Get ready, racing fans!
Month: September 2021
Cinco Charlie Sold To Stand At Leadem Farm In Texas
Grade 3 winner and promising young sire Cinco Charlie (Indian Charlie–Ten Halos, by Marquetry) has been purchased by Bob and Tyree Wolesensky's Leadem Farm and will relocate there for the 2022 breeding season after spending his first five seasons at Spendthrift Farm. Jay Goodwin orchestrated the deal.
“Texas racing is thriving and the breeding business is coming back,” said Goodwin. “Bob and Tyree approached me about finding a stallion that would fit Texas and I don't think we could have found a better one. Cinco Charlie was a brilliantly fast 2-year-old who won the Bashford Manor, was owned by Bill & Corinne Heiligbrodt and trained by Steve Asmussen, Texas Hall of Famers. This horse is Texas through and through.
“Cinco Charlie had the speed and precocity that Texas breeders want,” Goodwin continued. “Leadem Farm is an absolutely beautiful operation in the heart of Texas horse country and I'm sure that Cinco Charlie will have a long and successful career there. I want to thank Spendthrift Farm, particularly Eric Gustavson, Ned Toffey, Mark Toothaker and Bill Heiligbrodt for helping this transaction take place.”
Cinco Charlie won eight of his 18 career starts, for earnings of $608,920 with seven total stakes wins. He currently sits in the top 30 on the second-crop sire list and his top runners include the stakes-winning colt Huntsinger as well as Five Pics Please, who was second in the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita earlier this year. Cinco Charlie's second crop includes the stakes-placed Serape and the impressive recent maiden winner Saint Charles.
The post Cinco Charlie Sold To Stand At Leadem Farm In Texas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Owner/Breeder Miller Bringing Covid Vaccine to Africa
Where others see insurmountable challenges, Johnathan Miller sees opportunity. That's what led him to serve as the president of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, where he worked to help cut off the slaughter pipeline and give a safe and humane retirement to hundreds of equine retirees. It's why, in 2004, he started a foundation to transport badly needed health care professionals and medications to Africa during the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
On Tuesday, Miller officially launched his latest charitable endeavor. That's when his foundation delivered the first of many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to rural villages in Botswana in southern Africa. Only four percent of the population has been vaccinated in Africa and very few among those living in remote areas of the continent have access to vaccines or any kind of health care.
Miller resides on a farm in Paeonian Springs, Va. with his wife Lisa and operates a small breeding operation. He also served as the racing advisor for the late owner Magalen Ohrstrom “Maggie” Bryant, who campaigned 2014 GI Travers S. winner V.E. Day (English Channel). But he is best known for the work he has done in the public and private sector, much of which has to do with Africa.
“Besides my bride, I have three passions in life–the thoroughbred, aviation and Africa,” he said.
At the age of 30, he headed the branch of the Peace Corps in Botswana and would later become the Africa regional director for the United States Peace Corps, a position he held until earlier this year. He has also worked in various roles in the Reagan administration and the George H. W. Bush administrations, managing the daily operations of Reagan's Executive Office, and serving as Senior Director of the National Security Council. He is the founder of Bluemont International, a company that advises clients looking to do business in emerging markets.
Somehow he found time to start the Airborne Lifeline Foundation. The foundation uses small airplanes and helicopters to bring medical personnel and supplies to African villages that were otherwise inaccessible.
“Years ago, during the HIV/Aids pandemic, it became obvious that if you were in rural parts of southern Africa you were not getting treatment, and not only for HIV/Aids. You were not getting anything in terms of medical care,” Miller said. “TheHIV/Aids pandemic was rife in Botswana, where I used to be the country director for the Peace Corps. I looked at the situation and decided that we needed to get preventive care people out to these rural areas. I formed a foundation with my wife and signed an agreement with the Botswana Ministry of Health. We later expanded to Malawi and Zambia. For eight years, we flew preventive care specialists into very remote clinics on a regularly scheduled basis. I had to mortgage my farm to make it happen because, at first, no one would support us.”
He eventually got funding from PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), Merck and Co. pharmaceuticals and some private donors.
In 2018, Miller decided to devote his attentions to his job running the Peace Corps in Africa and hit the pause button on Airborne Lifeline Foundation. But he didn't stay away long. With COVID raging around the world and with Africa falling short when it comes to having the needed resources to deal with the pandemic, Miller decided to revive his foundation.
“I looked at the situation and decided that we needed to start up again and get preventive care people out to rural areas,” he said. “Once we knew we could get our hands on the vaccine we made it a plan to get them to the remote villages. Otherwise, people in those villages were just not going to get vaccines. They can get them in urban areas, but not the villages. Everybody said this was a great idea and we started to put together a game plan.”
