The sensory system is more than just the physical senses identifying stimulus in the environment, it is the horses’ psyche managing the interpretive process. A “sensory sound” horse has the capacity to identify, interpret, and respond purposely in a controlled manner.
Month: September 2022
Observations: Book 1 Millionaire Back on Deck in Ireland
13.25 Punchestown, Mdn, €15,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
Coolmore and Westerberg's LAMBADA (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}), one of two representing Aidan O'Brien, is a daughter of G2 Rockfel S. victrix Wading (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and thus a half-sister to G2 Rockfel S. winner and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and G1 Matron S. placegetter Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}). She is joined by stablemate Promises To Keep (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a full-sister to three black-type performers headed by G1 Irish Derby and G1 Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire).
14.00 Punchestown, Mdn, €12,500, 2yo, 7f 200yT
Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate and Aidan O'Brien trainee GULF OF MEXICO (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), who sold for 1.1 million gns when circling the Park Paddocks ring last year, was denied by a neck in his Aug. 27 debut at the Curragh and seeks redemption in this second outing. He is a son of G2 Queen Mary S. winner and G1 Cheveley Park S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup placegetter Anthem Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and faces 11 rivals here. They include stablemate Duke Cador (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is a 340,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 half to G3 Give Thanks S. victrix Edelmira (Ire) (Peintre Celebre).
14.10 Great Yarmouth, Nov, £11,900, 2yo, 6f 3yT
SPARTAN ARROW (IRE) (Sioux Nation), a Simon and Ed Crisford trainee representing the G1 St Leger-winning axis of KHK Racing and David Egan, is a half-brother to last term's G1 Queen Mary S. runner-up and GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint heroine Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}). The 380,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate, who sold for €50,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling, faces a baker's dozen in this unveiling.
18.00 Wolverhampton, Mdn, £6,800, 2yo, 8f 142y (AWT)
The hitherto untried FAIRBANKS (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), a George Strawbridge homebred from the Andrew Balding stable, is a son of Group-winning G1 Fillies' Mile, G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and GI Just A Game S. placegetter Fantasia (GB) (Sadler's Wells). The February-foaled bay's 10 rivals include Deva Racing's Dreams Adozen (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of G3 Prix Penelope victrix and G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Ferevia (GB) (Motivator {GB}), from the Charlie and Mark Johnston yard.
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Del Mar Summer Meet Set New Records on Multiple Fronts
Highlighted by the buzz around Flightline (Tapit)'s stellar GI TVG Pacific Classic performance in the track's signature event, Del Mar had record wagering and field size for the 31-day summer meet that ended Sunday, as well as a continued excellent safety record for the fourth consecutive year. There were no catastrophic injuries among 2,688 starters in the meet's 294 races.
The 83rd summer meet at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) set new records for average daily handle with $18.69 million a day, an increase of 1.5% from last year's $18.41 million, which was the previous record. Total wagering for the meet increased to $579.24 million, compared to the $570.78 million wagered during the 2021 summer session. In addition, on-track business increased with average daily wagering of $1.52 million, which represented a 4.8% growth from 2021. Total attendance of 278,702 was up 16.1% from 2021's total of 240,030.
With an average of more than $800,000 in purses per day, field size reached 9.77 for turf races and 8.67 for main track races. Together they combined for a Del Mar record of 9.14 horses per race, well above last year's average of 8.45 and among the top in field size for the entire country.
“Just an incredible meet on all levels,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar's CEO. “All season long the racing was ultra-competitive and extremely safe. Our racing office, led by Tom Robbins and David Jerkens, was phenomenal. We're also very appreciative of the support we received from our fans and our players both here on track and all across the country.”
In addition, Del Mar's “Ship & Win” program had its best season yet with 222 new runners shipping in to race well ahead of last year's record 186 shippers.
“This meet is the culmination of a year-long plan to revitalize California racing and return it to its rightful place as one of the best circuits in America,” said Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) chairman Gary Fenton. “A big thank you to our partners at DMTC and our members. Without owners there is no California racing and they continue to make a strong statement that Del Mar is their favorite place to be.”
