December, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Thoroughbred Charities Of America To Honor Greg Goodman, Central Kentucky Riding For Hope

Thoroughbred Charities of America will honor Greg Goodman with the Allaire du Pont Leadership Award and Central Kentucky Riding for Hope with the Ellen and Herb Moelis Industry Service Award at the 34th Annual Stallion Season Live Auction and Celebration presented by Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Harper Hall in Lexington, Ky.

The Allaire du Pont Leadership Award is presented annually to an organization or individual whose philanthropic endeavors are consistent with TCA's mission. Past award winners include Maggi Moss, Jen Roytz, LNJ Foxwoods, Dan Rosenberg, Barbara Banke, Bourbon Lane Stable, Graham and Anita Motion, Frank Stronach, Fasig-Tipton, Darley, Todd Pletcher, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, and Madeline Auerbach.

Greg Goodman, a native of Houston, Texas, has been involved in Thoroughbred racing all of his life and has been a Thoroughbred owner and breeder for more than 20 years. He owns and runs the historic Mt. Brilliant Farm in Lexington, Ky. In addition to his affinity for Thoroughbreds, Goodman is also a polo enthusiast, and each year, Mt. Brilliant hosts many prominent fundraising polo matches including the Bluegrass International Cup, a fundraiser for the Fayette Alliance which Goodman co-founded in 2006. A land-use advocacy group, the Fayette Alliance is committed to preserving Kentucky Thoroughbred farmland.

A true philanthropist, Goodman's numerous charitable endeavors span many different sectors including education, arts, environment, healthcare, and equine welfare. In addition to the Fayette Alliance Foundation, Goodman is a member of the Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation, the Breeders' Cup, Keeneland Association as well as a former member of the TOBA Board of Trustees, Texas Thoroughbred Association, Thoroughbred Research Institute, Sayre School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Cleveland Clinic, Goodman Global and Southwest Bank of Texas, Breeders' Cup Ltd and Vice Chair of the Markey Cancer Foundation Board of Trustees. Goodman's drive, passion, and tireless advocacy perfectly encompass the spirit of TCA's Allaire du Pont Leadership Award.

The Ellen and Herb Moelis Industry Service Award is presented annually to an organization that works to uphold TCA's mission. Past award winners include Second Stride, Our Mims Retirement Haven, TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.), The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Incentive Program, CANTER USA, Retired Racehorse Project, Belmont Child Care Association, Old Friends, and New York Race Track Chaplaincy.

Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH) was founded in 1981 as a collaboration between Dr. Peter Bosomworth, the then Chancellor of the University of Kentucky Medical Center and area horse enthusiasts. The original objective was to offer therapeutic riding as an alternative to traditional machine-based and table-top therapies by using the three-dimensional movement of the horse. In 1987, CKRH earned their Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) accreditation and became a Premier Accredited Center by 1998. In 2005, CKRH launched a major capital campaign, raising funds for an indoor facility that would allow them to provide programming year-round. CKRH's programming has evolved beyond therapeutic riding to include equine facilitated mental health and equine facilitated learning. In 2022, CKRH provided 242 participants with equine-assisted services and provided 1,600 riding lessons. The program maintains 7 registered Thoroughbreds in their herd of therapy partners.

The TCA Stallion Season Auction opens with an online auction of stallion seasons at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 3 and continues through 4 p.m. EST on Friday, January 5. Nearly 200 seasons will be available on Equiring.com. A full list of seasons is available here.

Most of the seasons will sell during the online auction however select seasons to Constitution, Flightline, Good Magic, Elite Power, Taiba, Life is Good, Forte, Cody's Wish (with 2025 breed back), Nyquist (with 2025 breed back), and Quality Road will be sold at the Live Auction & Celebration on Sunday, January 7. Bidders or their authorized agents may bid on select seasons by attending the event in-person or they may email ehalliwell@tca.org to register to bid online or by telephone. Non-season items including a John Deere ZTrak mower, a vacation condo in St. Thomas, Triple Crown tickets, and a private meet and greet with Cody's Wish will also be offered in the live auction. Equine artist Robert Clark will “live paint” a custom piece only available at the live auction. Tickets can be purchased here.

An online silent auction of non-season items including halters worn by Justify, Gun Runner, and more will be offered. A list of silent auction items is available here. More items will be added.

The auction is sponsored by Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation, Peoples Bank, Ocala Breeders' Sales, Bourbon Lane Stable Retirement Fund, Coolmore America, Equine Medical Associates, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Top Line Sales, Equine Medical of Ocala, Julie Davies, Pick View LLC, Paul Sharp Stables, L.V. Harkness, Paulick Report, BloodHorse, Daily Racing Form, and Thoroughbred Daily News.

