December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

TDN’s Most Popular Stories of 2021

With 2021 now behind us–thankfully, some might say–it's time to look back at the TDN stories that were the mostly widely read during the year. Unfortunately, it's a list largely void of feel-good stories. That's not surprising during what was another tumultuous year for the sport, from the sad saga of Medina Spirit (Protonico) to the sentencing of drug cheat Jorge Navarro to five years in prison to the 11th-hour surprise that was the United States Anti-Doping Agency announcing that it would not be part of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act going forward. It was also a year in which the sport lost some giants, B. Wayne Hughes, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Rick Porter, Khalid Abdullah, to name a few.

Here are the 10 most widely read stories of 2021:

Medina Spirit Dies of an Apparent Heart Attack

The news was stunning and tragic. After finishing up a Dec. 6 workout at Santa Anita, Medina Spirit collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack. It was the final chapter in a story that began with an overachiever once sold for $1,000 winning the GI Kentucky Derby and continued with his drug positive in the Derby and then his death.

“Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all and we are deeply mourning his loss,” trainer Bob Baffert said in a statement. “I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit.”

The story had more than twice as many readers as any other story that ran in the TDN during the year.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum Dies

In March, His Highness Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum passed away at the age of 75. Operating a racing and breeding empire under the Shadwell banner that tasted success all over the world, he raced 19 European Classic winners. In the U.S., Shadwell won such notable races as the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the GI Belmont S. and was a two-time winner of the GI Whitney H.

Lopez After Fight with Ortiz: I Don't Want Any Trouble Going Forward

There's nothing like a good old-fashioned donnybrook to get the readers' attention. Irad Ortiz, Jr. didn't like Paco Lopez's tactics during a late February race at Gulfstream and let him know it afterward when he started punching his rival outside the jockey's room. Lopez did not retaliate and told the TDN after it was over that he wanted to put the incident behind him.

Rispoli Not Allowed to Fly to Saudi Arabia for Cup

COVID-19 regulations proved to be a headache during the early part of the year and kept Umberto Rispoli and John Velazquez from being able to travel to Saudi Arabia to ride in the Saudi Cup.

Guillot Horse with Racist Name Wins at Aqueduct, Sparks Outrage

Trainer Eric Guillot retired from racing in January but he didn't exactly go quietly. The last horse he ran was a horse he named Grape Soda (Uncle Mo), a racist stereotype directed at African Americans. On Twitter, Guillot admitted the horse was named in “honor of a TVG analyst,” presumably Ken Rudulph. The horse was claimed out of the race by owner Larry Roman, who promptly changed his named to Respect For All.

Rick Porter Passes Away

Few owners in the sport were more respected and more successful than Rick Porter. Porter, who campaigned three Eclipse Award winners, passed away in June at 80 after a long bout with cancer.

“We lost a gem in horse racing,” said trainer Larry Jones.

Writers Room Tackles Medina Spirit News, Baffert, Ortiz Suspension

With the Medina Spirit death and the 30-day suspension handed to Irad Ortiz, Jr. by the Aqueduct stewards for careless riding, there was plenty to talk about on the Dec. 8 TDN Writers' Room podcast. A story previewing the podcast proved to be among the most popular of the year.

Derby Winner Aiming for New World Record

Emma Berry tells the story of 2013 GI Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) arriving in Italy at the Cipriani family's Allevamenti della Berardenga

Irad Ortiz, Jr Suspended for 30 Days

In what was supposed to be an ordinary race in December at Aqueduct, Irad Ortiz, Jr., aboard Gran Casique (Algorithms), inexplicably came over about eight paths while making his way toward the rail on the backstretch and cut over on and dropped apprentice Omar Hernandez Moreno. The Equibase chart caller wrote that “Gran Casique angled in with reckless abandon.” Throughout the year, many had been calling out Ortiz Jr. for what they said were his rough riding tactics. At least on this one occasion, the stewards agreed, setting him down for a month.

Parx Backstretch Raid Yields Significant Contraband

There was plenty of controversy in 2021, including a backstretch raid at Parx that yielded, according to Pennsylvania Director of Thoroughbred Horse Racing Tom Chuckas, a “significant amount of contraband.” A few days later, trainer Richard Vega was “summarily suspended” by the stewards after hypodermic needles, syringes and injectable substances were found in his tack room.

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Eric Cancel: ‘The People Who Mean The Most Are The People That Stick With You’

Just one live race day remains in 2021 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on a memorable year.

It did not take Eric Cancel, 25, long to display his capabilities, leading all apprentice riders in earnings in 2015 and becoming a finalist for Outstanding Apprentice that year.

After six years of competing on the NYRA circuit, Cancel enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2021, winning six races on the final day of the Aqueduct winter meet to secure his first NYRA riding title.

