August, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Millionaire Warrant Headlines Remington’s Opening Night Governor’s Cup On Aug. 18

Millionaire and graded stakes winner Warrant makes his first trip back to Remington Park as the 8-5 morning line favorite for the opening night stakes – the $100,000 Governor's Cup on Aug. 18.

Warrant gave Cox, the nation's top trainer by earnings this year, his third Oklahoma Derby win in a row, tying him for the most victories in this race with Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame conditioner Donnie K. Von Hemel. Cox is the only trainer to win three consecutive Oklahoma Derbies. The Governor's Cup is the same distance – 1-1/8 miles on dirt – as the Oklahoma Derby. So, the favorite loves the track and the distance.

Warrant, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Constitution, out of the First Samurai mare Whisper Number, beat some pretty salty competition in his Oklahoma Derby win, taking down Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock; Flash of Mischief, who went on to race in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and West Virginia Derby winner Mr. Wireless. Warrant has raced 18 times, winning five, finishing second five times and third four more times for a lifetime bankroll of $1,082,833. His most recent stakes win came in the $175,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill Downs at 1-1/2 miles in Louisville, Ky. on May 3 this year. He has since run fourth and fifth in graded stakes races at Belmont in Elmont, N.Y., and Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

Warrant will be ridden in the Governor's Cup by jockey Luis Fuentes, who is bringing his tack to Remington Park for the first time. Fuentes has had 351 mounts this year, winning 73, running second 70 times and third another 49 for horses' earnings of $2,232,829. His lifetime stats are 2,601-436-412-418, $10,440,048. He moves over from Louisiana Downs where he recently won the Louisiana Cup Juvenile Stakes on Aug. 5 with Strong Promise. Fuentes' top horse in his career is 4-year-old filly named Bella Dona, a New Mexico-bred who has won 12-of-14 starts lifetime with earnings of $753,068.

Warrant is owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables (Randall Gullatt) of Versailles, Ky.

Remington Park linemaker Jerry Shottenkirk has established Holden the Lute as the second favorite at 7-2 odds. This 6-year-old gelding by Midnight Lute, out of the Proud Citizen mare Casino Gold, has run first or second in 17-of-33 starts and has earned $353,175 for owner Charles Garvey of Nisku, Alberta, Canada. This Kentucky-bred gelding is coming off a seven-length win in allowance-optional claiming $35,000 company at Canterbury in Minnesota. His last stakes try was the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, which proved to be a disappointment. Holden the Lute ran 10th in a field of 10, beaten 44-3/4 lengths. He has yet to win a stakes race and will be ridden by Isaac Castillo.

The third choice in the morning line is Presidential at 4-1 odds. The colt is conditioned by Steve Asmussen, the 17-time training title holder here and the all-time winningest trainer in the sport. His only entrant in the Governor's Cup is a 4-year-old by Pioneerof the Nile, out of the Twirling Candy mare Uptown Twirl, is also looking for his first stakes win. The Kentucky-bred colt is owned by Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam) of Ocala, Fla., and has a record of 12-3-4-0, $294,689. He gets in off a win in an allowance-optional claiming $50,000 race at Ellis Park in Kentucky, and will be ridden by Stewart Elliott.

Rounding out the top four entrants in odds is local hero, Number One Dude at 9-2. He is the only Oklahoma-bred in a field that includes six others, all Kentucky-breds. This 5-year-old gelding by American Lion, out of the Macho Uno mare Ebony Uno, this week was rewarded as the 2022 Oklahoma Breeders' Champion Thoroughbred Male Turf Runner, presented by the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma. Owner Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla., sends out his multiple stakes winner off an 8-1/4 length win on the dirt in the $55,000 Classics Cup at Will Rogers Downs on May 9 with regular rider Leandro Goncalves aboard who has the call again. Number One Dude's most recent stakes win came in the $70,000 Red Earth Derby at 7-1/2 furlongs on the turf at Remington Park on Sept. 23, 2022. Number One Dude moves from the barn of trainer Kari Craddock to Scott Young's for this meet. His record is 21-9-6-0, $449,100.

Here's a look at the seven-horse field for the Governor's Cup with post, horse, odds, trainer, jockey:

Kokokomo, 6-1, Danny Pish, Jansen Melancon
Presidential, 4-1, Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott
Warrant, 8-5, Brad Cox, Luis Fuentes
Holden the Lute, 7-2, Robertino Diodoro, Isaac Castillo
Number One Dude, 9-2, Scott Young, Leandro Goncalves
Sonneman, 10-1, Karl Broberg, Harry Hernandez
Paluxy, 20-1, Scott Young, Floyd Wethey, Jr.

