February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse Launch ‘Foal Derby’ Contest For Authentic

Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.com have launched a weekly foal contest on social media called #FoalDerby, which will showcase foals from the first crop of their Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

The contest begins this week and will run weekly leading up to this year's Kentucky Derby on May 7. Breeders are encouraged to submit photos each week as their foals arrive and continue to submit as they grow over the course of the next 10 weeks. Weekly photos are due by end of day on Wednesday for voting through Thursday.

Submissions will be posted to Spendthrift's Twitter and Facebook platforms where fans will be asked to like, retweet, and share their favorite foals. The top two foals by fan engagements each week will earn berths into the Foal Derby, which will include 20 total entries – like a full starting gate in the Kentucky Derby. Upon the actual 2022 Kentucky Derby draw (slated for Tuesday, May 3), a Foal Derby draw will occur and each of the 20 foals will be assigned to a real Kentucky Derby entrant.

Spendthrift is offering grand prizes to the breeders of the three foals associated with the first, second and third place finishers in this year's Kentucky Derby. The winning breeder will get $20,000 to put towards a season to Authentic in 2023, and the runner-up and third-place finishers will get $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, towards a season to Authentic in 2023. Spendthrift will also match the same amount for all three to donate to an accredited Thoroughbred aftercare charity in those breeder's names, totaling $35,000.

Foal Derby will also offer weekly prizes for both breeders and voters. Spendthrift will be awarding the 10 weekly winning breeders Authentic apparel, and MyRacehorse will be doing the same for the voters of the weekly finals on Fridays by giving away official Authentic 2020 Breeders' Cup owner caps along with MyRacehorse gift cards every week.

“There is significant interest surrounding Authentic's first foals, which you would generally expect from a Horse of the Year with his pedigree. Authentic is unique in that there is an anticipation among the breeding community and his 5,300 microshare owners and fans,” said Spendthrift's Ned Toffey. “We wanted to be able to celebrate him with MyRacehorse during this year's run up to the Kentucky Derby in a way that would engage and benefit everyone. We look forward to seeing the foals.”

Michael Behrens of MyRacehorse said: “The joy Authentic's foals have brought to the MyRacehorse community is incredible and the buzz on social media among his fans has been electric. We're thrilled to partner with Spendthrift to bring Authentic owners, fans and breeders together in an innovative way to celebrate our champion.”

For the full contest rules and details, please visit spendthriftfarm.com/FoalDerby.

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Maryland Thoroughbred Industry Renaissance Awards To Be Presented Virtually, Beginning Feb. 28

The fifth annual Renaissance Awards, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club, will be celebrated virtually this year as the top Maryland owner, trainer and jockey, Maryland stallion, broodmare and breeder, as well as the champion Maryland-breds of 2021 will be presented online next week.

Special awards will be presented to Pimlico and Laurel Backstretch Employees of the Year.

The Renaissance Awards were created to recognize the best of Maryland racing and breeding from the previous year. Champions and industry award winners will be announced Monday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, March 5, each evening at 7 p.m., via Facebook Premiere on the Maryland Horse Breeders Association's Facebook page: Maryland Thoroughbred (Facebook.com/MarylandTB).

The announcement schedule is as follows:

Monday, Feb. 28 – Maryland-Bred Champion 2-Year-Olds (colt/gelding and filly), 3-Year-Olds (colt/gelding and filly)
Tuesday, March 1 – Maryland-Bred Champion Older Male/Older Female, Turf Runner and Sprinter
Wednesday, March 2 – Maryland-Bred Horse of the Year
Thursday, March 3 – Maryland Jockey of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Owner of the Year
Friday, March 4 – Maryland Broodmare of the Year, Stallion of the Year, Breeder of the Year
Saturday, March 5 – Special recognition of Pimlico and Laurel Backstretch Employees of the Year

The following are finalists in the award categories.

Award finalists (listed alphabetically)

Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old male: Cynergy's Star (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Skeedattle Associates; owned by Bonuccelli Racing); Joe (bred and owned by The Elkstone Group LLC); Local Motive (bred by Wasabi Ventures Stables LLC, Greenspring Mares LLC and Bowman and Higgins Stable; owned by Bird Mobberley LLC)

Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old filly: Buff My Boots (bred by Hope Hill Farm; owned by Bird Mobberley LLC); Luna Belle (bred by Fred A. Greene Jr., Deborah Greene and Hamilton Smith; owned by Deborah S. Greene and Hamilton A. Smith); Runup (bred and owned by James McIngvale)

