Month: August 2023

Forte Now On Top Of Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's 3-year-old Forte is the new king of the hill in the latest Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, while the dominant victory by White Abarrio in last Saturday's Whitney Stakes (G1) earned him second place in the poll. The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which will be run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Forte, winner of the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and recent winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), rose from second place last week to the top of the rankings in Week #4. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Forte earned 301 votes, including 16 first-place votes. C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's 4-year-old White Abarrio, unranked last week, zoomed to the No. 2 slot with a 6 1/4-length romp in the Whitney. Trained by Rick Dutrow, White Abarrio received 218 votes. By winning the Whitney, White Abarrio also earned an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

Three-year-olds Geaux Rocket Ride, Mage, and Arcangelo fill the next three positions in the rankings. Pin Oak Stud LLC's Geaux Rocket Ride, winner of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1), is third with 212 votes. Mage, who won the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), is fourth with 210 votes, and Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo, the Belmont Stakes (G1) winner, is fifth with 185 votes.

Godolphin's Cody's Wish, who had been No. 1 in the rankings for the first three weeks, dropped to sixth place (129 votes) following his third-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the Whitney.

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) winner Defunded is seventh with 99 votes, and is followed in eighth by Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll, second in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), who received 94 votes.

Joining the top 10 for the first time is Jeff Drown's 4-year-old Zandon, who finished second in the Whitney. Zandon ranks ninth with 66 votes. Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes presented by Baccarat (G1), remains in 10th with 64 votes.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 10. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 8, 2023*

Rank Horse Votes First-Place Votes Previous Week
1 Forte 301 16 2
2 White Abarrio 218 3 0
3 Geaux Rocket Ride 212 3 4
4 Mage 210 1 5
5 Arcangelo 185 1 6
6 Cody's Wish 129 3 1
7 Defunded 99 2 8
8 Rattle N Roll 94 3 7
9 Zandon 66 0 20
10 Art Collector 64 0 10

*Note – The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2023 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Santa Anita, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.

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Observations: Son of Zhukova Debuts at Kempton

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features a promising son of G1SW Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

18.30, Kempton, Novice, £9,900, 2yo, 7fT
CLASSIC ENCOUNTER (IRE) (Shamardal) debuts in the race won 12 months ago by fellow Charlie Appleby trainee Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and is the third foal out of the high-class Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who Godolphin purchased for 3.7million gns at Tattersalls December at the end of a career highlighted by success in the GI Man o' War S. A daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and half-sister to the multiple group 1 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire), her first two by the latter's sire Dubawi (Ire) are the dual listed-placed First Ruler (GB) and TDN Rising Star Imperial Emperor (Ire).

19.00, Kempton, Novice, £9,900, 2yo, 7fT
IMPORTANT ROLE (Dubawi {Ire}) is another exciting Charlie Appleby newcomer in the second division of this novice, being a 625,000gns Book 1 graduate with connections to some high-class dirt runners. The dam is a full-sister to the GI Blue Grass S. and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S.-winning sire Carpe Diem and a half to fellow grade I winner J. B.'s Thunder (Thunder Gulch) as well as to the smart Doncaster Rover (War Chant) and Farrell (Malibu Moon).

The post Observations: Son of Zhukova Debuts at Kempton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Saez To Partner With Mage In Travers

Luis Saez will ride Mage (Good Magic) in the upcoming GI Travers S., it was announced Tuesday afternoon in a tweet from trainer Gustavo Delgado, Sr.

He replaces Javier Castellano, who won the GI Kentucky Derby aboard the colt and also guided him to a third-place finish in the GI Preakness S. and a runner-up effort in the GI Haskell S. Saez rode Mage to a second-place finish in the GI Florida Derby. Saez opted to ride Tapit Trice (Tapit) in the Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher. Tapit Trice finished seventh.

Castellano is also the regular rider of Arcangelo (Arrogate) and won the GI Belmont S. on that colt for trainer Jena Antonucci. Like Mage, Arcangelo is being pointed to the Aug. 26 Travers.