Most of the vaccines coming into Africa have been donated and originated in either the U.S. or the U.K. After they arrive in the urban centers of Africa, it is the job of Miller's foundation to ship them to rural areas.
“We're sort of the last mile,” he said. “You need to first get the big supplies into the capital cities and the large areas.”
Miller's vaccines have arrived in rural Botswana | Airborne Life
Miller said Tuesday's destinations were to include 17 villages in Botswana. On Monday, he received word from the President of Namibia that his country was looking to take part in the program. Miller was also hopeful that he could soon begin flights in Zambia and in Malawi.
In the early days of the pandemic, Africa was not hit that hard by COVID, Miller said.
“For a long time in Africa, not withstanding the fact they weren't getting vaccinated, there had not been a real spike, he said. “People have all sorts of different theories about that. Is it because they are so exposed to malaria and Ebola and other diseases? No one really knew. But all of a sudden they are beginning to have higher incident rates. It's gone through the roof in South Africa.”
Another issue, Miller said, is the economic impact COVID has had on African countries.
“We are doing this not just for health reasons but for economic reasons,” he said. “Countries like Botswana rely on tourism to generate hard currency and they can't open the safari camps because the staff hasn't been vaccinated. The economic toll in Africa has been horrific. This will probably set them back 20 years. You can't open these countries up until you get the vaccines out.”
The overall goal for the continent is to have 70% of the population vaccinated by the end of 2022. That can only happen if Miller and like-minded people see to it that the vaccine reaches remote areas. That will take a tremendous amount of time and effort, but that is what is needed to reverse what could otherwise be a crisis.
“Ultimately, what you want to do is to get to point where it is more like flu season,” Miller said. “It's going to take a long time, but we are committed to getting this done. This summer everyone was feeling a little smug in America that we had solved this, but until we get the whole world taken care of, it's going to come back to bite us again and again.”
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15 Set For ParisLongchamp Showpiece
There will be 15 contenders for Sunday's €5,000,000 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp after Thursday's draw was made, with the Sept. 12 G1 Prix Vermeille winner Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) the only notable name missing from the list due to the expected rain over the weekend. Godolphin's June 5 G1 Epsom Derby and July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was drawn in 11, with the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained June 26 G1 Irish Derby, July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris and Sept. 11 G1 St Leger hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) faring more favourably in two. The Aga Khan's triple group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) is next door in three, while Aidan O'Brien will be represented by a team of three headed by June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks, July 17 G1 Irish Oaks and Aug. 19 G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). She has drawn stall nine, with Japan's dual representation of the four-time elite-level winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) and the Sept. 12 G2 Prix Foy scorer Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) allocated stalls 14 and five respectively.
Draw analysis is always important ahead of the autumn monument and it is widely-accepted that the further away from the inside rail the lesser the chance. William Buick had understandably already nailed his colours to the mast of Adayar prior to the worsening forecast and the draw and the imposing bay will have to be every bit as good as he looked at Epsom and Ascot to emulate Lammtarra in 1995 in bringing up the unique treble. Interestingly, Buick was also positioned on the outside in 12 on the stable's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) two years ago and opted to go forward to the lead and Adayar seemed to have overcome his slow-starting habit last time in the King George.
Having overcome the hoodoo stall one in the Derby which had proven to be the kiss of death for all since Oath (Ire) (Fairy King) in 1999, the colt that Buick described as having “endless power” carries stable confidence into this renewal despite his draw. After the Appleby duo completed simple breezes at Moulton Paddocks on Thursday, their trainer said, “In the soft conditions that are likely to prevail, the draw is not a crucial factor with two horses who have seen the mile and a half out well. On good ground, you would like to be drawn single figures, but when the ground becomes as soft as it's likely to be, a good draw becomes less of an issue. It's more a matter of where the pace of the race is going to be. There are horses who like to go forward drawn in all numbers–low, middle and outer.”
“William Buick and James Doyle know the horses well. They know their strengths. When the gates open, they will know where they should be placing their horses. We know the soft ground is going to suit Hurricane Lane. But as a bonus, we know if it becomes a stamina-sapping Arc, he has already proven he has stamina in abundance. It's a double positive for him.”
