Month: February 2022

APBs: McGaughey Troops Gearing Up in South Florida

A pair of highly regarded sophomores of 2021 are on the comeback trail for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

Courtlandt Farm's homebred Greatest Honour (Tapit–Tiffany's Honour, by  Street Cry {Ire}) was a serious early contender for the GI Kentucky Derby following flashy wins in Gulfstream's GIII Holy Bull S. and GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. last winter. After finishing a flat third as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 27, however, McGaughey decided to hit the reset button on the bay.

“I wasn't really pleased with the way he was going after the Florida Derby,” McGaughey said. “So, we gave him some time. Then we gave him a little bit more time. He's been back training now. He was training at Courtlandt Farm then he came to Payson Park and we stepped it up a little bit when he got there. So, this is where we are.

McGaughey added, “He was always a tall horse and probably didn't carry as much weight as a 3-year-old that I'd like for him to. I think that's all come together now. I like everything he's been doing.”

Greatest Honour, produced by an unplaced daughter of bluehen mare Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) and hailing from the same female family as Classic winners Rags to Riches and Jazil, has posted three workouts since late January at Payson Park, most recently completing a four-furlong breeze in :50.40 (21/24) Feb. 14.

“So far, he's doing really well,” McGaughey said. “He's been breezing weekly at Payson Park and hopefully he's probably a month or so away. I haven't gotten any timetable [for specific races] for him. I'm just sort of waiting to let him to tell me. But, so far, so good.”

Last year's GIII Dwyer S. 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin–America, by A.P. Indy), meanwhile, has begun gearing up at McGaughey's Gulfstream base. A disappointing well-beaten third while suffering his first career defeat making his two-turn debut in Saratoga's 1 1/8-mile Curlin S. July 30, he was subsequently freshened after bypassing a potential start in the GI Pennsylvania Derby in September. He's breezed six times so far this year, including a five-furlong move in 1:01.46 (6/14) in Hallandale Feb. 14.

“There really wasn't anything the matter with him, I just wasn't all together pleased of where I stood with him, so I thought, 'Well, let's just give him some time,'” McGaughey said. “Time helped him a lot. He was at Barry Eisaman's and he did a great job with him. He got out here and had a really good bottom in him and he's been breezing ever since. Hopefully, we can find a spot for him down the road somewhere along the lines.”

The $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling is campaigned in partnership by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, breeder Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing. First Captain, the first foal out of Flay's GSW & MGISP America, is bred on the same Curlin over A.P. Indy cross responsible for recently crowned champion Malathaat as well as GISWs Global Campaign and Idol.

“I just want them to have a good summer campaign, so I'm not in any hurry,” McGaughey concluded of the duo.

 

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Hog Creek Hustle Retired to Buck Pond

Grade I winner Hog Creek Hustle (Overanalyze–Candy Fortune, by Candy Ride {Arg}) has been retired from racing and will stand at Buck Pond Farm for a fee of $5,000. He will be available for viewing along with Buck Pond's other stallions at an open house Feb. 25 from 11a.m. to 2p.m.

Runner-up in the GIII LeComte S. and GIII Pat Day Mile in 2019, Hog Creek Hustle sprung an 18-1 upset when rallying to victory in the GI Woody Stephens S. at Belmont that summer. He was also second in that term's GI H. Allen Jerkens S. He made just two starts in the spring of 2021 and was last seen finishing fourth in the GI Churchill Downs S. in May. Owned by Something Special Racing, Hog Creek Hustle retires with a record of 24-4-7-2 and earnings of $774,546.

The post Hog Creek Hustle Retired to Buck Pond appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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TIF: Oklahoma Becomes First State To Adopt Category 1 Interference Rules

The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (OHRC) became the first in North America to adopt a rule which emulates the globally-recognized Category 1 interference philosophy after agreeing to amend its rules at its meeting on Thursday, February 17 in Oklahoma City.
“This is a tremendous first step for North American racing jurisdictions to begin the process of harmonizing rules governing interference and improving the overall experience for racing's primary customers – the bettors,” said Patrick Cummings, Executive Director of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation.
“What we have in North America is a patchwork quilt of various rules which often place total equity above consistency and logic in determining which infractions warrant a demotion. It is always toughest to be the first, so I commend the OHRC for taking that step and I anticipate several others will follow in the near future.”
The amended rule changes the consideration of stewards when determining interference. The exact wording of the amended rule is below:
“If the Stewards determine a Horse or its rider has caused an interference and finished in front of the Horse it interfered with, and if not for the interference the Horse would have finished behind the horse it interfered with, the interfering Horse shall be placed immediately behind the Horse with which it interfered. If the interference is a result of dangerous riding, the Stewards shall place the interfering horse in last place.”
Should interference be the result of dangerous riding, the OHRC's rule empowers stewards to demote the interfering horse to last, regardless of where the sufferer of the interference finished. This addition to the rule, within the scope of the international Category 1 philosophy, was adopted to discourage jockeys from employing a “win-at-any-cost” approach.
“'Dangerous riding' means a rider causes a serious infraction by: (A) purposely interference with another horse or rider; or (B) riding in a way which is far below that of a competent and careful rider and where it would be obvious to a competent and careful rider that riding in that way would likely endanger the safety of another horse or rider.”
The rule amendment was proposed in November 2021 and after a public comment period, was passed unanimously by the Commission's Rules Committee. Racing in the state occurs across three tracks – Fair Meadows, Remington Park and Will Rogers Downs.
Under the state's procedure, amended rules are usually implemented in September.
The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation has advocated for North American jurisdictions to consider shifting to the Category 1 philosophy since publication of its November 2018 white paper “Changing The Rules.”
“In some states a relatively harmless bump a mile from the finish could lead to the demotion of a 15-length winner because the stewards believed a horse that finished ninth could have been eighth. Racing's betting customers and owners have suffered from the injustices imposed by such rules and the inconsistent application of them for years,” said Cummings.
“Oklahoma is leading the way towards a better future for racing participants and customers by becoming the first jurisdiction to adopt a rule that embraces the Category 1 philosophy. We fully expect their lead will be followed by others in the months and years to come.”
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), regulators of racing in the Canadian province, conducted a stakeholder consultation period on adopting Category 1 rules in early 2020, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to any action and it has yet to be revisited.

The post TIF: Oklahoma Becomes First State To Adopt Category 1 Interference Rules appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Feb. 19, 2022

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here is one horse of interest for this weekend running Saturday at Hanshin Racecourse, while Sunday's program at Tokyo features the first Group 1 of the new year–the February S.–and the Listed Hyacinth S., with Kentucky Derby points on the line. Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) defends his title in the former, while a pair of US-breds take their chance in the Hyacinth:

Saturday, February 19, 2022
11th-HSN, Kyoto Himba S.-G3, ¥72m ($626k), 4/up, f/m, 1400mT
LOTUS LAND (m, 5, Point of Entry–Little Miss Muffet, by Scat Daddy) blossomed during her 4-year-old season in 2021, winning half of her eight starts, including the Listed Yonago S. in June and an 8-1 upset of the 1600-meter G3 Sekiya Kinen in August (see below, SC 6) to surpass $1 million in career earnings. Though she was 12th when last seen in the G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto in November, she was beaten just over five lengths and there will be nothing in this field near the quality of Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was successfully defending her title in her career swansong. B-Dr Aaron Sones & Dr Naoya Yoshida (KY)

 

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