October, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Like A Lioness’: Defending Turf Champion Tarnawa Ready For ‘Bigger Challenge’ At Del Mar

Last year's Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tarnawa has long been penciled in for this year's edition of the 1 1/2-mile race at Del Mar, veteran Irish trainer Dermot Weld revealed during an NTRA media teleconference on Wednesday, shortly after pre-entries for this year's world championships were released. Weld believes the Aga Khan's 5-year-old daughter of Shamardal is up to the challenge, despite questions about how she might handle the firm ground “Where the Turf Meets the Surf.”

“I think this is what makes a really true champion, if they can go and defend their crown over different surfaces a year apart,” Weld said. “This will be a bigger challenge than last year for her, due to the firmer ground. Equally, she is a really, really good racemare who responds to each challenge she gets.”

Tarnawa is pre-entered in both the Turf and the Filly & Mare Turf, but Weld said she would most likely run against males to defend her title in the Turf.

In order to facilitate her return trip to the United States, Tarnawa had a later-than-normal start to her 2021 campaign. She commenced with a win in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Aug. 5, and was subsequently beaten just three-quarters of a length by St. Mark's Basilica in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on Sept. 11. In her third start this year, the mare put in a valiant effort to fall just shy of a win in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

“She fought like a lioness, and unfortunately we just came up short and the ground was extremely testing,” said Weld. “She's a very brave filly, very tough, very genuine. She gives 110 percent every time she runs. When she came back from Paris she was tired for about a week, so we just took it easy with her… I've been very happy with her work for the past week.”

Weld, the 21-time champion trainer in Ireland, knows what it takes to win races internationally. A qualified veterinarian, Weld took over his father's yard (Charlie Weld) at the age of 24 after gaining early experience on the backstretch of Belmont Park. He has since trained top-level winners on four continents, and he remains the only European trainer to win a leg of the American Triple Crown: the 1990 Belmont Stakes with the aptly-named Go And Go.

A year later, Weld sent raiders to Hong Kong and saddled Additional Risk to win the International Hong Kong Mile. In 1993, Weld became the first European trainer to send out a winner in Australia's Melbourne Cup when Vintage Crop captured the “race that stops a nation.” He won a second Melbourne Cup with Media Puzzle in 2002, and has won a total of 10 stakes races in the United States.

Now 73, Weld is excited to travel to Del Mar for this year's Breeders' Cup. Due to pandemic restrictions he was unable to attend the races at Keeneland in 2020, so Weld had to celebrate the first Breeders' Cup win of his career from afar. This year, Weld hopes to see Tarnawa rise to the challenge at Del Mar in person.

“I appreciate that she handled what we would call good to firm ground in Kentucky, whereas I am well aware that what we face is going to be a lot quicker and is a concern,” Weld said. “I actually think she could be a slightly better mare this year. She's developed every year, and she's actually training a couple of kilos heavier than last year… She's a very professional racehorse, with such a great constitution.”

Tarnawa will be ridden by Colin Keane in the Turf, reuniting her with the jockey who piloted her to victory at Keeneland. Keane rode Tarnawa for her first two starts this year, but Christophe Soumillon was up for the Arc. Weld explained that Soumillon is the Aga Khan's retained rider in France, whereas Keane rides most of the horses in Ireland.

“(Keane) did win on her last year, and he gave her a perfect ride in the Irish Champion Stakes,” Weld said.

Weld also revealed that 2021 will be Tarnawa's final season of racing. The mare is pre-entered in the Hong Kong International Races on Dec. 12, but whether or not she makes that trip will be dependent on how she runs in the Breeders' Cup.

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‘Exciting Stuff’: Trainer Mike Trombetta Closing In On 2,000-Win Milestone

As fate would have it, Mike Trombetta has the opportunity to celebrate two milestones in the same week.

Perennially one of the top trainers in Maryland who is also a player on the national stage, Trombetta turned 55 on Tuesday. The Baltimore native stands just two shy of 2,000 career wins, which he can reach as soon as Thursday when live racing returns to Laurel Park.

Trombetta has three horses entered in two of Laurel's nine races Thursday – 3-year-old gelding Mr Mosley in the opener for maidens 3, 4 and 5 going 1 1/16 miles on the Bowl Game turf course, and both Fifteen Royals and Ellanation in the seventh, an optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Exceller layout.

In addition, Trombetta will be represented by 3-year-old filly Imagery in Thursday's sixth race at Woodbine, a six-furlong optional claimer on the grass where she is the narrow 3-1 program favorite. On Friday, Trombetta has five horses entered in four races on Laurel's nine-race card.

“We're trying to get there. We have a little bit more to do with it. We need two more. It's exciting stuff,” Trombetta said, adding that it “would be cool” to get No. 2,000 at home in Maryland. “I can't really control it, but maybe it will work out that way. It would be a lot of fun.”

According to Equibase statistics, Trombetta's 1,998 wins have come from 11,238 career starters, including 91-for-581 this year. He has reached more than $1 million in purse earnings every year since 2005 and at least $3 million since 2007, with a career bankroll approaching $68.3 million.

