Northview Stallion Station's stallion roster will be available for inspection during an open house Dec. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Chesapeake City, Maryland. The roster includes: Eclipticalspraline, Engage, Galawi (Ire), Golden Lad, Great Notion, Hoppertunity, Irish War Cry, Madefromlucky, True Valour and Uncle Lino.
The Board of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) has unanimously requested the Federal Trade Commission to delay final action on HISA's proposed Anti-Doping and Medication Control rules until the constitutional questions being litigated are resolved, they announced in a press release Wednesday.
“We cannot have a situation where an enforcement action is overturned because the authority of the enforcing entity to act is in question,” said Ed Martin, ARCI President. “The only way to avoid that is to delay approval of HISA rules leaving existing state rules and enforcement in place for the time being. The choice for the FTC is clear, state rules are better than no rules during this time of legal uncertainty. To approve them now with this legal uncertainty is an invitation to cheaters that you might get a free ride during the first 10 days in January, if not longer.”
The ARCI release also states: “Should the FTC approve the HISA rules and penalties were imposed for a violation of those rules the action could be appealed and potentially overturned and wiped away due to the finding in the Fifth Circuit that HISA is unconstitutional.
Likewise if a racing commission enforces the existing State anti-doping rule and penalties imposed for a violation are appealed using the argument that the federal rule preempts state action the possibility that it can be overturned also exists.
The only way to avoid this Catch-22 is to leave state rules and enforcement in place by delaying final action on the HISA ADMC rules.”
The ARCI has not taken a position on the pending litigation, although some member states have and are litigating the constitutionality of the Act.
The six-day winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos will begin Friday, Dec. 9. Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday both weeks with a 12:30 p.m. post time. The meet will be highlighted by the GI Starlet S. Dec. 10, offering 10 points towards the GI Kentucky Oaks, and GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. Dec. 17, with 10 points towards the GI Kentucky Derby.
Completing the stakes program are a pair of one-mile races for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California, the $100,000 Soviet Problem S. for fillies Dec. 11 and the $100,000 King Glorious S. Dec. 18.
There will also be a handicapping contest Saturday, Dec. 17 and the Los Alamitos Racing Association will offer a cash prize and a pair of berths to the 2023 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas. Cost to enter is $500. Of that amount, $100 will be placed in the contest prize pool with the remaining $400 going towards a live money wagering card.
Tournament races will include the entire card at Los Alamitos. Permitted wagers include win, place, show, exactas, trifectas and daily doubles. Each entry must wager at least $50 on a minimum of five races that day, but there is no wagering limit. The player with the highest bankroll at the end of the day will be declared the winner and the second highest bankroll will be the runner-up. The winner will receive 50% of the prize pool. The remaining payoffs: 20% (2nd place), 15% (3rd place, 7.5% (4th place) and 7.5% (Most Money Wagered).
Sonata Stable's Jesus' Team could be expected to step up his game in his second start off a 15-month layoff in Thursday's Race 8 feature at Gulfstream Park, which would seem to be necessary if the popular overachiever is going to defeat Jet Set Racing Stable's Super Corinto.
Amador Sanchez-trained Super Corinto, a Group 1 winner in Chile, is set to make his second start in the U.S. in Thursday's 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance. The 4-year-old Argentine-bred son of Super Saver made a strong showing in his first appearance in a one-turn mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Nov. 12, making a five-wide sweep to the lead into the stretch and coming up just short of holding off multiple-stakes winner Noble Drama.
“Super Corinto is doing well for this race,” Sanchez said. “I'm expecting a strong performance. He's a very good horse.”
Super Corinto won four of six starts in Peru, where he started his career, and Chile, where he finished second behind multiple Group 1 winner O'Connor in the Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) before upsetting the Chilean star in the Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile (G1) in his final South American start. That triumph took on more significance upon O'Connor's sparking Oct. 16 U.S. debut at Gulfstream Park, where he rated off the pace before pulling away to a six-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is pointing O'Connor to the Dec. 31 Harlan's Holiday (G3) hoping for an invitation to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream. A Pegasus invitation is also Sanchez's ultimate goal for Super Corinto.
“I'm hoping to get an invitation for the Pegasus if the result from this race is positive,” said Sanchez, who will also saddle Royal Luck, a Group 2 winner on turf in Chile before finishing fifth in his U.S. debut at Mountaineer Park. “But I'll run another race before the Pegasus if necessary. Super Corinto is a horse who ran better when running more frequently in comparison to when he was coming off a layoff.”
Hector Berrios, who ventured to Chile to ride Super Corinto in his final two starts there, rode him in his U.S. debut and has the return mount Thursday.
Jesus' Team, who finished second in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) behind Knicks Go, the eventual 2021 Horse of the Year, was sidelined while fighting for his life after being afflicted with salmonella and laminitis. The son of Tapiture made an unlikely return to racing at Gulfstream Nov. 12 in a one-turn mile optional claiming allowance, in which he was never a factor.
“He came out of the race very well,” D'Angelo said. “I knew he needed a race because he was away a long time from the track. I really like the way he is training now. He had a very good breeze from the gate Saturday.”
With a race under his belt and stretching out around two turns, D'Angelo expects Jesus' Team to show marked improvement Thursday.
“He wants to go long. He likes the [two-turn] distance,” D'Angelo said.
Luis Saez, who was aboard Jesus' Team for his second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and his subsequent victory in the 1 1/8-mile Claiming Crown Jewel, returns to the saddle.
Jesus's Team is 5-1 and Super Corinto is rated second at 2-1 in the morning-line behind 9-5 favorite Mish.
The Joseph-trained Mish will be seeking his first victory around two turns while racing for the first time since finishing off the board in the July 4 Hanshin at Churchill Downs. In his previous start, C2 Racing Stable LLC's 5-year-old gelding finished second in the Steve Sexton Mile (G2) at Lone Star Park following three straight blowout wins at Gulfstream.
Klugman, Laughing Boy, Clapton and Brooklyn Strong round out the field.
