May, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Australia’s Sir Ron Priestley Dominates the Jockey Club

He was missing throughout all of last season, but Paul Dean's Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) made certain he is front and centre this year after dominating Saturday's G2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club S. at Newmarket. Returning for the first time since finishing second in the 2019 G1 St Leger when winning Nottingham's Listed Further Flight S. over 14 furlongs Apr. 7, the 15-8 joint-favourite was always in his element out in the clear much as this race's last winner Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) had been in 2019. A true Mark Johnston special, the 5-year-old kept replying to Franny Norton's demands as the returning Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) ran away from the whip which he had shown a tendency to do on occasion last term. At the line, there was a 2 1/2-length margin between the reinvented winner and one of last year's leading members of the Classic generation. “In a small field on a track like this there were going to be no excuses and we were going to come out of here either knowing he wasn't good enough at this trip and we were going to have to go back to Plan A of being a stayer, or have the result we have had,” Charlie Johnston explained. “The [G2] Yorkshire Cup and the [G2] Hardwicke will be the next two places, I'd have thought.”

Sir Ron Priestley was proving one of this year's surprise packages with this display, as the pick of his 2019 form also included a success over a mile and three quarters in Goodwood's G3 March S. His pace from the front here justified the recent rethink at Kingsley House Stables concerning his race program. As a half-brother to the stable's live G1 Gold Cup hope Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is now the winner of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak and G2 Dubai Gold Cup, he may have made matters less complicated for connections after Saturday. “Given what he did as a three-year-old and largely because of who his brother is, we spent most of the winter thinking he was going to be a Cup horse this year,” the trainer's son and assistant added. “The Further Flight was a stepping-stone to the Yorkshire Cup and the Ascot Gold Cup, but the way he travelled and picked up there made us think a little bit and off the back of that we made the entry here and in the [June 19] Hardwicke at Royal Ascot. Today was a great opportunity to find out what we should be aiming for for the rest of the year. He's not in the [G1] Coronation Cup, which is a slight frustration in hindsight, but this result means that certainly in the short-term he can stay away from his brother. I wouldn't rule them out meeting at Goodwood further down the line.”

The dam is the triple listed-placed Reckoning (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who as well as the aforementioned high-achieving Subjectivist also produced this stable's 2020 G2 Rockfel S. third Alba Rose (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). She is kin to the GIII My Charmer H. runner-up Hope Cross (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who fittingly on a day like this hails from one of Jim Bolger's better families. It includes the G1 Gran Criterium winner and G1 Irish Derby runner-up Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the Irish Derby and G1 Coronation Cup hero Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire) and the G1 Dewhurst S. winner Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway) as well as the G1 Moyglare Stud S. scorer Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy). Reckoning's as-yet unnamed 2-year-old
filly is by Ulysses (Ire), while she also has a yearling colt by Roaring Lion.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BETFAIR EXCHANGE JOCKEY CLUB S.-G2, £90,000, Newmarket, 5-1, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:32.54, g/f.
1–SIR RON PRIESTLEY (GB), 127, h, 5, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Reckoning (Ire) (MSP-Eng), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Great Hope (Ire), by Halling
3rd Dam: Aspiration (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
(70,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Paul Dean; B-Mascalls Stud (GB); T-Mark Johnston; J-Francis Norton. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 11-7-2-0, $506,964. *1/2 to Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), G1SW-Fr, GSW-Eng & UAE, $710,714; and Alba Rose (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pyledriver (GB), 127, c, 4, Harbour Watch (Ire)–La Pyle (Fr), by Le Havre (Ire). (10,000gns RNA Wlg '17 TATFOA). O-La Pyle Partnership; B-Knox & Wells Limited & R Devlin (GB); T-Muir & Grassick. £19,350.
3–Thunderous (Ire), 127, c, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Souviens Toi (GB), by Dalakhani (Ire). (70,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (George Stubbs); B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £9,684.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, 3HF. Odds: 1.88, 1.88, 14.00.
Also Ran: Al Zaraqaan (GB), Pablo Escobarr (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Gleneagles Colt Takes the Greffulhe

Fit from an Apr. 3 10 1/2-furlong conditions heat triumph at Saint-Cloud, Jean-Louis Bouchard's 3-year-old colt Baby Rider (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}) was back over that course and distance to win Saturday's G2 Prix Greffulhe. He had earlier bettered a Sept. 3 debut second tackling one mile at ParisLongchamp with an Oct. 16 maiden score back over that trip at Fontainebleau in his only other starts. Settled second early by Stephane Pasquier–in this staging post for Chantilly's June 6 G1 Prix du Jockey Club won by Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in 2018–the Pascal Bary-trained 3-1 second choice began to get the upper hand over the long-time leader Smile Makers (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) from the furlong pole and battled to a neck success, with 11-10 pick Martial Eagle (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) 2 1/2 lengths behind in third.