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old male: Alwaysinahurry (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Quin Bowman and Rebecca Davis; owned by Mopo Racing); Exculpatory (bred by Anchor & Hope Farm Inc and Finn's Nickel, LLC; owned by Grace Merryman); Jaxon Traveler (bred by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau; owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner)

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old filly: Malibu Beauty (bred and owned by ZWP Stable and Non Stop Stable); Princess Kokachin (bred by Nancy M. Rizer and Eric A. Rizer; owned by Eric A. Rizer); Street Lute (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Dr. Brooke Bowman; owned by Lucky 7 Stables)

Maryland-bred champion older male: Aloha West (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners); Cordmaker (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Hillwood Stable LLC); Field Pass (bred by Mark Brown Grier; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Knicks Go (bred by Angie Moore; owned by Korea Racing Authority)

Maryland-bred champion older female: Hello Beautiful (bred by Hillwood Stables, LLC; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, LLC); Kiss the Girl (bred by Classic Thoroughbred XII; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Miss J McKay (bred by Linda Oliff Rohleder; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables, Tony Weintraub and Brandon M. Dalinka)

Maryland-bred champion turf runner: Field Pass (bred by Mark Brown Grier; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Grateful Bred (bred and owned by Gordon Keys); Somekindofmagician (bred by Earl Barnhart; owned by Bell Gable Stable LLC)

Maryland-bred champion sprinter: Aloha West (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners); Hello Beautiful (bred by Hillwood Stables, LLC; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, LLC); Whereshetoldmetogo (bred by David H. Wade; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Ten Strike Racing, Michael E. Kisber and BTR Racing, Inc.)

Owner of the Year: Bird Mobberley LLC, Robert D. Bone, Hillwood Stable LLC

Trainer of the Year: Dale Capuano, Brittany Russell, Mike Trombetta

Jockey of the Year: J.D. Acosta, Jorge Ruiz, Sheldon Russell, Jevian Toledo

Breeder of the Year: Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Angie Moore, Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss

Broodmare of the Year: Hello Now, Island Bound, Only Me

Stallion of the Year: Golden Lad, Great Notion

Pimlico Backstretch Employee of the Year: Julio Garcia

Laurel Backstretch Employee of the Year: Antoinette Charles Orellana

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Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: Riding Life Is Good Feels ‘Like You’re Floating In Air’

Amelia Green reached a crossroads in her young life four years ago. She was not sure whether she wanted to remain in the United States or return to her native Nottingham, England.

She was equally unsure about what the next step in her career should be.

Green had abandoned her attempt to establish herself as a jockey. The need to lose as many as eight pounds a day to make weight had become too onerous and diminished her quality of life. She knew she needed to take another direction.

But what?

“I kind of just hit a wall,” she recalled, “and wasn't sure what I wanted to do.”

Green confided in Michael McCarthy, a West Coast trainer who employed her as a freelance exercise rider. McCarthy, who had learned invaluable lessons as an assistant to Todd Pletcher, offered to contact his former boss about a potential cross-country move for her. She was instructed to call Pletcher at a set time the following day.

Green felt some trepidation as she prepared for what she anticipated would be a rigorous interview when she reached Pletcher, one of the preeminent trainers off all time with a record seven Eclipse Awards to his credit.

“Michael McCarthy put me in touch with you about a job,” Green began.

“Yeah,” Pletcher responded. “When do you want to come?”

Green, speaking outside one of Pletcher's barns at Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach, Fla., laughs in recalling that life-changing conversation.

“I didn't know it was so easy to get a job with Todd Pletcher,” she said. “I don't know what Michael said to him. He must have said some nice things because I thought there was going to be an interview process.”

Undoubtedly, McCarthy strongly endorsed Green because it is generally not so easy to get a job with the demanding Pletcher and his highly-regarded operation.

Pletcher quickly came to appreciate the talent McCarthy sent his way. Green, 28, has become an integral figure in the barn's success as an exercise rider and traveling assistant.

“When Michael contacted me and told me she was very good, I took him at his word and he was certainly right,” Pletcher said. “She's terrific on a horse. She's very good on the ground as well. She's a hard worker, dedicated and focused on her career.”

When Green packed her Hyundai Elantra to drive from California to join Pletcher's string in Florida, she never imagined that trek would take her on the wonderful ride she is enjoying with Life Is Good. The ultra-talented 4-year-old is viewed as the horse to beat as he continues preparations for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 26 at Meydan Racecourse.

Life Is Good, winner of six of seven lifetime starts, followed an authoritative score in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile by dusting Horse of the Year Knicks Go by 3 1/4 lengths in the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

Pletcher said of the pairing of the 5'5″, 122-pound Green and powerful Life Is Good: “He's a horse that can get a little too aggressive and she's done a great job of getting him to relax. She does a good job breezing him. They get along really well.”

