Month: March 2023

HIWU Set to Administer HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program

Edited Press Release

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, has reached arrangements with all state racing commissions and/or racetracks that will be conducting live racing on or soon after the implementation of the ADMC Program, which is anticipated to be Monday, Mar. 27, 2023. The laboratories that will be conducting testing under the Program have also been confirmed.

“HIWU appreciates the opportunity to engage with state racing commissions, racetracks, and laboratories in the implementation of a national, uniform ADMC program,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “We are confident that all our arrangements will facilitate uniform compliance with the ADMC Program to ensure its consistency and effectiveness.”

Once the ADMC Program takes effect, the following states and/or racetracks will continue to provide sample collection personnel services by utilizing their current staff, who will have been trained and certified by HIWU. Voluntary agreements have either been signed or will be signed before the first day of racing under the new ADMC Rules with the following entities:

Arkansas Racing Commission
California Horse Racing Board
Florida Gaming Control Commission, in cooperation with Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs
Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
Maryland Racing Commission
New York Racing Association (except Post-Race testing)
Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission
Will Rogers Downs

For the following states and/or racetracks, HIWU has either contracted directly with existing personnel or has hired its own sample collection personnel to implement the ADMC Program. There is therefore no signed voluntary agreement with the following entities:

Arizona Department of Gaming (Division of Racing)
Finger Lakes
Illinois Racing Board
New York Gaming Commission (Post-Race testing only)
Ohio State Racing Commission

HIWU is also engaging with state racing commissions and racetracks that are racing after mid-April and will announce those relationships prior to such time.

Laboratories must be accredited by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium to be eligible to conduct testing as part of HISA's ADMC Program, and must meet additional criteria determined by HIWU. HIWU has entered into contracts with the following laboratories to analyze samples collected under the ADMC Program:

Analytical Toxicology Laboratory (Ohio Department of Agriculture)
Animal Forensic Toxicology Laboratory (University of Illinois-Chicago)
Industrial Laboratories
Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (University of California, Davis)
Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory
University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

“For the first time, racing's labs will be harmonized and held to the same performance standards nationwide,” said Mosier. “Thoroughbred racehorses will be tested for the same substances at the same levels, regardless of where they are located or compete.”

Lab accreditation will eventually transition to the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory standards, which will not take effect before 2024.

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Ushba Tesoro Completes Japanese Desert Double in Dubai World Cup

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — The pyrotechnics display following the conclusion of Saturday's Dubai World Cup program nearly matched those on the racetrack about 30 minutes earlier when Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) raced past a weakening Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) in the final furlong to give Japan a first victory in a dirt renewal of the G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Not only was it the third victory on the night for the nation who took home five trophies 12 months ago, but it also gave Japan a sweep of the world's two richest races, following on Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})'s stunning all-the-way success in the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh four weeks ago. Emblem Road (Quality Road)), upset winner of the Saudi Cup in 2022 and sixth this time around, flashed home for third ahead of the winner's compatriots T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) and Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}), last year's G2 UAE Derby winner, in fourth and fifth, respectively. Defending champion Country Grammer (Tonalist) never landed a serious blow from his high draw and finished midfield.

“Everything went as planned,” said winning trainer Noboru Takagi. “Actually, when he first got here he was actually quite nervous and a bit toey ,but that was expected and as the days went by, he gradually got used to his environment and ran a great race. This is by far the greatest honour of my career.”

In No R-'Ush'

Whereas Panthalassa did not fare well at Wednesday's barrier draw, Ushba Tesoro landed a far softer barrier in gate eight, but he was clearly last to leave the stalls and Yuga Kawada–who has developed a reputation as a big-race rider with international wins over the last couple of seasons at meetings like the Breeders' Cup and the Longines Hong Kong International Races–was content to trail as they raced under the wire with a circuit to travel.

