March, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Off The Turf No Problem For Alice Marble In Irish O’Brien

The picture of consistency, Alice Marble's only off-the-board finish in her career came on debut in Oct. 2020 when she found the synthetic at Golden Gate not to her liking. Never worse than third over both dirt and turf in California since, the 6-year-old has contested two straight stakes races at Santa Anita–finishing third to Big Summer (Mr. Big) in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint S. Jan. 7 and winning the Spring Fever S. On the dirt Feb. 19.

Happy whether this race stayed on the turf on not, the heavy 2-5 wagering choice was away in good order and checked in second of four at the first point of call. Paced up front by Feeling Grazeful (Grazen), the field remained tightly bunched up the backstretch through a half in :45.56. Up alongside the leader as Rose Maddox had the door slammed on her inside, Alice Marble took over between rivals past the quarter pole and was able to gain just a bit of separation. Rose Maddox made a gallant effort to re-rally down the outside but Alice Marble had the first jump and was home clear to top a Grazen-sired exacta.

“I was actually focused on 'Rose' and she had to take up pretty seriously, I think it spoke well for her,” said Nick Alexander, the owner and breeder of the top two finishers. “I think she (Rose Maddox) has a bright future. It is just a relief that we beat (Taming the Tigress), I didn't want to run three Grazens behind her (trainer Anthony Saavedra's Feeling Grazful included)…That worked out well.”

With a pair of stakes winners by the leading California sire already, Unsung Heroine has returned to Grazen in each of her last four seasons but has not produced a foal since 3-year-old filly Dusty Springfield. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

IRISH O'BRIEN S., $98,000, Santa Anita, 3-17, (S), 4yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f (off turf), 1:16.95, ft.
1–ALICE MARBLE, 124, m, 6, Grazen–Unsung Heroine,
by More Than Ready. O/B-Nick Alexander (CA); T-Philip
D'Amato; J-Flavien Prat. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GSP,
15-7-2-3, $470,880. *Full to Enola Gray, GSW & GISP,
$585,100.
2–Rose Maddox, 124, f, 4, Grazen–Heat the Rocks,
by Unusual Heat. O/B-Nick Alexander (CA); T-Steven Miyadi.
$20,000.
3–Taming the Tigress, 122, m, 5, Smiling
Tiger–Joeandbetty'sbaby, by Yes It's True. ($21,000 2yo '20
CTBAJA). O-Mia Familia Racing Stable and Moon S. Han;
B-Highlander Racing Stable, LLC (CA); T-Librado Barocio.
$12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2 1/4, 5 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 4.80, 3.20.
Also Ran: Feeling Grazeful. Scratched: Big Summer, Shocking Grey.

The post Off The Turf No Problem For Alice Marble In Irish O’Brien appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Colt By Not This Time Fastest At OBS March Under Tack Finale

Despite a headwind that strengthened as the day went on, Hip No. 654, a son of Not This Time consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp., Agent, sped an eighth in :9 3/5, the fastest work at the distance at the final session of the Under Tack Show for Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's expanded 2023 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The chestnut is a half brother to stakes placed Bridgette Bordeaux, out of stakes winner Meadow Bride, by Runaway Groom.

Hip No. 631, a gray or roan filly by Enticed, consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, Agent, worked the session's swiftest quarter, clocked in :20 3/5. She's a half sister to stakes placed J C's a Legend out of Love's Illusion, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner Love Match.

There was a single work in :20 4/5. Hip No. 758, a chestnut colt by Exaggerator consigned by Gene Recio, Agent, is out of Party of Four, by Tale of the Cat, a half sister to graded-placed stakes winner Barrier Reef.

Eight horses turned in quarters in in :9 4/5.

– Hip No. 626, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a bay colt by Practical Joke out of Louisiana Voodoo, by Big Brown, a half sister to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Givemeaminit.

– Hip No. 627 a chestnut colt by Mendelssohn consigned by Old South Farm LLC, Agent, is out of Love Ava Love, by Mr. Greeley, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Global Power.

– Hip No. 732, a bay filly by Justify consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is out of graded stakes winner Notapradaprice, by Paddy O'Prado, a daughter of stakes winner Brenda's Slew.

– Hip No. 738, a bay filly by champion OBS graduate Mitole consigned by Cesar Loya Training & Sales, Agent, is out of graded stakes placed Olive Branch, by Speightstown, a half sister to graded stakes winner Moonlight d'Oro.

– Hip No. 742, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is a bay colt by Dialed In out of stakes placed One More Wild Ride.

– Hip No. 752, a bay filly by Omaha Beach consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is out of stakes winner Pacific Heat, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Long Hot Summer.

– Hip No. 780, Prize Worthy, a gray or roan filly by Khozan consigned by Blas Perez Stables, is out of stakes winner Prize Informant, by Marciano, a half sister to stakes winner Wise Answer.

– Hip No. 806, a chestnut colt by Justify consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, is a half brother to graded-placed stakes winner Freedom Flyer, winner of the recent Wishing Well stakes at Santa Anita, out of Rebuke, by Carson City, a half sister to graded stakes winner Sandbar.

