February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

TAA, Centennial Farms Team Up To Recognize Grooms At Pegasus World Cup

For the fourth consecutive year, Centennial Farms sponsored the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) Best Turned Out Horse Awards during the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Card Jan. 29, 2022 at Gulfstream Park. A cash prize and TAA gift bag were given to the winning groom of the Best Turned Out for the twelve races on the card.

Representatives from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Centennial Farms selected the horse in each race that was deemed to be the best presented, and that horse's groom received a gift bag and cash prize. The TAA and Centennial Farms promoted the winners on their social media platforms, the winning groom was mentioned on the live simulcast feed, and a congratulatory ad was placed in both the Thoroughbred Daily News and BloodHorse Daily on Monday, Jan 31, 2022.

“There is nothing more gratifying than to award the unsung heroes who take care of our beloved Thoroughbred athletes,” TAA Inspection Coordinator Suzie Picou-Oldham said. “The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance was thrilled to once again partner with 1/ST and Centennial Farms to celebrate our hardworking men and women of the backside.”

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a charity partner for the Pegasus World Cup.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Best Turned Out award recipients:

RACE 1

#9 STRIKE APPEAL

Groom: Odin Londono Jr

Trainer: Odin Londono

RACE 2

#2 MAD MOCHA

Groom: Michael Lewars

Trainer: Stuart Simon

RACE 3

#5 EARTH STRIKE (IRE)

Groom: Onildo Quevedo

Trainer: Mark Casse

RACE 4

#6 BOURBON HEIST

Groom: Robin Alvarez

Trainer: Ian Wilkes

Race 5 – LA PREVOYANTE S. (G3)

#6 BEAUTIFUL LOVER

Groom: William Aniceto

Trainer: Christophe Clement

RACE 6

#3 FANCY LIQUOR

Groom: Emilio Silva

Trainer: Mike Maker

RACE 7 – W. L. McKnight S.

# 3 FARMINGTON ROAD

Groom- Carlos Navas

Trainer: George Arnold

RACE 8 – Inside Information S.

#3 DANCE D'ORO

Groom: Jose Gonzales

Trainer: Ralph Nicks

RACE 9 – Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational S. presented by PEPSI (G3)

# 8 SUMMER IN SARATOGA

Groom: Carlos Orantes

Trainer: Joe Sharp

RACE 10 – Fred W. Hooper S. presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa

# 1 FEARLESS

Groom: Jesus Gomez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

RACE 11 – Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. presented by Baccarat

# 1 SPACE TR5AVELLER (GB)

Groom- Elmer Martinez

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

RACE 12 – Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. presented by 1/ST BET

# 9 COMMANDEER

Groom- Javier Armenta

Trainer: James Toner

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Fasig-Tipton Adds 35 Supplemental Entries To Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged an additional 35 supplemental entries to its 2022 Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.

These entries are cataloged as hips 572-606 and may now be viewed online. They will also be available in the equineline sales catalogue app. Print versions of supplemental entries will be available on the sales grounds at sale time.

Latest entries include:

Road to Romance (Hip 592): Four-year-old daughter of Quality Road was stakes placed at two. Dam is half-sister to two stakes winners including graded stakes winner and millionaire Super Frolic. Consigned as a broodmare prospect by Bluewater Sales, agent.

Smartly Agree (Hip 594): Stakes placed daughter of Smart Strike is a half-sister to graded stakes performer Der Lu, and out of a three-parts sister to Grade 1 winners Creative Cause and Vexatious, and graded stakes winner Destin. Offered in foal to Constitution, she is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

Maggi O'Prado (Hip 597): Half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dream Tree, offered in foal to leading international sire More Than Ready. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

Regal Retort (Hip 598): Daughter of Jimmy Creed is a stakes placed earner of $316,437. Her immediate family includes Grade 1 winners Zipessa, Flashy Bull, and Perfect Soul. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent.

Taylor Avenue (Hip 599): Stakes placed at two and a half-sister to stakes winner Respect the Hustle. Consigned as a broodmare prospect by Gainesway, agent.

