April, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Friday’s Kentucky Derby/Oaks Update

It was a busy Friday morning at Churchill Downs with 10 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks contenders logging their penultimate work prior to the first weekend in May.

Half of those workers were from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher's barn–Oaks contenders GII Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) (five furlongs, 1:00.80); GI Central Bank Ashland S. winner Nest (Curlin) (four furlongs, :49.80); and unbeaten G3 UAE Oaks heroine Shahama (Munnings) (five furlongs, 1:00.80) and Derby contenders GI Curlin Florida Derby runner-up Charge It (Tapit) (five furlongs, 1:00.40) and GII Wood Memorial S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) (four furlongs, :50.20).

“Nest went a nice half in about :50 and galloped out nicely,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We were looking for a little bit more from Goddess of Fire and Shahama. Goddess of Fire hasn't run since the Fair Grounds Oaks and Shahama hasn't run since the UAE Oaks. So, we were looking for a little bit of a stronger work from them. They galloped out well and I was pleased with how they went.”

Pletcher added, “With Charge It, we were looking for a good, solid breeze. He went a minute and four-fifths with a super big gallop out. We were really happy with that. With Mo Donegal, with the Wood just 13 days ago, we were just looking for an easy half in :50. He had a nice gallop out as well. All the horses got over the track well. The track still had a little moisture in it from yesterday but they all handled it well.”

Other Derby and Oaks contenders that worked Friday at Churchill Downs were GI Arkansas Derby runner-up Barber Road (Race Day) (six furlongs, 1:16.40); GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Beguine (Gun Runner) (five furlongs, 1:01); Ashland runner-up Cocktail Moments (Uncle Mo) (five furlongs, 1:01.20); GII Rachel Alexandra S. winner Turnerloose (Nyquist) (five furlongs, 1:01.20) and GII Louisiana Derby runner-up Zozos (Munnings) (six furlongs, 1:12.40).

“It was another really strong move,” trainer Brad Cox said of Zozos. “He galloped out really well around the turn and is really doing well over this track. He's a quick horse as he showed in the Louisiana Derby but he settles into his works nicely.”

At Gulfstream, meanwhile, GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner and Florida Derby third Simplification (Not This Time) worked five furlongs in :59.42. “I'm so happy. The work was impressive. He did it very handily, very easy,” trainer Antonio Sano said. “Junior [Alvarado] worked the horse. He told me, 'Your horse wins the Derby.”

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Former Drug Company Manager Sentenced To Year In Prison For Stealing Thousands Of Bottles Of Adequan

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York released the following statement on Wednesday, April 20 about the sentencing of Gregory Settino, 58, of Bethpage, N.Y.:

In federal court in Central Islip, Gregory Settino, a resident of Bethpage, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to a year and a day's imprisonment for theft of approximately $750,000 worth of medical products. The Court also ordered Settino to pay restitution of $847,093.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ronne G. Malham, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office (FDA-OCI), announced the sentence.

“Today's sentence is the finish line of Gregory Settino's criminal conduct. He stole thousands of bottles of drugs, ignored safe handling practices, and allowed them to be given to horses at New York racetracks without regard for the health of the animals – only focusing on his own personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Those who jeopardize drug safety and risk the health of others will be held accountable and face serious consequences.”

“The FDA ensures that veterinary drugs are safe and effective so that animals remain healthy. Drugs that are taken out of the legitimate supply chain pose a risk to the animals that take them,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Malham. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who endanger the health of animals.”

As admitted at defendant's plea, Settino, the production supervisor of manufacturing at a Long Island Drug Manufacturer, American Regent formerly Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Shirley, New York, Settino stole Adequan, a drug manufactured there. Adequan is an injectable equine drug administered to horses to treat degenerative joint disease Settino's thefts of thousands of bottles of Adequan covered a period of eight years, from 2012 to 2020, and Settino sold those drugs worth $750,000 for hundreds of thousands of dollars to trainers and veterinarians at New York racetracks, including Belmont Park. Settino's conduct endangered the health of horses because the drugs were not maintained, stored or transported in accordance with proper procedures for ensuring the safety, effectiveness and efficacy of the drugs. At times, Settino transported the drugs in shoeboxes stored in his car.

The government's case is being prosecuted by the Office's Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution.

The post Former Drug Company Manager Sentenced To Year In Prison For Stealing Thousands Of Bottles Of Adequan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Japan’s Kentucky Derby Hope Crown Pride Unscathed After Morning Starting Gate Incident

Crown Pride, the Japanese-trained winner of the Group 2 UAE Derby, enjoyed a brief solo sojourn at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. According to bloodhorse.com, the 3-year-old son of Reach the Crown was schooling at the starting gate when he unseated his exercise rider Masa Matsuda.

Outrider Lee Lockwood quickly apprehended Crown Pride, and he was returned to the starting gate for further education.

“In Japan, you just open the gate and we can go, but in America, first bell, then open,” Matsuda told bloodhorse.com. “So the horse was very (surprised)… I fell off of (the horse) but I just checked the ground of Churchill Downs.”