With Panthalassa expected to burn whatever fuel was necessary to come across the field and be a forward factor, the World Cup pace was a nickel on the dollar to be well above par, and so it proved. Under a hustling ride from Yutaka Yoshida, the Saudi Cup winner was indeed up to force the early issue, but the rail-drawn Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was ridden in a surprisingly positive manner by Tadhg O'Shea and consigned his Japanese rival to a two-wide run rounding the first turn. The imposing Bendoog (Gun Runner) took back a bit and raced in the company of G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}), while Algiers allowed the speed to clear and was able to slot neatly into about the three path after departing stall 13.

Drone camera footage captured 14 of the 15 runners as they turned down the back straight, and it wasn't until the six-furlong pole that the shadow of Ushba Tesoro began to creep into view, still unhurried, as Remorse continued to materially impact the race shape underneath Panthalassa, who began to toss out distress signals with just under 800 metres to race. Bendoog, very much a questionable stayer at the mile and a quarter, was the first to come after his stablemate Remorse, but Algiers had traveled sweetly through the race under letter-perfect handling from James Doyle and came to win the race three deep three furlongs from home as a cheer went up from those longing for a home-based World Cup winner.

Algiers took command a quarter mile from home and appeared well on his way to a famous victory, but Kawada had steered Ushba Tesoro out and around a scuffling Saudi Cup third Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) and into the clear at the 500 metres and was steaming home down the centre. After looking an inevitable winner not 15 seconds earlier, Algiers was soon running on empty, and Ushba Tesoro carried his momentum all the way to the wire for a win that was reasonably easy in the end.

“It was his first time running overseas and there were queries on whether he'd travel as well as the fact it was his first time on the surface,” said Kawada, lovingly referred to at home as the 'King'. “He was training quite well over here this week and I knew the horse was in good condition, so it was just a matter of the horse keeping his head in the race and he did that very well today.

“There were eight Japanese horses in the field and aside from myself the only other Japanese jockey on a Japanese horse was Yutaka Yoshida on Panthalassa. I was on the horse for the first time today, but it was a tremendous honour to ride him and there was a lot of pressure as the leading Japanese jockey heading into the race.

“Thanks to the effort of the horse, he fought on very well and I'm very proud of myself as the leading Japanese jockey by winning the leading race in the world today.”

Takagi indicated that Ushba Tesoro could be considered for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but with a record of five-from-six on the dirt, it would be no surprise to see connections stay the current course.

Goodbye Turf, Hello Dirt

Ushba Tesoro made the first 22 starts of his career on the turf–no surprise there–but had only spotty success, with just three victories and five minor placings. He belied odds of 14-1 in winning a 2100-metre allowance in his dirt debut at Tokyo last April, and since returning from about five months on the shelf last September, had won his last four, including the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Dec. 29 and a defeat of T O Keynes in the Listed Kawasaki Kinen over 10 1/2 testing furlongs Feb. 1. His success mirrors that of Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who struggled on turf before winning last year's G1 Champions Cup. Jun Light Bolt was among Saturday's eight Japanese runners, but finished tailed off.

Not To Be For Country G

Frankie Dettori managed to salute aboard the remarkable three-peater Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf, but there was no fairytale ending to his Meydan career, as defending World Cup champion Country Grammer was a listless seventh.

“He ran so big in Saudi Arabia and I was never going today,” the Italian said. “I pushed him but he felt lethargic. When they run so big, sometimes they take longer to recover than you think.”

Pedigree Notes:

On an afternoon where Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) stamped himself as one of the most worthy candidates for the race nearly every horse owner in Japan wants to win–the Arc–it seems only fitting that the winner of the world's second-richest horse race would be by the horse that broke the hearts of nearly every Japanese racing fan by snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on the Bois de Boulogne in 2012.

