Month: October 2022

Dark Angel’s Charyn Prevails In The G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte

Nurlan Bizakov's 250,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}–Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) ran third to Roger Varian-trained stablemate Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in last month's G2 Mill Reef S. and continued his progression with a career high in Saturday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly. He had earlier followed up an Aug. 7 debut triumph at Haydock with a narrow defeat at Newmarket in his penultimate start later that month. The eventual winner was sent forward from an early fifth to track the leaders in third after the opening exchanges. Bustled along passing the quarter-mile marker, the 27-10 second choice tackled 3-5 favourite Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) entering the final furlong and kept on strongly under continued urging in the latter stages to deny that rival by a short neck after a ding-dong tussle.

“Roger Varian was quite confident the horse would run a great race and he felt the softer ground would help,” commented the winning owner's representative Mathieu Le Forestier. “The ground was fast [at Newbury] last time, he was away slowly and didn't get back into the race early enough. He had done that in his second start too. He broke a shade slowly again here, but Mickael [Barzalona] did well to put him under pressure straight away and he travelled well. One [furlong] out, I thought he'd win easily, but the second sure is a tough nut to crack. His season is probably finished, it looks like he will stay further and we will look forward to next year.”

Charyn, full to last year's G2 Mill Reef S. victor Wings Of War (Ire) and a weanling filly, becomes the 54th pattern-race winner for his sire (by Acclamation {GB}) and is the second foal out of the multiple stakes-placed Futoon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), herself the leading performer out of a full-sister to G2 Mill Reef S. winner and G1 Golden Jubilee S. runner-up Galeota (Ire). His second dam Vermilliann (Ire) (Mujadil) is also a half-sister to Listed River Eden Fillies' S. victrix Loulwa (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), herself the dam of Listed Scarborough S. and Listed Prix Hampton victor Justineo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Charyn's third dam Refined (Ire) (Statoblest {Ire}), who hails from family of multiple Group-winning G1 Champion S. runner-up Insatiable (Ire) (Don't Forget Me {Ire}), is a half-sister to G3 Criterion S. scorer Pipe Major (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}) and is also the second dam of the G3 Sirenia S.-winning siblings Brown Sugar (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and Burnt Sugar (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Saturday, Chantilly, France
CRITERIUM DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE-G2, €190,000, Chantilly, 10-8, 2yo, 6fT, 1:10.58, sf.
1–CHARYN (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB)
2nd Dam: Vermilliann (Ire), by Mujadil
3rd Dam: Refined (Ire), by Statoblest (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-Mickael Barzalona. €108,300. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 4-2-1-1, €133,799. *Full to Wings Of War (Ire), GSW-Eng & GSP-Fr, $163,143. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Eddie's Boy (GB), 128, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Spontaneity (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (45,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Middleham Park Racing XLV & Partner; B-Crossfields Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Archie Watson. €41,800.
3–Ocean Vision (Ire), 128, c, 2, U S Navy Flag–Balaagha, by Mr. Greeley. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Jonathon Kirkland & Mrs Geraldine Ryan; B-Mighty Universe Ltd (IRE); T-Tim Donworth. €19,950.
Margins: SNK, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.70, 0.60, 6.40.
Also Ran: Denver Chop (Fr), Alvina (Fr), Seeking Gold (Ire). Scratched: Matilda Picotte (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Northern California Trainer John F. Martin, 63, Passes

Golden Gate Fields is saddened to report the loss of longtime Northern California racehorse trainer John F. “Mickey” Martin, who has passed away at the age of 63 after a lengthy illness.

Martin, who saddled his first starter in 1984, trained Quarter Horses early in his career before transitioning to Thoroughbreds. He campaigned over 2,300 winners of both breeds. From 7,707 thoroughbred starters, Martin won 1,960 races and amassed purse earnings of $23,835,366.

“With the recent passing of Duane Offield and now John, it's been a rough couple of weeks,” said Golden Gate Fields vice president and general manager David Duggan. “We are still trying to process this loss. John was a well-respected figure amongst his peers. He was the type of person that would help anybody if they needed it. He was a terrific horseman and had a very successful and distinguished career. We extend our best wishes and thoughts to his family and large group of friends.”

Martin mentored numerous horsemen who have gone on to achieve success in the sport of kings. Among his students were Jonathan Wong, who went out on his own in 2015 and has been the perennial leading trainer in Northern California since 2018, and Reid France, who began training his own string in 2019 and has scored at a strong 26%-win clip since.

“John was just a great guy,” said owner Troy Onorato, a longtime client and friend of Martin's who runs Hat Trick Racing Stable. “He helped and mentored so many people throughout his life and never sought attention for helping people. He was focused and dedicated on taking care of his horses, but always tried to do the right thing.”

Martin's best and favorite horse to train was Mended, a filly he claimed for $12,500 in 2017 at Golden Gate who went on to win 10 consecutive times, including the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Gulfstream Park that same year. On the day her win streak was snapped – Jan. 13, 2018 – she lost by a head in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita. Two months later, she finished as the runner-up again, this time in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita. Among  other notable Martin trainees were stakes winners Force, Me My Mine and She's Sensational.

