Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Thursday, September 22
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Thursday's meetings at Perth, Newmarket, Pontefract, Southwell and Chelmsford City.
Month: September 2022
Former Harness Trainer Banca Sentenced To 30 Months In Federal Doping Case
Former harness trainer Richard Banca has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after entering a guilty plea to one count of drug adulteration and misbranding in the sweeping 2020 indictment of two dozen racing trainers, veterinarians, and others. Banca appeared before U.S. District Court Judge P. Kevin Castel for sentencing on Sept. 20.
He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release, plus a fine of $10,000. At the time he changed his plea in April of this year, he also agreed to forfeit $120,975.40.
Banca had been indicted alongside veterinarian Dr. Louis Grasso, fellow harness horsemen Rene Allard, Thomas Guido, Conor Flynn, and Rick Dane, and drug distributor Donato Poliseno. Banca's role in the doping ring dated back to at least 2015.
According to a pre-sentencing report from federal prosecutors, Banca sought out performance-enhancing drugs from multiple sources. The report indicated that earnings of Banca-trained horses that may have been impacted by this PED use totaled between $9.5 million and $25 million.
Banca was accused of purchasing drugs including pain blockers and bronchodilators from Louis Grasso, a former veterinarian and co-defendant. He is also alleged to have purchased custom-made products from Grasso, and to have paid Grasso to write prescriptions for the blood-building substance epogen (commonly known as erythropoietin or EPO).
“Those false prescriptions were issued to a pet horse named 'Trymysocks,' and in the name of a third party who disclaimed any knowledge of the prescriptions when questioned by law enforcement,” read the report. “These layers of deceit were necessary to obscure the defendant's receipt and use of these prescription drugs. The defendant obtained hundreds of prescriptions and prescription refills for epogen, sometimes receiving multiple prescriptions with multiple refill orders in the span of one month, all in the name of one horse.”
Records by prosecutors showed that Banca was obtaining new prescriptions as frequently as every six days, sometimes ten refills at a time.
Grasso wasn't Banca's only source for substances, according to the government. Assistant trainer Conor Flynn also obtained drugs for Banca from Seth Fishman's operation via Lisa Giannelli, who worked for Fishman. Flynn was one of the original defendants in the case but had charges against him dropped after he agreed to testify against Giannelli in court.
“Because there was no reason for this course of conduct other than to force racehorses to perform beyond their natural abilities, Banca was, indeed, involved in the abuse of animals for money,” prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors asked for 36 months of prison time for Banca.
Attorneys for Banca took issue with the terms prosecutors used to calculate sentencing ranges in their report. For one thing, they wrote that while an earlier report from the government characterized Banca's winnings as around $16 million, only half goes to the winner, and the trainer themselves gets only a percentage of that winner's purse, so his personal gain was not as staggering a figure as it may seem. They also took issue with the prosecution's contention that the illegal drugs administered by Banca caused horses to race through pain, which they say is not supported by evidence.
Banca wrote a letter to the court expressing his remorse.
“I would like to start with telling you I'm sorry for what I've done, I'm sorry for breaking the law,' wrote Banca. “I'm sorry for what this has done to my family. I never thought I would ever be in trouble with the law. I know I have made mistakes, but I have taken the last 2 ½ years to do right.”
Banca trained horses since dropping out of high school at 18 to pursue a career in harness racing. According to Harness Racing Update, Banca's career took off in 2015, which is the same time the government says his PED use began. He won 55 races in 2014, followed by 174 in 2015 and 200 in 2016. He was once one of the leading trainers at Yonkers Raceway and was one in a handful of trainers previously banned from participation at the Meadowlands.
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‘Small But Mighty’: Breeders’ Cup Target For Undefeated Showgirl Lynne B
Undefeated Showgirl Lynne B will train over Gulfstream Park's Tapeta surface in preparation for a planned next start in the Breeders' Cup, trainer Bob Hess Jr. reports.
The 2-year-old daughter of Constitution launched her career with back-to-back victories over the all-weather surface at Gulfstream during the summer before going on to win a $250,000 allowance race on turf at Kentucky Downs.
