January, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Preakness Art Competition Announced

Edited Press Release

1/ST and the Maryland Jockey Club have partnered with the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) to launch The Art of Racing, a unique art competition to honor the second jewel of the Triple Crown Series and its impact on Baltimore. Established more than four decades ago, the relationship between the Maryland Jockey Club and MICA takes a step forward with this community-wide call for entries of original, two-dimensional visual art that depicts the unique elements of Thoroughbred horse racing and the GI Preakness S.

From now until the submission deadline of Mar. 1, 2022, artists may submit their entries here, after which all submissions will be available for public viewing. From Mar. 2 through Mar. 20, visitors to the The Art of Racing website can cast their vote for their favorite work of art. The top 10 vote-getters will then be entered into the finalist category, with the winning piece selected by an esteemed panel of judges representing the artistic, business, philanthropic and political communities that allow Park Heights to thrive as the home of Preakness 147.

The winning artist of the inaugural competition will receive a $4,000 stipend and two tickets to Preakness 147 on May 21, 2022. In addition, their work will be reproduced on Preakness 147 merchandise with the Park Heights Renaissance as the beneficiary of all sales proceeds, which will be used to support the activities of the non-profit organization as it pursues affordable housing for families and provides employment opportunities for members of the Park Heights community.

The Art of Racing is part of the ongoing partnership between 1/ST and the Park Heights Renaissance that included honoring the late community advocate George E. Mitchell through the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. and the George E. Mitchell Park Heights Community Fellowship Grant. The Art of Racing builds upon the legacy of these initiatives by recognizing and honoring individuals who, much like Mitchell himself, demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to the Park Heights community.

“The visual elements behind the Preakness Stakes captivate the imagination both on race day and year-round,” said David Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer, 1/ST. “The Art of Racing commemorates and celebrates one of the most iconic sporting events in Maryland, and nationwide. It also represents the opportunity for a modern visual interpretation of the Preakness Stakes as we redefine the sport to connect with a new generation of fans.”

“The Preakness is one of the most esteemed public events for Maryland and this inaugural competition celebrates its importance in a unique way,” said Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, the founding director of the Center for Race and Culture at MICA and a member of the judging panel for The Art of Racing.

There is a long history between MICA and the Preakness that began in the 1970s when then-MICA professor Raoul Middleman led his classes in painting murals of Pimlico Race Course. The seven murals Middleman created with his students, which live in perpetuity behind the course's grandstand, provide an intimate look at a tradition defined by history and character.

“Raoul Middleman enriched the lives of his students by giving them the hands-on opportunity to experience commercial artmaking,” said Dr. Tiffany Holmes, MICA's Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “The Art of Racing builds upon Professor Middleman's legacy by commissioning artists from MICA and across Maryland to provide their interpretations of Maryland's time-honored tradition of Thoroughbred racing.”

For more information on The Art of Racing, please visit www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing or follow @PreaknessStakes and #Preakness on social media.

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O’Neill Sending Eight To Dubai World Cup Carnival

A group of eight horses trained by Doug O'Neill led by GI Pennsylvania Derby hero Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) is being aimed at the upcoming Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse, according to a tweet from the Dubai Racing Club Monday. The octet is scheduled to touch down in Dubai Jan. 18 and their preparations will be overseen by assistant trainer Leandro Mora, O'Neill confirmed via text Monday. It will be the second time in three years that the conditioner will be represented by horses stabled in Dubai, having celebrated an outstanding DWCC in 2020.

O'Neill indicated last month on Steve Byk's At The Races satellite radio program that Hot Rod Charlie would have the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup as his major early-season target. The newly turned 4-year-old was most recently narrowly beaten into second by Express Train (Union Rags) in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26 and breezed a half-mile in :48.40 prior to the first race at Santa Anita Jan. 8. Similar to California Chrome and Curlin, each of whom prepped victoriously in Dubai prior to winning the World Cup, Hot Rod Charlie could take in a race such as the $100,000 Listed Curlin S. over the same 10-furlong distance as the main event Friday, Feb. 11.

Among the 17 horses that represented O'Neill at the 2020 Carnival was Fore Left (Twirling Candy), a two-time stakes winner on dirt in the U.S. as a juvenile who defeated 15 rivals to land the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas on his lone appearance in the desert. A would-be start in the G2 UAE Derby was scuppered when the COVID-19 pandemic claimed the entire Dubai World Cup program. New York-bred Khantaro d'Oro (Kantharos) could be on a similar trajectory, despite being a six-start maiden. Third and second in turf heats at Santa Anita in October and at Del Mar the following month, respectively, the bay ridgling was a well-beaten seventh in the grassy GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. Nov. 28, but exits a runner-up effort to the progressive Blackadder (Quality Road) on the main track in Arcadia Dec. 26.

W C Racing's Wildman Jack (Goldencents) made history at the 2020 DWCC, becoming the first American-trained galloper to land a turf race in Dubai when scoring impressively in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday. He, too, was denied a run in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night due to its cancellation, but the W C Racing-bred and co-owned sophomore gelding Get Back Goldie (Goldencents) is expected to be part of the O'Neill team as well. Unplaced in a pair of dirt tries to kick off his career, the bay graduated against $50,000 maidens on the turf at Santa Anita Oct. 23 and exits a ninth in the Cecil B. DeMille.