“We have a tremendous amount of love and respect for Javier and we accomplished together what is a lifetime dream for everybody in racing,” said Mage co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. “We are fully cognizant, fully aware of the difficult decision that he was facing when it came to picking between two very talented colts, both winners of American Classic races.

“It is our understanding that there will be a full field in the Travers of 11 or 12 horses. With most of those horses, they have riders spoken for them. We know Javier was having a difficult time choosing between both horses. There's not many jockeys available as the field is starting to take shape. We didn't want to be put in a position where we were left without a top rider if Javier chose otherwise. It was in our best interest to secure a rider who knows the horse and rode him to a great second-place finish in the Florida Derby.”

Restrepo said the decision was made by the Mage camp and not by Castellano.

“We spoke with Javier a few days ago and chatted about the situation,” Restrepo said. “We asked them how they were going to proceed. Several days went by since then and Javier wasn't able to give us a decision. He said he was still mulling things over. At that point, we needed to be proactive and go ahead and make a decision.”

Earlier this week, Castellano sat down with Mike Kane to discuss the decision-making process.

 

 

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HIWU Weekly Update: Prairie Meadows Trainer Provisionally Suspended Over Four Positives For Methamphetamine

Prairie Meadows-based trainer Dick Clark has been provisionally suspended after four of his trainees tested positive for methamphetamine, according to pending violations listed on the public disclosures section of the website for the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

The multiple stakes-winning trainer is also listed with a provisional suspension for the possession of a banned substance, levothyroxine.

Also in this week's edition of the HIWU Weekly Roundup is the implementation of the newly-announced rules that allow trainers to postpone their provisional suspensions for select banned substances until a split sample result can be confirmed. Those postponements can be found below (trainer names are underlined and listed with an asterisk).

Last week's edition of the HIWU Weekly Roundup is available here, and all public disclosures can be found on the HIWU website.

Pending Violations – Provisional Suspensions For Banned Substances

The following cases include pending violations for banned substances, those that are not permitted in horses. New cases are listed in italics at the top of the list, and active suspensions have the trainer's name listed in bold.

Postponed suspensions, those for substances yet to be confirmed by split sample, have the trainer's name underlined and are listed with an asterisk (*).

