Month: May 2021

It Can Be Done: Gregg Sacco Chasing Fast Start To Monmouth Meet

Now in his 33rd year as a trainer, Gregg Sacco knows that success or failure on the opening weekend of a new meet generally doesn't mean much in the long term. But the competitor in him still has that burning desire to get off to a fast start.

That's his hope for Monmouth Park's 76th season opener on Friday when he sends out It Can Be Done in the featured $100,000 Jersey Derby. First race post time for the six-race twilight card is 5 p.m.

“You always want to get off to a fast start opening weekend and win a race or two, especially at your home track,” said Sacco. “I think it picks up the morale of the barn and yourself. So in that sense it's important.”

The 78th Jersey Derby, scheduled for a mile on the grass, has drawn a field of eight 3-year-olds (plus one MTO) as Monmouth kicks off its 53-day meet with four straight days of live racing over the Memorial Day weekend. Post time for Saturdays, Sundays and special Monday holiday cards throughout the meet will be 12:15 p.m.

Even a forecast calling for rain, which could move the Jersey Derby to the main track, has Sacco undeterred.

“He broke his maiden on the dirt so we're running turf or dirt,” said Sacco. “He had a very good number on the dirt and he trains well on the dirt. He won the Nownownow Stakes here (at Monmouth on Oct. 4) on the turf last year so he has shown he can run well on either surface.

“We've kept him on the turf since he broke his maiden but he has proven he can handle both surfaces.”

A gelded son of Temple City-Gotham Girl by Freud, It Can Be Done sports a 2-2-2 record from seven career starts with earnings of $150,330. After breaking his maiden going six furlongs on the dirt at Monmouth Park on Sept. 22, It Can Be Done won easily at a mile on the turf in the Nownownow Stakes two weeks later.

Owned by Red Oak Stable, It Can Be Done returned at 3 with a solid second-place finish in a $50,000 optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24. He was then third, beaten just a neck, in the Cutler Bay Stakes on Florida Derby Day at Gulfstream Park March 27.

“He wintered great in Florida,” said Sacco. “He had a beautiful second comeback race at Gulfstream and we penciled in this race right after that. There were a few other options – the Penn Mile, a race in New York, another race in Kentucky — but we decided to stay at our home turf.

“He's a fresh, sharp horse. He's ready to go. It looks like a very competitive race but he's a talented gelding.”

Jose Ferrer has the mount for owners Red Oak Stable.

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Riding A Dream Academy Launched To Support Riders From Under-Represented Communities

A new Academy to support talented riders from under-represented communities to get into racing has been launched. The Riding A Dream Academy, named after the documentary that followed Khadijah Mellah on her journey to becoming the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horse race, will welcome its first cohort this summer.

Kindly funded by the Racing Foundation, the Academy has been independently developed by ITV Racing's Oli Bell and Great British Racing's Head of PR, Naomi Lawson. In its pilot year it will run two programs for those aged 14-18 – The Khadijah Mellah Scholarship and a residential week, both delivered by the British Racing School in Newmarket.

The Jockey Club, which stages many of British Racing's biggest events including The Festival at Cheltenham, the Randox Grand National at Aintree and The Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs will also kindly fund one Scholarship place for a rider from St James City Farm in Gloucester, a club that they have supported now over a number of years.

Khadijah Mellah, who made history when winning the Magnolia Cup in 2019 and who learned to ride at Ebony Horse Club in Brixton said: “Racing changed my life forever and I hope that by getting involved in the Riding A Dream Academy it will change other young people's lives too. If you come from my background it can be difficult to imagine yourself in racing so I hope the Academy will give other young people the confidence that racing is a sport that you can get involved in, where you will be supported and where you can achieve your dreams and anything you set your mind to.”

Oli Bell, ITV Racing presenter who has helped to develop the Academy said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Racing Foundation for funding The Riding A Dream Academy which will enable lots of young people who wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to experience the thrill of horse racing. It will hopefully provide a legacy to Khadijah's achievements when she showed that the impossible can be possible and it is something that I am hugely proud to be a part of. I look forward to meeting the racing stars of the future who will be a part of this terrific new initiative.”

Susannah Gill, Trustee of the Racing Foundation and Chair of the Diversity in Racing Steering Group, said: “British racing is a wonderful sport and all of us involved in it must work together to ensure future generations feel they can have the opportunity to be part of it. The Riding a Dream Academy is a fantastic example of the positive action needed to ensure British racing is a diverse and inclusive sport in which everyone has the opportunity to achieve their potential and where people from all communities feel welcome. The Racing Foundation is very pleased to offer its support from the outset and huge credit must go to Oli Bell, Naomi Lawson, the British Racing School and everyone involved in making the Riding a Dream Academy a reality.”

Naomi Howgate, General Manager of Ebony Horse Club in Brixton where Khadijah learned to ride welcomed the initiative saying: “It's brilliant that The Riding A Dream Academy has been developed as part of Khadijah's legacy. Having role models that you relate to is so important and it is great that the young people at Ebony and other urban equestrian centres who have been inspired by Khadijah's achievements will also have the opportunity to explore the world of horse racing through the Academy's two programmes.”

