August, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Equine Disease Communication Center Launches Biosecurity Awareness Survey

The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) working with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has been awarded a cooperative agreement from USDA-APHIS National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) for $176,960 to increase awareness of biosecurity and help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in horses.

Based at the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) headquarters in Lexington, Ky., the EDCC is an industry-funded source for real-time and accurate information about diseases, vaccination and biosecurity. With the NADPRP support, the EDCC will develop tools to improve disease recognition and practical biosecurity while communicating the importance of biosecurity to all horse industry constituents. This will include creation of user-friendly biosecurity information and procedures for distribution throughout the horse community using media and the network of horse organizations and allied industry. The EDCC will also provide ongoing sources of continuing education for distribution by veterinarians to their clients.

Horses are transported more than any other livestock to horse shows, racetracks, sales, breeding farms and international events, creating an increased risk for infectious disease spread within the United States. To decrease this risk, all industry participants—from horse owners to event managers—need to be aware of the need for increased biosecurity and how to use it to mitigate diseases when they occur. To assess the industry's current level of knowledge, the EDCC will complete a survey of horse owners and veterinarians.

Horse owners are invited to take a 10-minute survey with responses collected and tabulated by The Matrix Group, a professional firm with experience conducting qualitative and qualitative research in the equine industry.

All the information from this survey will be strictly confidential.

The survey can be accessed here.

“Dealing with Covid-19 has highlighted the need for biosecurity procedures to reduce risk of infection; however, most horse owners are still not fully aware of the threat to their horses from both endemic and foreign animal diseases either at home or when traveling,” said Dr. Nathaniel White, EDCC director. “We need to understand the gaps in biosecurity knowledge. Armed with that information, we will create specific plans for facilities and events, enabling the industry to react to domestic and foreign disease threats.”

All facets of the horse industry (owners, producers, veterinarians and allied industry) will benefit from the continuing education information and biosecurity templates created during this project. Dr. White and Katie McDaniel, EDCC's communication manager, will work with the AAEP's Infectious Disease Committee to create “how-to” plans and resources which will be available on the EDCC website. These tools will help owners and veterinarians decrease disease risks during horse shows, events, race meets, breeding operations, pleasure horse activities and travel. Infographic designs for signage, visual aids and presentations will be made available through the EDCC, supporting member organizations and allied companies.

“This is the first NADPRP grant awarded for an equine focused project” said Katie Flynn Kentucky State Veterinarian. “This is exciting news for the equine industry as the funding will dedicate resources to advancing biosecurity within the equine community. Promoting every day biosecurity will have significant benefit to the health and welfare of our horses as well as ensuring the economic health of the industry.”

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Medina Spirit Case: Maylin Ordered To Disclose Research Records Of Otomax Study

New York Supreme Court Judge Elizabeth Aherne has granted the enforcement of a subpoena served on Dr. George Maylin, director of New York's Equine Drug Testing and Research Laboratory, to produce the research records connected to his study of Medina Spirit's post-Kentucky Derby positive test for betamethasone, according to bloodhorse.com.

Trainer Bob Baffert's attorneys have claimed that Maylin's research proves Medina Spirit's positive test was a result of the topical application of Otomax ointment to a skin lesion, but experts have questioned those results and Maylin has refused to turn over his research pursuant to a subpoena issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on April 8.

Maylin was deposed by the KHRC on June 10, but he only provided his own summary of the research he did studying whether non-injection administrations of betamethasone could result in a positive test.

During the deposition, we learned that Maylin said he administered Otomax to just two horses, but it turns out with one of them, researchers smeared the product in the horse's mouth, trying to mimic what may happen if a horse had Otomax on a skin lesion and subsequently licked the area – something that hasn't been suggested in the Medina Spirit case, as his skin lesions were limited to one hindquarter in the days just before the Derby.

Maylin's researchers only applied the substance topically to one horse. In that case, Maylin said Otomax was applied every day for four days to an area on the hindquarters of a mare. The skin was not damaged prior to application, and the mare's hair was not clipped. Maylin said the mare had a one-gram tube applied a day for four days. (Otomax doesn't appear to be available commercially in one-gram containers.) Maylin said components of Otomax, including clotrimazole and betamethasone valerate, were found in urine samples collected from both horses 24 hours after administration.

Maylin argued that turning over the full results of his two-horse study would risk his ability to publish it in a scientific journal down the road, though he admits that more subjects would be needed before the study could be sent to a journal.

Craig Robertson, attorney for trainer Bob Baffert, and Maylin's attorney Joseph Farraldo, filed a brief in Judge Aherne's court arguing against the enforcement of the subpoena, but the judge sided with the KHRC. The order directs Maylin to turn over documentation of his research study.

