August, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Trio of New Owners Buy Minority Interest in Bella Sofia

Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, and Barry Fowler have purchased a minority interest in the GI Longines Test S. winner Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot). The deal was brokered by bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto.

Medallion, Parkland, and Fowler join original owners Michael Imperio, Vincent Scuderi, Sofia Soares, Gabrielle Farm, Mazel Stable Partners, and Matthew Mercurio in campaigning the filly, who is trained by Rudy Rodriguez.

“Nick Sallusto and I talked after the filly broke her maiden. I felt she was one to keep an eye on,” said Medallion Racing's Mark Taylor. “And her Test was a jaw-dropper. She showed freakish talent, and she's got a sneaky good pedigree. We are grateful for the opportunity to be in on her.”

Sallusto and Hanzly Albina bought Bella Sofia for the original ownership group for $20,000 at last year's OBS June Sale.

“She was an extremely fluid mover at the breeze-ups before the sale, and was a flawless physical at the barn,” Sallusto said. “Her talent was obvious from the first time I breezed her at the farm. Rudy Rodriguez has done an excellent job of advancing her talent.”

The Sept. 26 GII Gallant Bloom H. at Belmont may be next for Bella Sofia, with an eye toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

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Hurricane Lane Leads 18 St Leger Nominations

Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris already this summer, will line up for Godolphin in the G1 Cazoo St Leger on Sept. 11, one of 18 colts and fillies left in the fall Classic. G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who also races for Godolphin, will not take part, and instead target the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Richard Hannon's Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), one better than Hurricane Lane's third in the Derby and fifth in the Irish equivalent is also signed on. The progressive G3 Gordon S. winner Ottoman Emperor (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) for Johnny Murtagh and Martyn Meade's Irish Derby second Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also remain at the latest forfeit stage. One of two for Andrew Balding is G2 Great Voltigeur third Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

Aidan O'Brien fields an octet at this point for the race, including Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), listed winner and G3 Gordon S. second Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and G2 Great Voltigeur runner-up The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

A pair of listed-winning fillies have also stood their ground in Roger Varian's Save A Forest (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Ralph Beckett's Yesyes (GB) (Camelot {GB}).

Murtagh said of Ottoman Emperor, “That is the plan so far–we've had no problems, touch wood. I've not been speaking much to the OTI people [owners] since after Goodwood-[but] the English St Leger is the next stop.

“That last run was good, and the form of that race stood up at York. I think he deserves his chance in the St Leger–whether he stays the mile and six is a question mark, but we'll have to pay to find out.”

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The Jockey Club RoR National Championships Return to Aintree

After a year's hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Jockey Club Retraining of Racehorses National Championships will return to the Aintree International Equestrian Centre. The four-day event will take place from Aug. 26 through Aug. 29, and 2021 is the first year with The Jockey Club as the title sponsor. Events including dressage, jumping and showing, with the RoR Northern Dressage Championships on Thursday, while there is a Saturday evening gala performance of showing classes culminating with the crowning of The Jockey Club Supreme Champion. Currently there are 276 former racehorses entered across the championships, with those horses credited with earning over £5.3 million in prizemoney and competing in 3,981 races either under Rules or in point-to-points. Some of the star entrants include Cheltenham Grade 1 winners Don Poli (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and Yorkhill (Ire) (Presenting {GB}) competing in newcomer and in-hand showing classes, respectively.

North West Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Aintree Racecourse, Sulekha Varma, said, “We are delighted to welcome back The Jockey Club RoR National Championships to the Aintree International Equine Centre in 2021 and it is fantastic that The Jockey Club is now extending its support to become the headline sponsor of the event. Retraining of Racehorses plays an absolutely vital role in the racing industry and it is a great honour for Aintree to stage its flagship event and publicise the outstanding work it undertakes.”

Coverage of the championships from Aintree will be live-streamed on Friday and Saturday via ClipMyHorse.TV, providing an opportunity to further increase awareness of the versatility of the thoroughbred and the high standards achieved by competitors and their former racehorses.

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Trainer Appeals Fine, Suspension Issued After New Mexico Horse Mix-Up

Trainer Justin Evans and the horse identifier at the Downs at Albuquerque have both been fined for a horse mix-up that occurred during a maiden special weight race on Aug. 14, reports bloodhorse.com.

Evans entered two plain bay geldings, Extremely Wicked and Square Root, in the six-furlong contest. According to the chart, Extremely Wicked won the race wearing the number nine saddle cloth, and Square Root finished third wearing the number six. The number nine paid $5.40 to win as the second choice, while the even-money favorite, number six, paid $2.40 to show.

In the test barn, however, it was discovered that number nine was actually Square Root.

In an Aug. 21 ruling, the New Mexico board of stewards ordered both horses disqualified and unplaced; the horse identifier was fined $1,000; and Evans was fined $5,000 and suspended 15 days (Aug. 26 – Sept. 9). Evans appealed the ruling on Aug. 23, and also filed for a temporary restraining order to controvert the suspension.

“They fined the identifier $1,000 and he keeps his job, but they want to give me a $5,000 fine and take away 15 days when I have a family to feed and own half of my 45-horse stable so I won't be able to transfer any of my horses,” Evans told bloodhorse.com. “Look, the identifiers are up against it because they have terrible equipment. The scanners they use don't show the horse's name and number, only a list of 20 numbers. They want to use the absolute insurer rule, but the track also needs to provide the tools to make sure things like this don't happen.”

Evans said the track does not provide numbered smocks for grooms leading horses to the paddock, and that there are not enough valets to saddle the horses. One of his horses was acting up and had to be saddled outside the paddock on that afternoon, Evans added.

“The valets put the 6 on the 9 horse and the 9 on the 6 horse,” the trainer explained. “The identifier said they were the correct horses. They run and nothing is caught until 20 minutes after the race when they are back at the test barn.”