December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Carpe Diem and Exaggerator to Relocate

WinStar stallions Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway–Rebridled Dreams, by Unbridled's Song) and Exaggerator (Curlin–Dawn Raid, by Vindication) have been sold and will take up stud duty in new locations for 2022, the farm announced Thursday.

Carpe Diem will be syndicated by a group led by Dawn and Jeff Picard's Picard Racing and David Tillson and he will stand the upcoming breeding season at Acadiana Equine at Copper Crowne in Louisiana. Campaigned by WinStar and Stonestreet Stables, the $1.6 million OBSMAR buy woon the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in 2014 and the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. in 2015. Carpe Diem is the sire of 11 black-type horses in 2021.

“We have a strong relationship with David Tillson and Acadiana Equine,” said Liam O'Rourke, Director of Bloodstock Services for WinStar Farm. “We look forward to continued success with Carpe Diem.”

David Tillson added, “Our goal is to provide Louisiana breeders the best opportunity for future success, and we're excited to stand Carpe Diem, a multiple Grade I winner and proven stallion.”

Exaggerator is returning home after being re-purchased by Texas-based Rocker O Ranch, co-owner of the horse during his racing career. Stud plans are currently being determined. The dark bay won the GI Preakness S., GI Santa Anita Derby and GI Haskell Invitational S. in 2016.

“Exaggerator gave us the greatest thrills of our lifetime,” said Rocker O Ranch's Cole Ortowski. “We are excited to be bringing him back into the family.”

Exaggerator is the leading second-crop sire by winners with 77 and is represented this year by 2-year-old stakes-winning fillies Sea Level and Pacific Coast, as well as stakes winner Gagetown.

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Average Daily Handle Eclipses $10 Million During Aqueduct Fall Meet

The recently concluded 15-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack generated $10,295,293 in average daily handle from all sources, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today. With this year's 11.2 percent increase over 2020, average daily handle at the Aqueduct fall meet has risen 25.4 percent since 2019.

The continued growth in average daily handle aligns with the broader trend at NYRA, as reflected in sustained increases in that metric at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Average daily handle at the Belmont fall meet has grown 39 percent since 2019 with the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga eclipsing $20 million in average daily handle for the first time in history.

Despite hosting three fewer race days than 2020, all sources handle for the Aqueduct fall meet totaled $154,429,388 compared with $166,702,976 in 2020. The 2019 fall meet, which was contested over 25 days, generated all sources handle of $205,249,710.

The opening of the fall meet marked the return of in-person attendance for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. As a result, on-track handle was $15,268,541, a 35.1 percent increase over 2020 when only a limited number of owners were permitted to attend live racing. The 2019 fall meet, which was contested over 25 days, generated on-track handle of $20,712,645.

With the benefit of two turf courses available at Aqueduct, 74 races were run over the grass with just six races forced off the turf due to weather during the fall meet. In 2020, 68 races were run over the grass with 11 races forced off the turf due to weather.

Average field size for the 145 total races run during the fall meet was 8.90, a 2.6 percent increase over 2020 and 5.9 percent higher than 2019.

The 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet, which begins today, continues through Sunday, March 27.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Equibase Analysis: 12-1 On The Morning Line, Officiating Looks Very Tough In Mr. Prospector Stakes

This Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park drew a field of seven sprinters running seven furlongs in an intriguing race: not one of the group has finished in the top three in a graded stakes in 2021. That being said, three horses enter the race having either won their most recent race or the one just prior to that.

Dennis' Moment is one of the two in the former group, having won at the seven furlong distance in his most recent race and with a previous graded stakes win in his career as he captured the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes in the fall of 2019.
Officiating won at this distance one race before last, the win coming in the non-graded Bear's Den Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Doc Amster won last month at Gulfstream Park at the shorter distance of six furlongs and is trying this seven furlong trip for the first time.
Then there's Endorsed, with the highest career earnings in the field at $455,375. His best effort at this level came when second in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes in June of last year, and he enters the Mr. Prospector Stakes off a fast closing third place effort in his most recent start.
Poppy's Pride won four in a row between September and December of last year but has run poorly in two starts since returning from an eight month layoff in September.
Wind of Change (BRZ) finished fourth in last year's Mr. Prospector and enters this year's race off a runner-up finish two months ago.
Flap Jack rounds out the field, not having won in nine races since June, 2020 and still eligible to run in a second level allowance race.