That Orfevre would go on to be a useful stallion is hardly surprising. What is more confounding is the fact that of his 25 black-type winners from six crops of racing age, nearly a third of them have earned their black-type victories on the dirt. Until Saturday, the 2021 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff won by the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Marche Lorraine (Jpn) was the sire's most important dirt success, while Orfevre is also responsible for Group 3-winning sprinter Justin (Jpn), down the field in Saturday's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and the recently retired Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed racemare Gilded Mirror (Jpn). He is also the sire of four winners at the listed stakes level. Ushba Tesoro is one of three Orfevre stakes winners out of mares by the late King Kamehameha (Jpn).

Ushba Tesoro's second dam Sixieme Sens was ridden by Freddy Head to victory in the 1995 Listed Prix Bagatelle for trainer David Smaga and Mme Marc de Chambure and went on to continue her career in the US under the tutelage of the late Bobby Frankel for whom she won the GIII Athenia S. in New York and the GII Dahlia H. in 1996 and the GII San Gorgonio H. the following season. Dr Masatake Iida purchased Sixieme Sens for $750,000 when offered in foal to Gone West at the 1997 Keeneland November Sale and exported her to Japan. Her second foal for Iida's Chiyoda Farm Shizunai became the stakes-winning Bold Brian (Jpn) (Brian's Time), while Millefeui Attach, a three-time winner of better than $450,000, was Sixieme Sens's eighth produce and one of her nine winners from 12 to the races.

Ushba Tesoro races for the Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co., which has also campaigned the likes of US-bred listed winner Aurora Tesoro (Malibu Moon) and the multiple stakes winner and Group 1-placed Rieno Tesoro (Speightstown) to name but a few. Ushba Tesoro cost the operation ¥25 million ($219,250) as a foal when consigned by Chiyoda Farm to the 2017 JRHA Select Sales.

Millefeui Attach is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Asia Express (Henny Hughes) and a yearling filly from the first crop of 2019 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Mr Melody (Scat Daddy). The mare was most recently bred to Matera Sky (Speightstown), a Group 3-winning dirt sprinter at home and second in the 2019 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI WORLD CUP SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G1, $12,000,000, Meydan, 3-25, NH 4yo/up & SH 3yo/up, 10f, 2:03.25, ft.
1–USHBA TESORO (JPN), 126, h, 6, by Orfevre (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Millefeui Attach (Jpn),
                                  by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Sixieme Sens, by Septieme Ciel
                3rd Dam: Samalex (GB), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
(¥25,000,000 Wlg '17 JRHJUL). O-Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co
Ltd; B-Chiyoda Farm Shizunai (Jpn); T-Noboru Takagi; J-Yuga
Kawada. $6,960,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Jpn, 29-9-1-5,
$9,286,384. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
   Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Algiers (Ire), 126, g, 6, Shamardal–Antara (Ger), by Platini
(Ger). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Hamdan Sultan Ali
Alsabousi; B-Godolphin (Ire); T-Simon & Ed Crisford.
$2,400,000.
3–Emblem Road, 126, h, 5, Quality Road–Venturini, by
Bernardini. ($230,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $80,000 2yo '20
OBSJUN). O-HRH Prince Saud bin Salman; B-Brushy Hill, LLC
(Ky); T-Ahmad Abdulwahid. $1,200,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, SHD, 3/4.
Also Ran: T O Keynes (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Bendoog, Country Grammar, Salute The Soldier (Ger), Remorse (Ire), Panthalassa (Jpn), Geoglyph (Jpn), Cafe Pharoah, Vela Azul (Jpn), Super Corinto (Arg), Jun Light Bolt (Jpn). VIDEO.

 

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Champion Forte Tabbed Morning-Line Favorite Among Dozen For Florida Derby

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte will seek to cement his standing as the top-rated Triple Crown candidate in the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa next Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The 2022 juvenile champion, who drew Post 11, has been installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a field of a dozen 3-year-olds entered in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby, which will headline a 14-race program with 10 stakes, including five graded races, worth $2.375 million in purses. The 14-race Florida Derby program with a first-race post time of 11:30 a.m. (ET) will offer a $1-million guaranteed Late Pick 5 pool and a $750,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4 pool.