“Mended put us on a phenomenal ride,” said Onorato, who owned Mended along with his wife Maritza. “People would always say how well we campaigned Mended and other horses. I told them, 'We're just following the John Martin playbook.' John was a terrific horseman.”

Services for John Martin are pending.

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Trainer John Martin Dies

Longtime Northern California racehorse trainer John F. “Mickey” Martin has passed away at the age of 63 after a lengthy illness, according to a press release from Golden Gate Fields.

Martin, who saddled his first starter in 1984, trained Quarter Horses early in his career before transitioning to Thoroughbreds. He campaigned over 2,300 winners. From 7,707 Thoroughbred starters, Martin won 1,960 races and amassed purse earnings of $23,835,366.

“With the recent passing of Duane Offield and now John, it's been a rough couple of weeks,” said Golden Gate Fields Vice President and General Manager David Duggan. “We are still trying to process this loss. John was a well-respected figure amongst his peers. He was the type of person that would help anybody if they needed it. He was a terrific horseman and had a very successful and distinguished career. We extend our best wishes and thoughts to his family and large group of friends.”

Martin mentored numerous horsemen who have gone on to achieve success in the sport of kings. Among his students were Jonathan Wong, who went out on his own in 2015 and has been the perennial leading trainer in Northern California since 2018; and Reid France, who began training his own string in 2019 and has scored at a strong 26%-win clip since.

“John was just a great guy,” said owner Troy Onorato, a longtime client and friend of Martin's who runs Hat Trick Racing Stable. “He helped and mentored so many people throughout his life and never sought attention for helping people. He was focused and dedicated on taking care of his horses, but always tried to do the right thing.”

Martin's best and favorite horse to train was Mended, a filly he claimed for $12,500 in 2017 at Golden Gate who went on to win 10 consecutive times, including the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Gulfstream Park that same year. On the day her win streak was snapped–January 13, 2018–she lost by a head in the GII La Canada S. at Santa Anita. Two months later, she finished as the runner-up again, this time in the GI Santa Margarita. Among  other notable Martin trainees were stakes winners Force, Me My Mine and She's Sensational.

“Mended put us on a phenomenal ride,” said Onorato, who owned Mended along with his wife Maritza. “People would always say how well we campaigned Mended and other horses. I told them, 'We're just following the John Martin playbook.' John was a terrific horseman.”

Services for John Martin are pending.

The post Trainer John Martin Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Big Red Mirage

Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and philosopher, had a lot of influence on philosophy and religion in the late 6th century BC. In the 21st century, his teachings can help make you some money at the sportsbook.

Pythagorean winning percentage is an estimate of a team’s winning percentage, given their runs scored and runs allowed. Developed by Bill James, it can tell you when teams were a bit lucky or unlucky. It is calculated by

(Runs Scored)^1.83

———————————————————
(Runs Scored)^1.83 + (Runs Allowed)^1.83

That formula had smart bettors betting against the Washington Nationals during the second half of last year, despite their fast start. Another team to pay attention to this year is the Reds. Using this formula, their winning percentage should be .541 instead of the .704 clip they are playing at thus far this season.

Now, you don’t need to be a mathematician to know something is a bit fishy about the Reds’ torrid start. Looking at the newspaper on opening day and seeing Aaron Harang as the starter had to make you wonder how this team could possibly escape the NL Central cellar. Bronson Arroyo has been a godsend early on, but how will he do the second time around the league? The aforementioned Aaron Harang has a 4-1 record, but a very mediocre 4.35 Earned Run Average. Brandon Claussen and Dave Williams have ERAs over 6.00. This kind of pitching will clearly burn out a bullpen and catch up to the Reds as the season progresses. The ballpark, which is one of baseball’s easiest-to-hit homeruns, will further tax the pitching staff.

Speaking of that soon-to-be-overworked bullpen, was anyone racing to grab closer David Weathers in your fantasy draft? Weathers has a reputation for having a rubber arm more than actual “stuff.” And even that rubber-arm reputation is up for debate. In each of the last two years, he has faltered in one of the last two months of the season. Last year, he had a 7.15 ERA in September and in 2004, he had a 6.75 ERA in August.

No one can dispute that the Reds put out a very competitive lineup every game. Adam Dunn is one of the league’s top power hitters; Edwin Encarnacion is a promising young hitter; and Rich Aurilla, Austin Kearns and Brandon Phillips have all turned their careers in the right direction. All this, and Ken Griffey, Jr., will soon return.

The Reds lead the NL in on-base percentage with .364, but the pitching staff is near the bottom with a 1.40 WHIP. This is a team that will play a lot of 10-9 games. That’s no way to win a pennant, and games like that will eventually wear out the offense as much as the pitching staff.

Don’t be fooled by their fast start. This team will be a lot of fun to watch, but this is not the Big Red Machine you’re witnessing; it’s the Big Red Mirage. Bet the over when the Reds are playing, but be ready to bet against them as the season wears on.

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