“Time goes by so fast, as we all know. Fortunately, I still enjoy this a whole lot and that makes it fun,” Trombetta said. “When those times do come up and you reflect a little bit, I'm grateful that I've been able to do this as an occupation.”

Based primarily at Laurel and the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., Trombetta runs horses up and down the East Coast. He spends part of the summer in Saratoga and winter in South Florida, and this year branched out with a small string at Delaware Park.

“We had a few more than we could fit at the other two places [Laurel and Fair Hill],” Trombetta said. “So, we get scattered about and that makes it a little bit more challenging for all of us, but that's part of the game.”

Trombetta's introduction to horses came from his father, at tracks such as historic Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, and he steadily worked his way up the ladder to becoming a trainer.

“My dad owned some horses when I was a teenager and I got some exposure to it that way. I liked the sport and I liked the horses, and I got an opportunity to start working with them a little bit,” he said. “I was walking hots when I was 13 years old and I was grooming horses by the time I was 15. When I was in school I did school, but when I wasn't in school I was at the track.”

Trombetta's first winner came in 1986 with Amant De Cour at Atlantic City Race Course in New Jersey, which closed in 2015. He picked up No. 1,000 Nov. 27, 2011 at Charles Town with Allwewantforxmas.

The MTHA Trainer of the Year in 2005, Trombetta burst on the national scene with Sweetnorthernsaint, an ex-claimer turned Grade 2 winner who went off as the Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite in 2006 and ran second to champion Bernardini in the Preakness (G1). Among his local stakes wins were the 2006 Miracle Wood and 2007 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel.

For his career, Trombetta said 'The Saint' meant “everything. That was a turning point for me. That's when we went from just doing this job to everybody kind of getting a chance to know who we were, and that meant the world to us. That just put fuel on the fire that I could have never expected.”

Other stakes horses for Trombetta include 2020 Forego (G1) winner Win Win Win, 2019 Highlander (G1) winner Wet Your Whistle, 2012 Nearctic (G1) winner Next Question, 2009 Commonwealth (G3) winner Eternal Star, 2009 Carry Back (G2) winner Not for Silver and Grade 3 winners Weigelia, Control System, Jimanator, Despite the Odds, Street Magician, Souper Escape, Global Access, Independence Hall.

Over the years, Trombetta has had some major owners as clients such as Live Oak Plantation, R. Larry Johnson and the Meyerhoff family, best known for campaigning Hall of Famer Spectacular Bid.

Trombetta won Laurel's 2019 spring stand and shared the 2015 winter meet title with Claudio Gonzalez, to whom he has finished second in annual Maryland wins each of the past two years. He also ranks among the all-time leading trainers in Maryland Million history with eight wins.

“We've had a lot of good owners for a lot of years, and we're obviously very grateful to them,” Trombetta said. “It's a team effort. Everybody works so hard. To think about all the people that get up at 3:30 or 4 o'clock in the morning to do this job, it's pretty amazing stuff. I can't say enough. These guys work tremendously hard for us. They're very dedicated. I've had some really good people for a lot of years, and I'm grateful to have them.”

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The Minkster Takes On 13 Rookie Rivals In Saturday’s $250,000 Coronation Futurity

Fourteen hopefuls, including Dan Vella's charge The Minkster, are set to square-off in the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, which headlines a trio of stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

The 1 1/8-mile Tapeta event for Canadian-foaled two-year-olds is a significant race on the road to the 163rd running of the Queen's Plate, the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The $125,000 Display Stakes, for two-year-olds, and the $125,000 Glorious Song Stakes, for two-year-year-old fillies, will go as races three and nine, respectively. Both are seven furlongs on the Tapeta.

Dan Vella, in search of his first Coronation Futurity crown, will send out The Minkster. The bay son of English Channel impressed in his career bow on October 2, a 6 ½-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Under David Moran, who will be in the irons again on Saturday, The Minkster, at 5-1, broke inward and bumped with a rival, but recovered to hold a slim lead along the backstretch. After forcing the pace from the rail on the turn, the colt took the lead in the stretch, widened his advantage down the lane and coasted home a 6 ¼-length winner.

The final time over good ground was 1:17.19.

“I was expecting a really big effort,” said Vella. “You never quite expect it to be that easy. That win was even easier than it looks on paper. He was pretty much geared down and ran green, but he's a very talented horse. I don't know what the limit is on him. I don't know if there is one. When they came back, David said that he still had a lot of horse. He said, 'Wait until he figures out how to run in a straight line.'”

Bred by Dr. Tan Hyka and owned by Sea Glass Stables LLC, The Minkster will now tackle a series of firsts, including two turns and a run over the Tapeta.

Vella, a lifetime winner of 858 races, is confident his juvenile, a $52,000 yearling purchase at the 2020 CTHS Ontario Sale, can handle the assignment.

“I couldn't ask him to get ready any better. He's very happy with the time between races. He's not a really big horse. He's very athletic, but he's not a giant. I was very happy to have the four weeks to get him ready to where I want him. We're ready and we're excited.

“I've had a few English Channels and they are late to mature mentally and physically. He matured a lot from that race, but he has a lot more to do. Very few English Channels reach their peak in the first race of their life. They get nothing but better with age and racing. He's got some learning to do yet, but he can run.”