The Governor's Cup is the eight of nine race on Opening Night at Remington Park with a schedule post time of 10:23pm. The first race of the evening is at 7:07pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $328 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park is home to the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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Vienna: HISA’s Ineligibility Rules A ‘Harmful And Unconstitutional Power Play’ Against Owners

The following open letter to the industry was penned by Darrell Vienna, attorney at law, and distributed by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association:

As HISA continues to modify and revise various parts of its rules (1), one critical area has been allowed to continue its destructive effect on horse owners and their horses. This harmful oversight needs to be modified immediately. Or better yet, yesterday.

Under current HISA rules, horse owners are being or will be deprived of their constitutional right to the use and enjoyment of their property. If the initial sample collected from a horse tests positive, the horse may be declared ineligible to race for the horse's lifetime without any opportunity for the owner to be heard or present evidence. There presently is no review process for the owner under HISA rules.

HISA Rules provide for sanctions against both individuals (Covered Persons) and horses (Covered Horses). A Covered Horse is any horse that participates or engages in a workout or participates in races in jurisdictions governed by HISA. A horse which tests positive for certain substances, or has been subjected to certain prohibited methods, may be excluded from racing for period ranging from one month to life.

This exclusion from racing, which HISA calls a period of ineligibility, travels with the horse. Changing trainers or owners does not lift the ineligibility. The owner does not receive a hearing to challenge the decision – a decision that interferes with the use and enjoyment of his or her property. If the horse tests positive and the split sample is waived or confirms the initial finding, the horse may, depending on the substance detected, be rendered ineligible for the rest of its life.

Consider the following:

Scenario 1: A weanling is administered a bisphosphonate, a drug used off-label for treatment of sesamoiditis, by a farm veterinarian. The weanling is later purchased at auction by a first-time race horse owner. The horse is raced for the first time as a 2-year-old. The horse wins a race and the bisphosphonate is detected in the post-race sample. The science is clear. Once a horse has been treated with bisphosphonates, the substance may be detected for years. Pursuant to HISA rules, not only is the horse disqualified from the race, the horse can never race again because HISA has adopted rule 4310 which provides that the detection of bisphosphonates in any horse results in a lifetime ban, despite a lack of any evidence that the presence of bisphosphonates actually places horses at greater risk of injury.

Scenario 2: At the end of a race meeting, a trainer prepares to move his horses to race in another state. He is assigned stalls that are pre-bedded with straw by a feed company. One of the employees of the feed company takes metformin for diabetes — the third most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 92 million prescriptions. This feed-company employee relieves himself in the corner of one of the freshly bedded stalls. Days later the trainer puts one of his horses in the stall in which the metformin-taking feed-company employee urinated. The horse ingests some contaminated straw with his hay, causing a positive test in a post-race sample. The trainer is suspended and the horse is ineligible to work or race for a period of up to 14 months.

The owner who had no knowledge of the source of the prohibited substance is, without recourse or hearing, deprived of the use of his racehorse. Depending on the value of the horse, the owner may decide to sell or give the horse away. Since the horse has limited or no eligibility to race, its value is significantly diminished. What happens to these horses that are ineligible to race? Some may be retrained as riding or show horses; some may end up in unsanctioned match races; however, others may end up in killer pens awaiting slaughter.

HISA Officials have claimed that this rule is intended to promote horse welfare. Lisa Lazarus, CEO of HISA, has been recently quoted as saying, confusingly, that this rule is based on the length of time it takes for a substance to exit a horse's system2. Nothing could be further from the truth. This imposition of ineligibility on the horse is simply an unreviewable punitive action against horse owners that endangers the health and safety of horses while at the same time being euphemistically labeled by HISA as a measure to promote “horse welfare.”

Let's say, instead, that the owner chooses to keep the horse and race it after the 14-month ineligibility period is over. Research has shown that horses that do not engage in high-speed exercise for 30 days or more are at higher risk of fatal injury than horses that are in full training. The 14-month ineligibility period actually places these horses at higher risk of injury. The HISA argument of protecting horses is fallacious.

The obvious solution to this situation is to offer every owner a full review mechanism which comports with due process. Further, the horse's ineligibility should end as soon as the horse passes subsequent testing. In the meantime, if you are an owner, whether or not you have already been directly affected by this rule, you should voice your most serious objection to this harmful and unconstitutional power play by a clearly unaware HISA.

1 HISA rules are little more than a conglomeration of “cut and pastes” from the rules of the Fédération Equestre International, a European-based association which deals with Olympic horse competitions.

2 Ms. Lazarus is obviously trying to obfuscate the issue of a pharmacologically effective drug to the irrelevant possibility that benign remnants of a drug may show up in hair. Horsemen should not stand for this underhanded misdirection.

