July, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Evvie Jets Denies Favorite Technical Analysis With Wire-To-Wire Perfect Sting Win

The Estate of Robert J. Amendola's graded stakes winner Evvie Jets led every step of the way to notch her third career stakes triumph in Sunday's $150,000 Perfect Sting, a one-mile Widener turf test for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Mertkan Kantarmaci and piloted to victory by Javier Castellano, Evvie Jets stayed well in command throughout to land a half-length triumph over pace-pressing post-time favorite Technical Analysis, who, along with Haughty and Customer List, was part of a formidable triad for conditioner Chad Brown. It was Evvie Jets' second win in three starts this year, adding to another stakes score in the Plenty of Grace in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“Unbelievable. She just has so much heart,” said Michael Amendola, son of Evvie Jets' late owner Robert Amendola. “Put her toe to toe with anybody and she fights on. It's a true test of her being a great racehorse. We have so much trust in her and we were excited to have Javier aboard today. She's been training great and we had her in a great spot. It was a nice surprise, but it wasn't a surprise.”

Away from the outermost post 5 at odds of 8-1, Evvie Jets broke sharpest of all with Technical Analysis ranging up to her inside to stay within striking range while Customer List broke a step slow and trailed through an opening quarter-mile in 23.36 seconds over the firm footing.

Technical Analysis, with Jose Ortiz in the irons, preserved her inside stalking position down the backstretch with stablemate Haughty giving chase on the outside as the half-mile elapsed in :46.77. Ortiz angled Technical Analysis to the outside of her pacesetting foe approaching the turn to take dead aim at Evvie Jets with Haughty going widest of all under Flavien Prat.

Castellano shook the reins approaching the top of the lane and Evvie Jets responded, finding another gear as Technical Analysis came within a half-length at the eighth pole but was in an all-out drive and unable to make up further ground. A valiant Evvie Jets had enough left in the end to stave off her rival and cross the wire first in a final time of 1:33.99, returning $19.60 for a $2 win ticket.

Haughty kept on for show honors as the late-running Tic Tic Tic Boom completed the superfecta. Customer List, who flattened out after a brief bid in the turn, completed the order of finish.

Kantarmaci, who won his third race of the Belmont spring/summer meet, said he was confident Evvie Jets could take on the trio of Chad Brown trainees.

“I see that Chad's three horses were really strong competition for today, but we were at our best distance and we knew she was going to make her race,” Kantarmaci said. “The rival doesn't always run each race the same race – you need to run against them and if you make your race, you can beat them. She did her race.”

Although Evvie Jets has shown proficiency both on and off the pace, Kantarmaci said it was a wise decision by Castellano to take charge when Technical Analysis did not.

“I think this is the right move because she gets more comfortable on the lead and she has the ability to answer,” said Kantarmaci. “If the pace is slowed down already, she has the ability to give the second kick instead of the waiting horses make the kick.”

Castellano, who scored his second stake this weekend and fourth of the meet, said it was Evvie Jets' race to lose once she made the lead.

“These are the types of races that you have to use the best judgement,” said Castellano. “They [Technical Analysis] had speed and I had speed. I could either be aggressive and try to win the race, or be conservative and maybe get second or third. I tried to play the break and I didn't see anyone taking the lead, so I took it myself to dictate the pace. My horse loved it. The way she did it, you can see the fractions were easy and she was traveling really well. Turning for home, when I asked her, she responded really well.”

Bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms, Evvie Jets, a 5-year-old Twirling Candy mare, attained graded stakes glory when taking the Grade 3 Noble Damsel in October at Belmont at the Big A, which provided Kantarmaci with his first graded victory as a trainer. She boasts a record of 20-6-6-2 and banked $82,500 for her latest victory, increasing her lifetime bankroll to $531,655.

Bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms, Evvie Jets is out of the Consolidator mare Natchez Trace. Offered by Hidden Brook, she was a $75,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase by Team D in 2019.

Kantarmaci said potential targets for Evvie Jets could include the 1 1/16-mile, $300,000 Ballston Spa (G2) on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course, or the one-mile First Lady (G1) on October 7 at Keeneland.

“I think we should keep her in New York, in her own barn in her own home where she trains,” Kantarmaci said. “If she's really doing good, we look a little more higher levels with her. We go by distance first. Let's see what she shows in a couple weeks and go from there.”

Ortiz praised the runner-up effort from multiple graded stakes winner Technical Analysis, who made her first start off a nearly nine-month layoff.

“Usually, Chad has them pretty ready to go off the layoff and my filly ran a great race,” Ortiz said. “I thought the winner ran a great race, too. We went pretty fast down the backside.”

