August, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sackatoga Stable To Host ‘Saratoga Send-Off’ For Funny Cide

Champion and dual classic winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), who passed away on July 16 at age 23, will have his life and racing achievements celebrated with a Saratoga Send-Off party on August 16th at Siro's in Saratoga Springs. The event will be a tribute to “The Gutsy Gelding” who captured the hearts of racing fans worldwide and continued to be a fan favorite during his 15-year retirement at Kentucky Horse Park.

Presented by Sackatoga Stable, the evening will feature a tribute video and a panel discussion emceed by Retired Race Caller Tom Durkin who called Funny Cide's wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. The panel will also feature commentary by Sackatoga Stable Operating Manager and Funny Cide Owner, Jack Knowlton, Trainer Barclay Tagg, Assistant Trainer Robin Smullen and Hall of Fame Jockey José Santos.

“Funny Cide was really the people's horse,” Jack Knowlton said. “We know his loss is felt by many and we wanted to give his fans a chance to celebrate his life with us. We are grateful to everyone that is helping to make this event a reality and look forward to a night that will do his legacy justice.”

Funny Cide earned more than $3.5 million during his six-year racing career and was the first New York-Bred to win the Kentucky Derby. He was named New York Breeders' Champion Two-Year-Old in 2002, Eclipse Award's US Champion 3-Year Old Male in 2003, and was named New York Thoroughbred Breeders' New York-Bred Horse of The Decade in 2010. Retiring in 2007, he spent a short time as Barclay Tagg's pony before retiring to Kentucky Horse Park where he lived as a fan favorite for 15 years until the time of his death.

The evening's activities will also feature food including Funny Cide sliders, music by Blue Hand Luke, Funny Cide's trophies from his victories in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness S. (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) from Kentucky Horse Park and memorabilia from Jack Knowlton's private collection, some of which will be available to take home with a donation.

Additionally, Stewart's Shops is bringing back the popular “Funny Cide Pride” ice cream flavor in honor of the life of “The Gutsy Gelding”, who was born at McMahon Thoroughbreds of Saratoga. The ice cream combines Butter Pecan ice cream with roasted pecans, a butter pecan fudge swirl and butter pecan fudge pieces. It will first be available at the Funny Cide Send-Off celebration at Siro's on August 16th. Following the event, the ice cream will be available at Stewart's Shops in Saratoga County and the area around Sackets Harbor.

Tickets for the event can be purchased online at eventbrite.com. General Admission tickets are $35 and include admission and food. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $100 and include admission, food, non-reserved seating, and a commemorative t-shirt.

All proceeds from the evening will be donated to Kentucky Horse Park toward their effort to commission a commemorative statue in honor of Funny Cide.

Doors open at 6pm. Rock band Blue Hand Luke will kick off the party. Attendees can purchase beverages at any of the open bars. Siro's will be donating a portion of the bars' proceeds to Kentucky Horse Park.

Sackatoga Stable is grateful to all the generous sponsors who make this event possible: Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Capital OTB, Fasig-Tipton, Finger Lakes Race Track, McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, NYRA, New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Performance Food Group, Pimlico Race Course, Saratoga County Chamber, US Foods and WinStar Farm. A special thanks to Siro's for allowing Sackatoga Stable to hold this event.

The post Sackatoga Stable To Host ‘Saratoga Send-Off’ For Funny Cide appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Letter to the Editor: Clark Shepherd

In Response to Beau Lane's Letter to the Editor from July 31:

Bravo, my friend!

The discussion on the impacts of public accusations, even before any form of due process takes place, cannot be understated. I liken the scenario to a judge telling a jury to “disregard that last statement” painting a vivid picture of the harsh reality we face. This metaphor cogently emphasizes the irreversible harm that can befall individuals and organizations alike when accusations are prematurely thrown into the public sphere.

The court of public opinion, bolstered by the immediacy of today's media landscape, can irreversibly tarnish a reputation in the blink of an eye. This should serve as a wake-up call to us all. It is our collective responsibility, as part of this industry and society, to uphold the principles of due process and to tread with caution when dealing with potentially reputation-damaging information.