“His debut second last year, behind a future Group 3 winner, was very good indeed,” said trainer Pascal Bary. “I was slightly disappointed by his second start, which I thought he would win more easily, but he didn't handle the course too well at Fontainebleau. He had come on a lot on for his first win of the year when he won a conditions race here. He is easy to train, he has a lovely temperament and I think there is more improvement to come. He is a legitimate contender for the [June 6 G1] Prix du Jockey Club [at Chantilly].” Owner Jean-Louis Bouchard added, “All credit goes to Pascal Bary and to Gerard Larrieu, who selected him at the sales, and the jockey put the last touch nicely. It was a perfect team effort and the dream is still alive.”

Baby Rider, half-brother to a yearling filly by Cracksman (GB), becomes the fifth pattern-race winner for his sire (by Galileo {Ire}) and marks the first black-type scorer for Listed Prix Ceres third Gyrella (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), herself one of four stakes performers out of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches placegetter Ysoldina (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}). Ysoldina, whose leading performer is G1 Epsom Derby hero Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}), is herself kin to G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Belle et Celebre (Fr) (Peintre Celebre), MGSW Scandinavian champion and three-time G3 Stockholm Cup victor Appel Au Maitre (Fr) (Starborough {GB}) and MGSW G2 Premio Lydia Tesio and G2 Prix Jean Romanet victrix Whortleberry (Fr) (Starborough {GB}).

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX GREFFULHE-G2, €130,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-1, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:10.12, gd.
1–BABY RIDER (FR), 128, c, 3, by Gleneagles (Ire)
1st Dam: Gyrella (Ire) (SP-Fr), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Ysoldina (Fr), by Kendor (Fr)
3rd Dam: Rotina (Fr), by Crystal Glitters
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (220,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Aliette & Gilles Forien (FR); T-Pascal Bary; J-Stephane Pasquier. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, €108,960. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Smile Makers (Fr), 128, c, 3, Kendargent (Fr)–Pearly Shells (GB), by Efisio (GB). (€80,000 Ylg '19 OSASEP). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie; B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €28,600.
3–Martial Eagle (Ire), 128, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Montezuma (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall Ullmann (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €13,650.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 2.80, 14.00, 1.10.
Also Ran: Pouvoir Royal (Ire), Cash Equity (Fr), Sa'ad (Fr), Inside Glory (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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The Sun Shines Bright On Kentucky Derby Day In Louisville: Scratches, Odds And Statistics

For the first time since 2015, there will be no rain falling on the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs for a Kentucky Derby held on its traditional date in Louisville, Ky., on the first Saturday in May.

The 2020 Run for the Roses was contested under clear skies and a fast track on Sept. 5, with no fans in the grandstand due to the coronavirus pandemic that caused track officials to delay the race. A limited number of tickets are being sold for this year's renewal.

Dawn broke cool but clear, with temperatures expected to reach 73 degrees by the 6:57 p.m. ET post time for the 147th running of the Derby. Forecast calls for sunny skies throughout the day, the first mostly sunny Derby day in May since 2005.

First post for the 14-race card is 10:30 a.m. ET. The Derby is the 12th race.

There was one scratch announced on Friday for the Derby, with Kenny McPeek having to withdraw King Fury (No. 16) due to a fever and elevated white blood cell count. This year's Derby, thus, will run with 19 starters.

Other scratches on the Derby day card announced at 8 a.m. Saturday: race 2, the also eligibles (Nos. 13 through 16); race 3, Harvard (No. 1); race 4, the also eligibles (13-16); race 8, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes, Ultimate Badger (No. 2); race 10, the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, Attachment Rate (No. 6), who ran in Friday's Alysheba Stakes, finishing sixth; race 12, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, King Fury (No. 16); race 13, Triple Tap (No. 6, a half brother to American Pharoah), Santa Cruiser (No. 10), Shadow Matter No. 1A).

NBCSN will air Derby coverage from noon until 2:30 p.m. ET, with the NBC network picking up coverage from 2:30-7:30 p.m. Coverage is also available to stream live on NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app.

This will be the second year Churchill Downs officials are using a new starting gate that can accommodate up to 20 horses. Prior to 2020, an auxiliary gate was used to start 20-horse Derby fields, with 14 runners in the main gate and up to six in the auxiliary gate.

The winningest post position since a starting gate was first used in 1930 is No. 5, with 10 victories from 91 starts, the most recent being Always Dreaming in 2017. Next is post one, with eight wins from 91 starts, the most recent being Ferdinand in 1986.

Win bet odds for the Kentucky Derby (as of 9 a.m. ET) are:

1. Known Agenda, 16-1
2. Like the King, 54-1
3. Brooklyn Strong, 54-1
4. Keepmeinmind, 53-1
5. Sainthood, 42-1
6. O Besos, 44-1
7. Mandalounn, 40-1
8. Medina Spirit, 15-1
9. Hot Rod Charlie, 7-1
10. Midnight Bourbon, 15-1
11. Dynamic One, 45-1
12. Helium, 51-1
13. Hidden Stash, 39-1
14. Essential Quality, 6-5
15. Rock Your World, 9-2
16. King Fury SCRATCHED
17. Highly Motivated, 16-1
18. Super Stock, 46-1
19. Soup and Sandwich, 30-1
20. Bourbonic, 33-1.

