February, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Penalties Tweaked Ahead of New Whip Rule Deployment

The previously announced new whip regulations will go into force on Monday, but the way penalties are calculated has been “marginally adjusted” according to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

Following feedback from jockeys, there were further amendments to the rules, and the bedding in period for jumps racing was extended by a week.

Under the new regulations, use of the whip in the forehand position will be allowed, with the BHA having reversed a previous decision to ban it after riders' objections. However, use of the whip has been reduced to six and seven strikes over the Flat and Jumps races, respectively.

The penalty structure was also strengthened, with the very worst whip offences potentially resulting in disqualification of horses and riding bans of 20 days–a tariff which will be doubled in Class 1 and 2 races.

In its latest update, the BHA confirmed only offences for use of the whip above the permitted level will be doubled and not offences for use above shoulder height. A tweak to how offences are aggregated where multiple offences are committed in the same ride has also been made.

In a statement, the BHA said, “The rules being implemented on Monday are the result of a detailed consultation process designed to foster more considered and judicious use of the whip.”

“They are being introduced after an extensive bedding-in period which has successfully allowed jockeys and officials to familiarise themselves with the new rules and guidance and identify where improvements can be made to their implementation, or where some jockeys might need to adapt their riding style. This was the purpose of the bedding-in period.”

“We are grateful for the input of the PJA (Professional Jockeys Association), NTF (National Trainers Federation) and a number of senior riders and trainers and we have now reached a position where the new rules and guidance will be implemented in the manner in which they were intended.”

“We were pleased to note jockeys stating that the responsibility now rests on them to ride within the new rules and adapt their riding style where necessary. We have already seen this happening during the bedding-in period, for which jockeys deserve great credit.”

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American Pharoah, Justify, Epicenter Blankets Being Auctioned To Benefit Abused Children

Thoroughbred enthusiasts have a unique opportunity to own a piece of horse racing history. In fact, they have three chances: blankets worn by Justify (2018 Triple Crown), American Pharoah (2015 Triple Crown), and Epicenter (2022 Kentucky Derby favorite and 2022 champion 3-year-old male) are up for auction online.

“There haven't been many opportunities ever before to acquire the actual blankets worn by celebrity Thoroughbreds,” said Melynda Jamison, executive director of CASA of Lexington, the nonprofit auctioning the blankets. “We are excited to have these unique items in our auction! Whoever wins them will also be supporting brighter futures for abused children in the heart of horse country.”

The blankets are being auctioned individually as part of CASA of Lexington's annual “Bourbon and the Bayou” silent auction. The auction regularly features one-of-a-kind items from the horse racing industry that cannot be found anywhere else. Bidding is open now at this link; bidding closes at 9:45 p.m. ET on Feb. 24.

Justify was the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown and only the second ever to do so with an undefeated record. His ancestors include Seattle Slew, Secretariat and War Admiral.

American Pharoah was the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown. The horse also won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic, and is the first horse to win the “grand slam” of Thoroughbred racing.

Epicenter is a retired champion American Thoroughbred who won the 2022 Risen Star, 2022 Louisiana Derby, 2022 Jim Dandy and 2022 Travers Stakes. He also finished second as the favorite in both the 2022 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Justify's blanket is item no. 432; Epicenter's is item no. 433; and American Pharoah's is item no. 434. All three blankets were donated by Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., the base of U.S. operations for Coolmore America.

All proceeds from the auction go to CASA of Lexington, which provides advocacy for abused and neglected children in the family court systems of seven Central Kentucky counties.

“Horse farms around central Kentucky have really put great efforts into supporting our mission of ensuring every child has a safe, permanent home,” Jamison said. “We would not have nearly the impact we do for children without their support.”

CASA of Lexington's Bourbon and the Bayou silent auction is live here and bidding is open until 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

To view each horse blanket's item page visit the following links:

Justify Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-justify

Epicenter Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-epicenter

American Pharoah Blanket: https://bit.ly/bandb2023-americanpharoah

CASA of Lexington's trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court systems in Bourbon, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, Scott, and Woodford counties to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children. The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child's future. Learn more at casaoflexington.org, by calling (859) 246-4313 or by emailing info@casaoflexington.org.

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OBS 2023 March Sale Catalog Now Online

The catalog for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's expanded 2023 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is now available via the OBS website at obssales.com.

A total of 830 juveniles have been cataloged for the now three-day sale, set for Monday through Wednesday, March 20 through March 22, with all sessions beginning at 11 a.m. Hips 1 – 278 will sell on Monday, Hips 279 – 556 on Tuesday: Hips 557 – 833 on Wednesday.

