‘A Real Gift’: Talented 2-Year-Old Damon’s Mound Will Get 60-Day Break

Damon's Mound, winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special this summer, will have a 60-day break before starting to train toward a sophomore campaign. Trainer Michelle Lovell told bloodhorse.com that the talented son of Girvin is still full of himself, but was being given time to “let him be a horse and grow up some.”

Making his first start on July 2 at Churchill Downs, Damon's Mound stamped himself an exciting prospect with a 12 1/2-length victory. He returned in his next start to win the Saratoga Special by 3 1/4 lengths, but got caught up in a speed duel in the G3 Iroquois, his first start around two turns, and faded to finish sixth.

Among the options for Damon's Mound in 2023 will be the Fair Grounds' Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race series, Lovell said.

“He is a very exciting horse who gave us such a thrill at Saratoga this year; a real gift,” Lovell told bloodhorse.com. “We are looking forward to more next year.”

Read more at bloodhorse.com.

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Louisiana Officials Revoke Ownership License Of Former Co-Defendant In Zetas Money Laundering Case

Louisiana stewards have revoked the ownership license of Carlos M. Nayen-Barbolla after determining Nayen-Barbolla – one of the men convicted as part of the Zetas drug cartel's drug laundering case – lied on his application.

According to a ruling dated Oct. 21, Nayen-Barbolla was affiliated with the ownership group Red Sea Racing and applied for an owner's license on July 20.

“When filling out his application he answered 'no' to Question 1 Have you ever used an alias or been licensed under any other name? and Question 6 Have you or your spouse ever been arrested or charged with any misdemeanor or felony, including DWI?'” the ruling read.

Nayen-Barbolla had been licensed previously as Carlos Nayen in 2011.

Nayen-Barbolla spoke with stewards on Oct. 13 and waived his right to a formal hearing for falsification of license application.

According to Equibase, Red Sea Racing Stables made its first start as an owner in May 2020 and has since picked up three wins from 22 starts, including this year's Grade 3 Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge with Apollitical Dynamite, who was trained in that race by Juan Diaz Jr.

Open records indicate Red Sea Racing was registered as a business entity by Nayen-Barbolla in Texas on July 18, 2019. According to records with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the stable later had its registration involuntarily ended by the Texas Secretary of State due to a tax or administrative forfeiture.

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In 2013, mainstream news outlets reported that Nayen-Barbolla was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a charge of money laundering conspiracy and for a drug-related charge as part of a closed plea hearing. According to prosecutors, Nayen-Barbolla acted as an intermediary for Zetas cartel leader Miguel Treviño Morales and José Morales, traveling to the United States from Mexico to purchase horses and arrange boarding for them.

The Morales brothers were the target of an FBI investigation that found they were laundering drug money from the Zetas cartel through the Quarter Horse racing industry, which they accomplished by purchasing racehorses and fixing competitions to ensure they'd win. Nayen-Barbolla was one of nearly two dozen people prosecuted as part of the case.

According to PACER, Nayen-Barbolla's case file remained active through 2016, when a judge granted a sealed motion to reduce his sentence. No details were available through the online system to indicate when or why he was released from prison, or under what terms.

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Grade 1 Winner Olympiad To Stand At Gainesway Upon Retirement

Upon his retirement from racing, Olympiad will take up stallion duties at historic Gainesway Farm.

To date, Olympiad has won eight of 12 career starts, including five graded stakes victories, highlighted by the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Saratoga. He possesses both speed and stamina, having won from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, earning more than $2 million in the process.

The 4-year-old colt by sire-of-sires Speightstown has been one of North America's top older males in 2022, boasting six wins from seven starts this season. He is a leading candidate for both champion older horse and Horse of the Year with a scheduled next start in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

A precocious juvenile conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Olympiad broke his maiden at Saratoga by open lengths at two, defeating future graded stakes winners Greatest Honour and Officiating, as well as Caddo River.

Olympiad's five graded victories this season began with the G3 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds, where he set a track record for 1 1/16 miles, finishing in 1:42.01. He followed up at the same track with a 2-length score in the G2 New Orleans Classic Stakes, running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.74 – just missing the track record by a tenth of a second.

His terrific campaign continued to Churchill Downs, where he triumphed in the G2 Alysheba Stakes, defeating two other Grade 1 winners. In his next start, Olympiad won the G2 Stephen Foster Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:47.66. He registered a 111 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort while beating a classic winner, another Grade 1 winner, and two other graded stakes winners.

His summer culminated at Saratoga with a decisive win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, topping a field of six other graded winners.

Olympiad is campaigned by owners Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods.

Bred by Emory Hamilton, Olympiad is out of the Grade 3-placed Medaglia d'Oro mare Tokyo Time. This is the immediate family of Grade 1 winner and foundation mare Chic Shirine, from whom 20 graded stakes winners descend. He was purchased from the Gainesway consignment as a yearling for $700,000 by Solis/Litt.

“I have been a huge fan of Olympiad since selling him as a yearling in 2019,” said Gainesway General Manager Brian Graves. “Olympiad has backed up his exceptional looks and pedigree with a tremendous race record. I couldn't be more excited to stand a horse of his quality and talent at Gainesway.”

An advertised fee for Olympiad's first season will be announced at a later date.

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