New research aims to reduce injuries in British racing, says Horse Welfare Board
A three-year plan to study injuries in British horse racing in order to minimise injury risk is announced by the Horse Welfare Board.
Month: June 2023
Where to Watch/Listen: Horse Racing Coverage June 20-25
Horse racing coverage on TV, streaming services, and radio expands to an international setting this week, as the main focus of fans and horseplayers in several countries will be directed at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet in England.
Raptor’s Surges To Victory In ‘Win And You’re In’ Grand Premio Brasil, Earns BC Turf Berth
Haras Do Morro's 3-year-old homebred Raptor's split horses at the top of the stretch and surged to the front in the final quarter-mile to win Sunday's 91st Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro by a length.
With this victory, Raptor's earned an automatic starting position into the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
Raptor's, a son of Hat Trick out of the Wild Event mare Eurotrip, is trained by Luis Esteves and was ridden by Joao Moreira. Raptor's joins The Punisher, winner of the Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini (G1), as the first horses this year to earn free starting positions into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.
Raptor's, the 5-1 favorite, finished in front of stablemate Online, who was disqualified for interference entering the stretch and was placed 16th following a stewards' inquiry. Escher, who crossed the line in third was moved up to second place, followed by Olympic Kremlin in third.
Raptor's, who won the Cruzeiro do Sul (G1) (Brazilian Derby) in his previous start at Gavea, completed the 1 ½ miles in 2:24.91 over a course listed as soft. He improved his record to four wins in seven starts. It was also the sixth time that Esteves has saddled the winner of the Grande Premio Brasil.
Breaking from post 8 in a 16-horse field, Raptor's settled around 10th place during the first seven furlongs, while longshot Lionel the Best set the pace followed by Limeira and Jorel. Approaching the far turn, Moreira found room along the rail and forged Raptor's through a gap between Limeira and Jorel and into the lead. Online, the 6-1 second choice, forced horses wide at the top of the stretch and chased Raptor's to the wire in second. Escher closed ground in deep stretch to finish third and was moved up to second following the disqualification of Online.
Now in its 16th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Raptor's to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita Park. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.
The post Raptor’s Surges To Victory In ‘Win And You’re In’ Grand Premio Brasil, Earns BC Turf Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Planetario Sets Santa Anita Turf Course Record In Marathon San Juan Capistrano
Right at home at the marathon distance of about 1 3/4 miles on turf, trainer Richard Mandella's Brazilian-bred Planetario enjoyed a perfect ground-saving trip in Santa Anita's $100,000 San Juan Capistrano (G3) on Sunday, responding with an emphatic 4½-length win in course-record time.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, Planetario got the distance on the downhill turf in 2:48.08.
Well in hand out of the gate, Berrios had Planetario a relaxed fourth, about nine lengths off pacesetter Opry as the field crossed under the wire the first time around. Saving every inch of ground to the far turn, Planetario advanced toward both Opry and Birth of Cool and with those two tiring, Berrios tipped three deep turning for home and Planetario burst clear in the middle of the course en route to his first U.S. win.
“We were just trying to keep him fit and build his wind up,” said Mandella who notched his second win in Santa Anita's signature turf marathon, with his first coming in 1993 that season's eventual Horse of the Year Kotashaan.
“We also had the concern that he ran so well last time (second in the San Luis Rey Stakes [G3] on May 13), it raised the question of 'Did you leave something on the racetrack that day?' Obviously, he didn't, he gained from it.
“This is what racing should be about. Thoroughbred racing should be something like this, and to not push this race and not build it up is a mistake in my mind.”
Stretching out a quarter mile from the San Luis Rey, Planetario, a two-time Group I winner in Brazil who was making his third start for Mandella, was off 5-2 in a field of six 3-year-olds and up and paid $7.40 for the victory.
“My horse ran very comfortably,” said Berrios, fourth in the closing date jockey standings with 21 wins and second by stakes-with five added money tallies. “I was just waiting for the favorite (second-place finisher Offlee Naughty) to make his move and I think that was to our favor.
“I put him behind Joe Bravo's horse (Birth of Cool) and he relaxed a lot. Today, he was a way different horse than he was in his last race. He ran so strong, he left me surprised.”
Owned by his breeder, Red Rafa Stud Inc., Planetario, is a 5-year-old horse by Il Doge out of the Crimson Tide mare Aerospera. His career record stands at 6-1-0 from 11 starts, and with the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his lifetime earnings to $110,548.
The even-money favorite ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Offlee Naughty was last for most of the trip, loomed dangerously at the rail leaving the three-furlong pole but was outrun around the turn while getting shuffled back. Undeterred, he found his best stride late and rallied strongly for the place, finishing a nose in front of longshot Rimprotector.
Ridden by Kyle Frey, Rimprotector sat third for most of the trip and finished evenly as the longest shot in the field at 21-1 odds.
Irish-bred Duvet Day, the lone filly in the lineup, finished a length back in fourth with Juan Hernandez aboard.
Fractions on the San Juan Capistrano were :24.42, :48.80, 1:13.77, 1:40.71, and 2:07.40.
Sunday was Santa Anita's 28-day Hollywood Meet's closing day. Live racing will return to Arcadia, Calif. with opening day of the 2023 Autumn Meet on Friday, Sept. 29.
The post Planetario Sets Santa Anita Turf Course Record In Marathon San Juan Capistrano appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