Rider Juan Hernandez, who won five graded races at the meet, captured the jockey title in a runaway with 49 total victories. Umberto Rispoli trailed in second with 27 wins for the meet. Hernandez won his first rider's title at Del Mar last fall.
In contrast, the trainer's title was so close that it came down to the last day of the meet. Bob Baffert got a victory with Cave Rock (Arrogate) in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, a win that put him on even terms with Phil D'Amato. The two finished the day tied with 19 wins apiece. It's D'Amato third summer title at Del Mar and his fourth overall, as well as Baffert's eighth (but first title at Del Mar since 2003). A total of 70 different trainers won races at the meet.
The leading owner crown went to the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, who finished first both in number of wins and money won. They won a total of nine races (35%) and purses of $849,680. Hronis Racing was the runner-up with wins (six) and J. Paul Reddam's Reddam Racing was second in purses ($628,834).
Racing will return to Del Mar for the Bing Crosby meet, which runs Nov. 11 through Dec. 4.
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Fledgling Trainer Rachael Keithan Celebrates 35-1 Del Mar Win With ‘Thousand Dollar No Bid’ Horse
Hers is a story about longshots and an aspiring young trainer taking a shot at the big time. The epitome of a small time conditioner and her fledgling Thoroughbred operation.
Thirty-two-year-old Rachael Keithan is from Maryland. She gave Del Mar a try this summer. While it wasn't all champagne and roses, she didn't leave without some success.
“I'm just trying tracks out right now,” Keithan says. “We're going to Remington next. New Mexico is one I'm never going back to. They're too fast out there for me. Everything wants to sprint and I have a lot of horses that like to go long.”
One of those is R Doc, a 3-year-old gelded son of Gio Ponti who gave Keithan her one and only win at the meet at 35-1.
“He's a thousand dollar no bid,” Keithan said. “That's the bottom bid in Kentucky for Fasig-Tipton. Nobody wanted him. When I got him as a yearling I originally retired him but he wanted to run so I put him back in training. This horse has been against everybody's odds everywhere. He's bred for the turf top and bottom but he doesn't want to run on the turf. First time off turf, he wins.”
That was a maiden race at Aqueduct in January. After trips to Sunland Park and Lone Star, he went out Aug. 18 and won a $32,000 claimer locally giving Keithan her first trip to the Del Mar winner's circle. She says the fact she's at Del Mar this year is all coincidence.
“Relentless Racing and myself, we didn't start out with a lot of capital,” Keithan says. “I couldn't work for anybody else because I had a broken ankle for a very long time and nobody's going to hire somebody with a broken ankle. So we took a little bit of money and went to the sale. I realized nobody would want to train these no-bid horses, so I put my two cents in and here we are.”
Keithan has a string of nine horses, all of which she rides and trains in the morning.
“I can tell you when they're ready,” Keithan says. “I can tell you if they feel good.”
While being on the back of your own horses can be a certain advantage, there are drawbacks to having such a small operation.
“You have to train for the condition book and if the race comes up before you're ready sometimes you just gotta go,” she says. “Cross your fingers because you don't have time to get one more work in. We have to run. We're a barn where they (the horses) have to pay their own bills or we'll go under.”
Keithan says the Del Mar meet has been quite an eye opener.
“It was a sharp learning curve,” she notes. “This is my first time out west. I'm an east coaster. I assisted people in New York and went from New York to Kentucky to Florida. When we were in New York we ran all the smaller circuits too. If we had something that wouldn't do at Belmont, we'd ship it to Maryland, to Delaware, to Pennsylvania. I've won races for trainers at Monmouth. You're very open when you're in that area. Here, there's California tracks and everything else is a big haul. East coast I've got it down, West Coast, you guys are fast out here.”
She says she'll return to Del Mar under one condition.
“I need different stock,” Keithan says. “I know when I'm outmatched.”
Keithan has taken her horses to Oklahoma City where she's going to give Remington Park a try.
The post Fledgling Trainer Rachael Keithan Celebrates 35-1 Del Mar Win With ‘Thousand Dollar No Bid’ Horse appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
