April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

CHRB On Santa Anita Turf: ‘Back To Normal And Safe’

On the day before racing at Santa Anita is scheduled to resume Friday with five turf races following an 11-day break that had been planned before recent grass-course drainage issues arose, staffers with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) deemed the turf to be ready to handle horses.

The last two dates that Santa Anita had raced, Apr. 8 and 9, a total of five turf races had to be swapped from the “firm” grass course to the “fast” main dirt track because of slippage problems on the far turn.

That Apr. 8 card was the meet's premier race date, featuring the GI Santa Anita Derby and its undercard stakes. But when Midnight Jostar (Midnight Lute) lost his footing and fell at the top of the stretch, unseating jockey Kent Desormeaux, one remaining late-card Grade III stakes and two allowance races got transferred to the main track.

The trouble spot was then aerated overnight and jockeys walked the course with track management on Sunday, Apr. 9. They rode four races over the “firm” course, but continued complaints slipping and bobbling necessitated the removal of two later races from the course.

Scott Chaney, the CHRB's executive director, said Apr. 20 both the fallen horse and jockey ended up being “perfectly fine” and that the removal of turf racing was “completely the right call” by track management.

But Chaney did add that from a standpoint of inconvenience, “it certainly wasn't a good look for [Santa Anita] and it was bad for the wagering public.” He termed the mid-card need to remove races from the turf on a cloudless, non-raining day to be “less than ideal, and frankly Santa Anita lost a fair amount of money because of it.”

Chaney continued: “The current explanation is that it was wet, therefore slippery, [and] that water was not draining well enough through the turf course. My understanding is that that's partly because they've changed the composition because of the inordinate amount of rain. So it can take more rain, but it doesn't drain quite as well.

“There was no racing this week. We've been getting daily reports from our safety stewards on the grounds there about the measures they've taken in terms of aeration and [the addition] a substance that promotes drainage on the turf course,” Chaney said. “I know they worked three horses [Wednesday] morning [and everybody] seemed happy with how that was supposed to go. ”

CHRB equine medical director Jeff Blea concurred with Chaney.

“It's frustrating for those owners. It's frustrating for the betting public, and those trainers as well. I heard a lot of those frustrations,” Blea said. “But, as Scott said, there were some issues with horses slipping on one area of the racetrack around that turn. The stewards decided, and I think they made a good decision, in the safety of the horses and riders, to take it off the turf.

“I know Santa Anita was affected paramountly with the loss of wagering,” Blea said. “[But] they've gone through, they've evaluated and looked at what the problem was [and concluded] that the turf was back to normal and safe.”

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Six Share Furlong Bullet at OBS Thursday

Six juveniles shared the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5 during the fifth session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training in Central Florida Thursday.

Among the sextet was a filly by Enticed (hip 710, video) who is among the first crop of homebreds at Mario Bencomo and Alejandro Esis's New Horizon Farm in Ocala.

Asked if expected a bullet work from the filly, who is the farm's lone entrant in the sale, Bencomo said, “Yes. At the farm she worked really nice and she was always sound. So I expected what I saw today.”

Bencomo, who is involved in e-commerce, grew up around racing in his native Venezuela and returned to the sport when he moved to the U.S. almost 10 years ago.

“My family in Venezuela was always involved in the racehorse industry,” he explained. “I always saw the industry as a hobby, but when I moved to the United States in 2014, I started to do research and try to figure how the industry works here in the U.S.”

Bencomo acquired the 80-acre Morriston, Farm that was formerly Eddie Coletti's Sunrise Stable South in 2021 and has been busy refurbishing the property.

“I bought the farm just 2 1/2 years ago and I've been trying to rebuild it,” he said. “I bought it in pretty bad condition and I've been improving all the buildings, the fences, and the racetrack. And I built a swimming pool.”

New Horizon made its debut at OBS with a pair of pinhooking prospects in March 2021.

“Originally, we started with pinhooking yearlings to 2-year-olds,” Bencomo said. “Now we are moving to homebreds. For the next year, we are going to have 14 or 15 homebreds, by Kentucky and Florida stallions.”

Hip 710 is out of Mooji's Empire (Empire), a mare New Horizon acquired privately. The juvenile is co-bred with CESA Farm.

While only its third year of operation, New Horizon Farm was celebrating its second bullet worker at OBS. The consignment was represented by a filly by Good Magic (hip 984) who worked a quarter in :20 4/5 before selling for $200,000 to trainer Peter Miller on behalf of Kaleem Shah at the 2022 OBS June sale. She had been a $35,000 Keeneland September purchase by New Horizon.

Following next week's auction, New Horizon Farm heads north with a four-horse consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale.

“I am going with four to the Maryland sale,” Bencomo said. “I have two homebreds there and then I am going to keep some for racing.”

Bencomo remains active in the e-commerce industry, but he sees a day when his racing operation will take up much of his time.

“It's still a hobby,” he said of the farm. “But in the near future, I think it will be a profitable business.”

