March, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Evelyn Benoit’s Brittlyn Stables Tops Fair Grounds Title With Pair Of Stakes Wins

In a banner season that saw her top the owner's standings with 22 wins, eight more than her closest pursuer Allied Racing Stables, Evelyn Benoit's Brittlyn Stables won a pair of $75,000 stakes on closing day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Her stable took the Page Cortez Memorial with Ova Charged, and fittingly, the Star Guitar with a son of that stallion, Behemah Star. Both horses are trained by Jose Camejo.

All 22 of Benoit's meet wins were by horses sired by Star Guitar, whom she stands at Clear Creek Stud in Louisiana for $7,500 per live foal. With 27 wins from 100 starts, Camejo finished seventh in the trainer's standings.

In the Page Cortez, which is named for the longtime Louisiana senator, the .60-1 favorite Ova Charged dominated from start to finish. In what was her turf debut and first start since her Louisiana Champions Day victory in the Ladies Sprint on Dec. 11, the 4-year-old daughter of Star Guitar was pressed early by Offspring through early fractions of 22.47 and 46.46.

Ova Charged put that foe away at the top of the stretch and was not menaced thereafter, stopping the timer in 1:04.44 for 5 ½ furlongs on firm turf with the rails down, even jumping a shadow in the stretch along the way. Defeated by seven lengths, Offspring held off Snowball by a nose for second.

It was the third consecutive win and fifth in six starts for Ova Charged, with her only defeat coming behind Super Sensational in the Victory Ride (G3) last summer at Belmont. The career bankroll now stands a $219,600.

One race later, Behemah Star scored a mild upset at 9.30-1 in the Star Guitar for Brittlyn Stables and Camejo, defeating a pair of Allied Racing Stable runners in Highland Creek and .90-1 favorite Who Took the Money. Earlier in the day, Chester Thomas (Allied Racing Stable) scored a stakes win of his own with trainer Bret Calhoun, taking the $75,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial with his homebred Winning Romance.

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Lieutenant Dan Named 2021 California-Bred Horse Of The Year

Multiple graded stakes winner Lieutenant Dan was named California-bred Horse of the Year for 2021 at Monday's CTBA Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting at Le Meridien Hotel in Arcadia.

Lieutenant Dan is by Grazen, out of the Indian Charlie mare Excusabull, was bred by owner Nick Alexander and trained by Steven Miyadi. In 2021, Lieutenant Dan had three wins and a second in four starts. The wins included the Grade 2 Eddie D and the G3 Green Flash, the second came in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Lieutenant Dan also was named the California-bred champion older male, sprinter and turf horse for 2021. In his career, Lieutenant Dan has eight wins in 17 starts with earnings of $833,740, of which $407,720 came in 2021.

Finneus and The Chosen Vron were the other finalists for Horse of the Year.

Other Cal-bred champions recognized at the banquet:

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Male – Finneus, bred by Terry Lovingier, owned by Naseer Mohammed Fasihuddin, Terry Lovingier and Amanda Navarro, trained by Walther Solis.

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Female – At the Spa, bred by Terry Lovingier, owned by Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo and Terry Lovingier, trained by Jorge Periban.

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Male – The Chosen Vron, bred by Tiz Molly Partners, owned by J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh, trained by J. Eric Kruljac.

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Female – Closing Remarks, bred by owner Harris Farms, trained by Carla Gaines.

Champion California-bred Older Male – Lieutenant Dan, bred by owner Nick Alexander, trained by Steven Miyadi.

Champion California-bred Older Female – Warren's Showtime, bred by Benjamin C. Warren, owned by Benjamin C. Warren and Sally Warren, trained by Craig Anthony Lewis.

Champion California-bred Sprinter – Lieutenant Dan, bred by owner Nick Alexander, trained by Steven Miyadi.

Champion California-bred Turf Horse – Lieutenant Dan, bred by owner Nick Alexander, trained by Steven Miyadi.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings – Square Eddie, property of Reddam Racing LLC.

Champion Sire of California Conceived 2-Year-Olds by Earnings – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.

Trainer of the Year – Andy Mathis.

Broodmare of the Year – My Fiona, property of Tom Beckerle, Terry Lovingier & Amanda Navarro.

Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Terry Lovingier.

