May, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Preakness Hero Rombauer Arrives At Belmont Park ‘No Worse For Wear’

John and Diane Fradkin's homebred colt Rombauer, a decisive winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, arrived at Belmont Park on Monday to prepare for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets slated for June 5.

The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes is the centerpiece of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that runs from June 3 through Saturday, June 5. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rombauer garnered a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his rallying 3 1/2-length score in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness, second jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Twirling Candy bay, who is based at Santa Anita Park, arrived at Belmont at around 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning and will be stabled with trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Accompanying the Preakness champ on the van ride from Maryland was groom Leonel Orantes Aguilar, who reported that the horse shipped to New York “very well.”

McCarthy returned to southern California, where he is primarily based at Santa Anita, but gave positive reports on how the horse emerged from his breakthrough performance.

“It seems like he's in good physical shape,” McCarthy said. “He was pretty bright and alert on Sunday morning. He's a horse that takes very good care of himself, so we sort of read the signs from him and see what he's telling us. From what I can tell, he's no worse for wear.”

The versatile Rombauer graduated at first asking on the Del Mar turf in July 2020 and completed his 2-year-old season on dirt with a second in the Grade 1 American Pharoah in September at Santa Anita and a closing fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland, which was won by 2-year-old champion Essential Quality.

Rombauer captured the El Camino Real Derby on the Golden Gate Fields synthetic in February to launch his sophomore season and followed with an even third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass in April on the Keeneland main track ahead of his Preakness effort.

It was a first American classic triumph for McCarthy, who was previously a longtime assistant to newly minted Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

“I got a lot of nice messages from people and there were a lot of people that reached out who I hadn't heard from in quite some time, so it was very nice,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy went on to say that Bo Hirsch's Ce Ce is a possibility for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event on Belmont Stakes Day at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for older fillies and mares.

Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, also arrived at Belmont on Monday following his seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness under Joel Rosario.

Mori's travelling assistant Masaki Takano will oversee the two-time winner's preparations heading into the Belmont Stakes.

“He seemed to travel really well, it was a trouble free trip,” said Takano through translator Kate Hunter. “This is a good experience for the horse because the racing here is so different. Over the course of the time that he's been here, he's been able to get used to the American style of doing things. That's helped him relax into the routine and hopefully it will lead to a better performance in the future.”

Takano said that France Go de Ina, a two-time winner in Japan at Hanshin Racecourse, has settled into a nice rhythm training in North America and should be well prepared heading into his next engagement.

“The extra length of the Belmont, and the experience he's gotten from racing once here already, it's likely we'll have a better chance to perform better based off his pedigree. We're looking forward to giving it another go,” said Takano.

A $100,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Kentucky-bred France Go de Ina is by Will Take Charge and out of the Curlin mare Dreamy Blues.

France Go de Ina is a two-time winner at Hanshin Racecourse, including a maiden score on November 28 and an allowance coup on December 19. France Go de Ina entered the Preakness from a sixth in the UAE Derby following a poor start.

Takano said France Go de Ina will resume training on Friday morning.

A $1 million bonus is offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

The $1 million bonus is in addition to the $800,000 winner's share of the Belmont Stakes, which is contested at 1 ½ miles [2,400 meters], the same distance as classic races in Japan.

In 2016, the Japan-based Lani competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown, with his best showing being a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

The Japan-based Master Fencer, who was elevated to sixth in the 2019 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, closed to finish fifth in that year's Grade 1 Belmont.

To qualify for the bonus, a horse must have made at least three starts in Japan prior to starting in the Belmont and must be nominated to North America's Triple Crown series. In the event of a dead heat, the connections will receive a $600,000 bonus.

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Baffert Handed Temporary Suspension From NYRA Tracks

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the temporary suspension of Bob Baffert from entering horses in races and occupying stall space at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack.

“In order to maintain a successful Thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants,” said NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke. “That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of Thoroughbred racing.”

On Sunday, May 9, 2021, Mr. Baffert publicly acknowledged that the Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone, a banned corticosteroid that would trigger a disqualification and loss of purse money should a split sample return the same finding. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is required to await the split-sample results before rendering a final determination in the matter.

In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit's victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas.