Main win contenders:

Officiating took seven tries to earn his first win, doing so on turf this past March. Following his maiden win and after missing by a neck in a non-graded stakes race on turf and a mediocre third place effort on dirt, he was privately transferred to the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Then, after fourth and third place finishes on turf, Officiating was entered in the Bear's Den Stakes, scheduled for turf, but stayed in the race which was moved to dirt due to weather, earning a career best 110 ™ Equibase® Speed Figure and winning authoritatively by three and one-half lengths.

In his most recent race and following the Bear's Den, Officiating tried the Tapeta all-weather surface and two-turns in the Showing Up Stakes last month and ran poorly, demonstrating only he did not like the surface nor the distance. Cutting back to the distance of the Bear's Den while moving back to the surface of that race, it can be assumed Officiating can duplicate his effort in that race which is good enough to win. There is also little doubt about his being able to run as well considering his last two workouts on dirt coming into the race have been excellent.

Dennis' Moment was thought to be a top 2-year-old in the summer of 2019 following his 19 length win in July with a 106 ™ figure, virtually unheard of for a young two year old. He won the Iroquois Stakes two months later but after finishing last of eight in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Stakes he was given time off to mature. When returning in the Fountain of Youth Stakes last February, 2020, Dennis' Moment was sent to post as the heavy favorite but finished 10th and last.

Rested another nine months, he ran poorly one year ago and was again given time off. This time the rest helped greatly as Dennis' Moment missed by a head in a six furlong sprint. Two races later in October, Dennis' Moment earned his first win in 25 months in a highly rated race at Keeneland at the distance of the Mr. Prospector, duplicating the 106 figure earned in the summer of 2019. With logical improvement off that effort in his fourth start off the rest and at the same distance of his last effort, Dennis' Moment has every right to earn a graded stakes win for the second time in his career.

The rest of the field, with their best ™ Equibase Speed Figures, is Doc Amster (103), Endorsed (110), Flap Jack (101), Poppy's Pride (97) and Wind of Change (BRZ) (114).

Win Contenders, in preference order:

Officiating
Dennis' Moment

Mr. Prospector Stakes – Grade 3
Race 10 at Gulfstream Park
Saturday, December 11 – Post Time 4:32 PM E.T.
Seven Furlongs
Three Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $100,000

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JDG: Rossis Indicted, Banned From Racing During Investigation

In custody since Tuesday morning, Charley Rossi and his wife Jessica Marcialis; Rossi's brother, Cedric; and their uncle Frederic Rossi, were brought before the investigating judge in Aix-en-Provence, France, Thursday, along with the manager of Frederic Rossi's stable and a veterinarian. The six were indicted and placed under judicial control, according to the Jour de Galop. They emerged from the court Thursday around 4 p.m., and have been forbidden to participate in racing, or to be on the grounds of a racetrack or training center during the indictment, according to a press release from the public prosecutor.

The JDG reported that the indictment for this type of charge could last as long as a year while the investigation continues, and said that in total, the three had approximately 200 horses in training at their Calas training center in Marseille.

The paper ran the following statement from the prosecutor's office: “Following a tip, a preliminary investigation for equine doping and fraud committed by an organized group was handed over to the Service Central des Courses et Jeux (SCCJ) (the central service of racing and gaming), a specialized service of the judicial police in the Aix-en-Provence prosecutors office. The first investigations have allowed them to confirm the information described, including several racehorse trainers and veterinarians. On September 10, 2021, the public prosecutor's office in Aix-en-Provence opened a judicial investigation into the leaders of the group, (who were) administering to the horses substances of a nature to artificially modify their capabilities. The investigation led by the rogatory commission from the racing and gaming police have revealed numerous facts of equine doping and the manipulation of racing as part of a concerted organization. This concerns a large group of around 30 races. An operation carried out in several locations allowed the SCCJ, aided by the South Judicial Police and veterinarians from the national horse racing federation to question a dozen people. This gave rise to the seizure of 10 racehorses as well as funds from the bank accounts of the people in question. At the end of their custody, the examining magistrate in charge of the investigations had decided to refer six people. In accordance with the requirements of prosecution, they were indicted and placed under judicial review, and are forbidden from being present on racetracks and training centers and from exercising any profession related to horse racing.”

The JDG quoted “numerous sources” which reported the “no molecule” of any new or illegal doping agents had been found.

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