Month: May 2021

Hall Of Fame Horseplayer Wagner Among Latest NHC Qualifiers

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) the previous weekend. A total of four players earned automatic entries into the 2022 NHC from tournaments on Horseplayers.com.
The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities, and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally's Events Center from August 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for January 28-30 at Bally's.
Last weekend 12 players gained entries into the 2022 NHC through Horseplayers.com, HorseTourneys.com, and Xpressbet contest sites. They are as follows:
Richard Pearson of San Juan Capistrano, CA has qualified for the first time.
“I'm beyond excited. I never dreamed I would actually qualify, but I'd come close (4th) the previous week,” said Pearson, who grew up in Yorkshire, England. “I was playing in a charity golf tournament when I saw I'd won, and let's just say there was a definite breach of golf course etiquette at that moment.” He bagged 17-1 Fleetridge at Tampa Bay Downs last Friday, which was among his biggest qualifying scores. Richard got a “bucket list” thrill as a part-owner of Red King with Little Red Feather Racing at last year's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. While there, he nailed a place bet on 94-1 Hot Rod Charlie in the TVG Juvenile, which paid $51.60.
Judy Wagner of New Orleans is a member of the NHC Hall of Fame and an active participant in the success of the tournament since its early days. Judy, who won the 2001 NHC, has now qualified for the 13th time. She is a member of the NTRA Board and serves on the NHC Players Committee.
George Turner, Jr. of Middletown, MD, has qualified for his third NHC.
Blaise Guadagno of Levittown, NY, has qualified for his fifth NHC.
Dylan McIntosh of Pembroke Pines, FL, has qualified for his fourth NHC. His best tourney was the 2016 NHC when he cashed for $24,000 and a 12-place finish.
Russell Priola of South Wales, NY, who first qualified for the NHC in 2007, earned his 10th qualification last weekend.
Dale Day of Yukon, OK, is the track announcer at Remington Park. This is the first time that Day has qualified for the NHC. “It is great and I feel very fortunate to qualify in a free contest with more than 1,800 participants,” said Day, who won eight of 15 races last weekend, two of them at 10-1 and one at 15-1.
On how Day became interested in playing the horses: “I was intrigued from childhood. Seeing my grandpa with money after a trip to the races when I was in second grade, let me know there was something possibly lucrative in playing the races once I was old enough.”
Mark Heider of Laguna Hills, CA, has qualified for a second NHC after his tournament debut in 2011.
Mitchell Hiatt of Omaha, NE, has qualified for his first NHC.
Xpressbet
Patrick Gianforte of Cary, IL, has qualified for his 15th NHC. Last year, he cashed for $13,000 and placed 33rd overall.
Joseph Rosen of Hidden Hills, CA, earned his second qualifying spot for the 2022 NHC after qualifying on April 18 on Horseplayers.com. Joe was the 2018 NHC Rookie of the Year.
John Behnke of Golden, CO, has gained his second qualification for the 2022 NHC after getting his first one on March 12 on Horseplayers.com.

The post Hall Of Fame Horseplayer Wagner Among Latest NHC Qualifiers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Webinar Addresses How To Help At-Risk And In-Transition Horses

Join the American Horse Council (AHC) on Thursday May 27, 2021, at 1 p.m. EST to learn about some of the many resources available to help owners, horses at risk and horses in transition.

Register in advance for this meeting here. Registration deadline is noon EST on Wednesday, May 26.

Ashley Harkins, Program Director for the United Horse Coalition will demonstrate the UHC Equine Resource Database, explore safety net programs available nationwide to help owners in need of assistance, share the UHC's COVID Resource site, and reveal new initiatives planned for 2021.

The mission of the UHC is to advocate responsible ownership through education. One of the many facets of this mission is to inform owners about assistance options, not only during the pandemic, but in any type of hardship.

Included in the discussion will be Emily Stearns, Program Manager of the Equine Welfare Data Collective (EWDC). The EWDC is a program of the UHC to collect, analyze, and report data on at-risk equines, those in transition, and the multitude of equine welfare organizations working diligently to help those in need.