Miles Doubles Up on Bullets Thursday

Randy Miles sent out a pair of fillies to share the bullet furlong Thursday and, at the end of the day, the consignor admitted he was pleasantly surprised by the results.

“We knew they were quick, but most of the time at the 2-year-old sale, you just want them to stay out of trouble and try their hardest and do the best they can possibly do,” Miles said. “They did it today. But sometimes 2-year-olds don't cooperate.”

A daughter of Race Day (hip 719, video) out of the unraced Morning Memo (Morning Line), who is a daughter of graded winner Memorette (Memo {Chi}), worked shortly before 10 a.m. The bay filly was purchased by Miles's Cool Hill Farm for $27,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“She's a lovely filly and she had a beautiful breeze,” Miles said of the youngster. “She's so easy and classy in the barn. She's really what you want in a horse. Race Day may not be the flavor of the month, but as we all know, he can get you a good race horse. We didn't pay a whole lot for her, but when we saw her, we loved her build and her athleticism.”

A filly from the first crop of Maximus Mischief (hip 728, video) worked just short of noon Thursday. Out of My Rolex (Proud Accolade), the juvenile is a half-sister to stakes-winner It's High Time (Gone Astray) and from the family of Grade I winner Black Seventeen. The Florida-bred RNA'd for $55,000 at last year's OBS October sale and Miles is consigning her on behalf of breeder Tracy Pinchin.

“I have three of them and they are all here at the sale,” Miles said of offspring of graded-winner Maximus Mischief. “They all act like they want to run. They all act precocious. This filly is about 15.3 and I have a colt who is 16.2. And I have one in the middle. So I am getting all shapes and sizes, but I do like their desire to try and to work hard and their mental attitude.”

The pair of Thursday bullets made three on the week for Miles, who sent out a son of Solomini (hip 692) to work in :9 4/5 Wednesday.

“He's just beautiful,” Miles said of the colt. “I generally just let him do his own talking. Everybody who has been by has been impressed with him. We knew he was talented. My partner, Bo Hunt is an excellent trainer and a lot of times when these young horses show that they have speed, we don't breeze them that often. It was about every two weeks to 20 days that we breezed him and he showed it every time.”

Victor Centeno's Two Oaks Equine sent out a filly by Bolt d'Oro (hip 785) to work in :9 4/5 during Thursday's first set of workers. The filly is out of the unraced Petunia (Into Mischief) and was purchased by Centeno for $20,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

A colt by Into Mischief (hip 793) worked in :9 4/5 for Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, which purchased him as a weanling for $350,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale. The bay is out of Pisa No Tiffany (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to Tapit.

A colt by Army Mule (hip 845) worked in :9 4/5 for Pick View, LLC. The youngster, who sold for $40,000 at the 2022 Keeneland January sale, sold again for $110,000 to Gracie Bloodstock on behalf of Anthony Tate at the Keeneland September sale. The chestnut is out of Raging Atlantic (Stormy Atlantic), a half-sister to Grade I-placed Seven Trumpets (Morning Line).

Four horses shared Thursday's fastest quarter-mile breeze of :21 flat: a colt by Blame (hip 786, video); a filly by Hard Spun (hip 814, video); a colt by Cable Bay (Ire) (hip 847, video); and a colt by No Nay Never (hip 868, video).

“I think those guys have done a great job with the track,” Miles said when asked to assess conditions from session-to-session at the under-tack show this week. “We got a little wind push this afternoon and I think another day they had a good wind push. But overall, trying to keep it consistent from the first set to the last set, I think it's been pretty consistent. And that's hard. This thing is kind of a monster to tame. And they've done a pretty good job with it.”

The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 8 a.m. The Spring sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday with bidding beginning each day at 10:30 a.m.

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Red Route One, Victory Formation Chase Preakness Berth In Oaklawn’s Bath House Row

Different name, but trainer Brad Cox said he's hoping for the same result.

Cox is scheduled to start two major contenders in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn, a 1 1/8-mile race he won the previous two years when it was known as the Oaklawn Stakes.

Probable post time for the Bath House Row, the 11th of 12 races, is 5:46 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:10 p.m. The card also includes the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles and the inaugural $150,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile.

The projected nine-horse Bath House Row field from the rail out:

Interlock Empire, David Cabrera to ride, 118 pounds, 8-1 on the morning line;
Mazing Mark, Jon Court, 124, 20-1;
Powerful, Isaac Castillo, 124, 15-1;
Red Route One, Joel Rosario, 118, 2-1;
Aristocracy, Cristian Torres, 118, 20-1;
Victory Formation, Luis Saez, 124, 3-1;
Two Eagles River, Mitchell Murrill, 121, 4-1;
Line to Gain, Eduardo Gallardo, 118, 30-1; and
Tapit Shoes, Kent Desormeaux, 118, 7-2.

The Bath House Row winner, if Triple Crown eligible, will receive automatic entry into the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, May 20 at Pimlico.