We must always seek to ensure fairness in our dealings, refraining from passing judgement before a comprehensive and fair process has taken place. Swift conclusions and reactions can lead to lasting damages, often affecting those who've devoted their lives to the industry, and once tarnished, a reputation can rarely be fully restored.

The integrity of our industry depends on our commitment to these principles. Our actions today will shape the future of horse racing, and we must navigate these complex issues with wisdom, patience, and a dedication to justice.

Clark Shepherd

Shepherd Equine Advisers, Inc.

The post Letter to the Editor: Clark Shepherd appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Bloodlines Presented By McKenna Thoroughbreds Broodmare Reduction: The Links Between Elite Power And Cigar

Winning his eighth consecutive race in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga, last season's champion sprinter Elite Power (by Curlin) prompted a question to trainer Bill Mott from one of the television commentators about what it took to win eight races in a row. Mott wryly remarked that he knew how hard it was to win 17 in a row.

That was a reference to the Mott-trained Horse of the Year Cigar (1995 and 1996), who won 16 in a row, then lost the G1 Pacific Classic in a massive upset. Cigar (Palace Music) ran his streak from October 1994 to July 1996, winning 10 G1 races during that time, plus the 1996 Dubai World Cup and the G1 Woodward immediately after the Pacific Classic. The elegant and powerful bay was bred and raced by Allen Paulson, who owned large farms in Kentucky and Florida and operated a massive home breeding program at his Brookside Farm outside of Versailles, Ky.

The greatest of Paulson's homebreds, which also include 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter), Cigar hit his best form at four, five, and six after Mott switched him from turf to dirt. A scion of the Northern Dancer line, Cigar had been expected to follow his sire's preference for turf racing, but instead performed best on dirt like his broodmare sire, Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Sold to Coolmore's Ashford Stud as a stallion prospect at the end of his racing career, Cigar very sadly proved sterile, never siring a foal, but he became one of the grand attractions at the Kentucky Horse Park, where he was visited by thousands annually.

Although there's no Cigar in Elite Power's pedigree, the chestnut champion's fourth dam is Eliza (Mt. Livermore), the 1992 champion juvenile filly bred and raced by Paulson. Other Eclipse Award winners raced by Paulson, though not all bred by him, included Arazi (in partnership), U.S. and European champion 2-year-old of 1991; 1989 champion older horse Blushing John; 1997 champion 3-year-old filly Ajina; 1998 champion older filly or mare Escena; 1986 champion turf mare Estrapade; and 1987 champion grass horse Theatrical.

Eliza won five of her first six starts, including the Arlington-Washington Lassie, Alcibiades, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The spritely bay opened her 3-year-old season with victory in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks, then was tried against colts in the Santa Anita Derby, finishing third. The filly's half-brother Dinard (Strawberry Road) had won the same race the previous year, and they are two of three stakes winners and six stakes horses from the fifth dam, Daring Bidder (Bold Bidder).

Subsequently, Eliza was second in the G1 Kentucky Oaks, and when sent to stud, the good-looking mare became the dam of Miss Doolittle (Storm Cat), who ran third in the G2 Schuylerville Stakes and then produced a pair of stakes winners: G1 Florida Derby winner Dialed In (Mineshaft) and Broadway Gold (Seeking the Gold), winner of the Astoria Stakes at Belmont and the second dam of Elite Power.

Broadway Gold was bred by Paulson's widow Madeleine, Will Farish, and Skara Glen Stables. The daughter of Seeking the Gold sold to Paul Robsham for $600,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September sale, became a stakes winner, and then a stakes producer. At the 2015 Keeneland November sale, the mare sold to SF Bloodstock for $950,000 in foal to Medaglia d'Oro. At the time of sale, the mare's three stakes winners were on the page, including G2 winner Broadway's Alibi (Vindication) and G3 winner Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro).

The dam of Elite Power, Broadway's Alibi won four of her six starts, including the G2 Forward Gal at Gulfstream, and was second to Believe You Can (Proud Citizen) in the G1 Kentucky Oaks of 2012. Broadway's Alibi never raced again but came to auction at the 2013 Keeneland November sale in foal to leading sire Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector). As part of the Robsham Stables dispersal, Broadway's Alibi brought $2.15 million from Reynolds Bell for Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stables.