  • Trainer Dick Clark – possession of Levothyroxine, two runners have tested positive for methamphetamine (one horse was positive three times)
    • Colonel Klink first tested positive after finishing second in an allowance optional claiming race at Prairie Meadows on June 19. The 7-year-old gelding has since raced three more times, finishing first in a claiming race on July 3, third in a starter allowance on July 9, and second in a claiming race on July 22. He also tested positive on July 3 and 22.
    • My Heart's On Fire tested positive after finishing first in a maiden special weight race at Prairie Meadows on June 19.
  • Trainer Natalia Lynch – possession of Levothyroxine, and a gelding in her care tested positive for altrenogest.
    • Motion to Strike tested positive for altrenogest after the gelding finished fourth in a claiming race at Monmouth Park on June 24. He was claimed from that race by owner/trainer Silvino Ramirez, and has since finished third in a claiming race at Monmouth on July 14. Under HISA rules, the claim will be voided.
  • *Trainer Bruno Tessore – Tenebris, a gelding, tested positive for altrenogest on July 18 (no races or workouts listed on that date by Equibase).
  • Trainer John Pimental – Golovkin tested positive for methamphetamine after finishing last (sixth) in a claiming race at Monmouth Park on May 29. A claim on the horse was voided from this race.
  • Trainer Lorenzo Ruiz – three runners have tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine
    • Kant Beat The Rock tested positive after finishing second in a starter allowance race at Los Alamitos on July 4.
    • American Cat tested positive after winning a $16,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 25. The 4-year-old gelding has since finished third in an allowance optional claimer at Los Al on July 9.
    • Facts Matter tested positive after winning a starter allowance race at Los Alamitos on June 23. The 8-year-old gelding has since finished fifth in a claiming race at Los Al on July 8.
    • Ruiz is a multiple stakes-winning Quarter Horse trainer based at Los Al, though he has not started any Quarter Horses since 2022. Since HISA/HIWU have no jurisdiction over Quarter Horse racing, whether or not Ruiz would be able to race Quarter Horses will be up to the state racing commission and/or local racetrack. Ruiz has not started any horses, Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse, since July 9.
  • *Trainer David Reid – Maligator tested positive for venlafaxine (an anti-depressant and nerve pain medication) after winning a claiming race at Hawthorne on June 25. The 8-year-old gelding has since finished second in a claiming race at Hawthorne on July 16.
  • *Trainer Javier Morzan – Lady Liv tested positive for metformin (a commonly used prescription drug that treats diabetes) after finishing third in a starter optional claiming race at Delaware Park on June 24.
  • *Trainer Mary Pirone – Benny The Jet tested positive for altrenogest after the gelding finished fifth in a claiming race at Emerald Downs on June 24. He was claimed from that race and moved to the barn of trainer Jorge Rosales, and has since won a claiming race at Emerald on July 14. Under HISA rules, the claim will be voided.
  • Trainer Joseph Taylor – two runners have tested positive for both methylphenidate and clenbuterol
    • Classy American finished second in a starter allowance at Parx on June 20
    • Cajun Cousin finished second in a claiming race at Parx on June 18. The 4-year-old filly has since won a claiming race at Parx on July 12, prior to the positive being called. Cajun Cousin was claimed out of that race by trainer Michael V. Pino for Smart Angle LLP; the claim will be voided under HISA rules.
  • *Trainer Donald H. Buckner – In the Midst tested positive for clenbuterol after finishing fifth in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 15.
  • *Trainer Guadalupe Munoz Elizondo – Quinton's Charmer tested positive for metformin, a medication commonly prescribed in humans for type 2 diabetes, on June 11, 2023 (the New Mexico Racing Commission's Izzy Trejo confirmed that the positive test was incurred after a work before the state veterinarian in an attempt to remove Quinton's Charmer from the vet's list).
    • Munoz Elizondo is also a multiple graded stakes-winning Quarter Horse trainer. Since HISA/HIWU have no jurisdiction over Quarter Horse racing, Munoz Elizondo will still be able to train and race Quarter Horses in New Mexico. Trejo said that HISA gave guidance last year that jockeys suspended for whip violations on a Thoroughbred could ride in Quarter Horse races, so the NMRC has applied the same logic to a trainer with a HIWU suspension. Thus, Munoz Elizondo is permitted to participate in Quarter Horse races. Trejo added that the commission is pushing for a state rule that will apply reciprocity at the NMRC level for HISA suspensions, but that isn't in place yet.
  • Trainer Milton Pineda – four runners have now tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine – find more information in this Paulick Report story, including why a supplement may be to blame for the positives
    • Chollima won an $8,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 23, 2023, after which she tested positive, and has since finished second in a $12,500 claiming race
    • Big Splash won a $16,000 waiver claiming event at Santa Anita on June 10, after which he tested positive. Big Splash has since finished third in an allowance optional claiming race at Los Alamitos on June 24.
    • Flatterwithjewels finished second in a $12,500 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 9 and was claimed by Flurry Racing Stables and trainer Phil D'Amato. The claim will be voided under HISA rules.
    • Bella Renella won a $20,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on June 2, after which she tested positive. The 6-year-old mare has since won a starter optional claiming race at Santa Anita on June 18.
  • *Trainer Reed Saldana – Ice Queen tested positive for the vasodilator diisopropylamine after finishing third in a starter allowance at Santa Anita on June 16 – find more information in this Paulick Report story, including why a supplement may be to blame for the positives
  • Dr. Luis Jorge Perez, DVM – possession of levothyroxine (violation date June 9)
  • Trainer Dennis VanMeter – Templement tested positive for isoxsuprine after finishing sixth in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 7, 2023 (see above, horse also returned positive test for controlled substance phenylbutazone)
  • Trainer Jeffrey Poole – possession of levothyroxine (violation date June 2)
  • *Trainer Jonathan Wong – Heaven and Earth tested positive for metformin after winning a maiden race at Horseshoe Indianapolis on June 1 (Wong told the Paulick Report he has been prescribed metformin, a commonly used prescription drug that treats type 2 diabetes in humans, since last year)
  • Trainer Ray Handal – HIWU has lifted the provisional suspension of trainer Raymond Handal, who was told June 30 a horse in his care tested positive for the banned substance zeranol, but the equine anti-doping notice has not been withdrawn. (Attorney Clark Brewster told the Paulick Report that literature shows mycotoxins found on corn or grain can produce zearalenone. Zeranol is a metabolite of zearalenone.)
  • Trainer Mario A. Dominguez – Petulant Delight tested positive for cobalt after winning a claiming race at Parx on May 24.