Cox, who won the Oaklawn Stakes in 2021 with Fulsome and again last year with Home Brew, will be represented by Victory Formation (3 for 4 overall) and Tapit Shoes.

Victory Formation, co-owned by prominent Arkansas businessman Frank Fletcher, won his first three career starts, including a front-running three-length score in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1. The Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Victory Formation fell off the Triple Crown trail after finishing ninth as the favorite in his last start, the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds, and subsequently sustaining a minor leg laceration in a stall accident. Risen Star winner Angel of Empire, who finished second in the Smarty Jones for Cox, returned to win the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 1 at Oaklawn.

Cox was targeting the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles last Saturday at Keeneland for Victory Formation's comeback, but decided to re-route the Tapwrit colt to the Bath House Row. Cox won the Lexington with First Mission.

“There was a little speed in that race,” Cox said. “He (Victory Formation) seems like he wants to be forwardly placed. Obviously, I didn't know who all was going to run in the race there at Oaklawn. With the mile and a sixteenth, shorter stretch at Keeneland, I thought that there would be a little bit more pace. Honestly, there wasn't quite as much pace in the race as it looked like on paper. Overall, from our standpoint, it worked out well. First Mission's a very, very good colt. I'm hoping this works out really well for Victory Formation, too.”

Since recovering from his minor injury, Victory Formation has had four published workouts. The first was March 24 at Fair Grounds. His last three breezes were at Churchill Downs. He will race on Lasix for the first time Saturday.

“Pretty happy with his works the last few weeks at Churchill,” Cox said. “Thought this race made a lot of sense.”

Tapit Shoes, a half-brother to Cyberknife, Cox's 2022 Arkansas Derby winner, will be making his stakes debut. Tapit Shoes, a son of Tapit, has made all four career starts at 1 1/16 miles and exits a third-place finish in an entry-level allowance Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds.

“He is a horse that I do think has improved throughout the winter and into the spring,” Cox said. “He was marked for a first-level allowance race the first weekend at Keeneland that, in years past, went. It did not go this year. So, he's been ready to run for a few weeks. I need to run the horse. I'm very happy with the way he's training, so here we are. I do think he'll like a mile and an eighth. He doesn't have a lot of speed. He showed a little bit more speed last time than he had in his previous runs, but he's a horse that's learning and getting better the more he does it. He needs to take a step forward and I hope he does.”

Cox is seeking a single-season Oaklawn record ninth stakes victory at the 2022-2023 meeting.

Program favorite Red Route One ran in the final three legs of Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Red Route One finished second in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28, second in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25 and a disappointing sixth in the Arkansas Derby, which eliminated the late-running son of Gun Runner from Kentucky Derby consideration.

“Bad day for him,” Asmussen said. “Just try to find the right spots for him from here on out.”

Red Route One added blinkers for the Arkansas Derby and retains the equipment for the Both House Row. He will race on Lasix for the first time Saturday. Asmussen won the inaugural running of what is now the Bath House Row (Oaklawn Invitational) in 2019 with Laughing Fox, who finished fifth in the Preakness two weeks later.

Also returning from the Arkansas Derby is seventh-place finisher Two Eagles River for 2015 Oaklawn training champion Chris Hartman. Two Eagles River, heavily bet going to the gate, led for much of the race before tiring to finish 8 ¼ lengths behind Angel of Empire.

“He sort of let us down last time, but, hopefully, we'll see if it's the class or the distance that seems to be the problem,” Hartman said. “Hopefully, we'll get an answered question out of this one.”

Two Eagles River will be making his fifth start of the meeting and, like Red Route One, is being wheeled back in three weeks.

“He came out of the race really good,” Hartman said. “I think it's prime. Twenty-one days is real good recovery time, I think, for him.”

Interlock Empire finished eighth in the Arkansas Derby for trainer Kenny McPeek.

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Eoghan O’Grady Appointed Cork Racecourse Manager

Eoghan O'Grady has been appointed Racecourse Manager at Cork Racecourse Mallow. O'Grady takes up his new role with immediate effect as Andrew Hogan moves to Tipperary Racecourse ahead of a major redevelopment at the track. A former amateur rider, O'Grady held a trainer's licence from 2005 to December of last year.

“With the support of the board of directors and the hard-working team here I am very much looking forward to this role,” O'Grady said. “I am very grateful to Andrew Hogan for all his guidance since the start of the year and wish him well in future endeavours.”

Chairman of Cork Racecourse Mallow, Tom Gaffney, said, “On behalf of my board colleagues, the management and support team, and our loyal customers, I wish to express gratitude to Andrew for his commitment, loyalty and vision for Cork Racecourse. His commitment was notable particularly during the COVID period, but also in the development of the seven-furlong track. We wish him continued success in delivering the plans for Tipperary Racecourse.

“We look forward to working with Eoghan as we seek to optimise the investment in the track and facilities by satisfying the enjoyment criteria of our existing and potential customers.”

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