Darrell Vienna, for years a leading trainer in California, is an internationally renowned authority in equine law and all aspects of horse racing, regardless of breed or jurisdiction. In more than three decades of practicing law, the graduate of the University of California and Loyola Law School has represented or assisted horsemen in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah, Great Britain, Hong Kong and Singapore. His efforts have resulted in numerous acquittals for licensees charged with violations of racing regulations. Vienna trained 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and champion Gilded Time and Grade 1 winners Fly Till Dawn, Star Parade and Janet along with 64 other graded-stakes winners. His horses won 1,232 races and earned more than $50.6 million throughout his 40-year training career, during which he was licensed to train in 25 racing jurisdictions.

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Weaver: ‘Hardy’ No Nay Mets Ready For Distance Step Up In Friday’s Skidmore

Bregman Family Racing and WWBD's regally-bred No Nay Mets is batting .667 having won 2-of-3 starts heading into Friday's $150,000 Skidmore, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for 2-year-olds, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by George Weaver, the No Nay Never colt, a $1,025,796 purchase from this year's Goffs London Sale, was destined to be a good one as the first foal out of the Group 3-winner Etoile. His third dam, Gwynn, produced 2011 Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi and Group 3 winner Dawn Patrol.

Bred in Ireland by Coolmore, No Nay Mets graduated on debut in a five-furlong turf sprint at Gulfstream Park, taking a field of 10 gate-to-wire under Luca Panici to post a 3 1/2-length score over next-out winner and eventual stakes-placed Mattingly.

He then tried to emulate his sire with a win in the Group 2 Norfolk on June 22 at Royal Ascot but settled for a ninth-place effort engineered by Frankie Dettori. No Nay Mets returned one month later with Paco Lopez at the helm to post a frontrunning 5 1/2-length romp in the five-furlong Tyro over good going at Monmouth Park.

No Nay Mets breezed back a half-mile in 51.22 seconds over the Oklahoma training turf on Friday and the Spa's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. will have the call from post 7.

“He's doing very good,” Weaver said. “His breeze on Friday went well and just as planned. The distance is uncharted territory, but I don't think he'll have a problem with it.

“He's a hardy horse,” added Weaver. “I'm not worried about the short rest.”

In addition to No Nay Mets, Weaver has sent out six other juvenile turf sprinters for maiden scores this year led by Crimson Advocate, who graduated at second asking in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park and later took the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. His juvenile filly turf sprint winners include Amidst Waves, who graduated at Belmont Park and later won the Colleen at Monmouth; and Astonesthrowaway, who won her Belmont debut. On the male side, Twisted Filigree was a second-out winner at Belmont; Please Advise won his Belmont debut; and Good Lord Lorrie bolted up at first asking Saturday at the Spa.

Weaver's talented 2-year-old turf troop also features Brocknardini, who won a restricted maiden special weight route here on August 2.

“We just had some precious horses and I feel like I've been doing the same thing this year as I do every year. We just got the right set of horses to make some noise. It's always fun to have some exciting young horses,” Weaver said.

Stonestreet Stables' Fandom [post 9, John Velazquez] also enjoyed a European adventure at Royal Ascot. Trained by Wesley Ward, Fandom, by Showcasing, is out of the Pivotal mare Brogan, who is a half-sister to Group 1-winner Lezoo.

The British-bred colt was purchased for $195,857 from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and made a winning debut under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in April at Keeneland, drawing off to score by 6 3/4-lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight over firm footing.

Fandom then traveled to Royal Ascot for the Group 2 Coventry and landed 11th in the 20-horse field with returning rider Hall of Famer John Velazquez at the helm in the six-furlong test over good going.

The talented bay returned to Ward's Keeneland base where he breezed twice in July before shipping up to Saratoga and posting a trio of half-mile works over the Oklahoma training turf, including the first effort on July 28 in 51 flat.

“We breezed him in company and he laid three or four lengths off another horse and he ran right by his workmate,” Ward said.

Three Chimneys Farm's Go Otto Go [post 10, Florent Geroux] will make his turf debut for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Bolt d'Oro colt graduated on debut in May at Churchill Downs, drawing off to win by four lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight. He finished a pacesetting fourth last out in the six-furlong Bashford Manor on July 2 at Ellis Park.

Go Otto Go worked a half-mile in 50.69 on August 6 over the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for his turf debut.

The $180,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale purchase is out of the stakes-winning New York-bred War Chant mare Court Dancer, who was winless in three turf starts.

Kenneth Ramsey's Kentucky homebred Billy the Greek [post 8, Luis Saez] earned a 65 Beyer Speed Figure for a narrow nose score in his July 21 debut here in a 5 1/2-furlong off-the-turf maiden special weight for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

With Luis Saez up, the Goldencents gelding bobbled at the break and bumped with a rival before recovering to track in third position. He made a brave inside move in upper stretch and took charge late to secure the win at odds of 12-1.