Life Is Good receives superstar treatment. As part of the effort to help him to relax, he is the first horse to train at Palm Beach Downs.

“He kind of tells me what to do most of the time and I try to sit against him and try to ease him down a little bit,” Green said.

The son of Into Mischief would gallop all day if his rider permitted it.

“The last quarter of a mile, he'll try to grab you,” she said. “If he didn't do that at this point, I'd probably be worried. It's like he knows he's coming to the end and doesn't want to pull up.”

Green never carries a riding crop when she gallops Life Is Good.

“The power he has, everything he does is just so effortless,” she said. “You don't even feel his feet come off or hit the ground. You just feel like you're floating in air. I've never sat on a horse like it.”

When Green breezes Life Is Good, Pletcher maintains radio communication with her. Although she has developed a clock in her head, the bay colt does everything so easily that it would be easy to misjudge their speed if she did not have the trainer in her ear. She cannot recall a moment when she felt as though her mount was fatigued.

“Even at the end of a breeze, sometimes I end up at the three-eighths pole before I can pull him up,” she said. “He just loves what he does and he just wants to keep going and keep doing it.”

Green and Life Is Good experienced one worrisome moment as the sun rose at Palm Beach Downs when they encountered a coyote. Perhaps another horse would have been intimidated. Life Is Good wanted to give chase.

Life Is Good and Amelia Green accompanied by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher

The post Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: Riding Life Is Good Feels ‘Like You’re Floating In Air’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Saudi Cup Kicks Off Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Hosted By NYRA

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring stakes action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park and King Abdulaziz Racetrack.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence kicks off with the Group 1 Saudi Cup [Race 8, 12:40 p.m.], the world's richest race with a $20 million purse from Kingabdulaziz Racetrack. The nine-furlong test boasting 14 horses is headlined by defending champion Mishriff and includes an international field of contenders led by multiple Grade 1-winner Mandaloun, who was recently elevated to victory in the 2021 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Medina Spirit.

Live coverage of the lucrative Saudi Cup card will air Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern on FS2. For more info, visit this link.

Action switches to Aqueduct for the second leg [Race 7, 3:57 p.m.] as a field of 13 older horses travel a one-turn mile in a loaded allowance optional-claimer featuring the seasonal debut of last year's Grade 3 Withers-winner Risk Taking. Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, the 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro bay is 2-for-3 at the Big A and will be reunited with Withers-winning pilot Eric Cancel. Brown will also send out the improving Sound Money, a 4-year-old Flatter colt, who has won two of his last three starts led by a last-out allowance romp that garnered a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. A salty group of rivals includes graded stakes-placed Too Boss; and multiple stakes winner Captain Bombastic.

The middle leg will see a field of seven square off in the $125,000 Stymie [Race 8, 4:30 p.m.], a one-turn mile for older horses at the Big A led by graded-stakes winner Green Light Go. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the 5-year-old Stronach Stables homebred enters from a nine-length score in a one-turn mile optional claimer that registered a career-best 101 Beyer. Steep opposition will be provided by the improving Waxman, who makes his stakes debut for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher out of a nine-furlong allowance score at the Big A.

The sequence will be completed by a pair of races at Oaklawn Park, starting with an allowance mile [Race 9, 5:18 p.m.] featuring 12 older horses. The field will be led by four-time winner Palace Coup, who will cut back slightly after finishing a pace-setting second last out in an Oaklawn allowance. A wide-open group of contenders includes recent allowance winner Prioritization, the well-bred Calibrate and ultra-consistent Pats Property, who boasts a record of 5-2-2-0.

Closing out the sequence is the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel [Race 11, 6:22 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores offering 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The talented field features the top-five finishers from last month's Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn led by the undefeated Newgrange and the late-rallying runner-up Barber Road. Newcomers include one-eyed Grade 3 Withers runner-up Un Ojo; Saratoga maiden winner Stellar Tap; and Cairama, a $525,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, which features a low 15 percent takeout, will continue each Saturday throughout the year.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, February 26:
Leg A: King Abdulaziz Racetrack – Race 8, G1 Saudi Cup (12:40 p.m.)
Leg B: Aqueduct Racetrack – Race 7, allowance (3:57 p.m.)
Leg C: Aqueduct Racetrack – Race 8, $125K Stymie (4:30 p.m.)
Leg D: Oaklawn Park – Race 9, allowance (5:18 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn Park – Race 11, G2 Rebel (6:22 p.m.)

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