Hess and Westlake Racing Stable LLC will aim Showgirl Lynne B toward the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) or the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland.
“We'll see how the fields look, but it may come down to what race we can get in,” Hess said. “She won't race until then. She's back at Gulfstream and she'll train at Gulfstream. She's run hard. She's had three starts, so we're going to give her a little time.”
The Kentucky-bred filly is scheduled to breeze Saturday over the all-weather surface that got her started on the right foot. Assistant trainer Daniel Flores will supervise the first workout since her victory at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8.
“Gulfstream's Tapeta program helped get her ready for the Kentucky race,” Hess said. “The Tapeta program offers a lot of races to get a foundation into a young horse to get them ready to compete in big races.”
Showgirl Lynne B debuted with a length victory in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race July 22 before becoming a stakes winner in the Aug. 20 Sharp Susan, a 5 ½-furlong race for juvenile fillies.
“We broke her in Ocala and she liked the Tapeta there. Our thought was we'd get a race into her at Gulfstream and then maybe go for the ship-and-win at Del Mar,” Hess said. “She won so impressively, we started thinking about the stake she won [Sharp Susan]. Then, there was the allowance at Kentucky Downs for a lot of money.”
Showgirl Lynne B, a $40,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September sale, was eligible for the Kentucky Downs allowance that was restricted to fillies that were sold or were RNA during that sale.
The Hess trainee has won all three of her starts in sprints after closely attending the pacesetter and kicking into gear in the stretch. Whether she draws into the Juvenile Fillies Turf or the Juvenile Fillies on dirt, she will be asked to stretch out around two turns for the first time.
“I'm not concerned about that from a genetic standpoint, being by Constitution out of a Tiznow mare,” Hess said. “She's small to say the least, but she moves big. She has a great mind. She's small but mighty with a nice pedigree. She has a big desire to be an athlete and a racehorse.”
Dirt, should the Juvenile Fillies be in her future, may be more of a question mark.
“I hate to fix what's not broken, but she's got such a powerful stride, I think she'll run on anything,” Hess said.
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Grade 2-Winning Juvenile Mutasaabeq To Stand At Darby Dan Farm
Mutasaabeq, a versatile Grade 2-winning juvenile by perennial leading sire Into Mischief, has been retired and will take up stud duty for the 2023 breeding season at Darby Dan Farm, the farm announced today. The deal was brokered by The Stallion Company, and his fee will be $7,500 S&N.
“Hailing from a sire line with a lot of upside, Mutasaabeq is a fast and precocious son of Into Mischief,” said Ryan Norton, Darby Dan Farm's stallion director. “He is an outstanding individual with all the ingredients to be a top sire, and we're excited about the opportunity to offer him to breeders in the upcoming breeding season.”
A $425,000 weanling purchase by Shadwell Stable at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale, Mutasaabeq came out running at two for trainer Todd Pletcher. He broke his maiden in scintillating fashion in his career debut, winning a Saratoga maiden special weight by a dominating 4 ½ lengths and earning TDN Rising Star designation in the overpowering bow.
Next up, he finished third to future champion Jackie's Warrior in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in just his second career start before impressively winning the $200,000 G3 Bourbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Keeneland in his first route try. After overcoming trouble at the start of the Bourbon Stakes, Mutasaabeq trailed a competitive field of 11 through the early stages. He commenced a strong rally eight-wide turning for home, collared the leaders past the furlong pole and drove clear in the late stages to score going away by 2 ¼ lengths as much the best.
The following season at three, Mutasaabeq annexed the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at one mile on the main track at Gulfstream Park. In contention throughout, Mutasaabeq kicked clear of his foes in upper stretch and held clear through the stretch to defeat stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Papetu by 1 ½ lengths in the end. All told, Mutasaabeq hit the board in four of six lifetime starts and earned $259,670.
By record-setting sire Into Mischief, Mutasaabeq is produced from the winning Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario. This is also the family of this year's G1 Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, and graded stakes winners Sam Who and Cool Cowboy.
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