If Maylin does so, it's likely that the KHRC would need more time to examine those documents and the appeal hearing might be delayed. If Maylin declines, it's possible that KHRC attorney Jennifer Wolsing could ask hearing officer Clay Patrick to disregard Maylin's opinions from the evidence in Zedan and Baffert's appeals over the Medina Spirit disqualification.

Helium Looking For Softer Spot In Ellis Park’s R.A. ‘Cowboy’ Jones Overnight Stakes

Mark Casse has a good problem on his hands where D. J. Stable's Helium is concerned, but it's a problem for the Hall of Fame trainer nonetheless.

Nearly a year and a half has passed since the son of Ironicus last visited the winner's circle and, in the quest to try and give the 4-year-old gelding a confidence boost, Casse wanted to find a spot where his charge's back class could move to the forefront. The issue with having a horse that has graded victories and a Kentucky Derby (G1) start on their resume, however, is there aren't a ton of conditions that allow for softer landings.

Hence, as the horses passed the entry box for the $70,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 6, it became clear that whoever prevails in the one-mile test over the main track will have a far from easy go of things.

“I mean, there are no easy spots ever. There are just not easy spots,” Casse said. “There are not easy places to run when you have horses who have achieved like Helium has achieved, because your opportunities are limited. You see that in the entries. It's a good race, a tough race.”

When Helium breaks from the outside post 10 on Saturday, the 2021 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner will be part of a salty group of older runners – including three other grades stakes victors – trying to recapture their best form.

Though he hasn't triumphed in seven starts since that victory at Tampa Bay Downs, Helium has repeatedly held his own against strong company. The only time he has been off the board in ten career starts came when he finished a respectable eighth in the 2021 Kentucky Derby and he heads into the Cowboy Jones off a trio of runner-up finishes in as many starts this season.

After opening his 2022 campaign with a pair of second-place outings over the all-weather surface at Woodbine, Helium took place honors in the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 9, an effort Casse believes is the most encouraging run he has seen from the bay gelding of late.

“I thought his couple efforts at Woodbine were lackluster to be honest with you. But I thought his last race at Indiana was really good,” Casse said. “He kind of had a wide trip and I thought it was a really good race. The good news for us is, since that race, he's come back and trained very well.

“We're looking for something to get him kickstarted and get a confidence builder but, like I said it's extremely difficult because there are very few races he can even run in. It's a difficulty that we have with older stakes horses. You can see that in the horses (in this field).”

Among the seasoned pros Helium is set to face this weekend is 2021 Louisiana Stakes (G3) winner Title Ready, Grade 3 victor Night Ops, and this year's Oaklawn Handicap (G2) hero, Last Samurai.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready is also trying to halt a seven-race losing skid though his defeats during that span including outings in the 2021 Dubai World Cup (G1) and this year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1). The Charles Fipke homebred has run into the buzzsaw that is Olympiad in his last two starts, finishing third behind the Bill Mott trainee in the May 6 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and fifth next time out in the July 2 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2).

Last Samurai, formerly trained by Stewart and now conditioned by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, also exits the Stephen Foster having finished seventh in what was his first start since upsetting the field in the Oaklawn Handicap.

The Brad Cox-trained Night Ops annexed the 2020 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) but hasn't run since opening his 6-year-old campaign with a fourth-place finish in an allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn on Jan. 9.

Where those aforementioned rivals typically come from off the pace, Helium can flash early speed if needed.

“He is very tactical so if he breaks and there is not a lot of speed, he could be on the lead if not very close to it,” Casse said.

One who could dictate the early going is Tut's Revenge, who is wheeling back in the Cowboy Jones two weeks after running second in the Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at the Pea Patch. The 6-year-old Eskendereya gelding rated third in that most recent outing and was beaten just a neck by Necker Island in the 6 ½-furlong test.

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Life is Good for Pletcher Heading into the Whitney

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – At this time last year, trainer Todd Pletcher and his staff were getting to know Life Is Good (Into Mischief). Some 400 days after he arrived and with four wins from six races, the bay colt is an unquestioned standout in Pletcher's powerful and deep stable.

Up next for Life Is Good in a season that could yield an Eclipse Award and possibly even a Horse of the Year title is the $1-million GI Whitney S. Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The historic Whitney, first run in 1928 as a memorial to Payne Whitney, who had died the previous year, has long been the pre-eminent race for older horses on the Saratoga schedule. Life Is Good heads the group of three horses that the Hall of Fame trainer will enter Wednesday morning and is likely to be the favorite in the nine-furlong contest. Pletcher is also entering Happy Saver (Super Saver) and Americanrevolution (Constitution), but acknowledged that Americanrevolution is not a lock to be in the race.