The OBS March Sale begins Monday March 20 and continues through Wednesday, March 22, with all sessions starting at 11 a.m. Hips 1 – 278 will sell Monday; Hips 279 – 556 on Tuesday and Hips 557 – 833 on Wednesday.

To view the full results from Friday's under tack show, click here.

The post Colt By Not This Time Fastest At OBS March Under Tack Finale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Over The Limit? Equine Ultrasounds Can Cause Vets To Test Positive For Alcohol

Veterinarians may get a false positive in a breath alcohol test after administering an abdominal ultrasound, a study by Dr. Valentina Vitale out of the University of Pisa reports.

The false positives are from inhaling fumes of the rubbing alcohol used to saturate the area receiving the ultrasound. Similar false positives have been found from using alcohol-based mouthwashes or from inhaling alcohol vapors from hand sanitizers.

Practitioners performing ultrasounds are often exposed to the alcohol vapors for significantly longer than others are exposed to hand sanitizer fumes or mouth washes, Vitale explained.

Though ultrasounds can vary in duration, in some cases, like colic, they can be repeated multiple times. If a veterinarian who performed an ultrasound (or multiple) is pulled over by police and given a breathalyzer, he or she may have a false positive test.

To test the theory that a positive breath test would be found after an ultrasound was performed, Vitale and a team of researchers had six people perform 36 ultrasounds (six each) on the same 20-year-old Standardbred mare owned by the University of Pisa in Italy.

Each person poured the ethanol solution from a jar or sprayed it and examined the horse for 10, 30 and 60 minutes. A breathalyzer test was given immediately after the exam and then at 5-minute intervals until a negative test occurred.

The tests showed that alcohol was detectable on the breath of the operators for up to 60 minutes after the procedure, with a median of 7.5 minutes. “Positive” tests – those that are greater than 0.05 percent, which is the legal limit to drive – were detected for up to 35 minutes after the conclusion of the exam. Positive tests that were within the legal limit to drive (0.018 to 0.05 percent) were detected for up to 55 minutes after the exam, with a median time of 5 minutes.

The amount of alcohol used also significantly affects the detectable level of alcohol. The operators who used more than 33 fluid ounces of ethanol tested positive for longer.

In 83 percent of cases, a positive result occurred immediately after the ultrasound, no matter how much ethanol was used. All participants tested positive several times during the experiment.

While those performing the ultrasounds may not have blood alcohol levels that are raised as much as when drinking alcohol, there is an increase in blood alcohol levels following exposure. Though this may not trigger impairment commonly associated with alcohol, it may make operators more reactive to alcohol cues and encourage drinking behavior.

The team recommends that practitioners wait at least 35 minutes after an abdominal ultrasound before driving.

Q & A With Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming

This past year was a good one for the Breeders' Cup. Returning to Keeneland for the first time since the pandemic year of 2020, the event generated a global wagering total of $189.1 million, which set a record, 3.4% higher than the previous mark. The Breeders' Cup also produced big numbers when it came to the total economic impact for Keeneland, Lexington and the surrounding community. It was announced Friday that a survey conducted by University of Louisville Economics Professor Thomas E. Lambert, Ph.D., showed that the Breeders' Cup was responsible for a total estimated economic impact of $81,846,897. It was the second-highest economic impact recorded in Breeders' Cup history, following the record set in 2017 at Del Mar. On the track, it was a spectacular two days of racing, highlighted by a memorable win by Flightline (Tapit) in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

How is it that the Breeders' Cup's momentum never seems to wane and what's ahead for racing's championship event? We posed those questions and more to Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming.

TDN: The handle figures are particularly impressive as the Friday card yielded a record $66.1 million in handle and the Saturday card produced $122.9 million in handle, also a record. What has caused the growth in handle and what needs to be done to see that it continues to grow?

DF: We are very grateful to the horseplayers that have been supporting us and our Thoroughbred industry for a long time. At the Breeders' Cup, we take pride in the fact that we have the best horses in the world competing, which equates to really great betting races. Additionally, the Breeders' Cup, for many years, has been conducting its own global pool and we had 27 countries last year bet into the common pool. We had an additional six countries betting separately. One of the things that the company continues to invest in, not only in time but capital, is in the awareness of the Breeders' Cup as a whole. We felt we ran an effective awareness campaign last year, which caused an increased consumption of content as well as generating additional wagering dollars.

TDN: As they are proud of saying, Lexington is the horse capital of the world. There are racing fans all over the country, but it's just different in Lexington. How does that factor into the success of the 2022 Breeders' Cup?

DF: The moment you get off the plane in Lexington, Kentucky, horse racing is in the air. You go to a restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, people are talking breeding, training, owning race horses. It's a way of life. The city was so welcoming. Unfortunately, in 2020 we weren't able to have fans due to the pandemic. We told the city we would be back as soon as we could. We were able to come two years later and deliver on that promise and they could not have been more thankful. The hospitality was everywhere. People were thrilled to have fans back and were also very thrilled to have the World Championships back in Lexington and to be able to showcase our industry.