The Under Tack Show will span four days: Tuesday, March 14 through Friday, March 17. Hips 1 – 208 will breeze Tuesday; Hips 209 – 416 will breeze Wednesday; Hips 417 – 624 on Thursday and Hips 625– 833 will go Friday. All four sessions will begin at 8 a.m. The Under Tack Show and Sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the TDN, DRF and Blood-Horse, and Past The Wire websites.

A perennial source of top-class racehorses, the OBS March Sale has produced a long line of stakes winners, champions and millionaires. Since the beginning of 2021 OBS March graduates have been on the board in 340 black-type races, with 90 of them graded stakes.

Gracing the 2023 March Sale catalog's front cover is multi-millionaire Japanese racing star Café Pharoah, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2019 March Sale, and sold for $475,000 to Narvick International, Agent, after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. His victory last fall in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai (G1) at Morioka Racecourse was his fifth graded stakes win, among them back to back victories in the prestigious February Stakes (G1). The son of American Pharoah is his sire's leading earner. Racing in the colors of Koichi Nishikawa and trained by Noriyuki Hori, he has compiled a 13-7-0-0 record and earned $3,414,646.

Four more talented recent March grads are pictured on the back cover.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC's millionaire White Abarrio, trained by Saffie A. Joseph, Jr., won Gulfstream's G3 Holy Bull and G1 Florida Derby at three and been on the board in three more graded stakes. The son of Race Day, now 11-4-1-2, has earned $1,112,550. A two-time OBS graduate, he was sold by Summerfield (Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, at the 2020 Winter Mixed Sale and then purchased for $40,000 out of the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2021 March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5.

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Speed Boat Beach, part of the powerful Bob Baffert 3-year-old brigade, has won three of four starts including the $101,500 G3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar in December. It was the second stakes score for the Florida-bred colt by Bayern, bred by Richard Heysek at Caperlane Farm. He's a two-time OBS graduate, sold by Stuart Morris, Agent, at the 2021 October Yearling Sale, and then purchased for $200,000 out of the Really and Truly Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :9 3/5. To date, his record stands at 4-3-0-0 and he has earned $178,000.

Rosedown Racing Stables, LLC's Champions Dream wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a victory in Aqueduct's

Nashua Stakes (G3) in November and returned to the races with a second place finish in Tampa's Pasco Stakes in January. The 3-year-old colt by Justify is now 4-2-1-0 with $170,250 in earnings for trainer Mark Casse. He was purchased for $425,000 at the 2022 March Sale out of the Parrish Farms consignment after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :20 4/5.

Baoma Corporation's Eda, presently training for a return to the races at Santa Anita has been idle since winning the G3 Santa Ysabel last March in her only start last year. At two, she was a three-time stakes winner, capping the year with a score in the G1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos. The 4-year-old daughter of Munnings, trained by Bob Baffert, returns with a 7-5-1-0 career record and $430,000 in earnings. She was consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2021 OBS March Sale, where she was purchased for $550,000 by Donato Lanni, Agent, after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat.

OBS will again offer Online Bidding during the March Sale. Buyers will be able to go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS Bidding Screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-online-bidding

The online catalog's main page contains a link to a sortable master index providing searchable pedigree and consignor information as well as access to pedigree updates occurring since the catalog was printed. Advanced search and filter capability has been added to allow shortlist creation. A link to instructions for using the new features can be found in the index header and a step by step tutorial is available in the index as well.

The iPad version of the catalog can be accessed via the equineline Sales Catalog App. The App allows users to download and view the catalog, receive updates and results, record notes and also provides innovative search, sort and rating capability. For more information and downloads go to: http://www.equineline.com/SalesCatalogApp/

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OBS March Catalog Online

The catalog for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is now available at the OBS website at www.obssales.com.

The 2023 iteration of the March Sale has been lengthened to three days and will take place Monday through Wednesday, Mar. 20-22, with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. daily. Hips 1-278 will be offered Mar. 20, Hips 279-566 on Mar. 21 and hips 567 through 833 on Mar. 22.

Under-tack previews will take place over the course of four days, Mar. 14 (hips 1-208), Mar. 15 (209-416), Mar. 16 (417-624) and Mar. 17 (625-833). All breeze shows are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and will be streamed live at the TDN website.

The March Sale cover is graced by 2019 graduate Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), back-to-back winner of the G1 February S. and currently among the probables for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 25. The half-brother to recently crowned champion turf female Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) sold for $475,000 and has amassed earnings north of $3.4 million with seven wins–six in black-type company–from his 13 career starts.

The March sale, whose graduates have been on the board in no fewer than 340 stakes races–90 graded–since 2021 also claims as alumni last year's GIII Holy Bull S. hero White Abarrio (Race Day); the fleet Speed Boat Beach (Bayern); and GIII Nashua S. hero Champions Dream (Justify), a top chance in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S.

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