Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Saturday, February 4
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Saturday's meetings at Leapardstown, Sandown, Musselburgh and Wetherby.
Month: February 2023
February 4 Insights: Coolmore Colt Justifies Early Favoritism
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency
5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, 1:46p.m. ET
Coolmore's JUST SO (Justify) will lead the field to post for his debut off a steady stream of works in South Florida for trainer Chad Brown. He is a son of MGISW Turbulent Descent, who also raced in the Coolmore colors before selling in foal to War Front for $2.45 million at KEENOV in 2014. His third dam is the MGIW Gorgeous (Slew o'Gold), the dam of MGSW winner Stunning (Nureyev). The Stuart S. Janney III homebred Windsor Park (Mastery) debuts for trainer Shug McGaughey and represents a long line of beautifully bred Janney runners, including his Grade I-winning dam and Grade I-winning granddam Deputation (Deputy Minister), who herself produced the dam of MGSW Criminologist (Maria's Mon). Ghost Coast (Street Sense) drew the far outside for his debut for trainer Brendan Walsh. Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing LLC paid $250,000 for this colt as a KEESEP yearling. He is out of the unraced Exchange Rate mare Mirapoix, who herself is a half-sister to GSW Michigan Bluff (Skywalker), the dam of Turkish champion Hakeem (Harlan's Holiday) and SW Let's Go Cheyenne (Tiznow). Other notable names in this colt's pedigree include MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GISW Killer Graces (Congaree). TJCIS PPs.
6th-Tam, $32k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m40y, 3:25p.m. ET
WinStar Farm, Bena Halecky and Judy Needham-bred and owned JUST MY OWN (Justify), who not only is a son of a Triple Crown winner but also the son of Mining My Own (Smart Strike), the dam of 2009 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone). Mining My Own sold for just $8,000 as a KEEJAN broodmare in foal to Pure Prize in 2008 and 18 months later she produced a Derby winner and subsequently GI Pacific Classic S. winner Dullahan (Even the Score) and MSW Mine That Star (Pioneerof the Nile). Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher trains this colt, who debuts off a steady stream of exceptional works at Palm Beach Downs over the past two months, including a bullet half-mile in :48.25 on New Year's Eve. TJCIS PPs.
The post February 4 Insights: Coolmore Colt Justifies Early Favoritism appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Jill Byrne Joins Virginia Equine Alliance As VP Of Strategic Planning
Jill Byrne, who stepped down in December as vice president of racing operations at Colonial Downs, has accepted a new position as vice president of strategic planning for the Virginia Equine Alliance.
Byrne, a Virginia native, began her duties on Feb. 1.
The alliance is a non-profit organization comprised of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, Virginia Harness Horse Association, Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Virginia Gold Cup Association. It is designed to sustain, promote and expand the horse breeding and racing industries throughout the commonwealth of Virginia. It is funded by a percentage of advance-deposit wagering and historical horse racing machines.
“This gives me an opportunity to stay in Virginia and continue to help and promote the entire Virginia horse industry, not just throughout the state but the country, and to remind people of the importance and history of the horse in Virginia,” said Byrne. “It's a great opportunity for me to continue what I started four years ago.”
Byrne came to Colonial Downs in 2019 after the approval of historical horse racing machines provided the economic stimulus to reopen the New Kent track that had been closed since 2013. Prior to that, she served as senior director of Industry Relations for Breeders' Cup Ltd. She spent nearly a decade as director of Broadcast and Programming at Churchill Downs racetrack.
“We are delighted to have Jill and lucky to have her expertise,” said Jeb Hannum executive director of the Virginia Equine Alliance.
Hannum said the Alliance recently completed a five-year strategic plan that was presented to the Virginia Racing Commission in December and that Byrne was part of the process in developing it.
“The Virginia Equine Alliance conducted a similar strategic plan five years ago,” said Hannum. “We did a second round in 2022 and found it to be very helpful as it documented what we need to be thinking about on a path forward.”
The strategic plan focuses on five key components: marketing and communications; racing, pari-mutuel wagering and revenues; agribusiness and incentives; and infrastructure. In addition to Colonial Downs, Virginia offers standardbred racing with two 14-day meets in the spring and fall at Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock as well as steeplechase race meets, including the Virginia Gold Cup.
The post Jill Byrne Joins Virginia Equine Alliance As VP Of Strategic Planning appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Green for go at Sandown as Venetia Williams’s talented hurdler targeting repeat at Sandown Showdown
Unsurprisingly, Willie Mullins dominates all of the top-level races across the Irish Sea at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend to such an extent that he is just 10-1 to win all eight of the big ones.