Gypsy Angel (Hip 600): Dam of Mrs Orb, a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes placed earner of $556,280. Her immediate family includes Grade 1 winners Killer Graces and Killer Ability. Offered in foal to Spun to Run, she is consigned by Gainesway, agent.

The Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale will be held on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 7-8, in Lexington, Ky. Sessions will begin each day at 10 a.m.

Online bidding and phone bidding services will be available.

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Woodbine’s Five Furlongs With Gary Boulanger: That Time Clint Eastwood Called

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 19, 1967, Gary Boulanger began his riding career in Washington State and won three straight jockey titles at Longacres in Seattle, breaking Gary Stevens' meet record with 247 wins in 1991. He also netted two riding crowns at Calder Race Course in 1994 and 1995. Boulanger returned to Canada, specifically Woodbine, in June 2000 and won 78 races, six stakes and more than $4 million in purses. He has been associated with Sovereign Award champions including Dancethruthedawn, who won the Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks in 2001. Boulanger's career appeared to be over following a 2005 spill at Gulfstream but after a brief stint as a trainer he made a remarkable comeback after an eight-year absence. Boulanger was the recipient of the 2017 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for contributions to racing on and off the track. His career totals show 3,655 wins for purses over $82 million (USD).

Who is your favourite actor and why?

“Clint Eastwood. I actually got to meet him when I won a race on a horse that was named after him. When he was the mayor of Carmel at the time, I was riding at Stockton, and I rode a horse named Eastwood. The sire of the horse was named Dirty Harry, and the owners had to get permission from Paramount to name the horse that. When they named the horse Eastwood, they had to get Clint's approval. And he gave it. The horse was an Appaloosa. The race was a Derby, and you had to qualify for it. I get this phone call in the jocks' room and the voice says, 'Are you riding a horse named Eastwood tomorrow?' I said that I was and the person says, 'Do you think you can win?' I told him that I liked the horse a lot and thought I had a good shot. 'Did you know the horse was named after me?' I thought it was a joke. I asked, 'Are you Clint Eastwood?' And he said that he was and wanted to know if he should come. I thought someone was punking me, but he ends up showing up at the track, coming to the jocks' room. So, I got to meet him, shake his hand and have a quick chat. The horse won, and he came to the winner's circle. I had always liked him as an actor, so it's cool to have that connection.”

Design your own jockey silks.

“They would be blue with silver or black trim. The logo would be a circle, either a black or silver ball. Blue is my favourite colour.”

If you had to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

“I think I'd go with The Comeback Kid. I had to deal with a lot of ups and downs in my career, some life-threatening injuries and other serious ones too. So, I think that title would be appropriate.”

Most embarrassing moment as a jockey?

“I'm pretty hardcore, so it's tough to think of a particular moment. I used to be really shy, just talking to people was tough. I think if I was to look at something embarrassing, it would be learning about public speaking. When I first started doing well, I was in Seattle, and when I would do interviews, I'd turn red. I was really shy and not forward. That was my biggest embarrassment, that I was so nervous around people early on in my career. The Clerk of Scales in Seattle, his son worked for Boeing. He prepared CEOs for presentations. He told me that I had to get used to speaking in public, so I went to his house for a BBQ and met him. He gave me a simple exercise. He said to go to a stoplight, stop, look left, look right, and the first person I see, stare at them until they look at you, and when they look at you, don't turn away and smile. A big fear is when people look at you, that you turn away and break that eye contact. He said that when I can learn to do that, it can help you move on to the next step. And it did help me.”

How are your karaoke talents?

“I sing a lot of karaoke songs. I've sung some crazy ones. George Strait is my favourite artist and I Cross My Heart is my top song. As for my singing voice, I was always the one who didn't care about getting up there and singing first. [Former jockey] Shane Sellers is one of my best friends and he actually cut an album. He was hardcore karaoke… he had a whole sound system in his basement. He didn't do any voice training, but he has a good voice. The thing is, he never wanted to go up first for karaoke. So, I'd go up first. I broke the ice. I'd walk in there and just step up to the mic. Shane would go up there and sound like Pavarotti compared to me, so I'd like to get my songs out of the way first.”

