July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lifetime Achievement Award to Sculptor Gwen Reardon

The American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA) has named well-known sculptor Gwen Reardon the recipient of the initial Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the field. She was the unanimous choice among the AAEA's board of directors for the honor.

Among Reardon's best-known works are the life-sized sculptures in downtown Lexington's Thoroughbred Park. Most prominent are the seven horses pictured mid-race complete with riders the likes of Willie Shoemaker and Pat Day. Also at Thoroughbred Park appear her sculptures of mares and foals, in addition to a sculpture of Lexington, one of America's early founding sires. Among Reardon's other commissions are prominent sculptures at the Kentucky Horse Park and at the Blue Grass Airport.

Reardon has been a participating member of the AAEA, which was founded in 1980 as a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the next generation of equestrian artists, since the 1990s. She continues to teach sculpture workshops through the organization.

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RMG Renews Media Rights Agreement With British Courses

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has agreed to five-year licence extensions for audio-visual and data rights for its British racecourses, the company announced on Thursday. A total of 35 UK racecourses have their LBO rights renewed, and 33 UK racecourses were renewed for all other aspects of their media rights, including streaming (watch & bet), direct to home (DTH), terrestrial TV and international betting and non-betting through Dec. 31, 2028.

Owned in its entirety by racecourse shareholders, RMG pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses, and as a result, it is the biggest single funder of British horseracing. In RMG's portfolio are events like the Randox Grand National Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Cazoo Derby Festival, Qatar Sussex S. and the Juddmonte International S., all of which will remain there until at least 2029. In addition, RMG added all 26 Irish racecourses to its coverage in 2019, which are brodcast live on RMG's channel, Racing TV. For a full list of courses in RMG's portfolio, please visit www.racecoursemediagroup.com.

Roger Lewis, Chairman of RMG, said, “This is a pivotal moment for British racing. The RMG Racecourses, with a unity of purpose, have created business clarity and confidence for years to come. The RMG Board pays particular tribute to the outstanding leadership of the RMG CEO, Martin Stevenson, who together with his great team of RMG executives navigated this complex and detailed process with rigour, patience and clear focus.”

Added Martin Stevenson, CEO of RMG, “It is a matter of great pride that racecourses have placed their rights in RMG's hands again. RMG has a superb team, who, from the production to the commercial offices, are committed to ensuring first-class output and long-term sustainable growth for our racecourses.

“This will be achieved by continuing to create innovative and different ways of bringing the sport to life and showcasing it to our broad range of audiences. This is also made possible by our much-valued media, technical, broadcast, commercial and bookmaking partners, and, of course, the owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and stable staff. We look forward to continuing to work with Newbury on the remaining period of their term until 2024 and we wish them well thereafter.”

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, which runs 15 UK racecourses, said, “RMG has consistently delivered significant value from media and data rights over a 17-year period and unlocked revenue streams in the betting space far more than any other sport. More recently, the income RMG has delivered to all its shareholder racecourses has been vital through the very difficult pandemic period without spectators and other on-course revenues.”

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Mr. Wireless Earns First Stakes Victory In Indiana Derby

Trainer Bret Calhoun picked up his second Indiana Derby victory in three years on Wednesday night as Mr. Wireless – a 3-year-old gelding by Dialed In – came from just off the pace under jockey Ramon Vazquez to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 contest at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind.

Winning for the third time in five starts – all in 2021 – Mr. Wireless covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.84. He paid $9.80 to win as the third wagering choice in the field of six 3-year-olds and picked up $178,200 as the winner's share of the $300,000 purse. He is owned by Jon Lapczenski and JIL Stable. Mr. Wireless, produced from Voussoir, by Arch, was bred in Kentucky by John and Iveta Kerber, who race as JIL Stable.

Sermononthemount finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Fulsome, the 2-5 favorite from the Brad Cox stable who came into the Indiana Derby off three consecutive victories, including a last-out score in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 29. Starrininmydreams finished fourth, Convention fifth and W W Crazy, the early pace-setter fading to last.

Mr. Wireless, bobbled at the start but settled in just behind pacesetter W W Crazy, who set fractions of :24.16 and :48.31 for the opening half mile. Mr. Wireless grabbed the advantage before reaching the far turn, getting the opening six furlongs in 1:12.41, then was never challenged there, leading by 1 1/2 lengths at the furlong pole (with a mile split in 1:36.61) and drawing away under steady encouragement from Vazquez.

Mr. Wireless debut with a fifth-place finish March 4 at Fair Grounds in Louisiana, then graduated with a nose victory going a mile at Oaklawn Park on March 27. He posted another nose victory next out, winning a May 1 allowance at the Arkansas track, then finished second in his stakes debut behind Warrant in the May 31 Texas Derby on a sloppy track at Lone Star Park.

Calhoun won the 2019 Indiana Derby with Mr. Money for Allied Racing Stable.

The Indiana Derby was the last of 12 races, including six stakes, on the afternoon/evening program at Indiana Grand. Spurred by $905,027 in new money on the Straight Fire 6 jackpot bet that had a mandatory payout and a $166,573 jackpot going in, nearly $6.3 million was wagered, exceeding the previous all-time high of $5,979,952 bet on last year's Indiana Derby card.

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Soothsay Overcomes Bad Start, Rallies Late To Capture Indiana Oaks

Raydelz Stable's homebred Soothsay looked to have little chance of winning Wednesday evening's Grade 3 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand after hopping in the air at the start and spotting the field several lengths, but the daughter of Distorted Humor gained ground into the far turn and rallied relentlessly down the stretch under Flavien Prat to put her neck in front at the finish and capture the winner's share of the $200,000 purse in the race for 3-year-old fillies.

Shipped to the Shelbyville, Ind., track from her home base at Santa Anita in Southern California by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, Soothsay rallied past all eight of her rivals in the final half mile, winning by a neck over 40-1 outsider Moon Swag and local rider Deshawn Parker, with another California shipper, Lady Aces, finishing third under Umberto Rispoli, just a head behind the runner-up. They were followed across the wire by Marion Francis, Lovely Ride, 2-1 favorite Will's Secret, Sweet Pearl, Malloy and Li'l Tootsie.

Soothsay, produced from the Bernardini mare, Spellbound – herself a Grade 2 winner for Mandella – was winning for the third time in four starts. She ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.36 and paid $8 to win.

Lovely Ride assumed command shortly after the start of the Indiana Oaks under Gabriel Saez. She went the opening quarter mile in :24.71 and the half in :48.88 under pressure from Marion Francis and jockey Florent Geroux. Approaching the far turn, after Lovely Ride clicked off six furlongs 1:12.44, Prat began asking Soothsay to pick it up, and she willingly passed several horses around the final turn.

Heading into the stretch, Moon Swag, who saved ground just behind the top pair for much of the way, swung outside and moved toward the lead, assuming command at the eighth pole. Lovely Ride and Marion Francis fought back briefly, but the danger was coming from the outside as Soothsay was in high gear. The bay filly overtook Moon Swag in deep stretch as Lady Aces rallied alongside the winner late to finish just a head behind the runner-up.

Soothsay won her first two starts, taking a maiden sprint at Santa Anita on Feb. 26, then stretching out to win the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3. That was followed on May 30 by a second-place finish as the 4-5 favorite behind Crazy Beautiful, who came back last week to win the G3 Delaware Oaks.

Soothsay (no. 2) did not get off to a good start in the Indiana Oaks

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