May, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Four Team Sponsors Announced For The Racing League

Four sponsors were revealed for a quartet of teams in the Racing League. The sponsors are: national radio station talkSPORT, LADbible Group's online betting community ODDSbible; social investment platform eToro and social media marketing agency The Goat Agency.

The Racing League sees 12 teams-each consisting of two to four trainers working together, three jockeys, stable staff and a squad of 30 horses-competing at six consecutive Thursday evening race meetings, with the series opener taking place at Newcastle Racecourse on July 29.

Team talkSPORT comprises Michael Bell, James Fanshawe, Ed Dunlop and Roger Varian, jockeys Hollie Doyle, Jack Mitchell and Cieren Fallon, Jr., and will be co-managed by talkSPORT broadcasting legends Alan Brazil and Rupert Bell.

The next team is Wiltshire trainers Martyn Meade, Brian Meehan, Roger Charlton and Alan King, jockeys Jason Watson, Martin Dwyer and Thore Hammer-Hansen, and will be managed by Sam Sangster and is sponsored by Team ODDSbible.

The third team is sponsored by eToro Racing and consists of Yorkshire trainers Richard Fahey and Tim Easterby, jockeys Paddy Mathers, David Allan and Paul Hanagan, and is managed by William Easterby.

Rounding out the quartet of sponsors is fourth-team sponsor Goat Racing. Team members include Newmarket trainers Charlie Fellowes, Hugo Palmer, George Scott and Tom Clover, jockeys James Doyle, Callum Shepherd and Laura Pearson, and the team is managed by footballer, Charlie Austin.

Jeremy Wray, CEO of Racing League, said, “Partnering with talkSPORT, ODDSbible, eToro, and The Goat Agency epitomises what Racing League is all about. These partnerships demonstrate our bold intent to forge long-term relationships with the next generation of horseracing sponsors, which in turn will help Racing League engage with a new type of racing fan. They are brands, who are positively disrupting their respective industries, which is what Racing League is aiming to accomplish with horseracing. We're thrilled to have them on board, and look forward to working closely with them and connecting with their audiences.”

For more information on the Racing League, please visit www.racingleague.uk.

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Rombauer ‘In A Nice Rhythm’ Ahead Of Belmont Stakes

John and Diane Fradkin's homebred colt Rombauer, a decisive winner of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course, worked a half-mile in company Friday on the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday, June 3 through Saturday, June 5, and is headlined by the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. 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 under jockey Flavien Prat in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

With Prat slated to ride Belmont Stakes rival Hot Rod Charlie, Hall of Famer and two-time Belmont Stakes-winner John Velazquez, has picked up the mount on Rombauer, who is stabled at trainer Jonathan Thomas' barn at Belmont.

With Velazquez up for the first time, Rombauer worked outside of Thomas-trained maiden winner That Quality, edging past his rival at the wire and galloping out strong through the turn. Rombauer was clocked in 50.01 seconds over the fast main track with That Quality finishing up in 50.07.

“I was very happy with the work,” said McCarthy, who watched the breeze from the Belmont grandstand. “I just wanted him to go ahead and get familiar with Johnny. He went in 13.2, 25.4 and 50 and 2. He came through the lane nicely and galloped out from the wire to the mile and three-eighths pole in 12 and 2, so I'm happy with everything I saw.

“It seemed like he was well in hand at all times,” added McCarthy. “Johnny asked him to gallop out a little bit going underneath the wire and the horse seemed to respond nicely. I'm very happy with what I saw today.”

Velazquez said he was pleased with his first time aboard the Twirling Candy bay.

“We hooked up at the half mile pole and we started breezing together really nice through the first part and then I let him gallop out after the wire. It was a very good gallop out,” said Velazquez.

The versatile Rombauer, a winner on turf, dirt and synthetic, captured the El Camino Real Derby on the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta in February. He entered the Preakness from a good third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass in April, won by Belmont rival Essential Quality at Keeneland.

Rombauer arrived at Belmont the Monday after the Preakness and McCarthy said the talented colt has settled in well.

“One of the nice things about him is his mind is very good and he's very comfortable wherever he's at,” said McCarthy. “He'll have an easy day tomorrow and a walk day here in the shed row and get back to it again on Sunday.”

McCarthy said he's looking forward to what is shaping up to be a competitive Belmont Stakes field with as many as 11 starters.

“I'm just hoping for a good six or seven days here,” said McCarthy. “The horse is in a nice rhythm and I hope all the participants get into the starting gate as well as they can and we just settle it on the racetrack. That's all you want in any of these big races. You just want everybody to get there in good shape.”

And, ideally, McCarthy would love to see his first Classic winner add to an already impressive ledger. Rombauer is looking to notch the first Belmont Stakes-Preakness only double since Afleet Alex in 2005.