The webinar will conclude with updates coming from UHC Members A Home For Every Horse (AHFEH), the ASPCA/Right Horse Initiative, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) about some of the programs and initiatives they have been working on to help owners, at-risk horses, and horses in transition.

Read more here.

The post Webinar Addresses How To Help At-Risk And In-Transition Horses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Sisterson Sees Veteran Channel Cat On Upswing Going Into Man O’ War

Trainer Jack Sisterson will saddle Calumet Farm homebred Channel Cat in search of a first Grade 1 score in Saturday's $700,000 Man o' War, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The 6-year-old English Channel horse made the grade under the care of newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the 2019 Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga Race Course. The victory came as part of a profitable season in which the chestnut finished third in both the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park and the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at the Spa.

Transferred to Sisterson's care last year, Channel Cat finished a closing fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale in December at Gulfstream Park and followed with an even fifth in the Grade 3 William L. McKnight traveling 1 1/2-miles at the same oval in January.

Last out, Channel Cat was a prominent second in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 17 on the Keeneland turf.

Sisterson said a revised training schedule for Channel Cat heading into the Elkhorn made a world of difference.

“We were disappointed with his effort in the McKnight in Florida. Usually, second off the layoff in our barn is a big step forward and not a regression,” said Sisterson. “I think he was breezing too fast in the mornings leading up to the McKnight, so we backed off on him and gave him two weeks off after that race to focus on the Elkhorn at Keeneland. We slowed his works right down and he thrived off that.

“His coat started to change and he put on weight,” added Sisterson. “He ran a great second in the Elkhorn and Corey Lanerie was really happy with him. He came out of that race and put on weight and looked better coming out of it than he did going into it.”

To win the Grade 1 event, Channel Cat will have to topple a field that includes the North American debut of Sovereign, a gate-to-wire winner of the 2019 Group 1 Irish Derby, and last year's Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational-winner Gufo.

Sisterson said he will leave race tactics in the capable hands of Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who will guide Channel Cat from post 5.

“The good thing with Channel Cat is that he can be forwardly placed or save ground and relax and come from off the pace,” said Sisterson. “A lot of people would agree that a European horse with speed is a lot different from an American horse with speed, so It will be interesting to see what Irad Ortiz, Jr. does with Sovereign, who has shown speed in Europe.”

Sisterson is hoping to saddle a trio of horses Saturday at Belmont, including Calumet Farm's Anejo, a first time starter by Freud out of the Thunder Gulch mare Tiffany Twisted.

Anejo, bred in the Empire State by SF Bloodstock, is listed as the first also-eligible entrant in a six-furlong turf sprint for state-bred maidens 3-years-old and up in Race 5. Luis Saez will have the call should Anejo draw into the field.

“He was such a big 2-year-old that we backed off on him and let him grow into his frame,” said Sisterson. “He's big, but he shows a lot of speed as well. He had been working forwardly on the dirt and we don't usually win first time out, but he showed enough foundation to get him going on Saturday if he gets in.”

The New York-bred sophomore colt, purchased for $150,000 at the 2019 Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is a half-sibling to multiple stakes winner Twisted Tom.

Sisterson will also be represented by Calumet Farm homebred Scarabea in Race 11, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on the Widener turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. By American Pharoah, Scarabea is out of the multiple graded stakes winning Galileo mare Starstruck.

The well-bred chestnut, a half-sister to stakes winner Turf War, will make her fourth career start out of a closing fourth in a nine-furlong turf event at Keeneland on April 7.

“It may not be her best distance on Saturday. I think she's better at a mile and an eighth, but they might go a touch quicker up front at the shorter distance Saturday which would help her out,” said Sisterson.

Sisterson said a good effort on Saturday could propel Scarabea to the Grade 3,$200,000 Wonder Again, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies on June 3 at Belmont.

“She'll stay all day long and whether she breaks her maiden or not on Saturday, we'll see. If she does, we might try the Wonder Again,” said Sisterson. “If she doesn't, we'll be patient with her and look to break her maiden. She's definitely a filly that as she gets older and the races stretch out a bit, she could be a force in those longer distance turf races.”

