February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Newgrange Faces Familiar Foes in Rebel

Bob Baffert trainee Newgrange (Violence), last seen taking Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Jan. 29 to up his record to three-for-three, faces 10 rivals including the next four Southwest finishers in Saturday's $1-million GII Rebel S. back in Hot Springs. Campaigned by the stallion-making conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, the handsome dark bay was a debut winner sprinting at Del Mar in November before stretching out to a mile to annex Santa Anita's GIII Sham S. Jan. 1. He seemed to be spinning his wheels for much of the Southwest, but leveled off well late to oblige as the 3-2 favorite. Baffert, whose runners remain ineligible to earn GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points, has won a record eight Rebels including the last two.

Second in the Southwest was Barber Road (Race Day), who also completed the exacta in Churchill's Lively Shively S. in November and the Smarty Jones S. in the local slop Jan. 1. Wide-drawn Dash Attack (Munnings) was an impressive winner of the Smarty Jones, but was a dull fifth in the Southwest–his first try over totally fast dirt.

Among the fresh faces in with a chance is MyRacehorse's Chasing Time (Not This Time), a 7 3/4-length optional claiming romper here Jan. 14 when stretched to two turns for the first time. He'll need to step forward from the 81 Beyer Speed Figure he earned last out, but will look to add to young sire Not This Time's extremely strong hand of Triple Crown hopefuls (click for more).

Should the pace fall apart, Un Ojo (Laoban) could pick up the pieces. The gelding returns to the Ricky Courville barn after two starts for Tony Dutrow at Aqueduct–a neck second in the lucrative NYSS Great White Way S. Dec. 18, followed by another runner-up outing from far back in the nine-furlong GIII Withers S. won on the front end by well-regarded Early Voting (Gun Runner) Feb. 5.

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Foal Patrol Presented By National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame: Welcoming Spanish Bunny’s New Colt

Since its first season in 2018, people all over the world have engaged with Foal Patrol's live webcam series for a behind-the-scenes look at what daily life is like for in-foal mares and foals.

Learn more about this season's lineup at www.foalpatrol.com and watch “Recent Updates” for Foal Patrol announcements, posts about featured Season 5 mares and foals, and updates on mares and foals from prior seasons.

Foal Patrol, an initiative of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, has partnered with the Paulick Report in Season 5 to bring you closer to featured mares and foals and to ask farm staff questions about their care and management during the season.

In this episode with Spanish Bunny and her new Uncle Mo colt foaled on February 17, we ask Gainesway Farm's Amy Slugantz, “How did the foaling go?”

For a chance to have one of your questions asked in an upcoming Foal Patrol episode on the Paulick Report, email your question to foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net. Be sure to let us know if your question is for a specific Season 5 mare.

The new Season 5 Education Site provides a platform to respond to viewers' questions, share information about horse care and management from breeding through retirement, and spotlight efforts across the industry to provide the best possible care for Thoroughbreds before, during, and after their racing careers. In partnership with industry collaborators, we will add new content to the Foal Patrol Education Site for viewers of all ages from now through June at www.foalpatrol.com/education.

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Secret Oath Looks Imposing in Honeybee

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the first four runnings of the GIII Honeybee S. starting way back in 1988, and after picking up another trophy in 2007, sits tied with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen at a record five wins in Oaklawn's penultimate GI Kentucky Oaks prep. Lukas looks well positioned to break that tie with Asmussen as he sends out expected heavy favorite Secret Oath (Arrogate) in Saturday's renewal.

Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath was a second-out romper around two turns at Churchill on Halloween before finishing a distant fifth in that venue's GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 27. She took a dramatic step forward when airing by 8 1/4 lengths in a local allowance on New Year's Eve–good for a 93 Beyer Speed Figure–and justified 1-2 odds when dominating the track-and-trip Martha Washington S. Jan. 29.

Asmussen trainee Optionality (Gun Runner), previously an easy winner of stakes at Zia Park and Remington, was 7 1/2 lengths behind Secret Oath while completing the Martha Washington exacta after setting the pace. Asmussen makes a rider switch from Ricardo Santana, Jr. to Tyler Gaffalione this time.

Yuugiri (Shackleford), piloted by Gaffalione in all three starts last season, will be ridden this time by Hall of Famer John Velazquez and seems the main danger on paper to Secret Oath. A 7 1/4-length debut romper sprinting at Churchill in September, she was a well-beaten second in the Oct. 31 Rags to Riches S. and then turned the tables on that race's winner when second in the Golden Rod. While Secret Oath has certainly flattered the form of the Golden Rod, no others have, including the winner, who was sixth in last weekend's GII Rachel Alexandra S.

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Medina Spirit to be Interred at Old Friends

Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit (Protonico), first across the wire in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby but officially disqualified this week, will be laid to rest at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm near Georgetown, Kentucky. Old Friends made the announcement Friday morning. An open house, which will be open to the public, will be held Tuesday, Apr. 5, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Medina Spirit died Dec. 6 after a workout at Santa Anita. His ashes will be interred in Old Friends's Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden.

“The Zedan Racing family was deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our beloved Medina Spirit,” said Amr Zedan of Zedan Racing. “He brought us great joy during his time, and we will forever cherish his spectacular win in the Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit truly had the heart of a champion and it is very comforting to know that he will be laid to rest with many of racing's greats and the wonderful people at Old Friends Farm.”

Old Friends will place Medina Spirit's final resting place next to Kentucky Derby winners Charismatic and War Emblem, both of whom were pensioned to Old Friends at the conclusion of their breeding careers.

“Medina Spirit was loved deeply by us and everyone at the barn,” said Bob and Jill Baffert. “We grieve his loss, but take comfort knowing he will be buried among some of racing's all-time greats at Old Friends.”

Michael Blowen, the president and founder of Old Friends, added: “We're very grateful to Mr. Zedan and Bob Baffert for allowing us the honor and privilege of burying Medina Spirit's ashes at Old Friends. His gravestone, which will be a constant reminder of his spectacular achievements, will be placed next to Charismatic and War Emblem in the Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden where his legion of fans can pay their respects.”

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