October, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

O’Brien: Jockey Shane Foley Should Have Been Given A Month’s Ban For Interference

Trainer Aidan O'Brien spoke to the Racing Post this week about the riding interference rules in Ireland, specifically calling out jockey Shane Foley for his ride in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last month. Foley was aboard No Speak Alexander, and switched left to impede O'Brien's trainee Mother Earth. The jockey was given a five-day ban for interference, but O'Brien believed the ban should have been much longer.

“It shouldn't have happened,” O'Brien told the Racing Post. “There aren't many countries in the world where you could get away with that and not get a month's ban because to me that is dangerous riding. If the jockeys are allowed to do those things and are not given severe penalties, it will keep happening.”

Specifically, O'Brien blamed the Irish Horse Racing Board for not taking a stand against unsafe riding.

“It's worse in Ireland than anywhere else and it's letting Irish racing down,” O'Brien explained. “We had the whole world watching Leopardstown and it puts people off backing horses or following racing. I'm not just talking about the big days, I'm talking about every day. You have to be consistent.”

Pearls Galore Eyeing Breeders’ Cup Bid

Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), beaten less than 2 ½ lengths combined when second in the Sept. 11 G1 Matron S. and Oct. 3 G1 Prix de la Foret, is a potential candidate for Del Mar's Breeders' Cup meeting in November. A dual Group 3 winner earlier this year in the G3 Brownstown S. at Fairyhouse on July 11 and the Aug. 26 G3 Fairy Bridge S. at Tipperary, the 4-year-old is a Haras de Saint Pair homebred.

“We were very happy with her. She ran a great race on ground that wasn't ideal for her,” said trainer Paddy Twomey. “Take nothing away from the winner, who was very impressive on the day, but she ran a great race. She's a tough filly, and we're pleased with her.”

“We'll see how she is in the next week to 10 days. America is a live option for her at the minute. She'll like fast ground and a tight track with a bend there. We'll have a look at the options but we certainly wouldn't rule the Breeders' Cup out.”

The post Pearls Galore Eyeing Breeders’ Cup Bid appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Medina Spirit, Art Collector Jump Into Top 10 Of NTRA Thoroughbred Poll

Knicks Go, Letruska and Essential Quality retained the top three spots, respectively, in this week's NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll while Medina Spirit (seventh) and Art Collector (eighth) moved into the Top 10 following impressive victories in their final tune-ups for the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go, who galloped to victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs, retained his No. 1 rating in the poll for the ninth straight week. Trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1 $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska, who is expected to make her next start this Sunday in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, remains in second place in this week's poll. Letruska is a leading contender for the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 6.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox and winner of the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28, remained in third place in the weekly poll. Essential Quality is expected to face older horses for the first time in the Classic.

Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior, a leading contender for the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Sprint at six furlongs on Nov. 6, jumped two spots in this week's poll to land in fourth position. Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing, and Gainesway Stable's Hot Rod Charlie, who secured his first Grade 1 victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 25, moved from seventh to fifth place in the poll. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie is expected to make his next start in the Classic.

Michael Lund Peterson's Gamine, a leading contender for the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 6, fell from fourth to sixth in this week's poll. She was followed in the polling by Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirt, an impressive winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita and Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, winner of the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes Saturday at Belmont Park. Max Player and Domestic Spending rounded out the top 10.

Click here for this week's complete poll results.

The post Medina Spirit, Art Collector Jump Into Top 10 Of NTRA Thoroughbred Poll appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Daddy Is A Legend Trying To Complete Her Resume In Saturday’s First Lady

Susan and Jim Hill's multiple graded stakes winner Daddy Is a Legend will attempt to add an elusive Grade 1 victory to her resume Saturday when she makes an expected start in the $400,000 First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare at Keeneland.

“We are trying to get a Grade 1 for her, and I think she is deserving of it,” trainer George Weaver said of Daddy Is a Legend, who posted the initial victory of her career as a 2-year-old here during the 2017 Fall Meet.

After an allowance race here in the spring, Daddy Is a Legend finished fifth against males in the Fourstardave (G1) in her most recent start.

Weaver said the First Lady was the target after the Fourstardave for Daddy Is a Legend, who has two runner-up finishes and two third-place efforts in Grade 1 tries.

The First Lady is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

“That would be Jim's (Hill) call,” Weaver said of seeking a second Grade 1 should Daddy Is a Legend prevail Saturday. “She likes Del Mar (winning the Jimmy Durante-G3 and second in two runnings of the Matriarch-G1), and if she runs first or second here he'd be likely to consider it.”

The post Daddy Is A Legend Trying To Complete Her Resume In Saturday’s First Lady appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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