At the start of the meet, Pletcher answered a question about the 4-year-old's breeze by describing Life Is Good as an elite-level Thoroughbred.

“I think people who clock horses and watch a lot of horses breeze, we can appreciate just how special he is,” Pletcher said. “You just don't see too many do that and over the years, we'll kind of identify some horses as what we call 'one-percenters.' You know, the top one percenters. And he's kind of in the top 1% of the 1%.”

For Pletcher, that's pretty much gushing praise.

“He's just a super-talented horse,” Pletcher said this week. “He's so consistent, not only in his racing, but his training. Just loves what he does. He comes out every day with enthusiasm. Every breeze is good. Seems to be coming up to this race as good as any since we've got him.”

Since being transferred by his co-owners WinStar Farm and China Horse Club from trainer Bob Baffert to Pletcher early last summer, Life Is Good has won the GII Kelso, the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the GII John A. Nerud. He was second by a neck to champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens in his debut for Pletcher and ended up fourth after leading much of the way in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

The Whitney is expected to draw the Bill Mott-trained Olympiad (Speightstown), winner of all five of his starts this year, and Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), who has a pair of Grade I victories on his resume and has earned over $5 million.

“Good horses,” Pletcher said. “Hot Rod Charlie's a warrior. He's run some top-class races and Olympiad has, too. It's just the kind of field you'd expect you have to contend against in the Whitney.”

Life Is Good, bred by Gary and Mary West, was purchased for $525,000 as a 2019 Keeneland yearling. He easily won his only start as a 2-year-old and opened his 3-year-old campaign with victories in the GIII Sham and the GII San Felipe. An injury knocked him off the Triple Crown trail in March and he was moved to Pletcher's care when he resumed training in June.

Considering his strong body of work, Pletcher said it was hard to pick out one start as Life Is Good's best performance.

“I think all of his races have in some ways been impressive, even in Dubai, when he's running in quicksand,” he said. “But I thought the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile was awfully impressive. He just basically took it to them from the first step, and to carve out fractions like he did, and then win convincingly.”

From that high mark to end 2021, Pletcher said there have been more stellar outings this season.

“He came back in the Pegasus and it kind of looked like a race with two horses, with Knicks Go (Paynter)–similar style, kind of free-running,” Pletcher said. “We were committed to allowing our horse to run his race. He kind of broke well and took it to him. I thought both of those races were super-impressive. And then even the Nerud last time. Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) is coming off some big races and same thing, he just kind of took it to him. He's got so much natural speed and such a high- cruising speed and his ability to carry it over a distance of ground is what makes him so unique and so successful.”

Since winning the seven-furlong Nerud on July 2, Life is Good has breezed three times on the main track at Saratoga. On Saturday, he worked four furlongs in :48.25 under exercise rider Amelia Green. It was the eighth-fastest of 98 works at the distance.

Pletcher said even though Life Is Good is eager in the mornings, it is not correct to call him an easy horse to train.

“It takes a skilled rider and Amelia has done a great job with him,” Pletcher said. “She has been able to get him to relax some. He enjoys his training. If he were allowed to, he would over do it.”

WinStar and China Horse Club also own Americanrevolution, winner of the GI Cigar Mile in December. Pletcher said he definitely will be entered in the Whitney, but called him an insurance policy.

“You never know what can happen and have an off day,” he said. “By having another horse in there gives you some added security that way.”

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver will start, Pletcher said. Never worse than third in 10 career starts, Happy Saver has been the runner-up in four-straight races, three of them Grade I events.

“He's a Grade I-winning horse and the options were pretty much to run him in the Alydar,” Pletcher said. “For a Grade I winner to drop down in class like that we didn't really feel like it would hold much significance. If the top horses didn't fire for some reason or got battled a bit in a speed duel you never know what could happen.”

Most of the attention in the Whitney at the “Graveyard of Favorites” will be on Life Is Good and whether he can give Pletcher his fourth victory in the race and first since Cross Traffic in 2013.

“He's a very willing horse every day,” Pletcher said. “Very generous. He wants to compete. If he sees a horse on the racetrack while he's galloping his natural instinct is he wants to engage that horse and pass him. It's great to have that, but we also don't want him to overachieve on a daily basis. That's what we tried to focus on, trying to keep him as settled and relaxed as we can and yet allow him to be himself.”

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