December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Retiring Art Sherman To Be Honored By Santa Anita Park On Sunday

Art Sherman, racing's David who slew the game's Goliaths with an unlikely slingshot named California Chrome, will be honored by Santa Anita Sunday on the occasion of his retirement at 84 after a career as a jockey and trainer spanning six decades.

Sherman left the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn when he was seven years old, later fleecing contemporaries in the jocks' room playing gin rummy at old Jamaica Race Course in the late 1950s as the standby rider on the New York circuit, and later still becoming a successful trainer, winning 2,261 races.

In either case, it's been a wild ride.

“There are some things Faye (his wife approaching 60 years) and I want to do, and right now I'm closing down my barn (at Los Alamitos) where I've got a lot of tack and the kids are coming for the holidays,” Sherman said when asked his immediate plans now that the reality of retirement has taken hold.

“I just sold my place in Cypress (near Los Alamitos, Sherman's training headquarters and home of California Chrome during his glory years), so I'm moving out of there. I've got a lot of things on the agenda right now.”

One that fortunately is not, thankfully, is his health.

Sherman, who turns 85 next Feb. 17, had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his bladder in March 2019 but is now cancer-free.

“That issue is behind me,” he said, “so that's great.

“I don't know what more I can say about California Chrome. Everything's been written about him. I was on two radio shows recently, one in Kentucky, TVG did a nice piece on me that will be aired before long and (Los Alamitos owner Ed) Doc Allred threw a catered party for me attended by about 100 people.”

Sherman saddled his last horse Dec. 10 at Los Alamitos, 9-1 shot Alchemy finishing seventh under jockey Wayne Barnett, but win or lose, Sherman maintains a level head, a trait which has helped him succeed on a long and daunting road and established him as one of game's most revered ambassadors.

“Art is a great guy who follows the Shoemaker model,” said Brian Beach, former agent for Victor Espinoza who rode California Chrome to victories in the 2014 Kentucky Derby and through 2016 when he won his second Horse of the Year title.

“He doesn't get too high on the highs and too low on the lows, and we had a couple major losses, losing the Belmont in pursuit of the Triple Crown and losing the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“Art was always the same. He never blamed Victor, was easy to deal with and a straight shooter. He's just a lovely man.”

Recalled Sherman: “I've met a lot of nice people all over the world, meeting all the foreign owners and trainers in Dubai, was next to the Queen at Royal Ascot. These are things you will always remember.

“Chrome stands in Japan (at Arrow Stud, 2021 fee for live foal was $36,000) and I've been invited to see him, although this is a bad time to travel.

“Maybe we can go next year if things loosen up a bit, but right now it's a real hassle to travel abroad.”

California Chrome turns 11 on Jan. 1. He won 16 of 27 starts earning $14,752,650 and was viscerally the most popular horse of his generation. Hard to fathom now, but “The People's Horse” is largely credited for luring 72,811 fans to see him run in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, 2016.

“Things are coming to an end,” Art mused. “We've seen all the best of this game, all the great horses that ran at Santa Anita when I was young, but racing is different now.”

Sherman developed California Chrome into a masterpiece of form and function achieving international success and acclaim, contributing mightily to positive exposure the game sorely needs, and it paid off for him.

And for racing.

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Owner Who Filed Remsen Protest Surprised NYSGC Won’t Hear It

A Monday news story in the Blood-Horse stating that the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) would be taking no action on a formal protest lodged by the owner of the runner-up in the Dec. 4 GII Remsen S. came as a surprise to that owner and his attorney, who told TDN later in the day they had received no communication from the commission indicating that the protest wouldn't be allowed to advance.

The matter involves Jeff Drown, the owner of Remsen second-place finisher Zandon (Upstart), who said that the actions of victor Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and that colt's jockey, Irad Ortiz, Jr., cost him the win, which was decided by only a nose. In the immediate aftermath of the race, the stewards conducted an inquiry and listened to a foul claim lodged by jockey John Velazquez, but let the order of finish stand without any disqualification.

On Dec. 9, Drown, through his lawyer, Drew Mollica, lodged a protest with the NYSGC over the non-DQ, arguing that the very tight margin of victory was part of what merited a second look by the commission.

The Blood-Horse first reported Dec. 20 that there is no mechanism in this instance for the NYSGC to overturn the stewards' decision. That story quoted NYSGC communications director Brad Maione, who said, “The Remsen was declared official by the stewards. There is no process for appeal once the race is declared final by the stewards.”

That decision was news to Mollica, who spoke to TDN on Monday both before and after checking with his client to confirm that the NYSGC had never alerted either of them that their formal protest would not move forward.

“Neither my client nor I have been officially informed of any action or inaction by the gaming commission,” Mollica said. “As such, we have no comment. But we are surprised there are press stories about this without the gaming commission contacting us. When we are officially informed that that's their position, we'll weigh our options.”

When TDN attempted to get a clarification from Maione via email Monday afternoon, Maione did not directly answer a question asking if the NYSGC had made any attempt to communicate with Drown. Instead, Maione's reply contained only a link to the original stewards' decision from Dec. 4, plus a copy of commission rule 4025.1.