For further information regarding the 34th annual TCA Stallion Season Auction please visit www.tca.org or call (859) 276-4989.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2023, TCA granted over $821,000 to 75 approved charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. During the last three decades, TCA has granted over $26 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA manages Cómo, a mobile app founded by Godolphin, that connects racing industry employees to the vital services they need through a network of racetrack chaplains and Thoroughbred industry organizations. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).

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Fasig-Tipton’s Boyd Browning Urges Industry To Join In Action In 2024

Editor's Note: The TDN received this letter from Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning.

2023 was certainly a year of many challenges for the Thoroughbred industry. Much has been written and spoken about the issues we face, although very little action has taken place.

As we enter 2024, I believe it is imperative we make meaningful efforts to improve our sport. Every component of the industry must pledge to do a better job. We must find common ground and set aside our egos.

We must commit (at a minimum) to the following actions as an industry:

1) Establish a public relations plan that: (a) provides a spokesperson to speak for our industry in times of crisis; and (b) addresses the issues and concerns regarding equine safety and aftercare. This will require resources-money!

A new initiative, LIGHT UP RACING, is being launched to address these issues and Fasig-Tipton is committing $50,000 for the initial launch and proof of concept for this initiative. In addition, we will commit $200,000 over the next three years to support organized industry efforts regarding public relations.

2) Implement a plan to utilize wearable technology and install PET scan machines at major racetracks. We have no choice but to embrace these concepts and work together to provide these as cost effectively as possible.

Fasig-Tipton has no financial stake or interests in any providers/vendors of these products; however, we are willing to commit to an investment/expenditure of $250,000 over the next three years to assist in these efforts if joined by other industry interests.

3) Improve our betting product. On Christmas Day, my three sons-in-law and two of my daughters were wagering modest sums on NBA and NFL games in progress.

They wanted action and engagement and were easily able to make understandable wagers on their phones. They could bet on a team, the number of touchdowns, who would make three-point shots, etc. and try for parlays that would produce significant payouts.

Relevant statistical data is available for FREE to encourage participation. The gambling world has exploded–yet our game has not.

We have many extraordinarily talented and successful people involved in our great sport. In addition, we have institutions and organizations with significant financial resources that must make investments today for the good of tomorrow.

I urge the Breeders' Cup, The Jockey Club, HISA, racetracks, stallion farms, sales companies, owners, breeders and trainers to make a commitment of both talent and resources to invest in our future before it is too late.

–Boyd Browning, President & Chief Executive Officer, Fasig-Tipton Co.

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‘She Lives And Breathes This Stuff’: Trainer Brittany Russell Chasing History In Maryland

For the second straight year, trainer Brittany Russell finds herself at the end of a racing season chasing history.

With three racing days left in Laurel Park's fall meet, starting Friday, the 34-year-old Russell leads Jamie Ness, 115-113, for the most winners at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in 2023. Russell and Ness tied for second-most wins behind five-time defending champion Claudio Gonzalez in 2022, with 73.

No female trainer has ever led Maryland's annual standings. Last year Russell became just the fourth woman to win a training title in Maryland at Laurel's spring meet and then won Pimlico's Preakness and Laurel's fall stands to become the first female to earn multiple crowns.

“That would be something. I didn't realize were on the verge of a milestone. It would mean a lot,” Russell said. “What can you say, really? You wake up and you try and do a job and you try and do the best job that you can for the horses and your clients. Being in a position like that, it's pretty special.

“The woman thing, honestly, I don't think about that, ever, until somebody points it out to me. I just show up and I try and do my best and win as many races as anybody regardless of male or female,” she added. “Most of my best friends are male trainers. That's just who I interact with. Do I feel they look at me differently because I'm a woman? No, I feel like we just show up and do our job.”

Russell has horses entered in three races Friday and Saturday and two on Sunday's New Year's Eve closing day program at Laurel. Ness has horses in one race Friday, five races Saturday and six races Sunday.

Already, Russell has far surpassed personal highs across the board in starters (674), wins (173) and purse earnings ($7,745,992). She ranks 11th nationally in wins and 16th in purses, and earned the first Grade 1 of her career with Doppelganger in the Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct.

“You can say, 'Well, it's Brittany, she's great on the Maryland circuit' and all that stuff, that she's just a Maryland trainer. You can put her up against any of these top trainers at tracks that have much larger purses and rank them equally,” said Stuart Grant, founder of prominent owner The Elkstone Group. “If you look at the people that are behind her, it's a really impressive list. She's doing what she needs to do and she's paying her dues.

