June, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Royal Ascot Winner Quick Suzy Penciled In For Breeders’ Cup Run

Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Quick Suzy, winner of the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, is expected to make the trip to America later this year to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, reports attheraces.com. The 2-year-old daughter of Profitable will first target the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Sept. 25, then fly overseas.

Trained by Gavin Cromwell, Quick Suzy was bred in Ireland out of the Marju mare Snooze. She was a $23,712 yearling purchase at the 2020 Goffs October online sale, then later purchased privately by Eclipse in a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Joseph Burke.

“I told Gavin after Naas that after Ascot she'd probably be heading to America, but (Eclipse president) Aron (Wellman) said they are doing such a good job there was no reason to take her away from Gavin – which I was delighted to hear,” Burke told ATR. “After the Cheveley Park there's then five weeks until the Breeders' Cup, where she's got five weeks in between, so it fits in nicely and she'll run in the Juvenile Sprint Turf.”

Eclipse Award-Winning Writer Steffanus Dies

Eclipse Award-winning writer and longtime Paulick Report contributor Denise Steffanus died June 20 after a long illness. A former trainer, Steffanus specialized in veterinary and horse management topics and served as a contributing editor at the Thoroughbred Times from 1995 until the publication's demise in 2012. Afterwards, she built a successful career as a freelance writer and editor.

A native of Pennsylvania, Steffanus studied journalism at Point Park College but grabbed bylines well before that, writing for her hometown paper at the age of 12. Steffanus prided herself on approaching complex scientific topics with a critical journalist's eye, focusing on the facts even in highly political subject areas. Her thoughtful approach earned her considerable recognition, including the Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award in 2011 from the Foundation for Biomedical Research and the 2002 Award for Media Excellence (given by the predecessor of the U.S. Equestrian Federation).

In 2017, her feature on drug contamination published in Trainer magazine garnered the Eclipse Award for News/Enterprise Writing, which she described as “the epitome of my career.”

As a trainer, Steffanus based out of River Downs, where she saddled two winners from 42 starters between 1991 and 1994.

Steffanus signed on as a valued contributor to the Paulick Report's nascent Horse Care section in 2016, focusing on common equine management questions and myths. Her experience as a veteran journalist and hands-on horse person shaped the direction of the section. You can access a full archive of her work here.

No memorial plans have been set at this time.

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Flagstaff Ordered Unplaced Over Bisphosphonate Positive; No Hearing Yet Scheduled For Sadler

A stewards' ruling released on Saturday ordered Flagstaff unplaced from the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Sept. 27, 2020, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., due to the presence of clodronic acid, a bisphosphonate sold under the brand name Osphos, in a post-race sample, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Flagstaff finished second in that race, and stewards have ordered the purse money to be redistributed.

The bisphosphonate positive was originally announced in late May and trainer John Sadler could still be facing Class 1 drug sanctions, but no hearings have yet been scheduled, according to the DRF report.

Because clodronic acid is not included on the CHRB's current list of prohibited substances, under the regulatory body's rules it automatically falls under the most severe drug category, Class 1. A medication classification proposal working its way through the CHRB's approval process recommends classifying clodronate (clodronic acid) as Class 3, but in the A penalty category.

Sadler referred questions to attorney Darrell Vienna, who said Flagstaff was legally treated with Osphos on an unspecified date “late in 2019” when Flagstaff was 5 years old.

Vienna cited the extended half life of Osphos as an explanation for the positive test, saying it can linger in a horse's system for many months or even longer than a year.

Prize Money Boost For Irish EBF Ballyhane S.

The value of the second running of the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. has been increased from €200,000 to €300,000, the Irish European Breeders' Fund, Ballyhane Stud and Horse Racing Ireland announced on Monday. The median auction race is now the most valuable 2-year-old race that will be held in Ireland in 2021, with the race aimed at EBF eligible 2-year-olds with a sire's median price of no more than €75,000 from last year's yearling sales. It will be conducted over five furlongs and 205 yards at Naas Racecourse on Bank Holiday Monday, Aug. 2 with a maximum field of 24.

The winner of the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. will receive €150,000 with prize money paid down to 12th place. There will also be the Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane S. added to the Naas card that will carry a purse of €50,000 with prize money paid down to sixth place. This race is automatically open to all those horses still entered which receive a ballot number in the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. and 48-hour declarations will apply. June 23rd is the next forfeit stage, with the final forfeit stage on July 28th.

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, said, “We are thrilled to again be in a position to reward the owners and trainers who supported the race by increasing prize-money in the main race and staging the extra race, this will positively benefit a wide range of connections. We are looking forward to seeing the build-up to the race from now until Aug. 2nd and if our €50,000 bonus will be claimed this year by a Ballyhane sired 2-year-old.”

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