Vella has similar high praise for his Glorious Song contender Marie MacKay.

The bay daughter of Noble Mission (GB), bred and owned by Donald Whalen and Track West Racing, took the Shady Well Stakes on October 8 at Woodbine.

“We're going to take a shot at the open company and seven-eights. She's a lovely filly. We don't know what her limits are. We haven't reached them. She has a load of talent. She's training super, so we're going to give it a go.”

Other Coronation Futurity starters include a trio of Mark Casse starters, Fast Feet, God of Love, and Lament, and three Kevin Attard trainees, Hidden Honor, Kiddie Holiday, and Laraque, as well as Stronger Together, trained by Sid Attard.

Stronger Together, a chestnut son of Liam's Map, has posted a pair of bronze medal finishes in his two career starts.

Bred by Jim Dandy Stable and owned by Spruce Park Stable, the colt's most recent effort came in the Cup & Saucer Stakes on October 10 at Woodbine.

With Justin Stein in the saddle, Stronger Together stumbled at the start of the 1 1/16-mile turf event, but was able to regroup and finish third, 2 ¾-lengths behind God of Love.

One race prior, the chestnut, steadied at the start of the 1 mile and 70-yard Tapeta race, then ninth and 12 lengths behind the leader at the half-mile junction, rallied to net the show award, only a neck behind the winner, Shamateur, at the wire.

“This is a very nice horse,” said Attard. “I thought he has run two very good races. He's doing very well coming into this race and hopefully he builds off those first two starts and has a big race.”

Ayrshire Lad won the first running of the Coronation Futurity in 1902. The late Avelino Gomez won four straight (1964-67) editions of the race, a feat duplicated by Sandy Hawley (1973-76). The last horse to notch the Futurity-Plate double was Norcliffe in 1975-76.

The 118th running of the Coronation Futurity is slated as race eight on Saturday's 11-race card. First post time is 12:55 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

$250,000 CORONATION FUTURITY

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – J M R Best of Turf – Christopher Husbands – Steven Chircop

2 – Brutality – Daisuke Fukumoto – Michael De Paulo

3 – Dancin in Da'nile – Shaun Bridgmohan – Gail Cox

4 – Shamateur – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Michael Doyle

5 – Laraque – Eswan Flores – Kevin Attard

6 – God of Love – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

7 – Mad Mocha – Sahin Civaci – Stuart Simon

8 – Kiddie Holiday – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

9 – The Minkster – David Moran – Dan Vella

10 – Fast Feet – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

11 – Rum Cup – Patrick Husbands – Barbara Minshall

12 – Lament (S) – Gary Boulanger – Mark Casse

13 – Stronger Together – Justin Stein – Sid Attard

14 – Hidden Honor – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

$125,000 DISPLAY

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Ironstone – Ademar Santos – Willie Armata

2 – Heat Merchant – Gary Boulanger – Ralph Biamonte

3 – Optigogo – Kazushi Kimura – Eoin Harty

4 – Souper Legacy (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Hicksy – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

6 – Twenty Four Mamba – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

7 – Dancin in Da'nile – Shaun Bridgmohan – Gail Cox

$125,000 GLORIOUS SONG

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Aubrieta – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

2 – Chocolateaddiction – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

3 – Elegant Joy – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Eoin Harty

4 – Howdyoumakeurmoney – Antonio Gallardo – Michael Trombetta

5 – Fulminate – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

6 – Fifth Anniversary – Keveh Nicholls – Ricky Griffith

7 – Skylerville – Kazushi Kimura – Jonathan Thomas

8 – Marie MacKay – Justin Stein – Dan Vella

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Boltaway Leads Third Session Of Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale

The third session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continued the remarkable momentum of the second with exceptional trade resulting in turnover in excess of 10 million guineas, breaking the record aggregate for the sale. Ten lots sold for over 200,000 guineas and the clearance rate was a remarkable 93 percent.

The Juddmonte draft is a customary highlight of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and it provided the top lot on the third day of this year's renewal when Boltaway was knocked down to Najd Stud and Peter and Ross Doyle for 400,000 guineas.

The 3-year-old Dubawi colt is out of the four-time Grade 1 winning mare Proviso and has shown smart form himself with four wins from six starts for Roger Charlton this season, earning a 'Timeform' rating of 100.

Najd Stud representative Saad bin Mishraf commented:

“We tried to buy this horse privately but that wasn't possible and so we waited for this sale. It's proved to be one of the toughest markets I have ever seen for horses in training. He's by Dubawi, whose offspring have succeeded in Saudi Arabia and out of a Dansili mare, and Dansilis have done very well in Saudi Arabia so he had the right pedigree. He also had size and good feet for racing on dirt.

“He has not been over-raced and he vetted 100 percent, which was one of the main reasons for trying to buy him. All the races in Saudi Arabia are on the up, with better prize money sometimes increased by four or five times. There are races for locally-bred horses and imported horses, and while we don't have many imported horses the ones we have are very good.”

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues with the fourth and final session at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28.

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