May, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

American Wood Fibers Partners With Secretariat Center for Thoroughbred Rehabilitation

American Wood Fibers has announced a new partnership with the Secretariat Center, located at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The company will serve as the sole sponsor and supplier of animal bedding, contributing to the Center's upkeep and overall health of American Thoroughbreds. This sponsorship allows the Center to continue their work, readying the horses for life after rehab.

Through boarding and reschooling, the Center's goal is to create harmonious matches with adopters and educate the community about the American Thoroughbred breed. To date, they have successfully rehoused more than 800 Thoroughbreds.

“We are so excited about our new partnership with AWF,” said Shelley Mann, Executive Director of the Secretariat Center. “As our exclusive sponsor, they are helping us keep our stalls clean and comfortable, contributing to the health and wellbeing of our Thoroughbreds as we place them into loving families.”

The ongoing donation of animal bedding will help maintain the care and comfort of the horses housed at the facility.

“AWF is incredibly proud to support the Secretariat Center,” said Michael Keefe, VP of Sales and Marketing. “We are honored to partner with a visionary nonprofit who shares our enthusiasm for the equine industry.”

Despite temporarily closing their doors due to the pandemic, the Center was able to rehome 33 Thoroughbreds last year. The facility is now open and members of the community are welcome to attend virtual and in-person tours, watch training sessions and donate to their programs. Visit www.secretariatcenter.org for more information.

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Lukas: Though ‘Slow To Develop,’ Ram Deserves His Shot In Preakness Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas was back in very familiar territory Tuesday morning, sitting outside the Preakness Stakes Barn. After discussing his Preakness candidate Ram, who went to the track around 6:30 a.m., Lukas, 85, reminisced a bit about his 40-plus years of competing in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course.

Christina Baker and William Mack's Ram will be Lukas' record 45th starter in the Preakness, marking the 30th time his trainer has had at least one runner. Lukas won with his very first Preakness starter, Codex in 1980, and has been to the winner's circle five other times, most recently with Oxbow in 2013.

Lukas said that Codex was assigned that last stall on the side of the barn facing away from the track and that his horses have been in that spot every year since.

Exercise rider Jade Cunningham was up on Ram for the trip to the track Tuesday morning.

“He just galloped a mile, but I let him catch his stride through the stretch, almost at a two-minute lick” Lukas said. “Just wanted to let him feel the track a little bit and see how he handled it.”

Lukas said he thought the son of American Pharoah got over the Pimlico surface just fine but without his usual enthusiasm.

“I didn't think he had a lot of energy. He's usually pretty tough to handle, but he was quiet and pretty mannered today,” Lukas said. “I didn't do a lot with him, but I'm glad I took him out there and let him stretch his legs.”

Ram was purchased for $375,000 as a yearling in 2019. He secured his first victory on April 16 in his eighth career start, a $50,000 maiden claimer at Oaklawn Park. He followed that success with an allowance race win in the first race of the Kentucky Derby (G1) program.

Lukas said he was not surprised that it took Ram some time to emerge as a capable race horse.

“He was slow to develop, physically and mentally,” said Lukas, noting that the transformation took place over the winter in Arkansas.

The allowance win prompted Lukas to consider the Preakness.

“He's gotten good lately,” Lukas said. “For that reason, I thought he deserved the chance; that plus I like to come here. I like this place. This is a fun race. Even if you don't win, it's enjoyable.”

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Wonderful Tonight Likely For G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup

Christopher dual Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is on target for a start in the June 4 G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup at Epsom. A winner of the G3 Prix Minerve last August, she scooped the G1 Qatar Prix Royallieu two starts later on Oct. 3 and doubled down with a win in the Oct. 17 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot for trainer David Menuisier. The Coronation Cup will be her first start as a 4-year-old.

Menuisier said, “I think the timing of the Coronation Cup is perfect in early June as she wasn't quite ready to go to the Middleton at York this week. We didn't want to put the pressure on her too much for York as the Arc is the big aim this season and she will have a sequence of runs ahead of that run in France on the first weekend in October. If we start in June with her that would be fine.

“Although the timing is right we would only really contemplate it as an option if it was really wet as I don't think galloping downhill would necessarily be for her unless the ground was soft. You have to have entries in races like this though in case the ground is in her favour.

“She seems a stronger filly than last year and looks lovely in her coat. Her muscle definition looks great. It was fantastic and very sporting of her owner Christopher Wright to keep her in training this year as a lot of owners would have retired her at the end of last season.”

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Bated Breath’s Makaloun Annexes The Prix de Guiche

His Highness The Aga Khan's Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) suffered the only reverse of a five-race freshman campaign when a close third over 10 furlongs in a hot renewal of October's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and bounced back in style to garner Tuesday's G3 Prix de Guiche, dropping down in trip on seasonal return, at Chantilly. Last term's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage and G3 Prix de Conde victor went postward as the 23-10 second choice–for a heat won by Lawman (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in recent years–and slipstreamed stablemate Veldeni (Fr) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) from flagfall in this nine-furlong test. Seizing an opportunity as Veldeni ghosted away from the inner and offered an open seam along the far-side rail into the straight, he bounded to the front soon after turning for home and kept on powerfully under mild rousting inside the final quarter mile to withstand the dual late threat of Millebosc (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Listed Prix Maurice Caillault victor Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio de la Plata) by a half length and a short neck for a third black-type success.

“That was perfect teamwork, the pacemaker [Veldeni] did a super job and Makaloun had the most perfect reintroduction,” said winning trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. “He quickened nicely, he was not finished at the end and didn't have a hard race. I saw what I wanted to see. With [undefeated Listed Prix de Suresnes winner] Saiydabad, we now have two potential runners for the [June 6 G1] Prix du Jockey Club and, personally, I would like to run both. However, we'll discuss it with His Highness and the entourage to see where we go from here.”

Makaloun is the latest of four foals and one of three winners from as many runners out of a dual-winning half-sister to Listed Prix Omnium II victor Markazi (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The May-foaled homebred's fourth dam Mariyada (Diesis {GB}), from the immediate family of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Riverqueen (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}), is kin to G3 Prix d'Hedouville winner and G2 Prix Niel runner-up Malakim (Blushing Groom {Fr}) and also to the granddam of Listed Fleur de Lys S. victress Mayonga (Ire) (Dr Fong).

Tuesday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE GUICHE-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 5-11, 3yo, c/g, 9fT, 1:53.11, g/s.
1–MAKALOUN (FR), 128, c, 3, by Bated Breath (GB)
1st Dam: Makana (Fr), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Marasima (Ire), by Barathea (Ire)
3rd Dam: Miralaya (Ire), by Shernazar (Ire)
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-1, €158,870. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Millebosc (Fr), 128, c, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Mixed Intention (Ire), by Elusive City. O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Stephanie Nigge. €16,000.
3–Fort Payne (Fr), 128, c, 3, Rio de la Plata–Lady Verde (Fr), by Meshaheer. O-Alain Jathiere, Mme Philippe Demercastel & Nicolas Caullery; B-Mme Philippe Demercastel (FR); T-Nicolas Caullery. €12,000.
Margins: HF, SNK, 2. Odds: 2.30, 6.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Adhamo (Ire), Darkness (Fr), Veldeni (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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