That rule states, “Every person subscribing to a sweepstake or entering a horse in a race to be run under this Article accepts the decision of the stewards or the decision of the commission, as the case may be, on any question relating to a race or to racing.”

As the two colts crested the eighth pole in lockstep for the final furlong of the Remsen, Mo Donegal tightened the gap between them under right-handed stick work from Ortiz, then the two colts bumped and brushed approaching the wire.

The Equibase chart described how Ortiz threw “repeated exaggerated crosses with the left-hand rein near the face of the runner-up” in an “attempt to intimidate” Zandon.

Velazquez said post-race that Mo Donegal, “laid on top of me right before the wire and just beat me by very little.”

The day after the Remsen, Ortiz was suspended 30 days by the Aqueduct stewards for careless riding, primarily for his role in unseating another jockey in a Dec. 3 race. But state steward Braulio Baeza, Jr. told Daily Racing Form Dec. 5 that part of that penalty also had to do with Ortiz's stretch ride in the Remsen.

In addition, there were two substitute stewards on the job at Aqueduct on the day of the Remsen, when state steward Baeza and Jockey Club steward Jennifer Durenberger were both not officiating the races.

The post Owner Who Filed Remsen Protest Surprised NYSGC Won’t Hear It appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sadler ‘Feeling Very Good’ About Undefeated Flightline’s Chances In Malibu

Flightline was racing's worst-kept secret when he made his debut on April 24 at Santa Anita.

The precocious $1 million son of Tapit was favored at 9-10 and won the six-furlong sprint by 13 ¼ lengths. His salient supporters pressed their luck at 20 cents to the dollar next out, an optional claiming race also at six furlongs, this at Del Mar Sept. 5

He won by 12¾ lengths.

Next up: the prestigious Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on opening day Sunday, Dec. 26.

Toward that goal, Flightline worked five furlongs at 6:30 Sunday morning in 1:00.20 under regular rider Flavien Prat.

“He went real well in a minute flat and galloped out (seven furlongs) in (one) 25,” said trainer John Sadler. “He just cruised around there in his last work before the race.

“I'm feeling very good about his chances,” added Sadler, who conditions the bay colt for owners Hronis Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds. “We're hoping it's Christmas on the 26th.

“He's trained up to the race super; we've had our eye on the Malibu for a couple of months. It's the right conditions, 3-year-olds, a Grade 1 at seven-eighths which we think is going to be a good distance for him.

“It will be his first time against better horses but we're excited about the challenge.”

On paper, the obvious competition would appear to come from Dr. Schivel, winner of five straight races including two Grade 1's before suffering an excruciating nose defeat in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6.

Flightline will be the Malibu's post time favorite, with Dr. Schivel, favored in four of eight starts, relegated to second choice.

Prat has ridden Dr. Schivel in his last five starts and Flightline in his two races, but stays with the latter in the Malibu.

“That's a definite,” Sadler said.

Dr. Schivel worked this morning for the Malibu, going a half-mile in 48.20 for trainer Mark Glatt. Opening Day entries were taken this morning and will be available later in the day at santaanita.com

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West, Gordon Launch Highgate Sales

Jill Gordon and Jacob West have launched Highgate Sales, a new sales company which will make its debut at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in February.

Highgate Sales will offer consignments at breeding stock, yearling, and horses of racing age sales, as well as offering appraisals, private purchases and sales, and portfolio management services.

Gordon formerly worked at Claiborne Farm as the Sales and Client Relations Manager for 3 1/2 years after a three-year stint at Warrendale Sales. In her role at Claiborne, she oversaw all aspects of the public sales consignment as well as outside sales recruitment. She also assisted with private sales and handled client communication throughout the year.

“Jill was a fantastic asset to the team during her tenure at Claiborne. Her depth of knowledge of the industry and work ethic is next to none. I know she will be successful as she takes on this new endeavor and I wish her the best,” said Claiborne Farm President Walker Hancock.

Gordon will help Claiborne Farm transition through next month's Keeneland January Breeding Stock Sale before starting her full time role at Highgate Sales.

“I am very grateful and appreciative for my time at Claiborne Farm,” Gordon said. “I have built some great relationships and have been surrounded by some of the best horses and families in the stud book. I look forward to partnering with Jacob and combining our skill sets to best serve our clients in this new chapter of my career under the Highgate banner.”

Gordon was recently elected to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club's Board of Directors.

West began his career in racing as a yearling groom at Taylor Made before moving up to the operation's Buyer Account Manager. West also worked as the Director of Bloodstock Services for Three Chimneys Farm where he managed the farm's private and public sales acquisitions.

West has been the Vice President of Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners since 2017, when he also launched West Bloodstock. This year West was appointed as the U.S. agent for Goffs.

“In forming this partnership with Jill Gordon the main focus will be on fulfilling our clients' needs,” West said. “Jill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Public Sales space. We look forward to working together and launching Highgate Sales.”

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