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Freshman Sire Catholic Boy Gets His First Winner

Lady d'Oro (Catholic Boy) is freshman sire Catholic Boy's first winner with her grass victory at Monmouth Park on Sunday afternoon. The filly was 49-1 in her debut when she finished sixth over a sealed track June 16 at the New Jersey track.

Still overlooked at the windows at 14-1 here, the bay filly avoided Momma Kim (Noble Mission {GB})'s fall, who stumbled up the backstretch after clipping heels with Gold Alliance (Goldencents), which also caused Bingo's Girl (Yoshida {Jpn}) to go down. Rounding the far turn, Lady d'Oro made up ground into the stretch and wrangling Gold Alliance past the eighth pole, she went on to graduate by 3/4 length over the late-running Madame Mischief. Gold Alliance was disqualified from third and placed last for interference entering the turn.

Following the race, Bingo's Girl and Momma Kim walked off under their own power. Jockey Samy Camacho, who was aboard Bingo's Girl, was sent to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch by ambulance for evaluation X-rays following a spill, according to track Medical Director Angelo Chinnici. Camacho, the track's second-leading rider with 29 wins, was excused from the remainder of his mounts on the 10-race card. Jockey Jorge Gonzalez, who was aboard Momma Kim, reported no injuries.

The winner's dam is responsible for a yearling filly by Instagrand and she foaled a colt by Good Magic Feb. 11.

4th-Monmouth, $55,850, Msw, 7-2, 2yo, f, 5fT, :57.12, fm,
3 3/4 lengths.
LADY D'ORO, f, 2, by Catholic Boy
1st Dam: Popstar, by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: Catstar, by Storm Cat
3rd dam: Advancing Star, Soviet Star
Sales History: $22,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $19,000 RNA 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $33,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by TVG or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Leopoldo M. Ortega; B-Lauren West, Val Henson & Jonathan Thomas Racing Stable (KY); T-Leopoldo M. Ortega.

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Proposed Berkeley City Council Ordinance Threat To Golden Gate Fields

A proposed Berkeley City Council ordinance has been introduced that, if passed into law, would put Golden Gate Fields' future in serious jeopardy.

The proposed ordinance makes it illegal to keep a horse stabled for more than 10 hours a day and requires that every horse has access to a minimum of one-half acre pasture turnout.

While reaffirming state and federal laws surrounding animal abuse and cruelty, the proposed ordinance also makes it a crime to conduct training and racing under a “reasonable expectation” that it could substantially injure or harm the animal.

“Such reasonable belief would be based upon substantial evidence, which may include, without limitation, the animal's physical condition, indicia of pain or suffering, musculoskeletal limitations, age or other relevant factors,” the ordinance states.

“Obviously we're concerned,” said Craig Fravel, chief executive officer at 1/ST Racing and Gaming, a company under The Stronach Group (TSG) umbrella, which owns Golden Gate Fields.

Fravel said that he was alerted to the ordinance on Friday. As such, TSG has not yet had a chance to conduct a legal analysis of the ordinance, or to plot a clear response, he said.

“I'm not going to over-react at this point, and just try to be constructive in our approach,” said Fravel. “There will be some time to engage and I think educate people on our safety record and our protocols and efforts that we go through.”

The proposed ordinance, introduced by Berkeley City councilmember Kate Harrison, has been referred to the Council Health and Life Enrichment Committee for hearings. The ordinance would need a recommendation from the committee before being taken up by the Berkeley City Council.

Harrison declined an interview, saying that she was on vacation. Harrison added, however, that she would discuss the proposed ordinance when committee discussions begin.

The nine-page proposed ordinance is specifically focused on horseracing and excludes other facilities within city limits where animals are housed, including animal rescue and adoption agencies.

It makes, however, several glaring misrepresentations and distortions of the Thoroughbred racing industry. This includes an erroneous suggestion that Thoroughbred racehorses, on average, live to only three to five years of age.

“Many fatalities in horseracing are euthanizations after horses suffer catastrophic injuries, cutting their lives unnaturally short,” the ordinance states. “When CBS Bay Area reported on the most recent horse death at GGF in May of this year it cited the fact that 'live into their 30s, but the average age of is [only] three to five years old.'”

The ordinance also states that “horse deaths continue to rise at the horse racing tracks within City limits.”

According to the Jockey Club Equine Injury Database, race-day equine fatalities are declining nationwide. Last year saw the lowest statistical equine fatality rate since 2009, when record keeping began–1.29 fatalities per 1000 starts.

When it comes to Golden Gate Fields, the track's equine fatality rate has been consistently below the national average since 2017. Last year, the rate was 0.56 fatalities per 1000 starts–a number less than half the national average.

“I'd like to push back pretty solidly against some of the suppositions,” said Scott Chaney, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), who added that the CHRB is “aware and certainly concerned” about the ordinance.

