July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Talented Forza Di Oro Eyeing Jockey Club Gold Cup

Forza Di Oro (Speightstown), a stylish optional claiming winner for Hall of Famer Bill Mott in his seasonal debut at Saratoga July 21 (video), could target the newly positioned GI Jockey Club Gold Cup over closing weekend at the Spa Sept. 4.

The lightly raced 4-year-old, a disappointing eighth in the GII Remsen S. in his juvenile finale, has been perfect in three starts since. The Don Alberto homebred was two-for-two in an abbreviated 2020 campaign, capped by a win with a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure in the GIII Discovery S. at Aqueduct Nov. 28.

“Bill [Mott] has always thought so much of the horse and he and his team have done a phenomenal job getting him back to the races,” Don Alberto racing manager Matt Hogan said. “Bill picked that allowance race–if he was going to run as well as we all hoped and expected him to–the timing fit for the Jockey Club Gold Cup. And that was what Bill and I spoke about beforehand, depending on the race, of course, that it would be the most logical step because Bill has always thought so highly of him.”

Making his first start in nine months going 1 1/8 miles in the Saratoga mud, Forza Di Oro traveled kindly in second beneath Junior Alvarado, made his move to gain command approaching the quarter pole, and took care of business from there to score by a much-the-best three lengths at odds of 8-5. He received a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, his fourth career win from six starts.

Patience continues to pay off and Mott and his team deserve all the credit, per Hogan.

“Bill is a Hall of Famer,” Hogan said. “This is what he does. He's phenomenal at that. A big horse like this, as Bill said, he's been a little bit of a project, but any little setback is obviously poorly timed. Giving him the time off and bringing him back this year, he just seemed a big, happy, fresh, sound animal that was ready to get out there and rock and roll when we put him back under tack here at the farm. To bring a horse off such a long layoff– yet again to such an impressive performance–just goes to show the capabilities of Bill and his team.”

Forza Di Oro's stakes-winning and graded-stakes placed dam– Filare l'Oro (Hard Spun)–brought $410,000 from Don Alberto in foal to Tapit at the 2013 KEENOV sale. That produce, the $270,000 KEESEP yearling turned $510,000 OBSMAR 2-year-old Silver Dust (Tapit), has captured four graded stakes victories and is closing in on seven figures in earnings. The 12-year-old is currently carrying a full sibling to Forza Di Oro. Forza Di Oro, a $325,000 RNA as a FTSAUG yearling, hails from the extended female family of GISWs Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues), Cross Traffic (Unbridled's Song), et al.

“Bill said he came out of the race in good shape and that's all we can ask and hope for,” Hogan concluded. “We'll see how he progresses and moves forward before anything gets decided, but the [Jockey Club Gold Cup] is the idea, though.”

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‘Two Bay Fillies That Look Exactly The Same’: Trainer Apologizes After Horse Mix-Up At Galway

Trainer Jessica Harrington issued an apology via the Racing Post on Tuesday after her stable ran the wrong horse in a 2-year-old fillies' maiden at Galway. Alizarine was supposed to run, but instead it was her year-older stablemate, Aurora Princess, who started and won the race. Aurora Princess was to have started later on the same card, and was scratched.

“We ran the wrong horse,” Harrington told the Racing Post. “They are two bay fillies that look exactly the same. One has a tiny little bit of white on the back of her hind coronary band but they are the same size and very similar.

“My representative Bubba Amond held his hands up straight away. He had the saddle on by the time I saw her in the ring. It's human error and I apologize to everyone.”

The issue was discovered before the race was declared official, when the winning filly's microchip was scanned as she was leaving the parade ring. The winner was subsequently disqualified, and the case referred to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board for further review.

Tapit Colt Tops Keeneland July Digital Sale

Best Time (Tapit), a 3-year-old maiden colt out of champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), topped Keeneland's July Digital Sale Tuesday on a winning bid of $29,500. The regally bred gray was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency as hip 6, and was purchased by trainer Steve Asmussen's KDE Equine. The Hall of Fame conditioner has been training Best Time for Phoenix Thoroughbred III and co-breeder Hill 'n' Dale. Third in maiden special weight sprints at Indiana and Ellis to begin his career, the colt was most recently seventh trying a mile at Ellis on Sunday. A $775,000 Keeneland September buyback, Best Time hails from the prepotent family of GISWs Omaha Beach, Take Charge Lady, Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy. Four of 10 offerings changed hands during the online auction for gross receipts of $70,000. Visit keenelanddigital.com for more.

