September, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Monomoy Girl Retired

Two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar–Drumette, by Henny Hughes) has been retired from racing after she was discovered to have sustained an injury during training Tuesday at Churchill Downs, co-owner Spendthrift Farm announced Wednesday.

“Monomoy Girl went out for a routine gallop Tuesday morning and came back a little off in her right front leg. We had it x-rayed and found a non-displaced fracture of the sesamoid. Obviously, we're very disappointed,” said trainer Brad Cox. “She's walking sound today and it's not anything that will require surgery. It's just unfortunate that it will end her racing career.”

Purchased by Liz Crow for just $100,000 at Keeneland September, Monomoy Girl captured her first three races as a juvenile in 2017, including the Rags to Riches S., for an ownership group that included Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin's Monomoy Stables, Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables. Runner-up in the GII Golden Rod S. that season, she returned to winning ways in 2018, capturing the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and GI Central Bank Ashland S. A facile winner of the GI Kentucky Oaks, the chestnut took both the GI Acorn S. and GI CCA Oaks and crossed the line first in the GI Cotillion S., but was disqualified for interference and placed second. She got the best of her older rivals in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff that season, clinching her first Eclipse Award in the process.

Monomoy Girl missed the 2019 season due to colic and a hamstring injury, but returned victorious in 2020, capturing a Churchill optional claimer that May. Following suit with wins in Belmont's GII Ruffian S. and Churchill's GI La Troienne S., she ran to the money in the Distaff, defeating Valiance (Tapit) by 1 3/4 lengths, and earned her second Eclipse award.

Sent through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars in November, Monomoy Girl summoned a whopping $9.5 million from Spendthrift Farm. My Racehorse joined in as a partner as did one of her original owners Sol Kumin, this time under his Madaket Stables banner. She was returned to Cox for her 6-year-old season, winning the GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 28 and finished second to divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) in the GI Apple Blossom H. when last seen Apr. 17. She was given a brief break from training following that event and had recently returned to Cox's barn. Monomoy Girl retires with a record of 17-14-3-0 and earnings of $4,776,818.

“I'm going to miss having her around and not being able to put a saddle on her again, but Monomoy Girl owes us nothing,” said Cox. “She's an unbelievable mare and will always hold a special place in my heart as our first Oaks winner, Breeders' Cup winner and champion. She will go to Spendthrift to start her breeding career and I'm sure she'll be an awesome mom.”

Spendthrift's Ned Toffey said that Monomoy Girl is expected to come to the Lexington-based farm this week to settle into her new career as a broodmare. Breeding plans have not yet been determined.

“Certainly, we are disappointed, especially for all of our partners,” said Toffey. “While we were hopeful to get her back to the races this year, we won't lose focus on what is most important and that is a healthy Monomoy Girl. She's an all-time great and we look forward to the next chapter of her career and giving her a great life on the farm at Spendthrift.”

Monomoy Girl's dam Drumette summoned $1.85 million from Bridlewood Farm in foal to Mastery at the 2018 FTKNOV sale. Her half-brother Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) captured a split division of the GII Risen Star S. last term and has since retired to stud in New York.

The post Monomoy Girl Retired appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Six States, Two Without Racing, Join Fight To Derail HISA

The attorneys general from six new states have sided with existing plaintiffs in Oklahoma, West Virginia and Louisiana by filing a Sept. 21 “friend of the court” brief in one of two currently active federal lawsuits aiming to get the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) voided for alleged constitutional violations before HISA even goes into effect.

Curiously, two of those six states–Alaska and Mississippi–have no current forms of legal pari-mutuel horse racing. The other states expressing support for the alleged unconstitutionality of HISA are Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska and Ohio.

The Tuesday filing in United States District Court (Eastern Division of Kentucky) refers to HISA as “the Horse Act” and terms the HISA Authority board that will craft Thoroughbred racing's new regulatory framework as “the Private Corporation.” The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which is slated to control the drug testing aspects of HISA, is labelled in the filing as “the Private Consultant.”

Although the Authority and USADA will both fall under the theoretical auspices of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is a pre-existing federal agency within the executive branch, the brief calls into question how this hierarchy will actually function in practice if HISA goes into effect July 1, 2022, as mandated by the 2020 law that created it.

“Which entity is really calling the shots, the Private Corporation or FTC?” the filing asks rhetorically. “The answer is the Private Corporation.”

The filing continues: “The Horse Act unconstitutionally delegates legislative power. That follows from three insights. First, the Private Corporation is a private entity. Second, the Private Corporation wields governmental power. Third, the Private Corporation wields the power as a principal actor–it does not perform mere ministerial or advisory tasks for the federal government…

“The Horse Act gives the Private Corporation the power to act as the federal government.

The Private Corporation writes the rules governing horseracing, enforces those rules, and issues interpretive guidance at will. While a federal agency will oversee the Private Corporation in some instances, that oversight is more symbolic than substantive…

“Because the Constitution forbids allowing private entities to exercise governmental power, the Horse Act is unconstitutional,” the filing states.

The attorneys general wrote that “the Horse Act creates an imbalance of power, and it gives the lion's share to the Private Corporation. This delegation of power undermines the Constitution.”

The filing also asks the court to “remember the importance of accountability,” stating that “Under the Horse Act, the People have no power to hold the Private Corporation to account.”