If all 12 entries start, the Florida Derby field will be the largest since Big Brown beat 11 rivals in 2008.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Forte established himself as a clear early favorite for the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1) when he made an auspicious 2023 debut in the March 4 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The son of Violence, who had won three consecutive Grade 1 races to finish his 2022 championship season, raced between horses while rating off the early pace before advancing along the backstretch, swinging four-wide into the stretch and drawing away to a 4½-length victory under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“The Fountain of Youth couldn't have gone any better for us,” Pletcher said. “When Irad and I spoke before the race we kind of had a certain plan in mind and sort of had laid out where we hoped he would be. As you know a lot of times when the gate opens things can change and you have to be prepared to adjust to that, but really the race unfolded almost exactly the way we thought it would, and we were in exactly the position we hoped we would be. The real key is when called upon, he was there.”

Forte won four of five starts during his championship juvenile season that was launched with a 7 ¾-length victory at Belmont Park last May. After finishing fourth in the six-furlong Sanford (G2), he rallied from off the pace to win the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga. He polished off a stellar campaign with a pair of off-the-pace scores around two turns in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Ortiz has been aboard Forte for all six career starts and has been named to return to the saddle for the Florida Derby.

“Irad's gotten to know the colt really well. He's rode him in every start, and he's also worked him quite a few times. I think part of what we've been trying to do in the mornings is sort of replicate his running style, sitting off a horse just a little bit and then teaching him to finish up and kind of stay focused,” Pletcher said. “As impressively as he's won a couple of these races, he's kind of come to the wire with his ears up taking everything in. Obviously, as these races get a little more difficult, he'll need to stay focused.”

Pletcher has saddled a record six Florida Derby winners; Scat Daddy, (2007), Constitution (2014), Materiality (2015), Always Dreaming (2017), Audible (2018) and Known Agenda (2021).

“We love the positioning of the Florida Derby five weeks out. We're happy about that. It gives us a little more time to stay in Florida before we ship north and hopefully have a couple more weeks of good weather before we need to move up,” Pletcher said. “The Florida Derby on its own is a very important race. Historically, it's been a stallion-making race and an important Grade 1 on any horse's resume.”

Having already secured sufficient points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, Forte and Saturday's rivals will be eligible for 200 qualifying points that will be shared by the first five finishers with 100 going to the winner. The 50-points that will go to the runner-up will likely be enough to earn a trip to Churchill Downs.

Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Castleton Lyons' Cyclone Mischief, who rebounded from a disappointing effort in the Feb. 4 Holy Bull (G3) with a third-place finish in the Fountain of Youth, is scheduled to return in the Florida Derby. The Dale Romans-trained son of Into Mischief set the pace into the stretch before being overtaken by Forte and Holy Bull winner Rocket Can, who finished second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of him.

Cyclone Mischief, who was rated at 8-1 on the morning line after drawing Post 9, made a flashy 2023 debut with a 5 ¾-length romp in a mile optional claiming allowance Jan. 8 at Gulfstream.

Javier Castellano has the mount aboard the $450,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September sale.

Romans saddled Shackleford, who was a photo-finish second behind Dialed In in the 2011 Florida Derby at 68-1. Shackleford went on to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby and win the Preakness Stakes (G1). Romans also finished second in the 2006 Florida Derby with Sharp Humor, who finished a half-length behind heavily favored Barbaro.

“It's different with every horse. Shackleford, going into the race I would have been very excited to say we were going to run second. He was 60-1 if you remember. He was coming off a horrible race where we never figured out why he ran bad.” Romans said. “[Against] Barbaro, nobody ever expected to beat him, but we made him work for it. Both those races were pretty exciting.”

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who saddled White Abarrio for a victory in last year's Florida Derby, is represented in this year's field by four longshots – Gentry Farms' West Coast Cowboy, Legacy Racing LLC's Mr. Ripple, C2 Racing Stable LLC and Stefania Farms LLC's Nautical Star and C2 Racing Stable LLC's Mr. Peeks.