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PET Scan Research On Racehorses Translates To Clinical Breakthroughs For Sport, Pleasure Horses

Standing equine positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is not just for racehorses anymore. In the first four months since the installation of the MILEPET scanner at the UC Davis veterinary hospital, 100 horses have been imaged; more than half were performance and pleasure horses.

Fractures in horses are often fatal, so diagnosing and preventing these leg injuries are essential to equine health. Pioneered at UC Davis in 2016, equine PET imaging initially required horses to undergo general anesthesia, with 150 horses imaged over five years. Modifications to allow PET imaging on standing horses under sedation greatly increased its applications.

Under the guidance of UC Davis veterinary radiologists, the original MILEPET scanner has been in use at Santa Anita Park since December 2019, where it has provided imaging at the molecular level to monitor racehorse health and guide training and medical care. In a year and a half, more than 200 racehorses have been imaged with the scanner, several on multiple occasions. In addition, the increased safety, reduced costs, and improved ease of use of the new scanner is now also responsible for the expansion of its use into other disciplines.

PET imaging has become simple with the MILEPET scanner. A small dose of a radioactive dye is injected about 30 minutes prior to imaging. This dye distributes through the body and accumulates at sites of active injuries. The horse is then sedated similarly as with many veterinary procedures, such as taking X-rays. The scanner is wheeled up to the horse and an openable ring of detectors loosely closes around the limb. It takes between 3-5 minutes to image each site. In less than 30 minutes, both front feet and both front fetlocks can be imaged.

Radiographs alone of foot lameness show unremarkable results. But when fused with PET, a collateral ligament attachment injury and a bruised heel are revealed.

Of the recent 100 horses imaged at UC Davis, 45 were racehorses from Golden Gate Fields. The main area of focus in these horses is the fetlock, as this is the most common site of injuries that can lead to catastrophic breakdowns. The other 55 horses represent a diverse population of UC Davis veterinary hospital patients, including high-level showjumpers, western performance horses, and pleasure horses. In this population, hooves and fetlocks have been the areas most commonly imaged, as they are the most common sources of lameness.

Standing PET has also been successfully utilized for imaging of the hock. Lameness localized to the hock can be challenging, as X-rays and ultrasound are inconclusive in a number of cases. Standing hock MRI is difficult because the horse needs to remain still for 45 minutes. Within 10 minutes, a PET scan can help identify arthritis or suspensory issues as the cause of the lameness.

“Beyond the impressive numbers, the type of cases scanned has also changed,” explained Dr. Mathieu Spriet, the radiologist leading equine PET development at UC Davis. “PET used to be considered the last imaging resort when all other imaging modalities had been exhausted and more information was still needed. Now, PET can be considered as an option earlier in the diagnostic process.”

Different imaging modalities can also be combined to provide the most accurate picture. In some cases, PET and X-rays will provide all the information necessary to decide on a treatment plan. In other cases, MRI of a specific area can be performed after PET, and the combination of PET and MRI data provides the most comprehensive assessment of the situation.

Another interesting novel application of PET is for the assessment of laminitis. This severely debilitating condition can be difficult to manage, and monitoring the activity of the disease is particularly important for adapting trimming and shoeing to make the horse comfortable. PET provides information not only on the inflammation present in the hoof, but also about the health of the coronary band, the area responsible for hoof growth.

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“It is exciting to see an imaging modality that started here as a long-shot idea more than six years ago to now be in full clinical use at the UC Davis veterinary hospital,” said Dr. Spriet. “The continued support from our Center for Equine Health and the collaborative work with LONGMILE Veterinary Imaging have been paramount to this success.”

The use of PET will keep growing in the sport and pleasure horse populations. Ease of use and affordability make it an excellent first choice for advanced imaging, as the costs and time to image two feet and two fetlocks with PET are less than for the MRI of a single foot. In addition to being used for identification of an injury, the “functional” imaging properties of PET—assessing the activity of injuries—are particularly helpful for monitoring rehabilitation.

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