“He's a very cool horse,” said McCarthy. “He's special. He's a classic winner and every classic winner is special.”

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New Mexico Horsemen File Suit Against Commission Over ‘Retaliatory’ Defunding Attempt

The New Mexico Horsemen's Association (NMHA) filed an immediate Appeal and Motion to Stay with the Second Judicial District Court in Bernalillo County on May 23 over action taken by the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) at its meeting on May 20, 2021.

On that date, the NMRC unanimously passed a motion that the NMHA “is to immediately discontinue the practice of requiring its membership to pay the 1% purse diversion, the $5.00 Starter Fee and the $2.00 PAC [Political Action Committee] fee stemming from their participation in horseracing in New Mexico. The motion also is to instruct all five (5) racetracks to not provide those improper funds to the New Mexico Horsemen's Association.”

According to a letter written by NMRC in-house counsel Richard Bustamante, “stopping that improper diversion of purse money will translate to the addition of approximately $700,000.00 a year to purse money.”

The Commission's order cannot stand for several reasons, the court filing by the Horsemen alleges. They contend horsemen were not afforded Due Process, the commission has no authority or jurisdiction over donation by horsemen owners to the horsemen, and the order was made in retaliation.

According to the Appeal and Motion to Stay filed by the NMHA: “The true motive behind the order/directive is to deprive the Horsemen of all or a large portion of funding because the Horsemen objected to racetracks using 'purse monies' for operational expenses [insurance], Horsemen objected to the Commission canceling race meets and/or shortening race meets, Horsemen refused to pay from purse money the operational expenses of the racetracks, and Horsemen were demanding racetracks keep the tracks and backsides in good, clean and safe condition.”

In addition, the NMHA plans to amend its current civil lawsuit against the NMRC to include additional causes of action for both discrimination against the NMHA and for ethics violation of public officials based on alleged conflict of interests of commissioners.

On Dec. 2, 2020, the NMHA filed a lawsuit against the Commission seeking the return of more than $8 million it alleges the Commission has been collecting improperly from horsemen since 2004 to pay liability insurance for jockeys.

That complaint, a petition for declaratory judgement and relief, also alleges that the commission has improperly ordered horsemen to pay a “gate fee or starter's fee” every time a horse races.

“The costs of operating the 'gate' are and always have been an expense of the association putting on the race, that is a cost or expense of the racino and not the owner or trainer of the horse entering the gate for a scheduled race,” the complaint states, adding that “there is no provision in New Mexico law that allows the Racing Commission to access a fee to horsemen for the starter's gate.”

Finally, the Dec. 2 complaint alleges that the New Mexico Racing Commission improperly demands the Horsemen's Association pay a fee for a license. “The Horsemen's Association does not race horses, or train horses and is a benevolent, non-profit organization and no license is required,” the complaint alleges.

The commission subsequently filed a Motion to Dismiss for lack of jurisdiction and failure to state a claim, to which the horsemen responded on May 3, 2021.

A portion of that response reads: “In a stunning admission, the New Mexico Racing Commission admits they have taken the Horsemen's purse money, and now suggest the Horsemen have no remedy, not even in the Courts of New Mexico. The Commission suggests the Horsemen can come to them and seek relief, which is akin to asking the fox to return the chicken.”

The response concludes: “Horse racing in New Mexico was saved when each racetrack was allowed to institute casino gaming. The plan, as set forth by statute, was that certain proceeds from casino gaming would go to purses for horse racing. Casino gaming was meant to save horse racing, not the other way around. The New Mexico legislature clearly wrote the money was to be used for purses. Purses are not defined as operating costs of the racetrack/casinos. The rule-regulation of the Commission is not in compliance with the statutes. There is no administrative remedy for the Horsemen and they have attempted, to no avail, to get the Commission to stop allowing racetracks/casinos to use part of the purse money for operating costs. The Horsemen are correct about what the money can be used for, that is, for purses. The Horsemen request the law be complied with and the Court determine not only that it has the jurisdiction but the Horsemen have no remedy but through the Courts.”

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Saturday’s Insights: Son of Ashado Makes Return at Churchill

3rd-CD, $100K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:43p.m.
Godolphin's CASUAL AFFAIR (Into Mischief) returns to action following a close-up second in his unveiling at Keeneland Apr. 23. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the homebred is out of Ashado (Saint Ballado), Champion 3-year-old Filly and Older Female in 2004 and 2005, and subsequently inducted in racing's Hall of Fame in 2014. Stonestreet's BEAU LIAM (Liam's Map) kicks off for trainer Steve Asmussen off a steady string of works, including a bullet four-furlong move (:47, 1/57) two back May 16. Out of graded winner Belle of Perintown (Dehere), the homebred is a half to graded winner Strike it Rich (Unbridled's Song). TJCIS PPs

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