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Jockeys Pledge Support to Injured Rider Vinnie Bednar

Jockeys Javier Castellano, Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Manuel Franco and Tyler Gaffalione have pledged a percentage of their earnings from the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby race cards to help rider 28-year-old rider Vinnie Bednar, who suffered a catastrophic fall at Los Alamitos Racetrack Aug. 22. Bednar is currently experiencing lower-limb paralysis following initial surgery at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. He remains hospitalized while awaiting transfer to the Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, a world-renowned, premier center for spinal and brain injury. The accident occurred in the seventh race when his mount, Peek It Up, broke down 100 yards from the finish line in the 300-yard race.

“Vinnie was overcome with emotion when I told him that some of the country’s top jockeys had reached out and wanted to help. He couldn’t believe that they were thinking about him while they are amid their big race weekend at Churchill Downs,” said Karen Bednar, Vinnie’s mother.

In the Derby, Castellano will be aboard Money Moves; Franco will ride the heavy favorite Tiz the Law and Tyler Gaffalione will have the mount on South Bend. Mike Smith, who piloted Justify to a Triple Crown title in 2018, will be aboard Honor A.P., while Velazquez will ride Authentic for two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert.

“This could have been any one of us,” said North America’s all-time leading money earner Velazquez. “The injuries Vinnie sustained are going to require a tremendous amount of financial support for his medical bills and rehabilitation. We will be riding with Vinnie and his family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Vinnie Bednar, a former motocross rider, began riding Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses in 2011. As of his latest race, he ranked second in the jockey standings at Los Alamitos. This season Bednar had 41 Quarter Horse victories from 201 starts with earnings of $635,959 and is ranked 23rd in the country. He also rode Thoroughbreds this year, garnering 18 wins from 94 mounts.

To assist with Bednar’s continued medical support, visit the GoFundMe page at https://gf.me/u/yvsusr

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Juvenile Fillies in Spotlight at Del Mar and Saratoga Sunday

Juvenile fillies take center stage in a pair of Grade I events at Del Mar and Saratoga Sunday.

Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.’s Princess Noor (Not This Time) headlines a field of six set for the GI Del Mar Debutante S. After topping the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training at $1.35 million, she ran to the billing with a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance on debut for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at Del Mar Aug. 22.

She takes on the unbeaten My Girl Red (Texas Red), who made it two-for-two with a 4 3/4-length victory over first-time starter Get On the Bus (Uncle Mo) in the GII Sorrento S. Aug. 7.

A field of six will also line up for Saratoga’s GI Spinaway S.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Beautiful Memories (Hard Spun), a double-digit debut winner at Churchill Downs May 28, gets the nod as the 9-5 morning-line favorite despite being pulled up as the heavy favorite in the GIII Schuylerville S. last time July 16. She, however, bounced back with a flashy four-furlong bullet in :46 1/5 (1/14) for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse at Saratoga Aug. 5.

The Ohio-bred Esplanande (Daredevil) puts a perfect three-for-three record on the line. She beat the boys in her last two stakes attempts, including a win in the Best of Ohio Cleveland Kindergarten S. at Thistledown Aug. 8.

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Put A Ring Around Speightstown’s Olympiad at the Spa

5th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 9-5, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.78, ft.
OLYMPIAD (c, 2, Speightstown–Tokyo Time {GSP, $249,177}, by Medaglia d’Oro), off as the 2-1 chalk to improve on a distant debut third to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) Aug. 1, broke running and raced prominently from third and three off the inside just off an opening quarter-mile in :22.80. Traveling sweetly on the turn, the $700,000 Keeneland September yearling came calling for the lead in upper stretch and finished nicely to graduate by a little more than two. The second most-expensive of 38 of his outstanding sire’s progeny reported as sold in 2019, Olympiad is bred on a wildly successful cross over Medaglia d’Oro that has been responsible for Grade I winners Rock Fall and Competitionofideas. Another of Speightstown’s top-level winners, She’s Happy (Arg), was produced by a Sadler’s Wells mare. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Shirl’s Speight was produced by a daughter of Perfect Soul (Ire). A half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winner Hungry Island (More Than Ready) and GSW Soaring Empire (Empire Maker), Tokyo Time produced a filly by Quality Road in 2019 followed by a War Front filly this term. She was bred back to American Pharoah. Sales history: $700,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $48,240.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables, LLC and LNJ Foxwoods; B-Emory A. Hamilton (KY); T-William I. Mott.