Golden Gate Fields | Vassar Photography

“Fatalities are not on the rise at Golden Gate Fields. The opposite is true,” said Chaney. “And while it is true that racehorses generally race from three to five, that is not their average life expectancy.”

The ordinance argues that the City of Berkeley, a charter city, has the legal authority to “establish regulations” and the jurisdiction to “protect and promote the public health, safety and welfare by establishing safeguards for animals” as long as those regulations don't conflict with state and federal law.

“It is in the public interest to adopt an ordinance prohibiting inhumane or abusive treatment of animals held, owned, used, exhibited or otherwise kept for sport, entertainment or profit within the City limits,” the ordinance states.

Chaney is less sure of the city's ability to establish such a law. “I believe that there would be some major legal hurdles in attempting to pass such a thing,” said Chaney.

He added, however, that the CHRB hasn't yet conducted a thorough legal analysis of the proposed ordinance to identify what those legal obstacles might be.

One possible hurdle would presumably concern how Golden Gate Fields straddles two adjacent cities, Berkeley and Albany.

The ordinance outlines a set of tough penalties, beginning with minimum fines of $5,000 per animal, per violation, per day, or imprisonment for periods between 30 days and one year.

In explanation of the proposed requirement to provide racehorses access to open pastures for a good portion of the day, the ordinance argues that how colic, laminitis, and pleuropneumonia are issues worsened by excessive confinement.

“Confining a 1200-pound animal to a 12×12 stall is akin to confining an elephant to a box car or a killer whale to a swimming pool. Equine veterinarian, Dr. Kraig Kulikowski, compared this to locking a child in a 4×4 closet for 23 hours a day, abuse punishable by law,” the ordinance states.

In recent years, Golden Gate Fields has found itself the target of animal rights activists.

In March of 2021, protestors disrupted racing by running onto the track before lying in a circle with interlocking pipes.

The protestors belonged to animal rights organization, Direct Action Everywhere, which seeks to see Golden Gate Fields shut down.

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Stylish Maiden Winner Northern Invader To Target Spa’s Hall Of Fame Stakes

West Point Thoroughbreds and David Ingordo's Northern Invader, a sophomore son of Collected, drew off to an impressive eight-length score on Saturday in a one-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up over the Widener turf at Belmont Park

Trained by Cherie DeVaux and piloted by John Velazquez, Northern Invader bobbled at the break and settled in fourth position before making a three-wide move on the turn and taking a four-length lead at the stretch call. The talented chestnut kicked away in the final furlong under a strong hand ride to secure the win in a final time of 1:33.76 and garner a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Northern Invader, bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. and Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, made his first two starts on dirt at Churchill Downs, completing the exacta on both occasions, in May and June.

DeVaux said she was cautiously optimistic of a good effort from Northern Invader in his turf debut.

“He's exciting for sure. The first two races we were trying to see if we should pursue going on the dirt. We always had a feeling he was a turf horse, but he had been training so well on the dirt,” said DeVaux, who secured her first win at Belmont Park. “There's always some apprehension. The two races he ran on the dirt were really solid and the speed figures came back quite fast, so you're just hoping you make the right decision with the surface change.”

DeVaux said Northern Invader is likely to target the $500,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at one-mile on turf for sophomores on August 4 at Saratoga Race Course rather than try for a Canadian classic win in the $1-million King's Plate, a 10-furlong Tapeta test restricted to Canadian-breds on August 20 at Woodbine Racetrack.

“Right now, I think we'll stay the course on the turf and maybe try the Hall of Fame. Just see how he's training out of this and go from there,” DeVaux said. “It's a big jump to go from a mile to that [10 furlongs], so we'll just have to see how he progresses in his training.”

The well-bred $310,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the winning Arch mare Androeah, who is a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Archarcharch.

DeVaux credited Northern Invader's breeders, who also found success this meet with the sophomore Ontario-bred Kalik, who captured the Pennine Ridge (G2) in June at Belmont and is targeting Saturday's $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1).

“They both do an excellent job with anything they have their hand in,” said DeVaux of Anderson and Berglar. “They're family friends of ours and both do a really good job in their matings and how the horses are raised. My husband [Ingordo] bought [Grade 1 winner] Hard Not to Love off of Dave Anderson — he has a great breeding program up there.”

Northern Invader, who shipped upstate to Saratoga this morning, was saddled on Saturday by DeVaux's sister and assistant trainer, Adrianne DeVaux, who visited with the budding star when he was a yearling.

“She was actually playing with him in the field and he was chasing her around. He wouldn't leave her alone, so the joke was always that he chose her. She's very attached to him,” DeVaux said, with a laugh.

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