“She's good and she cares. She's got a good team and she lives and breathes this stuff,” he added. “She's super. I love having horses with her. I have more horses with her than I have with anyone else.”

Russell defended her Preakness Meet title this spring, and trails Ness, 36-34, in Laurel's fall meet standings. She went out on her own in 2018 after working for such trainers as Brad Cox, Jimmy Jerkens, Ron Moquett and late Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard and has 418 wins and more than $17.5 million in purse earnings to her credit.

“We have multiple strings, but it's fun to look down the shedrow each place we go and be like, 'good horse, good horse, good horse,'” Russell said. “The quality has just improved each year and they're sending us better horses each year. I'm training for good clients and I still have support from some of the originals. It's something to be really proud of.”

Russell is quick to spread the credit for her success around, starting with her husband, champion jockey Sheldon Russell, with whom she shares daughter, Edy, and son, Rye. Luis Barajas is her right hand at Laurel, with Emma Wolfe in charge at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. and Sam Hopkins running the show at Gulfstream Park this winter.

“I wouldn't be anywhere without Sheldon. He's a constant source of inspiration and motivation on and off the track, and he's been a huge part of our success,” Russell said. “Luis has been with me since I've been with Ron Moquett. He's been with me from the beginning, from when we had a barnful of what we thought were good horses. We were fired from all those horses and left with three in the shedrow. There was a time where I didn't know if I was going to have a career. We were just trying to break through. Luis has stood by my side and been with me the whole time. Luis is such a good assistant.

“Emma and I have such a good thing going. She's been a key in helping me get the 2-year-olds in the spring when they come in. We kind of send them up to her and she starts sorting them out. She has plenty of good horses. She has Post Time in her care. Post Time stays with Emma at Fair Hill because honestly she's such a good rider and he's such a difficult horse, and they have a good thing going. You can see it's working,” she added. “Sam started with us earlier this year. I have a pretty good group of horses down there. A few of them have yet to run. You can't do it without your team, and they've all built kind of their own crews, too. So it's them and it's everybody under them. It's awesome. Of course, I'm proud. It's been a year.”

Laurel kicks off the final weekend of the calendar year with a live nine-race program Friday, starting at 12:25 p.m. Russell will send out Kuebler Racing and Ten Strike Racing's Swill in featured Race 8, a third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs.

Swill won the six-furlong Challendon Sept. 10 at Pimlico and most recently ran fourth in an Oct. 14 optional claimer at Aqueduct going the same distance. The 5-year-old gelding will break from Post 2 in a field of nine that includes fellow stakes winners Monday Morning Qb, Karan's Notion, Johnyz From Albany, Threes Over Deuces and Golden Candy along with Brother Conway, chasing a fourth straight victory.

Race 7 is an open six-furlong allowance for 3-year-olds and up that drew an overflow field of 13 including last out winners Mr. Antonelli, Class Actor, Rominski and Elle'sbigseacret, the lone also-eligible. Assume Nothing races first off the claim for Daryl Abramowitz and trainer Horacio DePaz, the same connections that won the Dec. 23 Dave's Friend with 9-year-old Greeley and Ben.

Eight 2-year-old fillies will line up for Race 3, a maiden special weight sprinting six furlongs. Six horses are entered to make their career debut including a pair from trainer Brittany Russell – Maddie Ten, a bay daughter of champion sprinter Mitole, and Heart, a homebred Bolt d'Oro filly. Grade 1 winners Arrogate and Vino Rosso are respectively represented by Gate Song and La Macchina Rossa, while Blue Trillion is set to make her fourth start and first since running third in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight Dec. 8 at Laurel for trainer Tim Keefe.

There will be a carryover of $2,717.21 in the $1 Jackpot Super High Five (Race 6).

Laurel's Saturday program is highlighted by the final stakes of 2023, the $100,000 Heft for 2-year-olds featuring stakes winners Sweet Soddy J and Catahoula Moon and $100,000 Gin Talking for 2-year-old fillies, led by the Russell-trained undefeated stakes winner Cap Classique.

Sunday's closing day program will feature mandatory payouts in the Jackpot Super High Five, 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9) and 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 5-9) wagers.

Jaime Rodriguez will finish as Maryland's leading rider, currently at 164, trailed by Jeiron Barbosa (136), Jevian Toledo (130) and Angel Cruz (103). Toledo leads Rodriguez, 49-48, in the fall meet standings.