During the temporary suspension, NYRA will not accept entries or provide stall space to any individual employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables.

NYRA expects to make a final determination regarding the length and terms of Mr. Baffert's suspension based on information revealed during the course of the ongoing investigation in Kentucky, such as the post-Kentucky Derby test results of Medina Spirit.

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CHRB Files Medication Complaints Against Hall Of Famers McAnally, Mandella

The California Horse Racing Board has filed medication complaints against trainers Ron McAnally and Richard Mandella, two members of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame who have rarely been cited for violations throughout their careers.

McAnally was notified of a positive test for the Class 1 drug 7-Carboxy-Cannabidiol in Roses and Candy, winner of the third race at Del Mar on Nov. 22, 2020. A split sample confirmed the presence of the substance.

Better known as CBD, Cannabidiol is found in a number of equine products, including tincture oil, pellets, liniment spray and poultices. While it is believed to work as an anti-inflammatory there is limited research on the possible benefits of CBD in horses and its use remains controversial. Because it is not included in the CHRB's classification list of drugs, it becomes a Class 1/Penalty Class A by default, according to CHRB spokesman Mike Marten. The Association of Racing Commissioners International lists Cannabidiol as a Class 2/Penalty Category B substance.

Marten said a proposed rule change to make Cannabidiol a Class 3/Penalty Category B drug is currently out for public comment and CHRB executive director Scott Chaney and investigators will recommend that stewards treat the alleged infraction as a Class 3 violation. It would still result in the disqualification of the horse, Marten added.

McAnally has not been sanctioned for any medication violations in California since 1998, Marten said. According to www.thoroughbredrulings.com, McAnally received a warning for a positive test for the Class D drug Cimetidine in Kentucky in 2009.

The CHRB filed a complaint against Mandella on May 7 after Jolie Olimpica – third in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on March 13, 2021 – was found in a post-race sample to have 6.1 ng/ml of the Class 4/Penalty Category C drug methocarbamol – a muscle relaxant. A split sample confirmed the presence of the drug.

Mandella was fined $500 in January 2018 after two anti-inflammatories were found in a post-race sample – his most recent violation. He was also fined $500 for a methocarbamol positive in 2011.

Stewards hearings will be scheduled for both trainers.

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NYRA Suspends Baffert

There was more bad news for Bob Baffert Monday, as the New York Racing Association announced that it has temporarily suspended the trainer, which means he will not be allowed to enter any horses at NYRA tracks or occupy stall space.

“In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants,” NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke said in a statement. “That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of thoroughbred racing.”

While Baffert was not planning on running any of his horses in the GI Belmont S., he was aiming Charlatan (Speightstown) for the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H., run the same day as the Belmont. In most years, Baffert has also had starters during the Saratoga meet. It was not immediately known whether or not Charlatan or any other horses now trained by Baffert can run at the NYRA tracks for other trainers.

NYRA has joined Churchill Downs as tracks that are no longer accepting entries from Baffert. After agreeing to a number of conditions, including pre-race drug tests, Baffert was allowed to compete in the GI Preakness S. and other weekend stakes at Pimlico, by the track's owner, The Stronach Group. Medina Spirit (Protonico) ran third in the Preakness and stablemate Concert Tour (Street Sense) finished a well-beaten ninth.

In a response to TDN via email, Baffert's attorney, W. Craig Robertson, said: “I am just now reviewing the NYRA decision and then I will discuss it with Bob, along with all of his legal options. No formal statement or decision until both of those take place.”

Baffert's troubles began when he announced that he had been informed by the Kentucky Racing Commission that Medina Spirit had tested positive for the banned medication betamethasone, which is a corticosteroid. The betamethasone positive cannot be officially confirmed until after a split sample has been tested. Baffert has admitted that Medina Spirit was treated with an anti-fungal ointment which contains betamethasone.

NYRA acknowledged that, when making the decision, it took under consideration that Baffert has had numerous positives over the last several months.

“In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit's victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas,” read NYRA's statement.

NYRA called the suspension “temporary” and said it will make a final determination based on information revealed during the course of the ongoing investigation in Kentucky, such as the post-Kentucky Derby test results of Medina Spirit.

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