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Keeneland, Kentucky Downs Break Ground On Cumberland Run Harness Track

Bringing horse racing back to Eastern Kentucky took another step forward today with the groundbreaking for Cumberland Run harness track.

Cumberland Run and Cumberland Mint, a satellite historical horse racing venue in nearby Williamsburg, are a joint venture between Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone's ECL Racing Management and Keeneland Association. Winchell and Falcone are the majority owners and managing partners in Kentucky Downs and The Mint Gaming Hall in Franklin in south-central Kentucky between Bowling Green and Nashville.

Projections call for construction to be done in time for Cumberland Run to conduct its Oct. 16-Nov. 8 meet on the Corbin property at 75 Buchanan Blvd. off the Corbin Bypass. Combined investment in both enterprises will be about $80 million with more than 200 year-round jobs expected to be created.

“Cumberland Run and Cumberland Mint represent an $80 million investment in Kentucky's tourism and horseracing industries and serve as another example of how the economic momentum that we are experiencing is reaching every community in the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “These exciting new attractions will create good paying jobs for Kentuckians and attract new travel markets to Southeastern Kentucky.”

Gov. Beshear was joined by Senate President Robert Stivers, Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer and Rep. Tom O'Dell Smith for the ceremony signifying the start of construction that will provide the Commonwealth with a third Standardbred track.

“Harness racing has a long, storied history in Kentucky: Think Dan Patch, Greyhound and Niatross at Red Mile,” said Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, whose district includes Corbin. “After being on the ropes, there has been a substantial rebound in the Standardbred industry. We added historical horse racing, a natural addition and attractive tourism draw to the Commonwealth, and Cumberland Run will be an important cog in getting a harness circuit back in Kentucky to revitalize the region.”

Cumberland Run will be the first horse track in Eastern Kentucky since Thunder Ridge, also a harness track, in Prestonsburg closed in 2017.

“Cumberland Run would not have become a reality without the leadership of our state and local officials,” Falcone said. “Our sincerest thanks to Gov. Beshear, President Stivers, Leader Thayer and Rep. Tom Smith for their strong support of this project and racing throughout the Commonwealth. We also are grateful for the guidance of Corbin Mayor Suzy Razmus, Knox County Judge-Executive Mike Mitchell and Economic Director Bruce Carpenter, without whom this project would not be possible.”

Last year, the Corbin dates were held at Red Mile harness track in Lexington with the meet funded by the new track's owners. Winchell said then that they wanted to show their commitment to harness racing and didn't want to sit out the year while the facility was being built. Now it's important for the 2022 meet to be in Corbin, he said.

“We want to bring these jobs and out-of-state tourism dollars to Corbin, Williamsburg and Southeastern Kentucky as soon as possible,” Winchell said. “We want Cumberland Run and Cumberland Mint to be economic engines for the tourism industry in Whitley, Knox and Laurel counties. While the region is well-known for its spectacular natural beauty, we think we'll fill an underserved need for additional year-round entertainment options during the day and into the night.”

Keeneland has worked to bring horse racing to Corbin for a decade, teaming with Winchell and Falcone in the project in September 2020.

“Keeneland is proud to work with Corbin and our friends at Kentucky Downs on the continued growth of racing in Kentucky,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We are especially appreciative of the support shown by the local community. Cumberland Run, which has been several years in the making, will strengthen the horse industry, generate millions in tourism dollars for the region and create a destination that makes us all proud.”

Construction already has begun on the Williamsburg project, set to open in July.

“It's exciting times for the 86th district and Southern Kentucky,” said Rep. Tom O'Dell Smith, who represents Knox County. “I want to thank the Governor for his leadership in the Thoroughbred industry and look forward to the investment from Keeneland and Kentucky Downs of millions of dollars into our local area. Also, I want to thank Speaker David Osborne for sponsorship of the legislation and Senator Stivers' leadership that made this possible.”

Cumberland Run will feature a five-eighths mile limestone track, similar to that at Oak Grove Racing near Hopkinsville but with a longer stretch. There will be 150 historical horse racing terminals at Cumberland Run when that facility is completed, including a restaurant, targeted for January 2023. The Cumberland Mint is scheduled to have 450 historical horse racing machines.

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