The Khadijah Mellah Scholarship is a year-long program for talented riders aged 14-18 from underrepresented communities which, in its first year, will welcome eight riders, with applications now open via www.ridingadreamacademy.com (closing date June 14). The Scholarship will see the students spend a week at the British Racing School to hone their riding skills, followed by 11 monthly weekend sessions at the school where they will be paired with a mentor, have the chance to gain work experience at a top racehorse trainer's yard, participate in further pony races and gain a 1st4Sport Level 1 qualification in the horseracing industry. Its sister program, the Residential Week, will act as an introduction to the racing industry for less experienced riders and is likewise aimed at those from underrepresented groups and communities.

Both programs will be delivered by the British Racing School in Newmarket.

Andrew Braithwaite, Finance Director who has been instrumental in the Academy's development, said: “Creating the Riding A Dream Academy is a fantastic idea and links in really well with other opportunities in the sport. The British Racing School is delighted to be involved in the Academy which will help to open up racing. It will provide a really important missing link to help young people from diverse backgrounds get more involved and mean that we are tapping into the full spectrum of talent out there.”

Khadijah's success in the Magnolia Cup came aboard Haverland, trained by Charlie Fellowes who will be one of the trainers to provide work experience to those on the Scholarship program.

He said: “Lots of trainers will be more than open to supporting this brilliant initiative. Khadijah's story and success was so powerful and creating a lasting legacy that helps other young people from underrepresented backgrounds get into racing is something that we all see the value in. My team and I can't wait to get involved.”

You can find out more about The Riding A Dream Academy at www.ridingadreamacademy.com / info@ridingadreamacademy.com.

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O’Brien-Trained Bolshoi Ballet The Early Favorite For 2021 Epsom Derby

As ever, the stepping stones to the Epsom Downs in the first week in June have seen bubbles burst and other candidates burst into contention. There are still 29 in contention after the latest forfeit stage this week for the 2021 Cazoo Derby, including three sons of Frankel who are prominent in the betting: Hurricane Lane, Mohaafeth and John Leeper.

Bolshoi Ballet would not have been considered Aidan O'Brien's No 1 Derby contender heading into this season, but he is now after successive Group 3 wins at Leopardstown in the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes and then the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes.

The Galileo colt was especially impressive in the latter contest, quickening clear from three furlongs out to win by six lengths. Mac Swiney (fourth), Taipan (fifth), and Southern Lights (sixth) were all left trailing that day. Bolshoi Ballet is the general 2/1 favorite after those victories. Mac Swiney, a Group 1 winner at two, was a disappointment that day but he scoped dirty after the race. He re-established his claims with victory in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday, when he had Van Gogh back in third.

Galileo has sired four Derby winners and, before excelling as a stallion, himself gave O'Brien the first of his record eight Derby victories in 2001, having won the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial beforehand. High Chaparral followed the same path a year later, so Bolshoi Ballet would be reviving an established O'Brien blueprint if successful.

Since 2004, five Derby winners have contested the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes at York. Last week's renewal, won by the unbeaten Hurricane Lane, warrants close scrutiny. The Charlie Appleby-trained colt kept on dourly to beat Megallan, with High Definition, another O'Brien-trained son of Galileo, staying on to finish third. Gear Up, a Group 1 winner at two, was further back in fifth.

High Definition had been an intended runner in the Novibet Derby Trial at Lingfield, five days earlier, but an unsatisfactory scope ruled him out. In his absence, Third Realm, trained by Roger Varian, was a decisive winner from Adayar, with Kyprios a well-beaten fourth. The winner will seek to emulate Anthony Van Dyck, who won at Lingfield before his Derby victory in 2019.

William Haggas gained his first and, to date, only Derby success with Shaamit, 25 years ago. A couple of potential challengers will line up for him. Alenquer showed a good attitude to scoop the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown Park last month when he had Adayar (second), Yibir (third), Lone Eagle (fourth) and Etonian (seventh) behind. The vanquished are all engaged at Epsom, but Alenquer will need to be supplemented if he is to take part.

Haggas is also responsible for the exciting Mohaafeth, who advanced his claims with an easy win in Listed company at Newmarket this month. John Leeper, named after trainer Ed Dunlop's late father, also won in the same grade at Headquarters last weekend to book his ticket.

Adding further depth is the Andrew Balding-trained Youth Spirit. He stayed on well to beat Sandhurst in the Group 3 Chester Vase and is owned by Ahmad Al Shaikh, whose Khalifa Sat finished runner-up in the Derby last year. Ruler Of The World (2013) and Wings Of Eagles (2017) ran in the Chester Vase en route to glory at Epsom.

Trials are, of course, only one part of the puzzle. However, they have certainly whet the appetite for what looks set to be a thrilling 2021 Cazoo Derby.

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