed really well and it went exactly how I wanted,” Brown said. “I wasn't afraid to give him a good solid breeze and he did it and he did it well, with some in reserve too. He got over the track well, which I really wanted to see. He had been galloping well over it, but really, when you get to see a breeze, you can see more, obviously.”

Also among yesterday Churchill workers, Super Stock, who hit the track at 5:32 a.m., went five furlongs in 1:01.20. The Steve Asmussen trainee worked in company with 4-year-old stablemate Max Player, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.60, and seven furlongs in 1:28.

“He went perfect and he gave us exactly what we were looking for,” Asmussen said. “I think that the horse's confidence level is at an all-time high, he goes really well over this racetrack, and I couldn't feel any better about him going into the Derby.”

At Keeneland, Like the King worked five furlongs in 1:01. The move was the ninth fastest of 28 at the distance. Working in company with the 4-year-old Artie's Princess, the 2020 Sovereign Award winner as Canada's champion female sprinter, Like the King started two lengths in back and edged clear at the wire, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.40 with Julio Garcia aboard.

“He was nice and smooth down the lane,” said Wesley Ward. “He had that filly measured, as he did last week. He looked a lot smoother this week than last week. Last week, he was kind of on the bridle. [Today] he was a lot more fluid.”

He added, “He's a very difficult horse to gallop. He had a really, really strong last part of his gallop [Friday] when a couple of workers came inside of him. So, I wasn't looking to go :59 or anything today.”

Ward indicated the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner will jog Sunday morning and gallop Monday and Tuesday before vanning to Churchill after training.

West Coast Workers

At Santa Anita, Hronis Racing and David Talla's Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) worked five furlongs in :59.20. The unbeaten GI Santa Anita Derby winner went together with winner Best Chance and outfinished him by a couple of lengths, according to trainer, John Sadler

“He breezed very well,” said Sadler, who is seeking is first win in the Run for the Roses. “He looked good, nice and smooth. It was kind of a repeat of last week. We didn't want to do too much because he's right where he wants to be already. We're happy.”

'Rocks' is expected to ship to Kentucky Sunday and will jog Monday after arriving at Churchill Downs. He will gallop Tuesday and Wednesday, “but the schedule could be tinkered with slightly depending on the weather,” Sadler said.

Working before Santa Anita's first race Saturday, Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) went six furlongs 1:13.68 under Flavien Prat, who will accompany him next Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Accompanied by stablemate Chasing Fame, Hot Rod Charlie started one length behind his work partner at the five furlong pole, from where he tracked his company to the top of the lane, assumed command and worked past the wire to the seven furlong pole through splits of 24.46, 48.94 and 1:00.90.

“I loved the way he went,” said Prat, who was also aboard for a six furlong work in 1:14.20 at Santa Anita Apr. 17. “He went really easy and he went a solid three quarters, with a good gallop out. I loved his energy and the way he went by his stablemate.”

Santa Anita Timer Dane Nelson had the GII Louisiana Derby winner galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.43.

“I love the fresh track and not having to worry about traffic,” said trainer Doug O'Neill, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2012 with I'll Have Another and in 2016 with Nyquist. “I'm real happy with the way he breezed. We're all set, looking forward to getting him to Churchill and finding out what our post position will be on Tuesday.”

Hot Rod Charlie will be flown to Louisville early Sunday morning and will gallop and/or jog throughout the week over the Churchill Downs main track.

Also posting his final Derby tightener, Gary Barber's Get Her Number (Dialed In) worked five furlongs in 1:02 at San Luis Rey Training Center with Peter Miller on-hand for the work.

“He went out in 1:14 and it was a nice move,” Miller said via text from the facility, which is about 30 miles northeast of Del Mar racetrack.

Miller indicated a final decision would be made Saturday regarding the colt's participation in Saturday's Classic.

The post Essential Quality Tops Loaded Derby Worktab Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Science Sleuths: Infectious Or Contagious?

Infectious. Contagious. You have probably heard these words several times in your life, maybe even used them. While similar and related, they are often used interchangeably or incorrectly and there is a difference. The distinction between the two is this: All contagious diseases are infectious, but not all infectious diseases are contagious.

The literal definition of infectious is “the process or state of being infected with a disease.” And to infect means “to affect or contaminate someone or something with pathogenic microbial agents.” Pathogenic meaning disease producing, and microbial referring to viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms. To simplify infectious, it basically means germs get into the body and spread, causing sickness. Contagious diseases are infectious diseases that can be transmitted through direct bodily (close) contact with an infected individual or their bodily discharges, or an object or surface they have contaminated (i.e. COVID-19). Other infectious diseases, however, are transmitted indirectly such as by mosquitoes (malaria) or ticks (Lyme disease).

The Big Picture

Contagious diseases are spread by contact, while infectious diseases are spread by infectious agents. So when something is contagious, it is also infectious because some contact exposed you or your animal to the infectious agent. Something infectious however is not always contagious. Confused yet? You can be infected with food poisoning (you ate the potato salad that sat out in the sun), but food poisoning isn't contagious (you aren't going to pass your food poisoning to someone else or your animals with just a simple contact). Suppose you are near someone sneezing quite a bit and they have an obviously stuffy nose. Well, if you have contact with that person and then you develop the sniffles and sneezes, it was contagious. It was also infectious because the way sniffles and sneezes are contagious is usually through an agent such as a virus or bacteria. If that person's symptoms were caused by allergies though, they aren't contagious because you can't catch allergies.

