May, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Arqana Renews Naas Sponsorship

For a second consecutive year, Arqana will sponsor the Listed Irish EBF Marwell S. at Ireland's Naas Racecourse July 21.

The inaugural Marwell S., contested in early August 2020, was won by the Ken Condon-trained Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who won the G2 Lowther S. in her next appearance before placing in the G1 Cheveley Park Stud S. and in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf.

The announcement comes ahead of next week's Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, which has been relocated from Deauville to Doncaster due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with Naas Racecourse, which provides a great opportunity to showcase Arqana in Ireland,” the company's executive director Freddy Powell said. “The country has a very important place in the industry, both for breeding and racing, and it is a way for us to thank the Irish buyers and vendors who put their confidence in us throughout the year by being present at the Deauville sales. Many pinhookers will offer 2-year-olds at the Breeze-Up next week, several of whom invested in them as yearlings at Arqana.”

Added Eamonn McEvoy, general manager of Naas Racecourse: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Arqana, a sales company that continue to go from strength to strength judged on the calibre of graduates coming from their sales. Arqana is a globally recognized power house, a brand Naas Racecourse are very proud to partner with. The team at Arqana are wonderful to work with and we thank them for their continued support.”

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Pennsylvania Commission Bans Lasix In 2-Year-Old, Graded Stakes Races

The Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission has banned the use of race-day furosemide (Lasix) in both 2-year-old races and graded stakes races at the state's Thoroughbred tracks, effective June 1, 2021.

“In order to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses and to properly safeguard the integrity of racing, the Commission adopted this policy of limiting the use of Lasix as set forth below in accordance with national standards,” reads the Administrative Policy Notice distributed by the PSHRC.

In addition, an update from Pennsylvania HBPA executive director Todd Mostoller indicated that Tuesday racing will be added to the schedule at Penn National beginning June 8, with races being held Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Important updates for horsemen at @HollywoodPenn & @PID_Casino from our Executive Director… pic.twitter.com/k2XZZBGZd9

— Pa HBPA (@PA_HBPA) May 21, 2021

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Trainer Wesley Ward ‘Getting Excited’ About Royal Ascot Contingent

Richard Ravin's Maven, a Group 3 winner in France in 2019 who captured his 2021 debut in April at Keeneland, joined a group of 2-year-olds who turned in half-mile works on the firm Keeneland turf course Friday for trainer Wesley Ward in preparation for possible trips to England to compete at Royal Ascot in June. Since 2009, when he became the first American trainer to win a race at Royal Ascot, Ward has 11 victories at the prestigious meet.

The Royal Ascot meet will be held June 15-19.

“We had some really nice works,” Ward said about today's performances. “(The Keeneland turf course) is a true grass course. It's similar to the courses in England.”

Keeneland clockers caught Maven, working in company with Madison (G1) winner Kimari, in :47.80. A 4-year-old gelding by American Pharoah, Maven is intended for the 5-furlong King's Stand (G1) on June 15 at Royal Ascot, while Kimari is being pointed to Saratoga for her next start in the July 28 Honorable Miss (G2).

Ward's juvenile turf workers all won their career debuts in April:

· Marc Detampel's Nakatomi (June 17 Norfolk-G2) was clocked in :50.40 in company with Hat Creek Racing and Cheyenne Stable's Tea Olive (:52)

· Two horses owned by Stonestreet Stable worked in company – Ruthin (GB) (June 16 Queen Mary-G2) in :48.60 and Napa Spirit (IRE) (Norfolk) in :48.80.

· Hat Creek Racing and Cheyenne Stable's Golden Bell (June 18 Albany-G3) was timed in :48.20 in company with her faster workmate, Gregory Kaufman's Kaufymaker (:47.80).

Ward said Kaufymaker earned consideration with today's work to compete at Royal Ascot.

Set to return to Royal Ascot for Ward is Stonestreet's 3-year-old filly Campanelle (IRE), who last year captured the Queen Mary before taking the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France. Campanelle is based at Keeneland but has been working Sundays on the turf course at Churchill Downs in a schedule based on the availability of the Keeneland course.

Ward has Campanelle scheduled to make her 2021 debut in the June 18 Commonwealth Cup (G1) at 6 furlongs against males. With a win at Royal Ascot two years in a row, Campanelle would equal the feat of Stonestreet's Lady Aurelia, who Ward trained to win the 2016 Queen Mary and 2017 King's Stand.

The trainer's other possible 2-year-old starters at Royal Ascot this year include Peter Leidel's Overbore (June 15 Coventry-G2); Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable and Windmill Manor Farm's Lucci (Norfolk) and Stonestreet's Twilight Gleaming (IRE) (June 16 Windsor Castle-L).

Ward said the horses would depart June 1 on a flight from Indianapolis and be based at the English National Stud. He plans to fly to England following Bound for Nowhere's start in the Jackpot Jaipur (G1) on June 5 at Belmont Park and oversee the final works by his contingent before their Royal Ascot races.

“I'm getting excited,” he said.

Another Royal Ascot hopeful stabled at Keeneland is DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, who won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) Sponsored by Azizi Developments during the March 27 Dubai World Cup card. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid is being considered for two races at the meet: the 5-furlong King's Stand (G1) on June 15 and the 6-furlong Diamond Jubilee (G1) on June 19.

Extravagant Kid has recorded half-mile breezes at Keeneland on dirt on May 4 (:50.20) and May 13 (:48.20). Walsh said he is scheduled to work again Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

“Flying out on the first or second (of June),” Walsh said via text about travel plans for Extravagant Kid. “I'm not sure if I'm going yet. Depends on the quarantine restrictions.”

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Novel Circovirus Identified In A Kentucky Horse

A novel circovirus has been found in a Kentucky horse with liver disease, though it remains unclear whether the virus was the cause of the horse's health problems.

Circoviruses can affect pigs, birds, elk, dogs, cows, pandas, bears, bobcats, pumas, foxes, mink, seals, bats, rodents, fish, and bobcats. They can have no effect on some animals and may be lethal to others.

Dr. Alvin Hui serum tested five horses in Kentucky: one ill and four healthy. The researchers discovered parvovirus-H, equus anellovirus and some distantly related mammalian circoviruses sequences. The circovirus was present in the ill horse, which was a pregnant mare with hepatitis and a fever. The mare was also positive for equine parvovirus-H, which could have been the cause of the liver disease.

The scientists were able to completely map the genome of the equine circovirus 1 strain Charaf (EqCV1-Charaf). The team determined that the equine circovirus genome is most closely related to pig circoviruses PCV1 and PCV2, which are distributed worldwide, and to a Canadian elk circovirus, which has been reported just once.

The team concluded that EqCV1 is a new species in the circovirus genus and the first reported in a horse. Whether the circovirus played a role in the mare's hepatitis is uncertain as the virus's disease-causing ability is unclear.

Read the full article from the journal Viruses.