This year provided Cancel with a handful of accomplishments, including his first multiple graded stakes-winning year capturing the Grade 3 Withers with Risk Taking and the G2 Fort Marcy with Tribhuvan for trainer Chad Brown; and the G3 Soaring Softly with Bye Bye for conditioner Christophe Clement. Heading into the final day of racing in 2021, Cancel is also enjoying his best season in wins [147] and purse earnings [$9.9 million]. Both of Cancel's parents, Efrain Cancel and Gezzela Algarin, were jockeys in his native Puerto Rico.

How does it feel to have enjoyed your most successful year yet?

Cancel: “It feels wonderful. I'm very grateful for the opportunities I've been getting on the racetrack. Not just from the trainers, but from the owners. The grooms, hotwalkers and everyone do a great job with all the horses that we ride. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here. My agent [P. J. Campo] has done a great job.”

What contributed to your success in 2021?

Cancel: “I just try to stay focused and keep looking forward to what I want in my career. All the stakes that I have been able to ride and win, have been great. Winning some of the first few stakes of the year in New York meant a lot to me. It just kept me going and opened more doors for me. It was just a good thing to have in my career.”

You had a six-win day in March to become leading rider at the Aqueduct winter meet. How big was that?

Cancel: “Unbelievable. I never thought I would be able to pull it off. Not too many riders have been able to do that. I know Dylan Davis did it a few years back. It isn't anything easy and to be able to do it is something really memorable. It's something that I'll always be very proud of.”

What does it mean to have highly-regarded trainers like Chad Brown and Christophe Clement putting you on more horses?

Cancel: “It's a really big help. Being able to ride for those people that have better horses really puts you in a better spot. It makes other people see how much ability you have. With that kind of help they gave me, it kept on building on my momentum.”

You've won stakes this year for Gary Sciacca and Jorge Abreu, who have been big supporters of yours for a while. How important are those relationships?

Cancel: “They've been there since scratch. They're the ones that always have given me a hand and I'll always be appreciative of them just for sticking with me. It's not easy sometimes when you go up and down. The people who mean the most are the people that stick with you, even when you're struggling a little bit. In this case, thank God I've been able to keep on building up. I've always stuck with them the same way they've always stuck with me.”

Talk about the differences between riding at all three NYRA tracks.

Cancel: “I feel like I ride better at Belmont with the wider turns. I've been trying to make a change in my style of riding at both Saratoga and Aqueduct to try and save more ground and put my horses in better positions. Belmont is a little easier because the turns are wider and you don't have to struggle that much to keep a horse where you want them to be. I'm trying to do the best job I can and trying to put everything I'm leaning together to try and keep it going.”

Both of your parents were riders, how much of an influence have they been?

Cancel: “They had a huge influence on me. I've always been around racing since I was a little kid. As soon as they started watching me get into racing a lot, they kept on pushing me into it. They always were there for me when I needed it. They taught me from scratch so I'm grateful for them and all the people that have had something to do with it.”

What are your goals for next year?

Cancel: “My main goal is to try and keep doing better every year. In the future, I have goals to be in the Breeders' Cup and the Kentucky Derby. That's one of the main things we all look forward to as jockeys. I just take everything day-by-day. I don't rush things and I try to let things fall into place. If I have the opportunity, I'll take the opportunity. If not, I'll just keep riding it out until I get it.”

The post Eric Cancel: ‘The People Who Mean The Most Are The People That Stick With You’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Rejected: Paulick Report Story Ideas That Didn’t Make The Cut

The Paulick Report staff recently gathered virtually for our annual planning meeting – a day-long brainstorming session about new content and website improvements that usually leaves each of us feeling like we're a bit more storm than brain by the end. The cleverest minds in business say there are no bad ideas, but there certainly are ideas that merit eventual rejection.

This year, for the first time, we are giving our readers a look at some of the rejected ideas for new series, along with the group consensus for turning down those ideas

(And yes, this is satire. We need to point this out at the get-go. See Idea 5.)

The Cricket Report: A monthly series reminding readers about all the court and commission cases that are open, but silent. Rejected because: Frankly, between the slew of old drug positives without rulings issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the boatload of civil lawsuits involving Zayat Stables, more than two dozen federal defendants, and lots, lots more, we can't keep straight who did what, when, where, and whether they're on their first round of adjudication or appeal.

They'll Really License Anybody, Won't They?: A series of profiles on racing's repeat offenders, usually trainers who were suspended for a period of time and have now returned, or who were run out of a series of racetracks but welcomed by others. Inspiration drawn from the many, many emails we still get asking about our pal Marcus Vitali, who, yes, we're aware is saddling horses at Turf Paradise for a second winter season. Rejected because: 1) It's unfair to focus on trainers when there are plenty of repeat violations by jockeys; we just can't trace riders as well because in this, the year of our Lord 2022, there is still no centralized national database for rider infractions; and 2) The subjects might sue us.

Getting To Know Top Achievers: Profiles of the weekend's Grade 1-winning connections you've never met before, in their most triumphant of moments. Rejected because: You've met them all. Years ago now. Also, we'd eventually be running back-to-back accounts detailing Brad Cox's childhood spent in the shadow of the Twin Spires … again.