Neither Matsuda nor the horse were injured during the incident, and the second visit to the starting gate was much more effective.

“Second time, I just (lengthened) the irons and sat (deeper) in the saddle,” Matsuda told bloodhorse.com. “Then I went the straight way, which was easier.”

Crown Pride is trained by Koichi Shintani on behalf of owner Teruya Yoshida, and owns a record of three wins from four starts for earnings of $734,569.

Todd Pletcher Sends Out Squad Of Kentucky Derby, Oaks Workers Friday At Churchill

Derby season is here and Churchill Downs was bustling with excitement Friday morning as 10 Derby and Oaks contenders logged their penultimate workouts prior to the first weekend in May. Half of those workers were from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher's barn – Oaks contenders Goddess of Fire (five furlongs, 1:00.80); Nest (four furlongs, :49.80); and Shahama (five furlongs, 1:00.80), and Derby contenders Charge It (five furlongs, 1:00.40) and Mo Donegal (four furlongs, :50.20).

Other Derby and Oaks contenders that worked Friday were Barber Road (six furlongs, 1:16.40); Beguine (five furlongs, 1:01); Cocktail Moments (five furlongs, 1:01.20); Turnerloose (five furlongs, 1:01.20) and Zozos (six furlongs, 1:12.40).

The Pletcher squad began their works at 6 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the trio of Oaks breezes. Red Oak Stable's Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) runner-up Goddess of Fire worked on the inside of KHK Racing's UAE Oaks (G3) winner Shahama through fractions of :13.20, :25.60 and :37.40. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and completed seven furlongs in 1:26. Their stablemate, Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's recent Ashland (G1) heroine Nest, worked an easy half-mile outside of Inventing through eighth-mile clockings of :13.20, :25.40 and :37.80. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.60.

“Nest went a nice half in about :50 and galloped out nicely,” Pletcher said. “We were looking for a little bit more from Goddess of Fire and Shahama. Goddess of Fire hasn't run since the Fair Grounds Oaks and Shahama hasn't run since the UAE Oaks. So, we were looking for a little bit of a stronger work from them. They galloped out well and I was pleased with how they went.”

About 90 minutes later, Pletcher's Derby duo of Whisper Hill Farm's Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Charge It and Donegal Racing's Wood Memorial (G2) winner Mo Donegal worked in separate sets. Charge It was the first of the two to work and went in company outside Cezanne through fractions of :12, :25.40, :37.60. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and seven furlongs in 1:25. Charge It completed his move with a one-mile time of 1:38.60. Mo Donegal breezed outside of My Prankster through composed early fractions of :13 and :26.20. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20.

“With Charge It, we were looking for a good, solid breeze,” Pletcher said. “He went a minute and four-fifths with a super big gallop out. We were really happy with that. With Mo Donegal, with the Wood just 13 days ago, we were just looking for an easy half in :50. He had a nice gallop out as well. All the horses got over the track well. The track still had a little moisture in it from yesterday but they all handled it well.”

Jockey Irad Oritz Jr. was at Churchill Downs to work both Nest and Mo Donegal on Friday for Pletcher.

“Nest is improving race by race,” Ortiz said. “We really loved her since Day 1. Hopefully, we can get lucky that day. Mo Donegal is a really good horse. He is nice and quiet. He does everything we ask him to do. It looks like he should like the distance. It shouldn't be a problem with him. With a mile-and-a-quarter for 3-year-olds, he's the type of style you want for that day.”

Pletcher's third Derby contender, Pioneer of Medina, galloped at 8:15 a.m.

At 7:30 a.m., WSS Racing's Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Barber Road worked solo with jockey Reylu Gutierrez in the saddle. The son of Race Day easily galloped through opening splits of :13.60, :26.60, :39.60 and :51.80. He completed his seven-furlong gallop out in 1:29.

Shortly before Barber Road worked, Barry and Joni Butzow's TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Zozos breezed with jockey Florent Geroux in the saddle outside of stablemate Fulsome through swift quarter-mile times of :24 and :48.40. The duo galloped out around the clubhouse through seven furlongs in 1:25.20.

“It was another really strong move,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He galloped out really well around the turn and is really doing well over this track. He's a quick horse as he showed in the Louisiana Derby but he settles into his works nicely.”

Twenty minutes following Zozo's move, Cox also worked Ike and Dawn Thrash's Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner Turnerloose five furlongs in 1:01.20 inside of Grade I-winner Juju's Map.

Saturday is expected to be another busy morning at Churchill Downs. Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Cyberknife is slated to work at 5:15 a.m. Other known Derby and Oaks workers include Smile Happy, Tiz the Bomb and Un Ojo.

Friday at 6 p.m., “Inside Churchill Downs” will cover the Friday morning works along with give fans an update on the latest Derby and Oaks news and notes. Fans can listen live on ESPN 680/105.7 in the Louisville area or online at www.espnlouisville.com.

Saturday is the first morning for the exclusive Oaks/Derby training window from 7:30-7:45 a.m. Fans can watch the livestream on the Kentucky Derby's social media channels.

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