Jose Lezcano is named to ride from post 3 in a field of 10.

Sisterson said Calumet Farm homebred Lexitonian is possible for the Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day on June 5, following a strong second in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day when defeated a head by Flagstaff.

“On his day, he can compete with the best of them. He's a fighter and he puts his heart on the line,” said Sisterson.

Lexitonian entered the Churchill Downs from an even fourth in his seasonal debut in an optional-claiming sprint at Gulfstream Park in March.

“The goal was always the Churchill Downs and he had time between starts and we were able to work him three times,” said Sisterson. “We knew second off the layoff is good with him. This was the first time since we've had him that he didn't win second time off the layoff for us, so we thought it would be a much improved performance, which it was.”

The 5-year-old Speightstown chestnut boasts a record of 17-4-2-2 with purse earnings of $465,182. Lexitonian made the grade in the 2019 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico Race Course.

Sisterson said the Metropolitan Handicap and the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up on July 31 at the Spa, are potential targets.

“Timing wise, the Met Mile would be perfect,” said Sisterson. “If he trains forwardly we would consider it. There's also the Aristides [May 29] at Churchill as a prep for the Vanderbilt at Saratoga for him. I just want to space his races accordingly, so he can get the Grade 1 because I think he deserves it.”

Sisterson said True Timber, who was last seen winning the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at the Big A in December under Kendrick Carmouche, is enjoying some downtime.

“True Timber has been turned out at my barn here at Keeneland since we decided to give him a break,” said Sisterson. “He's a bright eyed, happy horse. Hopefully, we can get him back going this month and back to Aqueduct at the end of the year to defend his Cigar Mile.”

The 7-year-old Mineshaft bay sports a record of 29-5-5-9 with purse earnings in excess of $1.2 million.

Bon Raison, who finished sixth last out in the Cigar Mile, is set to return to training next week. The 6-year-old son of Raison d'Etat, a Kentucky homebred, has a career ledger of 45-11-4-7 with purse earnings of $682,034.

“Bon Raison will be back on the work tab in a week or two and will come to Saratoga during the summer with us,” said Sisterson.

The post Sisterson Sees Veteran Channel Cat On Upswing Going Into Man O’ War appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Belmont Stakes Under Consideration for Malathaat

Malathaat (Curlin), the undefeated filly who is coming off a win in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, could go next in the June 5 GI Belmont S.

“It has crossed our minds,” Shadwell Farms Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols said of the Belmont. “One issue would be whether or not we could get John Velazquez. If Medina Spirit (Protonico) wins the [GI] Preakness Stakes., obviously John will have to choose him for the Belmont. No one would blame him for choosing that horse.”

Nichols said a final decision will be made in “about a week.”

“We'll talk some more about it and talk with Sheikh Hamdan's family and get their input,” Nichols said

The filly's trainer, Todd Pletcher, is no stranger to the Kentucky Oaks-Belmont route. In 2007, Pletcher went in the Belmont with Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) after winning the Oaks. She is the last filly to win the Belmont and was the first to do so since 1905. Three fillies have won the Belmont.

Nichols admitted that there are not a lot of options right now for Malathaat against fillies. She will pass the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico. The Belmont Stakes card includes the GI Acorn S. for 3-year-old fillies, but the race is at one-mile around one turn and is not a good fit for the filly. The next Grade I race around two turns for 3-year-old fillies is the July 24 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

“The further they go the better,” Nichols said. “There are not a lot of good choices for her. We could go in the [GII] Mother Goose Stakes, but it's only a Grade II race.”

Nichols said Malathaat returned to the track Thursday morning and galloped for Pletcher.

“Told loves her. He absolutely loves her,” Nichols said. “She's such a sweet filly around the barn. She's got so much class and has everything you'd want in a top filly.”

Malathaat kicked off her 3-year-old campaign with a win in the GI Central Bank Ashland and followed that up with a hard fought win over Search Results (Flatter) in the Oaks. A $1,050,000 purchase at Keeneland September, Malathaat is five-for-five lifetime.

The post Belmont Stakes Under Consideration for Malathaat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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