Armchair Jockey: We make readers who email us to complain about jockey rides hack my OTTB around at a trot for 10 minutes. Rejected because: 1) We can't be liable for any kind of physical damage that may (/will) befall horseplayers after 30 seconds of jogging a horse; and 2) It would be a skewed representation of your typical horseplayer – we only seem to get jockey complaints from bettors who have lost money on the race.

Sarcasm From Ray: Ray writes out his original and biting takes on the day's news to inject a bit of humor into the Paulick Report. Rejected because: We still get emails/tweets from people who did not realize that his column on drug testing in New York was intended as sarcasm. No joke – lots and lots of people missed what we thought was pretty obvious there.

New Website Widget Idea: A counter that lists the number of days since a source without any direct knowledge of the situation told us with great authority that another round of arrests and federal indictments were “imminent.” Rejected because: It'd be stuck at 0.

Well, I Guess We're Doing Ok Then: A monthly pair of screenshots showing Facebook comments which accuse us of two opposite kinds of journalistic bias. Inspired by (though certainly not limited to) our having been informed during the same week that our staff were both the biggest Baffert fan club and showed irrational hatred of him because we published news items covering important developments in his ongoing civil lawsuits. Rejected because: Holy crap, are we tired of having to write about Bob.

The Sponsor Spotlight: A weekly video series where we beg for advertising dollars from people and companies the Paulick Report is accused of being in the bag for. Rejected because: Lack of funding.

The post Rejected: Paulick Report Story Ideas That Didn’t Make The Cut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Charlatan Attracts Quality First Book for 2022

Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura couldn't be happier with the book of mares that multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown-Authenticity, by Quiet American) has amassed for his first season at stud in 2022. Sikura said the quality embodied in this initial book is unlike many he's seen for a first-year sire.

“The complements we've received from people who have come out to see him have been remarkable,” he said. “Eclipse Award-winning breeders are sending Grade I-winning and Grade I-producing mares to him, which is something that is not the norm for newly-retired horses. He seems to be the exception where people recognize him as value.”

“The best way I can validate what I think about the horse is with the kind of mares we're sending to him,” he added.

Charlatan's first book includes two high-profile Hill 'n' Dale mares, 'TDN Rising Star' and MGISW Guarana (Ghostzapper) and Bubbler (Distorted Humor), the dam of champion Arrogate.

The new addition to Hill 'n' Dale's roster, who officially retired from racing in June of 2021, will stand for a fee of $50,000 in 2022.

“Charlatan is the first horse we've had since our inception of standing stallions who seems to have every ingredient,” Sikura said. “He was a horse of phenomenal talent and I think he's a generational horse in terms of his ability and his conformation.”

Charlatan is the second foal out of MGSW and 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff third-place finisher Authenticity, who is also the dam of SW Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon). Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the son of Speightstown sold for $700,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale.

“He is a very well-bred horse and is replete with Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector in his pedigree,” Sikura noted. “He's by a very good sire whose sons look like they're going to be very good.”

The highly-regarded colt raced for owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables and broke his maiden in style on debut early in his 3-year-old year, winning by nearly six lengths and earning the 'Rising Star' nod when he went six furlongs in 1.08:85.

He continued his win streak with a 10 1/4-length romp in an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita and another easy score in the 2020 GI Arkansas Derby. Two months later, Oaklawn stewards disqualified Charlatan, who was trained by Bob Baffert, for his Arkansas Derby win due to a drug positive, but in a ruling from the Arkansas Racing Commission in April of 2021, the disqualification was overturned and the win was restored to his credit.

Charlatan skipped the 2020 Triple Crown due to a minor ankle injury, but he returned at the end of the season to remain undefeated as a sophomore in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., defeating MGSWs Express Train (Union Rags) and Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy), among other stakes winners.

Charlatan claims the GI Arkansas Derby by six lengths | Coady

The swift-footed colt suffered his lone defeat in his final start in the G1 Saudi Cup, running second to Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) after going head-to-head with future GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter).

“He had so many wild performances and was only beaten once in his life,” Sikura explained. “He was a horse of extreme brilliance and world-class talent and he had speed that could carry.”

Charlatan retired after the Saudi Cup with earnings of over $4 million.

“It was a long road, to be honest, when he got hurt and had time off,” Sikura reflected. “I know there was more to the horse. I believe he was the kind of horse that if he left the gate and didn't have any problems, he was always the horse to beat no matter who was in the race with him. He was a remarkable racehorse and a generational talent.”

Hill 'n' Dale secured the breeding rights to Charlatan following the colt's romp in the Arkansas Derby. Sikura said that as breeders have come out to see Charlatan, they've only been further convinced of the new sire's potential after seeing the imposing chestnut in person.

“He's very proportionate with a great hind leg and he walks like a cat,” Sikura explained. “He seems to float over the ground and he has a great presence about him. I see him as a flawless, impeccable horse who really withstands any scrutiny from breeders. If you're wondering what a stallion should have, come and see him. He has every category in spades.”

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