Fore Left carried the silks of top O'Neill client Reddam Racing and that operation is set to be represented at the Carnival by 4-year-old Go On (Nyquist), a maiden winner going six furlongs in 1:08.50 at Santa Anita Oct. 9 and a latest fourth, beaten just five lengths, in the San Antonio.

According to the tweet from the Dubai Racing Club, the other four likely shippers include SW & GSP Strong Constitution (Constitution); Cal-bred stakes winner Positivity (Paynter); Appreciated (Acclamation), recently claimed for $40,000 and placed in two of three starts for the O'Neill barn; and $1-million FTFMAR graduate Notre Dame (Into Mischief), the gate-to-wire winner of a six-furlong Santa Anita allowance Dec. 26.

The 18th edition of the Dubai World Cup Carnival begins Friday, Jan. 14, featuring the G3 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over the metric mile. Total prize money for the DWCC exceeds $7.5 million across nine meetings, ending with the Super Saturday card Mar. 5. The $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night takes place Saturday, Mar. 26.

Thank you Greg Helm of Roadrunner Racing for taking time to speak with @tvgmike today @santaanitapark following the presentation of the Vox Populi Award to the connections of Hot Rod Charlie!

Catch all the reaction here on what this award means to the connections! pic.twitter.com/Bi35Px8YZ0

— TVG (@TVG) January 8, 2022

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Preakness Art Competition To Benefit Park Heights Renaissance

From today's launch until the submission deadline of March 1, 2022, artists may submit their entries to www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing, after which all submissions will be available for public viewing. From March 2 through March 20, visitors to The Art of Racing website can cast their vote for their favorite work of art. The top 10 vote-getters will then be entered into the finalist category, with the winning piece selected by an esteemed panel of judges representing the artistic, business, philanthropic and political communities that allow Park Heights to thrive as the home of Preakness 147.

The Art of Racing is part of the ongoing partnership between 1/ST and the Park Heights Renaissance that included honoring the late community advocate George E. Mitchell through the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the George E. Mitchell Park Heights Community Fellowship Grant. The Art of Racing builds upon the legacy of these initiatives by recognizing and honoring individuals who, much like Mitchell himself, demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to the Park Heights community.

There is an illustrious history between MICA and the Preakness Stakes that began in the 1970s when then-MICA professor Raoul Middleman led his classes in painting murals of Pimlico Race Course. The seven murals Middleman created with his students, which live in perpetuity behind the course's grandstand, provide an intimate look at a tradition defined by history and character.

For more information on The Art of Racing, please visit www.preakness.com/the-art-of-racing or follow @PreaknessStakes and #Preakness on social media.

The post Preakness Art Competition To Benefit Park Heights Renaissance appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Letruska to Make ’22 Debut in Royal Delta

Letruska (Super Saver), who will be named 2021's champion older mare next month, will kick off her 6-year-old campaign in the Feb. 26 GIII Royal Delta S. at Gulfstream, reports trainer Fausto Gutierrez. The race will serve as a prep for the Apr. 23

GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn.

The winner of last year's Apple Blossom, Letruska will attempt to become the first horse to win back-to-back runnings of that event since Azeri, who won it in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Letruska is currently stabled at Palm Meadows.

“The Royal Delta is here at home at a mile-and-a- sixteenth. It's a perfect race for her to come back in,” Gutierrez said.

Letruska will have her first work of 2022 this Sunday at Palm Meadows.

“She's in good form and never lost condition,” the trainer said. “She's ready to have her first workout. It will be three furlongs.”

Gutierrez did not have any races picked out for Letruska after the Apple Blossom, but said he is interested in running her at Churchill Downs and at Keeneland since she will be stabled at Keeneland after leaving Florida. He ruled out a start against males.

Among the more popular horses in the sport, Letruska, who began her career in Mexico, started eight times last year at seven different racetracks. Her season began in January with the GIII Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston and concluded in November in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

“She had a spectacular year,” Gutierrez said. “She ran from January to November. She never stopped. She traveled around all over the country. She won at six different tracks and won four Grade I's. When she was in the best form I tried to go to the most prestigious races with her.”

Letruska finished 10th in the Distaff, where she was done in by a vicious early speed duel.

“There was a lot of speed in the Breeders' Cup,” Gutierrez said. “But that is part of racing. Every race is different and the Grade I's are never easy. I didn't expect her to have an easy race and gallop alone in front.”

After the Breeders' Cup, Gutierrez and owner-breeder German Larrea Mota-Velasco decided to bring her back for another go as a 6-year-old. Gutierrez said Letruska will have a lighter schedule in 2022 than she had last year.

“She is in good form and I think she will have another very good year,” he said. “I need to come up with a calendar with fewer races. She might have six races this year. The Breeders' Cup is in Kentucky at Keeneland, which will be good for her. I prefer that since it means she won't have to travel.”

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