The filing continues: “The People have no say, even indirectly, in who runs the Corporation: they cannot elect anyone to the Private Corporation's board of directors, and the People's elected representatives similarly have no authority to confirm, remove, or even manage those who sit on the board…

“It is thus the will of the Private Corporation that binds the People. The Constitution tolerates no such thing,” the filing states.

The six states also write in their brief that HISA would also be operating contrary to binding legal precedent.

“When Congress directs a private entity to assist a federal agency, Congress must make the federal agency the commanding regulator,” the filing states. “Congress failed to do that here… the Private Corporation does not 'function subordinately' to the [FTC]…. The Private Corporation is chief policymaker, and that role far exceeds any ministerial or advisory duties.”

Among the plaintiffs in this lawsuit, which was originally filed Apr. 26, are three Oklahoma tracks–Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs and Fair Meadows.

The defendants are the United States of America, the HISA Authority, and six individuals acting in their official capacities for either HISA or the FTC.

This lawsuit is separate from the similar complaint over constitutional issues initiated by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association against FTC members.

Both lawsuits are facing motions to dismiss by the defendants that have yet to be ruled upon by the federal judges in each case.

The post Six States, Two Without Racing, Join Fight To Derail HISA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hot Rod Charlie: ‘Blue-Collar’ Horse Goes From 94-1 Shot To Pennsylvania Derby Favorite

No one gave Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stables' Hot Rod Charlie a second look when he ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November. The speedy son of Oxbow was given two chances to win that prize: none and none.

Hot Rod Charlie was dismissed at odds of 94-1 that day and ended up finishing second, three quarters of a length behind Essential Quality.

It was a sign of things to come.

“That was pretty incredible,” trainer Doug O'Neill said about the Juvenile. “It sounds pretty obvious, but that is the thing that sent us on our way. It really set the tone for what has happened this year.”

With the sudden defection of Medina Spirit from the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, Hot Rod Charlie is the new morning-line favorite at odds of 8-5.

Saturday will be his first race since the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park on July 17. In that race, Hot Rod Charlie was the first horse across the finish line but was disqualified and placed last after Midnight Bourbon clipped heels with him in the stretch.

Before that, Hot Rod Charlie and jockey Flavien Prat ran a courageous race in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont, finishing second behind Essential Quality.

In five starts this year, Hot Rod Charlie has one win — the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby — to go along with a third in the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby.

“He has shown up in every big race we have had him in,” O'Neill said. “He has been very honest and, gosh, I just feel so lucky and blessed to be connected with him, He is just a real cool, blue-collar, solid horse.”

After the Haskell, Hot Rod Charlie went back to O'Neill's base in California and the trainer decided he would let the horse tell him when he was ready to go again.

“He needed a couple of weeks after the Haskell,” O'Neill said. “He had to get his bearings about him and get his energy back to where we wanted it to be. As I started breezing him, I just let him go easy, and the last couple of works we have asked him for a little bit of run. He has responded in normal Charlie fashion.”

Hot Rod Charlie arrived at Parx along with the popular Hall of Famer Lava Man, who serves as the colt's pony, last Saturday.

“He seems to be coming into the Pennsylvania Derby in good shape,” O'Neill said. “I am a big fan of Bensalem and I'm pumped to be going into their signature race with a live chance.”

The post Hot Rod Charlie: ‘Blue-Collar’ Horse Goes From 94-1 Shot To Pennsylvania Derby Favorite appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sesamoid Fracture Forces Retirement Of Two-Time Champion Monomoy Girl

Monomoy Girl, the two-time Eclipse Award winner and seven-time Grade 1 winner, has been retired from racing after she was discovered to have sustained an injury during training Tuesday at Churchill Downs.

Owned by My Racehorse, Spendthrift Farm and Madaket Stables, Monomoy Girl had been making a return to racing following a break over the spring since her narrow runner-up finish to Letruska in Oaklawn's Apple Blossom S. (G1) in April. The 6-year-old chestnut mare retires with 14 wins and three seconds from 17 lifetime starts.

Spendthrift's Ned Toffey said that Monomoy Girl is expected to come to the Lexington-based farm this week to settle into her new career as a future broodmare. Breeding plans have not yet been determined.

A stakes winner at two, Monomoy Girl went on to capture four consecutive Grade 1 victories as a 3-year-old including the Ashland, Acorn, CCA Oaks and storied Kentucky Oaks. She returned to Churchill Downs later in the year to become just the eleventh 3-year-old to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), earning her first Eclipse Award as the 2018 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

Setbacks caused Monomoy Girl to miss a 4-year-old campaign, however, she returned at five in career form, ripping off four straight wins and punctuating a perfect season with another Breeders' Cup Distaff triumph last November at Keeneland. She earned her second Eclipse Award, this time as the 2020 Champion Older Dirt Female.

Monomoy Girl set a world record last fall after selling for $9.5 million as a racing/broodmare prospect at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Spendthrift elected to keep her in training and partnered with MyRacehorse to offer microshare ownership in the superstar racemare for her 2021 campaign. Monomoy Girl won the Bayakoa S. (G3) at Oaklawn in her seasonal debut before her nose defeat to divisional frontrunner Letruska, earning a 102 Beyer – the second highest Beyer of her career.

With earnings of $4,776,818, Monomoy Girl ranks as the fifth highest-earning dirt female of all time, joining an illustrious top 5 list that includes Midnight Bisou, Zenyatta, Beholder and Royal Delta.

The post Sesamoid Fracture Forces Retirement Of Two-Time Champion Monomoy Girl appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post