Essential Quality was installed the 2-1 morning line favorite, but his odds plunged on Friday after James “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, a well-known horse owner and furniture store owner from Houston, Texas, made a $500,000 win bet on the gray colt by Tapit. McIngvale said he will be betting between $2 million and $4 million as insurance against a promotion he's doing that will refund mattress purchases if the Derby favorite wins.

Favorites won six consecutive Derbies, from 2013-18, with 4-1 favorite Improbable running fourth in 2019 and 7-10 favorite Tiz the Law second in the delayed Derby of 2020.

Brad Cox, the Eclipse Award-winning trainer of 2020, will be saddling his first Derby starters in Essential Quality and Mandaloun. Cox is a Louisville native who grew up in the shadow of the Twin Spires.

Trainer Bob Baffert will sent out Medina Spirit in an attempt for a seventh Kentucky Derby victory from 34 starts. That would make the Hall of Fame conditioner the winningest trainer in Derby history. Baffert is currently tied with another Hall of Famer, Ben Jones, who won six Derbies from 11 starters. (Read more about “Plain Ben” Jones here.)

At the other end of the spectrum is Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has the unfortunate distinction of saddling the most Kentucky Derby starters – 21 – without a victory. He will be represented by Midnight Bourbon and Souper Stock.

John Velazquez is the winningest Derby jockey among this year's riders, with three from 22 mounts. He'll ride Medina Spirit. Javier Castellano, who rides Highly Motivated for trainer Chad Brown, has the most Derby mounts without a victory among active riders. Dating back to 2005, Castellano carries an 0-for-14 record into this year's Derby dating

Sixteen of the 19 runners were bred in Kentucky, with the other three Florida-breds.

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Pari-Mutuel Clerks Say They Will Honor Derby Day Picket Line At Churchill Downs If Valets Go On Strike

The pari-mutuel clerks employed by Churchill Downs Incorporated in Louisville, Ky., announced they will honor the Churchill Downs valets' picket line, if they decide to strike on the day of the Kentucky Derby. The absence of 200 pari-mutuel clerks at the Derby would shut down hundreds of betting stations and disrupt the money-making engine of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

SEIU Local 541's Executive Board President Don Vest said: “The pari-mutuel clerks stand in full solidarity with valets who have been patiently waiting for a fair contract since last fall. They have informed the valets that they will honor the picket line if they choose to go on strike tomorrow.”

Valets employed by Churchill Downs Incorporated at Churchill Downs Racetrack have not had a contract since October. The parimutuel clerks' support comes as Churchill Downs refused to accept the offer by valets, represented by SEIU Local 541, to meet with a mediator this morning to resolve the open contracts at Churchill Downs Racetrack and Turfway Park. Turfway valets have not had a contract since April 2020.

Ronnie Shelton, an SEIU Local 541 member and veteran of the Kentucky Derby, criticized Churchill Downs' attempts to prolong a contract dispute that they delayed for months and ultimately risk disruptions to the Derby: “Churchill Downs' offer to meet next week without agreeing to use a mediator, and with no assurances that they will actually move on any of their proposals, is unacceptable and insulting, especially when they canceled our last meeting abruptly and refused to acknowledge our offer to finalize a deal. The biggest day of the year is tomorrow, and Churchill Downs is suggesting we work under a substandard contract so they can drive up their profits.

Shelton continued, “Our patience for excuses is wearing thin because we know Churchill Downs could pay us fairly in a second without feeling even the slightest pinch. There is no need to delay or threaten the Derby, and it's on Churchill Downs to stop the insulting delay tactics and agree to a fair contract.”

On Wednesday, the Greater Louisville Labor Council also pledged their support for Derby valets. President Todd Dunn said: “From the valets to the pari-mutuel clerks to the folks who put together the garland of roses, the Kentucky Derby is Union made. All of these workers are vital. With Derby just hours away, the Greater Louisville Central Labor Council is prepared to stand with these workers in any action. An injury to one is an injury to all.”

Churchill Downs Incorporated posted $1.054 billion in net revenue for 2020, and its CEO Bill Carstanjen made $10.5 million, yet the company is refusing to pay its valets at Churchill Downs Racetrack (CDRT) and Turfway Park a fair wage and provide basic workplace protections to ensure adequate staffing levels at the racetracks. The ratio of the CEO's compensation to the median salary of the other full-time employees in 2020 ($26,000) is 404:1. In the first few seconds of opening betting, the company easily makes the $27,000 it would cost to fully cover modest raises for its entire valet workforce.

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