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Godolphin Triple Threat In Moulin

Three of Godolphin’s finest make up a stellar six-strong field for Sunday’s G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, with the main focus on the operation’s champion Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal). Back to a mile following his initial 3-year-old success in the seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on July 12, last year’s sensational G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. winner has yet to truly convince that he is as effective over this trip as he looked to be outstayed when third in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on June 6 and second to Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot a fortnight later. Charlie Appleby said, “We were delighted to see Pinatubo get his head back in front in the Prix Jean Prat after gallant efforts in the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace S. We purposely gave him a break after that run with the view of going for this race. His preparation has gone well and we are looking forward to stepping him back up to a mile. It’s a very competitive race, but we are very confident that we have Pinatubo in great shape and he is going to run a big race. I think it will be tactical, but Pinatubo is blessed with the way he travels and his turn of foot. Hopefully, if we can get everything in the right order, he is going to be a big player.”

Also in the royal blue are the Andre Fabre-trained TDN Rising Stars Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Victor Ludorum (Ire) (Shamardal), who are the two most recent winners of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and who both placed in their respective renewals of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. While both have been tried over further, they have proven to be versatile with regards to trip and form a strong second line for the operation. Persian King was fourth when last year’s Moulin winner Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was third behind Palace Pier in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16, with Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) back in fifth, but that was on deep ground which also played against Victor Ludorum as he was third in that track’s G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano tackling 10 furlongs on Aug. 15. “The Prix Jacques le Marois was a race run under very particular circumstances and Persian King’s performance reflected that,” Fabre commented. “The conditions are much more in his favour here. Victor Ludorum has come out of his last race in good form and we are looking forward to seeing him back over a mile.”

Robert Ng’s Romanised went down narrowly to Circus Maximus in a battle royal 12 months ago and there was controversy that the stewards let the result stand. Romanised is a true class act when the ground is riding good or quicker as it is likely to be on Sunday and his Jacques le Marois effort can be forgiven with the surface sapping his class. Trainer Ken Condon is enjoying his best season and said, “We’re very happy with the horse. He did his last piece of work on Tuesday morning and it went very smoothly. They tell me the ground will be good or even on the quick side, which will suit Romanised very well.”

Also from Ireland is Khalid Abdullah’s June 12 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Siskin (First Defence), who suffered a reversal for the first time when third behind Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Circus Maximus in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood on July 29. “He was beaten by two better horses on the day at Goodwood, but it was a lovely run by the horse,” trainer Ger Lyons commented. “We were beaten by an exceptional miler in Mohaather and a rock-solid horse in Circus Maximus. I thought my horse ran a career-best and he was just found wanting against two stronger animals on the day. Physically he’s definitely improved through the summer. He’s not ground-dependent, but I know he likes faster ground–that’s what he’s most comfortable on.”

ParisLongchamp’s card also features the G3 Prix la Rochette for 2-year-olds over seven furlongs and Appleby is represented by Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the 4 1/2-length winner of York’s Aug. 21 Convivial maiden over this trip. “Naval Crown won a strong maiden in good fashion and came out of the race well,” Appleby said. “He has come on with each run and this looks a nice race for him to step up to pattern company.” He meets Haras de la Gousserie and Guy Pariente’s impressive Aug. 6 Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and a promising Jean-Claude Rouget project in Jean-Louis Bouchard’s June 30 Saint-Cloud winner Darkness (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

There are two 10-furlong contests on the card, with the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte for older horses featuring The Aga Khan’s Aug. 23 G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet fourth Dariyma (Fr) (City Zip) and the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange for the Classic generation seeing Team Valor International, Andre Brakha and Anant Singh’s Hurricane Dream (Fr) (Hurricane Cat) bid to confirm the form of Deauville’s Aug. 16 Listed Prix Nureyev with the runner-up Dawn Intello (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). Both took part in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on July 5, with Dawn Intello finishing fourth and Hurricane Dream ninth after contrasting trips throughout that 10 1/2-furlong Classic. Eighth was another Rouget runner in Ecurie Antonio Caro’s Fantastic Spirit (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and he has subsequently enjoyed a confidence-restoring handicap win on heavy ground at Deauville on Aug. 15.

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