Bell recalled that “Broadway's Alibi had the depth of family that appealed to Mr. Clay, and she had shown a lot of ability on the racetrack.”

From six foals, Elite Power is the mare's only stakes winner. Unfortunately, Broadway's Alibi died foaling earlier this year, and Bell said that “losing both the mare and foal was devastating to Mr. Clay. Fortunately, he has the experience with the business to weather this kind of loss.”

Breeding horses requires patience and resilience, and Alpha Delta still has two daughters of Broadway's Alibi: Distorted Lies, a daughter of Smart Strike that the mare was carrying at the time of her purchase, and Prevaricate (Medaglia d'Oro), a 4-year-old.

“Mr. Clay's business plan concentrates on selling colts and retaining some fillies to race,” Bell said. One of the premier colts that Alpha Delta has produced from its program is Elite Power, whom Bell recalled as a top physical from the start. The colt went to the yearling sales without a hitch and sold like a future star.

Juddmonte, through farm manager Garrett O'Rourke, acquired Elite Power for $900,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. The striking chestnut “was Curlin all over,” Bell recalled.

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Then Juddmonte was required to have the patience and faith in their selection to wait until September 2021 for the colt to make his debut. Their patience is being well rewarded.

Likewise, breeders need patience, and Alpha Delta has the 2-year-old full brother to Elite Power. “Occasionally, you end up with a colt you don't mind having; this is one of those,” Bell said. “The full brother to Elite Power had a vet issue for the sale, and we felt like he would be discounted too much; so we kept him.”

Unnamed as yet, the full brother was sent to Eddie Woods in Florida for breaking in and is now at WinStar. Bell noted that “we had to give him a little time to allow the vet issue to resolve the right way, and Elite Power didn't get to the races till the middle of his third year.” The plan is for the full brother to go into training with Chad Brown, if all continues well.

As a breeder and owner, Paulson was known for his patience, often well rewarded, and now, with Elite Power, another top racer rooted in his breeding program has shown the value in appreciating the long game.

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HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room

It was a good week to have a Hall of Fame jockey on the TDN Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, as the Green Group Guest of the Week and especially to have that jockey be Jerry Bailey, who knows a thing or two about analyzing a race for an audience. Bailey pulled no punches when asked about whether or not he felt Forte (Violence) should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy Saturday at Saratoga.

“I thought it was a bad call,” said Bailey. “I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I thought he should have come down. The rules of racing state that even if you are not clear of somebody and you change paths and you interfere with their progress, which you clearly did, then you should be disqualified. I mean, if you look at the chart, even the chart says he forced his way out. I'm paraphrasing here, `repeatedly bumping with the outside horse.' And then he came back in and it was negligent. So, yeah, I thought he should have come down.”

Bailey said that the danger went beyond this one race. “Look, you want a safer product out on the track as you can possibly get for both horse and rider. And I'll tell you from experience, I went through it myself. I won't name the riders, but there were two or three in New York that the stewards let get carried away and go over the line repeatedly, and then the line gets farther and farther away and it gets more severe. And what happens is the riders take it into their own hands. If the stewards are not policing the riders and enforcing the rules, then the riders are left to police themselves. And that is not a good situation.”

Bailey also relived his exploits on Cigar, his Derby wins on Sea Hero and Grindstone, and told tales about his days in the jocks' room.

Elsewhere on the Writers' Room, also sponsored by Stonestreet, NYRA Bets, Lane's End Farm, XBTV, WinStar Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders, Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and T.D. Thornton discussed (what else?) the Jim Dandy non-DQ, and the other big races of the weekend, previewed the upcoming Test, Whitney, and Saratoga Derby at Saratoga as well as the Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar, and discussed the top news stories. Those included Jason Servis's four-year prison sentence, Santa Anita's decisions on improvement expenditures in light of the closing of Golden Gate, and HISA's policy change on provisional suspensions.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

The post HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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