“Adayar showed as a 2-year-old he likes soft ground. In the King George, he showed his class as the ground was plenty quick enough that day. We are certainly happier being on soft rather than quick ground going into an Arc. With his draw, it will come down to what the pace is on the day. Adayar has not missed a beat since the minor setback. I couldn't be happier with his wellbeing. As for Hurricane Lane, I'm very pleased the way he has come out of the St Leger. He's had a busy season, so it has been a simple prep to have him ready for the Arc.”
Oisin Murphy will not have welcomed the wide draw for Chrono Genesis, who bids to end Japan's long wait and who will need to break much better than did compatriot Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) from her outside post 12 months ago. Injured at Salisbury on Thursday, he will be fine to be in the saddle for the ride on Sunday Racing Company Ltd's 5-year-old who was reported by trainer Takashi Saito to be firmly at home in Paris. “This morning she was working under Oisin Murphy and appears very quiet and settled in,” he said via an interpreter on Wednesday. “The main part of the preparation has been done in Japan, I find her in very good condition.”
“She had a very fluid action, I'm not concerned about anything. I haven't had the opportunity to weigh her, but she looks like she's in the condition she was in when she was running in Japan. She's very brave and courageous, so I'm not worried about the [soft] ground. I know that the opposition is going to be very strong, but for me the most important thing is that I prepare the mare so that she is 100 per cent in form on that day, the rest is up to Oisin, I'm very honoured that she is considered a chance in the Arc, that is a great honour for me.”
Murphy, whose paddock accident on Thursday resulted only in stitches to his lip, reacted to the draw of Chrono Genesis later in the day. “The good thing is there are some really good ones drawn near me in Adayar and Snowfall and I'd expect both of them to be ridden prominently, so I'll jump normal, have a look what's going on towards my inside and hopefully slot in somewhere. If the pace is on, then I'll take my time and let instinct take over. Frankie won from out wide on Golden Horn, but he managed to steel New Bay's pacemaker. There aren't any pacemakers in the race this year, so it might be more difficult to do.”
“However, I prefer a high draw than being drawn one or two that's for sure. I've ridden in the Arc before, when Salouen was sixth behind Enable in 2018, so I know what to expect. As for the mare, I flew over to France on Wednesday morning to sit on her and give her a spin. She felt very good, she seemed in very good shape. I didn't do anything too strenuous with her, but she's in very good condition and connections couldn't be happier.”
“It's a huge day for me. It would be a dream come true for me to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and for everyone connected with racing in Japan it's massive. It's a race they've really wanted to win for a lot of years and she goes there with a great chance. It won't be easy, as it's an unbelievable field. There are so many superstars in there and to have a genuine chance is a huge thing for me. I can't think about it too much. It would be beyond my wildest dreams.”
Saturday's Group 1 contests also took their final shape on Thursday, with 13 stayers heading to post for the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran including Bjorn Nielsen's Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and a field of 11 set for the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu also at Parislongchamp. At Newmarket, the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. sees 13 fillies and mares tackle the Rowley Mile headed by Rockcliffe Stud's July 9 G1 Falmouth S. heroine Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}). She will be re-opposed by that race's runner-up Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was last seen finishing a luckless third behind the O'Callaghans' Sept. 11 G1 Matron S. winner No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}).
Juvenile Pointers
On Friday, Saint-Cloud stages the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie for 2-year-olds over a mile with Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Chancellery (Ire) (Medaglia d'Oro) bidding to follow up his impressive ParisLongchamp debut success Sept. 2. Andre Fabre is looking for a 10th renewal with the £675,000 Arqana Breeze-Up Sale topper from the family of the juvenile champion Aljabr and the operation's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Chancellery is a very straightforward horse who heads into this race in good form. The ground will be a bit of a question mark for him if the forecast rain arrives.”
Easing of the conditions will also pose a question mark over one of his main opponents, The Aga Khan's Liyann (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who has won on good-to-soft at Clairefontaine at the start of August and on good at Deauville Aug. 24. Ecurie Pierre Pilarski's Making Moovies (Ire) (Dabirsim {Fr}) sets the form standard on his splitting of the filly Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and subsequent G3 Prix de Conde winner El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix la Rochette over seven furlongs Sept. 5.
More 2022 Classic clues are on offer at Dundalk later in the day, with the seven-furlong Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Star Appeal S. playing host to Coolmore and Westerberg's Aug. 15 course debut scorer Absolute Ruler (War Front) who was a touch unlucky when third in the G2 Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown last time Sept. 11. Donnacha O'Brien pitches the son of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in against his father's trainee Leinster House, another son of War Front who steps up in trip rather than down following his dead-heat on debut over six furlongs at Naas Sept. 16. A son of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), he is one of several exciting prospects in a line-up that is notably strong for its status.
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