Month: August 2023

Goodwood: All Boxes Ticked For Free Wind In The Lillie Langtry

Saturday's closing card of the Qatar Goodwood Festival sees the focus fall on one of Britain's most prestigious handicaps in the Stewards' Cup, with just the one pattern race being the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. George Strawbridge's Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who met with a reversal for the first time in two years when fifth in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot, lost nothing in defeat there when fifth from a compromising position on too-fast ground. The G2 Park Hill S., G2 Lancashire Oaks and G2 Middleton S. winner has to carry a penalty here, but appears to have more than three pounds in hand and also has her favoured easy surface.

Thady Gosden is happy with conditions for the 5-year-old. “She won the Middleton over a trip below her optimum on her first run of the year and then she found the ground a little too fast for her by the Saturday of Ascot,” he explained. “Obviously we've had rain at Goodwood this week and there's more forecast. She has course form and we're looking forward to running her.”

Woodford Thoroughbreds LLC's River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won over this 14-furlong trip in York's G3 Bronte Cup Fillies' S. in May before finishing second in ParisLongchamp's G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil last month and may offer the biggest threat to Free Wind, whose stable companion Sweet Memories (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is one of the more intriguing types in the line-up for Newmarket's Listed British EBF 40th Anniversary Chalice S.

 

No Little Big Bear In The Maurice de Gheest

There was a surprise twist on Friday to the declaration for Sunday's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, as TDN Rising Star Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) was ruled out of the 6 1/2-furlong feature 24 hours after his supplementary entry. “He just has a stone bruise so he doesn't run,”  Aidan O'Brien said. That left 10 sprinters set to line up for what looks a substandard edition on paper, with seven from Britain headed by King Power Racing's Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who has the remarkable record of having won every time he has raced outside of his native country.

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Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Noms Close Aug. 14

Nominations for the 2023 Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, will close on Monday, Aug. 14 at 5:00 p.m. The awards recognize and showcase the skills, experience and dedication of men and women in the Irish thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. Anyone working in any role in the industry can be nominated by a friend or colleague.

There are seven Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards and a Newcomer Award, and all eight winners are eligible for the Irish Racing Excellence Award, which will be announced at the awards ceremony. The Racecourse Award winner, chosen by the Irish Stable Staff Association, will also be revealed on the awards night. A total of €62,000 in prize-money will be awarded, along with beautifully crafted Ani Mollereau bronzes for each category.

“The nomination deadline for the Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards is fast approaching,” CEO of the Irish Stable Staff Association, Bernard Caldwell said. “I would encourage everyone in the industry to nominate and recognize the amazing people we have working behind the scenes in our wonderful sport.”

Nominations can be made online. The awards ceremony will take place in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, County Kildare, on Monday, Oct. 16.

The post Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Noms Close Aug. 14 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Former Top Jockey In Washington, British Columbia Basil Frazier Dies At 85

Basil Frazier, a top rider in Washington and British Columbia, died of dementia at home in hospice Thursday evening. Frazier was 85 years old.

Born Aug. 24, 1937, in Spokane, Wash., Frazier rode 2,218 winners and was adept on both the one-mile oval at Longacres and five-eighths mile bullring at Exhibition Park, including four titles and a then-record 141 wins over the latter strip in 1974.

A member of the British Columbia Racing Hall of Fame, “The Baz” rode three B.C. Derby winners including a triumph aboard Kinghaven Farms' Norland in 1974. At Longacres, Frazier won the 1974 Longacres Mile on Times Rush, the 1977 Washington Championship on Banchory Bob, and the 1980 Gottstein Futurity aboard Question. He scored his milestone 2,000th victory aboard Dyna Driller on May 13, 1982, at Longacres.

The nephew of jockey Basil James and father of jockey Don Frazier, Basil Frazier won 449 races and 29 stakes at Longacres, where he was deeply respected by colleagues.

“We shared the same valet for several years and Basil always went about his business in a professional manner,” said former jockey Gary Baze, who locked horns with Frazier in many a stretch battle. “Basil was a very good rider and a clean rider. He could be tricky. He'd set a false pace and be very tough to catch.”

After retiring from riding, Frazier worked as a jockeys' agent and as a broadcaster at the racetrack. Most recently he worked in security at the Muckleshoot Casino.

The post Former Top Jockey In Washington, British Columbia Basil Frazier Dies At 85 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Gregory Romero Will Serve 15-Day Suspension For Failure To Persevere In Belterra Race

Wednesday's fourth race at Belterra Park may be among the Ohio track's most-watched stretch runs after jockey Chantal Sutherland posted the video to Twitter that afternoon.

“What is happening here @Belterra?” she wrote. “Ummm calling Stewards….”

The original video (see below) has been viewed over 450,000 times as of Friday afternoon, and multiple social media users shared additional copies of the same stretch run with expressions of outrage and disbelief.

In the viral clip, jockey Gregory Romero can be seen aboard the leading horse, Scooterandabigman, approaching the finish line. Romero is clear by nearly a length when he rises in his stirrups and appears to stop encouraging his mount altogether. The lack of action allows Hillbilly Logic and jockey John McKee to close down the center of the Belterra turf course, hitting the wire a neck ahead of Romero and Scooterandabigman. As Romero's mount is passed, the jockey can be seen looking at the oncoming horse over his shoulder, though he never resumes riding.

Hillbilly Logic was the 1.20-1 favorite; Scooterandabigman went off at 9.90-1.

The Equibase chart footnotes read: “Scooterandabigman had a rail trip chasing pace to stretch, angled out to the lead, stayed on in the late going but nailed on the wire with mild perseverance in the final four strides.”

According to a ruling obtained by the Paulick Report, a hearing was held in the stewards' office at Belterra Park for jockey Gregory Romero on Thursday, August 3, 2023, regarding an allegation of careless riding.

“After considering all testimony and evidence during this hearing, the Board of Stewards determined that Jockey Gregory Romero misjudged the finish line and failed to persevere through the wire which cost his mount a position,” the ruling reads. “Therefore, Jockey Gregory Romero is fined $1,000 (one-thousand dollars) and suspended thirty (30) days. This penalty will be reduced to $500 (five-hundred dollars) and suspended fifteen (15) days, if not appealed.”

After verbally waiving his right to appeal, jockey Gregory Romero will end up serving a 15-day suspension and paying a $500 fine. His fifteen (15) day suspension is from Aug, 9 through and including Aug. 23.

Romero has won with three of his 29 mounts in 2023; his lifetime statistics include 32 winners from 297 mounts in North America since 2016.

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