CTBA Hall of Fame – Dr. Ed Allred, Cee's Tizzy, Indian Charlie.

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Fourth Annual Live Telethon to Benefit PDJF to Be Held Apr. 10

TVG, the New York Racing Association, Keeneland and Santa Anita will team with Hall of Fame jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild and other prominent racing personalities to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) Sunday, Apr. 10 for the fourth annual telethon to raise money for the PDJF. The event will be broadcast on both TVG and America's Day at the Races on FS2 in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports.

After missing 2020 due to the pandemic, the popular event returned in 2021 and raised $339,672. Once again, the horse racing industry will unite in support of jockeys who have suffered serious on-track injuries. Fan favorite jockeys of today and years past will be on hand live at call centers at Santa Anita and Keeneland from 12-6 p.m. ET as their schedule permits. Throughout the day, TVG and America's Day At The Races will be connecting with personalities and horsemen who have been involved with the PDJF's work.

“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of TVG, NYRA, 1/ST Racing and Keeneland in helping to raise critical funds for the PDJF and also raise awareness of its mission,” said Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks. “With no guaranteed funding from the industry, this event is the major fundraiser for the organization which provides monthly monetary assistance to approximately 60 riders who have sustained catastrophic on-track injuries. Active and retired riders will be answering the phones to take donations while giving racing fans across the country the unique opportunity to speak and interact with their favorite jockeys.”

Jockeys participating in the event include retired stars Alex Solis, Chris McCarron, Don Brumfield, Ramon Dominguez, Laffit Pincay, Sandy Hawley, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Donna Brothers and Steve Cauthen. They will be joined by Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Julian Leparoux, Corey Lanerie, Joe Bravo and Tyler Gaffalione alongside other prominent jockeys riding at Keeneland and Santa Anita that day.

“On behalf of the PDJF and our recipients, we are very appreciative for TVG providing this platform and hosting this annual telethon,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF President. “The combined donations from the three telethons hosted in 2018, 2019 and 2021 has raised over three quarters of a million dollars for the PDJF. We were grateful to have the opportunity to host the telethon in October 2021 after close to a 30-month gap due to the pandemic and we are excited to be returning to the originally scheduled month of April to have this event.”

Callers who donate via the telethon will be entered in a drawing to win a pair of reserved tickets for Friday and Saturday at the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, donated by the Breeders' Cup and valued at $1,200 each. In addition to the Breeders' Cup tickets, there will be several other items available to win in a sweepstakes which will take place each hour of the telethon.

Since its foundation in 2006, PDJF has disbursed over $11 million to support disabled jockeys; the organization is 100% reliant on charitable donations.

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‘True Canadian Sportsman,’ Multiple Sovereign Award-Winner Eugene Melnyk Passes

Woodbine Entertainment is saddened to hear about the passing of Hall of Fame horse racing owner and breeder, Eugene Melnyk.

“Eugene Melnyk was a true Canadian sportsman, one of our leading owners, and a dear friend of Woodbine and the horse racing industry here in Ontario,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “His contributions to the sport were significant and he was recognized with many accomplishments and awards along the way, highlighted by Sovereign Awards, an Eclipse Award, and ultimately being enshrined in the Horse Racing Hall of Fame. On behalf of Woodbine Entertainment, we send our deep condolences to his family and friends.”

Melnyk was a successful Thoroughbred breeder. His horses won all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, including Archers Bay capturing the '98 Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes en route to being named Canada's champion three-year-old male horse.

He was named Canada's Outstanding Owner in 2007 and won Sovereign Awards in 2009 as Outstanding Owner and Breeder.

Among the many Melnyk stakes winners that have run under the blue and gold silks with three Vs, Barbados' national colors, the list is headed by Sealy Hill, who became the first filly to win Canada's Triple Tiara (the Woodbine Oaks, Bison City and Wonder Where Stakes.) She won three Sovereigns and was inducted into Canada's Hall of Fame.

Speightstown, like many of Melnyk's horses named after a Barbados' landmark or locale, was an Eclipse Award winner after winning the 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Multiple Sovereign winner Roxy Gap, Marchfield, who won over $1 million, Leigh Court, Flower Alley, winner of the Travers and sire of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another, Lodge Hill, and Graeme Hall are only a few of his many graded stakes winners.

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