New Case Resolutions

The following cases have recently been resolved by HIWU, either by early admission and acceptance of consequences (EAAC) or by final decision (FINAL).

  • Trainer Nestor Cascallares – Irazu has been disqualified from a first-place finish in a claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs on July 1 after testing positive for phenylbutazone. Purse money was ordered returned, and the claim of Irazu by trainer Douglas Jones was voided. Cascallares was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (EAAC).
  • Trainer Arcadio Lopez – Mo Crazy Blues has been disqualified from a first-place finish in a claiming race at Finger Lakes on June 13 after testing positive for flunixin. Purse money was ordered returned, and Lopez was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (FINAL).
  • Trainer Bernard Dunham – Afandi was disqualified from a second-place finish in an allowance race at Pimlico on June 2 after testing positive for albuterol, and purse money was ordered returned. Dunham will serve a seven-day period of ineligibility, was fined $1,000, and imposed 2 Penalty Points (EAAC).
  • Trainer James Acquilano – Sabreen has been disqualified from a second-place finish in a claiming race at Finger Lakes on May 31 after testing positive for methocarbamol. Purse money was ordered returned, and Acquilano was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (FINAL).
  • Trainer Wayne Sparling – Banco Midici has been disqualified from a first-place finish in a maiden claiming race at Finger Lakes on May 24 after testing positive for methocarbamol. Purse money was ordered returned, and Sparling was fined $500 and imposed 1.5 Penalty Points (FINAL).

Pending Violations – Controlled Substances

The following cases include pending violations for controlled substances, those that are permitted for therapeutic purposes (new cases in italics at top of list).

  • Trainer William Martin – Alkalinization or use of an alkalinizing agent (TCO2) on Wild Agent prior to his win in a claiming race at Presque Isle Downs on July 3.
  • Trainer Samuel Calvario – Griffith Park tested positive for triamcinolone after a work at Pleasanton on June 30.
  • Trainer Mario Serey, Jr. – Harper's Do tested positive for phenylbutazone after finishing seventh in a claiming race at Delaware Park on June 28.
  • Trainer Tina Chamberlin – Rosebud Ryde tested positive for methocarbamol after a work at Finger Lakes on June 28.
  • Trainer Jose Camejo – Fire King tested positive for promazine sulfoxide and methocarbamol after a work at Monmouth Park on June 11.
  • Trainer Javier Hernandez – two trainees tested positive for salicylic acid
    • Chief Mystique won a claiming race at Belterra Park on June 10
    • Fast Fall won a maiden special weight at Belterra on June 10
  • Trainer Climaco Galindo-Torres – Delaney's Grace tested positive for salicylic acid after finishing eighth in a maiden claiming race at Belterra Park on June 8. The 3-year-old filly was claimed out of that race for owner/trainer John Howard, and has since finished eighth in a maiden special weight race at Belterra on July 8. That claim will be voided under HISA rules.
  • Trainer Dennis VanMeter – Templement tested positive for phenylbutazone in an allowance race at Thistledown on June 7, 2023 (finished sixth after clipping heels at the start). VanMeter is also provisionally suspended as Templement returned a positive test for the banned substance isoxsuprene in the same race.
  • Trainer Sandino Hernandez, Jr. – Jonas' Dream tested positive for naproxen in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on May 25, 2023 (finished first).

Last week's edition of the HIWU Weekly Roundup is available here, and all public disclosures can be found on the HIWU website.

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