“It was a pleasant surprise that he won first time out,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Now we hope he will run on the grass. He's bred for the grass.”

Billy the Greek is out of the stakes-placed Kitten's Joy mare Kitten's Dancer, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Bigger Picture, who captured the 2017 Grade 1 United Nations over the Monmouth Park turf.

Trainer Mike Maker will hope to send out a strong pair in dual stakes-placed Ship Cadet [post 2, Manny Franco] and Jimmythetooth [post 11 AE, Javier Castellano].

Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Kevin Haynes and John Huber's dual stakes-placed Ship Cadet graduated on debut in May in a five-furlong maiden special weight sprint over firm Belmont turf, besting the aforementioned Twisted Filigree by less than a length.

He followed with a pair of runner-up efforts in sprint stakes, completing the exacta behind Gold Sweep in the Tremont on June 11 going 5 1/2-furlongs over Big Sandy before returning to turf to chase home No Nay Mets last out in the Tyro.

Bred in California by Mr. and Mrs. William T. Griffin, the Midshipman colt is out of the multiple stakes-winning Harbor the Gold mare Bella Mia. He was purchased for $79,000 at the 2022 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Yearling and Mixed Sale.

Michael Dubb's New York-homebred Jimmythetooth will hope to draw in from the also-eligible list following a gate-to-wire score in a state-bred maiden special weight on July 27 sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm Spa turf.

The World of Trouble bay has hit the board in all three career starts, including a prominent second on July 7 in a five-furlong state-bred maiden special weight over firm Belmont green.

He is out of the winning Yes It's True mare Silent Fright, who is a half-sister to multiple grades stakes-winner Grand Adventure – Canada's 2010 Champion Grass Horse.

A talented field also includes maiden winners Untroubled [post 1, Abel Lezcano] for trainer Eduardo Caramori; Seize the Grey [post 4, Joel Rosario], who makes his turf debut for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas; the Jose Delgado-trained Sebastian Run [post 3, Jomar Torres]; Factor U and Me In [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], who finished off-the-board in the Tyro for conditioner Ed Coletti, Jr.; and Five o' Somewhere [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], who make his turf debut off a maiden win at Hawthorne for trainer and co-owner Kenneth Spraggins. The New York-bred El Grande O [post 12 AE, Jose Ortiz] will hope to draw in for conditioner Linda Rice. Antonio of Venice was entered for the main-track only.

The Skidmore is slated as race 8 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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‘Things Keep Getting Better’: Wyoming Downs Closes 2023 Season With Richest Horse Race In State History

Wyoming Downs closed its 20-day 2023 race season on Aug. 6 with the richest horse race in Wyoming history. The $200,000 Wyoming Quarter Horse Futurity, won by Pappas Fame, captured the winnings for owners Andra and Eddie Jensen before a crowd of approximately 2,800 fans. Closing day's handle was the highest since the mid-80s at $180,000.

Marking another Wyoming state record, the 2023 Wyoming Downs purses came in for an historic high of 1.7 million dollars, with horsemen from approximately six states competing for the winnings.

“It's hard to beat a quadruple threat like we had this year: the richest race, the highest seasonal purse the largest crowd and then a closing day with Wyoming's highest handle in nearly 40 years,” said Frank Lamb, Wyoming Downs Director of Government Affairs.

But track owner, Eric Nelson predicts another record-breaking year next year with 2024 purses at over 2 million dollars.

“Things keep getting better and better for horsemen and fans,” said Nelson. “Over these past years we've increased both the purse size and upped our season's length. We've also eliminated the need for lines by adding a ticket buying option online and by offering our FastBet Mobile phone app option for betting.”

Under Public Relations Director, Judy Horton, Wyoming Downs hosted 20 special events throughout the season. Among the many popular events were the Native American Heritage Day, Ladies Day, Wyoming Downs Spirits and Brew Fest, Wyoming Downs Car Show, Special Olympics Wyoming and Wyoming Families of Hands and Voices Day, Kids Stick Horse Races, Wyoming Hunger Initiative, and Pink Out Day which celebrates cancer survivors with the annual “Raysha's Race.”

2023 marks the 11th consecutive race season since owner Eric Nelson repurchased Wyoming Downs and began racing in 2013. With that purchase, a regional resurgence of live racing began, along with all industries related to racing.

After the races, Wyoming Downs invited those over the age of 18 to its off-track betting facility in Evanston, one of 17 OTB locations throughout the state in Evanston, Casper, Cheyenne, Evansville, Gillette, Green River, Laramie, Mills, Sheridan, Rock Springs and Thermopolis.

Wyoming Downs is located an approximate 75-minute drive from Salt Lake City, Utah.

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