TDN: The 2020 numbers aren't applicable because of the pandemic. Before that, the last Breeders' Cup at Keeneland was in 2015. The economic impact numbers from 2015 to 2022 increased by 27.8%. What was different about 2022 versus 2015 that the number increased the way that it did?

DF: A couple of things played a role. The brand and the demand for the Breeders' Cup continues to grow. Last year, we had people from all 50 states purchase tickets as well as 18 countries. Because the brand continues to grow we continue to see investment not only in the Breeders' Cup but in the surrounding areas when we are there.

TDN: It's not just Lexington. The entire state of Kentucky is horse-crazy and Louisville is also a great racing town. We haven't seen the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs since 2018 and it is not scheduled for there either this year or next. Is there any reason for that and what is the status of the event returning to Churchill Downs?

DF: Churchill is a great partner and we enjoy working with them and had a very successful Breeders' Cup there in 2018. Normally, we don't talk about future host sites until we have made a host site announcement. With the impact and the success of the past few times we have been in Kentucky, I anticipate that shortly in the future we will be back in Kentucky.

TDN: You had a superstar in the Breeders' Cup this year in Flightline. What impact did he have and can you address both the business aspects of the event and the excitement level that he brought to the event. Fifty years from now, people will still be talking about his win in the Classic.

DF: NBC compared Flightline's performance to Secretariat. Any time you have a horse like that there will be increased interest, not only for the Breeders' Cup but for the sport as a whole. It was amazing to see him deliver in the horse capital of the world. Being a hometown boy, seeing him come around the turn and the energy he generated was just amazing. It's something I will remember for the rest of my life. One thing about the Breeders' Cup that we are so proud of is that we know we're going to have the best horses in the world competing. In 2015, we had American Pharoah, who was the first 'grand slam' winner. That was also amazing. You feel humbled to be a part of that. As far as a monetary impact, that's hard to quantify. But we knew with him there would be increased interest and that was evident when he came into the paddock. It was like the Beatles were coming on stage.

TDN: Flightline aside, what were some of your favorite moments from this Breeders' Cup?

DF: There was not a dry eye in the house when Cody's Wish won. That was such a tremendous and compelling story. It's great when racing can tell feel-good stories like that. It was also great just having the fans come back after we couldn't have fans in 2020.

The horses break from the gate in the Dirt Mile | Coady

TDN: The Breeders' Cup Festival has become a big part of the whole experience. It's not just two days anymore. You have several events leading up to race day. Can you tell us a little bit of the history of this and how much has the Festival helped when it comes to things like economic impact?

DF: In addition to having the two best days of racing, the Breeders' Cup is a celebration of equestrian life. Like most major sporting events across the globe, it's important to have a festival component so that fans can come and see what a beautiful area the event is taking place in, be welcomed, have great hospitality and celebrate the equestrian lifestyle. We want them to walk away and say, 'Wow, not only was that two great days of racing, but it was a wonderful vacation, a wonderful experience and I want to come back.' In any of the cities that we are in, we work with the locals to develop that festival and to highlight key aspects of the region to our visiting guests.

TDN: NYRA is trying to get a loan from the state so that it can refurbish Belmont Park. You are on the record saying that if this gets done the Breeders' Cup would love to come back there. Your thoughts on a return to New York?

DF: We're incredibly supportive of NYRA and we will support any redevelopment at Belmont. We have a great relationship with the executive team at NYRA. I am having dinner Wednesday night in New York with (NYRA CEO) David O'Rourke. We wrote him a letter several months ago with the title, 'If you build it we will come.' The Breeders' Cup sticks to its word.

TDN: The Breeders' Cup has not been to Belmont since 2005, understandable because the current track is not a good fit when it comes to hosting an event like this. How much has the Breeders' Cup missed New York?

DF: We very much miss New York. There's so much energy up there and they are large investors in the game. We look forward to coming back. If they build it we will be there.

TDN: What can you tell us so far about what's in store for this year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita when it comes to new initiatives and things you can do to maintain the momentum?

DF: One of the challenging but also fun things when it comes to working for a company like the Breeders' Cup is that we are always innovating. We are continuing to move the ball forward on technological advancements in viewing and look forward to working with NBC, FanDuel and some other partners to continue to make sure that those who are watching have many different angles and experiences when it comes to watching the sport. Along with having great views of the San Gabriel mountains, we want to make sure that they have a world-class time when it comes to hospitality. We will continue to work to advance the culinary offerings and will have some exciting things to announce in the near future. We will also have some new ticket packages that we are putting the final touches on to make sure, again, that everyone has the best experience possible.

TDN: You brought up FanDuel. It's obvious that racing needs to find a way to attract the sports bettor and we need to have the FanDuels of the world offering betting on the Breeders' Cup and all racing on their sports betting platforms. Where do things stand when it comes to getting the sports bettors to follow and bet on the Breeders' Cup?

DF: Hats off to FanDuel for advancing the technology so there can be an aggregated wallet experience for the sports bettor. It's a tremendous marketing opportunity for our sport to be on the same bookshelf as the NFL, the NBA and MLB. Horse racing will be able to be cross-marketed from a wagering standpoint to those who are already wagering on other sports. This is one of the largest marketing opportunities we have had in a long time.

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