West Coast Cowboy, a lightly raced son of West Coast trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., is set to make his first start since finishing third in the Holy Bull in his third career start.

“He ran very good in the Holy Bull, actually. He ran above expectations. He's come back since then. He was supposed to go to Tampa, and he got sick, so he missed that, and we ended up here,” Joseph said. “He worked this morning. He actually worked as bad as he did going into the Holy Bull but he ran very good in the Holy Bull. He's not a very flashy horse in the morning. Hopefully, if he can build on the Holy Bull, he should have a chance to maybe pick up a piece of it.”

Mr. Ripple is slated to make his stakes debut in the Florida Derby. The son of Dialed In made an eye-catching debut while winning by nine lengths at Gulfstream in October. He came back to finish third behind Cyclone Mischief in a Jan. 8 optional claiming allowance and second behind Classic Causeway in a March 2 optional claiming allowance.

“Mr. Ripple has run some decent races. He's the kind of horse that maybe doesn't have the best kick, but he's a horse that's competitive,” Joseph said. “If he could sit the right trip, he might be able to pick up a piece of it also.”

Nautical Star rallied from off the pace to graduate in his second career start last month, while Mr. Peeks is a maiden after two starts.

Sonny Leon has the mount on West Coast Cowboy, while Edgard Zayas is named on Mr. Ripple. Leonel Reyes has the call on Nautical Star and Edwin Gonzalez is named on Mr. Peeks.

OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH's Mage, who showed a lot of grit while finishing fourth in the Fountain of Youth in only his second career start, is slated to return in the Florida Derby. The Gustavo Delgado-trained son off Good Magic, who experienced gate trouble, bumping and a wide trip in that race, had previously debuted with a 3 ¾-length victory Jan. 28 at Gulfstream.

Luis Saez been named to ride Mage, who was rated at 10-1 on the morning line after drawing Post 4.

SF Racing and partners' Fort Bragg is scheduled to make his first start outside Southern California in the Florida Derby. Formerly trained by Bob Baffert and now conditioned by Tim Yakteen, the son of Tapit is coming off a fifth-place finish in the March 4 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita in his 3-year-old debut. Fort Bragg, who was entered to run in Sunday's Sunland Derby (G3), finished third in the Los Alamitos Futurity in his final 2022 start.

Joel Rosario has the call aboard the $700,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Fort Bragg, who will break one stall inside Forte in the starting gate, is rated second on the morning line at 5-1.

West Paces Racing LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC's Dubyuhnell will seek to rebound from a disappointing performance in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in his 3-year-old debut. The son of Good Magic, who finished sixth as the 2-1 favorite at Tampa, had concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) over a sloppy Aqueduct main track.

The Danny Gargan trainee, who broke his maiden in the Aqueduct slop in his previous start, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz. Dubyuhnell, who drew Post 12, is rated third on the morning line at 6-1.

Juddmonte's Jungfrau, Alex Andres LLC's Il Miracolo, and Chester Bishop and Anthony Hinkson's Shaq Diesel round out the field.

$1-Million Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa in post-position order, with jockey, and morning-line odds:

1. Jungfrau, Paco Lopez, 20-1

2. West Coast Cowboy, Sonny Leon 20-1

3. Shaq Diesel, Miguel Vasquez, 30-1

4. Mage, Luis Saez, 10-1

5. Mr. Peeks, Edwin Gonzalez, 30-1

6. Nautical Star, Leonel Reyes, 30-1

7. Il Miracolo, Jesus Rios, 30-1

8. Mr. Ripple, Edgard Zayas, 30-1

9. Cyclone Mischief, Javier Castellano, 8-1

10. Fort Bragg. Joe Rosario, 5-1

11. Forte, Irad Ortiz Jr., 4-5

12. Dubyuhnell, Jose Ortiz, 6-1

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