Since disease is spread by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms, biosecurity at your farm is key to prevention. Having a solid plan in place to keep pathogens away from your farm or property, animals and personnel is key. The major components for your program are (adapted from USDA-APHIS):

General Signs of Animal Diseases of Concern

Sudden, unexplained deaths in the herd or flock
Severe illness affecting a high percentage of animals
Blistering around an animal's mouth, nose, teats or hooves
Unusual ticks, maggots or other insects
Staggering, falling or central nervous system disorders
Abortions or still births

Control Access to Your Property

Have only one combined entrance and exit to your farm if possible.
Keep property gates locked at all times.
Make sure all visitors check with you prior to entering your property or visiting your animals.
If you have a large number of visitors, keep track of who visits your farm. Make sure all visitors sign in at arrival and sign out at departure.
Only allow essential vehicles and visitors to enter the farm and keep these vehicles in a separate area away from animals.

Biosecurity Precautions

When a new animal moves onto a farm, be sure that the health status and the source of the animal is known.
New animals or animals returning to a farm should be separated from the rest of the herd for approximately two weeks. This can be difficult in some cases. If you are unable to completely isolate the animals, keep them in a pen or stall farthest from the rest of the stock, keep feed and water buckets or bowls separate, avoid nose-to-nose contact with other stock. For horses or stock that need to be exercised or worked, remove other animals from the pen, arena or paddock and set up a time for the new stock to have access to the area.
Keep vehicles, such as milk, feed and livestock trucks, from driving through areas where animals are housed or feed is kept.
Wash hands thoroughly before/after handling livestock.
Ask visitors to provide information about recent farm and animal contacts; deny entry if they have been to an area or farm of concern.
Clothing worn on farms in other locations/countries should be washed.
All footwear should be disinfected before entering and after leaving an animal housing area.
Discourage visitors from walking through feed mangers and having physical contact with animals.
Report morbidity and mortality events to your local veterinarian or to the state veterinarian's office.

Provide Disposable Protective Clothing

Make sure visitors entering your farm have clean clothes or you can keep a supply of disposable clean coveralls and boot/shoe covers for visitors.
If you haul your own animals, wash your truck, clean and disinfect boots and change coveralls before returning to your farm.
In general, don't borrow or share equipment. In cases where there are no other options, clean and disinfect the equipment prior to use and make sure to repeat these steps prior to returning the items.
If it is necessary to be around the animals of another farm, consider wearing protective clothing such as coveralls, and boots that can be cleaned and disinfected before you enter the property and removed when you leave.

Provide Disinfectant for Incoming Visitors

Provide visitors with a tub of disinfectant and a brush for scrubbing shoes for use before they enter your property, or provide shoe covers.
Vehicles entering and leaving your property should be kept away from animal areas or have their tires washed with disinfectant.

Additional Steps

Control your companion animals and poultry.
Control pests such as rodents and wild life.
Keep garbage and other waste from supplies and animal housing.
Evaluate feed purchased or brought onto the property and fed to animals.
Practice security and cleanliness in feed storage.

The take home message.

With infectious diseases, it's all about spreading germs. They can be spread in many ways, such as through direct contact with an infected person or animal or by direct contact with a contaminated object, consumption of contaminated food (salmonella) or water (cholera) or exposure to disease carrying insects (West Nile, numerous others).

With contagious disease, it's all about contact. The bottom line: have a good biosecurity plan in place on your farm/veterinary practice. Good hygiene, solid insect and parasite controls as well as limiting contact with suspect or new animals/people can help cut down disease problems. If any issues are noted or arise, don't wait; call your veterinarian, state veterinarian or extension agent. USDA can be reached toll-free at 833-663-8732.

‘I Loved His Energy’: Prat Breezes Hot Rod Charlie Before First Race At Santa Anita

Doug O'Neill, in search of his third career win in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1, sent recent Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie out for his final Derby prep at 12:09 p.m. PT Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as the Kentucky-bred colt by Oxbow went six furlongs 1:13.68 under Flavien Prat, who will accompany him next Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Hot Rod Charlie came on the main track outside his lead pony and stablemate Chasing Fame via Santa Anita's quarter mile chute, galloped through the stretch and was set down while one length behind his work partner at the five-furlong pole, from where he tracked his company to the top of the lane where he assumed command and worked past the wire to the seven furlong pole through splits of 24.46, 48.94 and 1:00.90.

Santa Anita Timer Dane Nelson had Hot Rod Charlie galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.43.

“I'm extremely grateful to the Santa Anita Racing Department for letting us work after training hours and before the races,” said O'Neill, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2012 with I'll Have Another and in 2016 with Nyquist. “I love the fresh track and not having to worry about traffic. I'm real happy with the way he breezed. We're all set, looking forward to getting him to Churchill and finding out what our post position will be on Tuesday.”

Owned by Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and William Strauss, Hot Rod Charlie was purchased as a yearling at public auction for $110,000 by O'Neill's brother Dennis, and with his win in the Louisiana Derby on March 20, he now has earnings of $1,005,700 from an overall mark of 7-2-1-2.

A one mile maiden winner in his fourth career start at Santa Anita on Oct. 2, Hot Rod Charlie was subsequently second beaten three quarters of a length by likely Derby favorite Essential Quality in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Reunited with Prat for the first time since a fifth place finish in a one mile maiden race on grass at Del Mar Sept. 7, Hot Rod Charlie, who is out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss, will be facing Essential Quality for the first time since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“I loved the way he went,” said Prat, who was also aboard for a six-furlong work in 1:14.20 on April 17. “He went really easy and he went a solid three quarters, with a good gallop out. I loved his energy and the way he went by his stablemate. Essential Quality is the favorite and we're one of many horses who have a good chance. There's no pressure and I'm really excited to be riding this horse.”

Hot Rod Charlie will be flown to Louisville early Sunday morning and will gallop and/or jog throughout the week over the Churchill Downs main track.

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