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Gigante, Northern Invader Renew Rivalry Over Fair Grounds Turf Course

With four stakes victories to his name, the versatile Gigante enters the $100,000 Woodchopper with the proven upper hand over his main rival Northern Invader, having beaten that foe in two common races. With the portable rails at 9 feet on the Stall-Wilson turf course at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, a full field of twelve 3-year-olds males will contest the 39th running of the Woodchopper going about one mile.

The Woodchopper is scheduled to go off at 3:45 p.m. (all times Central) as the seventh race on the Dec. 30 program. Post time on Saturday is 12:45 p.m. for the ten-race card, which includes the $100,000 Pago Hop, the female equivalent of the Woodchopper.

Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing's Gigante began his career utilizing his natural speed to get the jump on foes, winning both the Kitten's Joy at Colonial Downs as a freshman and the Caesars at Horseshoe Indianapolis in front-running fashion. On August 12 in the Secretariat (G2) he demonstrated his tactical versatility circling the field to beat the likes of Nagirroc, Silver Knott and Woodchopper-foe Northern Invader. Last out in the Commonwealth at Churchill Downs, he stalked the leading trio and took over coming for home, earning his second win on a fast main track, his second win over Northern Invader, and his first win donning blinkers.

Drawing post 4, Gigante will receive the services of jockey Edgar Morales. If the 3-1 morning line favorite is able to hold serve it would be Asmussen's third Woodchopper title, having saddled back-to-back victors in 2007 and 2008 with Inca King and Jimmy Simms.

Lightly-race and ultra-consistent, West Point Thoroughbreds and David Ingordo's Ontario-bred Northern Invader's six-race resume includes two wins, three seconds, and a troubled-trip fifth in the Secretariat (G2) where he was backed to favoritism. When winning the Gio Ponti at Aqueduct in October, the Collected colt trained by Cherie DeVaux fought for the lead and took command after the first call before turning back a formful Shug McCaughey horse in Ohana Honor.

“It's not that he needs the lead if there is speed in front of him,” DeVaux said. “He's a big horse with a big stride, so it will just depend on the pace scenario in front of him where he ends up.”

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will climb aboard Northern Invader for the first time to break from post 7. Together, DeVaux and Hernandez have won four races from seven entries this meet.

If Wayne Davis' Deccan Prince breaks well, he'll be the one to catch. Trained by the current meet-leading conditioner Shane Wilson, all three wins by the Kingman colt have come on the turf at the Woodchopper's mile distance. And each victory came in front-running fashion.

“He's a hard-headed horse that doesn't want to be rated, doesn't want to be wrestled with,” Wilson said. “I rode some other guys and kept telling them to let him have his head, he's going to go fast, but he'll keep going, just let him go. They kept trying to get him back, and he'd throw his head up in the air and fight him. When Jose (Guerrero) came back from his collarbone fracture and he was able to ride him the last weekend of the meet here last year, I told him when they break just throw the reins at him, leave him alone, let him do his thing, and he went out there and won.”

Last out going 1 1/16 miles, Deccan Prince did his running on the lead before being caught and encountering trouble in the homestretch to finish fourth at 32-1.

“In his last race he faced older horses,” Wilson said. “We were always looking at the Woodchopper to get him in against straight 3-year-olds. It's a competitive race, but they're going to have to run him down to win it.”

Slotting into the gates in post 3, Deccan Prince will be accompanied by the current meet-leading rider, Jose Guerrero.

Al and Bill Ulwelling's Velocitor, a two-time stakes winner, will enter for trainer Gary Scherer in hopes that his synthetic form established at Woodbine translates to the Stall-Wilson turf course. Tabbed at 8-1 in the morning line, David Cohen gets the call as Scherer looks to continue his success having won five from 21 starts so far this meet.

Here is the complete field for the Woodchopper from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): 1. Velocitor (David Cohen, Gary Scherer, 8/1); 2 Winters Lion (Jamie Torres, Joe Sharp, 8/1); 3 Deccan Prince (Jose Guerrero, Shane Wilson, 10/1); 4 Gigante (Edgar Morales, Steve Asmussen, 3/1); 5 Desert Duke (Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman, 5/1); 6 Mor Victory (Jareth Loveberry, Jayde Gelner, 20/1); 7 Northern Invader (Brian Hernandez Jr., Cherie DeVaux, 7/2); 8 Dapper Dude (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Eduardo Rodriguez, 20/1); 9 Gluckstadt (Emanuel Nieves, Juan Sanchez, 30/1); 10 Point Proven (Corey Lanerie, Alice Cohn, 12/1); 11 Machine Gun Man (Rey Gutierrez, Juan Sanchez, 20/1); 12 Cash Fever (Kevin Roman, Tanner Tracy, 15/1).

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