Each week members of the media around the country vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown and Kentucky Oaks trails in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Find out the latest 2020 top 3-year-old rankings below. AMERICA'S TOP THOROUGHBREDS as of Aug. 31
Author: News
Del Mar Stewards Suspend Ruben Fuentes 11 Days For Pair Of Careless Riding Incidents
Jockey Ruben Fuentes has been suspended for a total of 11 race days due to a pair of careless riding infractions, according to a ruling published by Del Mar Thoroughbred Club stewards.
First, Fuentes was given four days for his ride aboard winner Quiet Secretary in Friday's ninth race. Stewards held an inquiry after Fuentes allowed his mount to drift out in the stretch, but did not change the order of finish.
Fuentes was cited again for his ride on Le Tub in Saturday's fifth race, in which the horse caused interference. Stewards added seven days to the penalty, since it was Fuentes' third careless riding infraction in the past 60 days.
The suspension dates will last from Sept. 5 to Oct. 4, though Fuentes will be allowed to ride in designated races.
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Rider Reflections: Jockeys Miss Fans, Morning Workouts In Unusual Del Mar Season
The summer of racing at Del Mar in 2020 has been, to put it mildly, unlike any other.
Jockeys, for example, have done their jobs wearing the mandatory accessory of a face mask in addition to the customary helmet, goggles and safety vest. That said, they're still working at Del Mar, a place unlike any other.
So, out of curiosity, a number of the members of Del Mar's colony were asked two questions: 1.) What has been the toughest part of being at Del Mar this summer? And 2.) What has been your favorite part of being at Del Mar this summer?
The answers, in alphabetical order.
BRICE BLANC – Toughest: “The first two weeks around here, when we were dealing with some of our riders and the COVID, was worrying. But since then, things are better. But you've got to deal with all the things surrounding our situation. You've got to be adapting all the time. What's difficult for me is to ride with the mask. I had broken my nose years back and have some sinus issues, so I do my share of breathing through my mouth. It's hard to breathe through your mouth with a mask. But we adapt. Most of the stuff is minor.”
Favorite: “The usual here at Del Mar. It's just a great place to be. It is one of my favorite summertime places to go racing. Deauville (in France) and Saratoga (in New York) and Del Mar. They're the big three of summer locations. It's very different at Del Mar this year without people; sort of like we're naked. But it's still Del Mar and that's a good thing.”
ABEL CEDILLO – Toughest: “The whole coronavirus situation. Dealing with all the things we have to deal with. We all do it, though, so you do it. Tougher might be dealing with the horses. Some of them run, some of them don't. Sometimes they have a bad day. But I try my best every time and hope for the best.”
Favorite: “I think my favorite down here is the beach. My little boy loves the ocean and I love taking him down there for walks. We really enjoy Del Mar for that.”
VICTOR ESPINOZA – Toughest: “Dealing with the coronavirus business. I missed opening day at Del Mar because of it. I missed opening day! I never thought it would happen, but it did this year. That was hard.”
Favorite: “Everything about Del Mar. It's where I want to be. It's why I come to the races. Everything I want is here. It is just great to win races at Del Mar.”
RUBEN FUENTES – Toughest: “For me, it was not being able to work horses in the morning. That was very tough, not being able to get to know them and get to understand them a little before they raced, especially with the 2-year-olds.”
Favorite: “We got to run. We're very lucky to have a job and be working. A lot of people don't right now.”
RICKY GONZALEZ – Toughest: “Not being able to work horses.”
Favorite: “Winning and meeting new people.”
MARIO GUTIERREZ — Toughest: “I don't think there's anything tough about riding here. Same racetrack; same gate; same horses to ride. It's all good. I'm happy to be here and racing.”
Favorite: “I'm glad to be racing and having the chance to compete and make some money. I'm very happy that the people on the backside are able to work and take care of their families. Racing at Del Mar is a good thing.”
JUAN HERNANDEZ — Toughest: “The toughest part for me has been keeping up with the competition. It's tough here. I was here in 2012 and it's a much different room. Very competitive. And, of course, the whole business of 2020. Everyone feels that. But what are you going to do? You follow the rules and hope for better times.”
Favorite: “My favorite part of being here is the incredible horses. I've been riding some very good horses. And I'm enjoying being around these other riders. They're friendly and they're very good, so it's giving me a chance to learn from them.”
TIAGO PEREIRA – Toughest: “Dealing with all the virus issues. Being careful about everything. I take showers before and after everything. I have a 4-year-old daughter and I must be very careful around her. We all have to do it; the masks, all of it. But that's how it is.”
Favorite: “I like being at Del Mar and riding here. One of my favorite places. I like the beach for my daughter. We go down there during the week and play. She likes the ocean. We go up to the quite section, up above Dog Beach. Not many people up there and we can just have fun.”
FLAVIEN PRAT – Toughest: “I definitely miss the fans. Del Mar has always been all about having people around having fun. It's kind of sad not to see anybody.”
Favorite: “Just being able to ride, have a job and do something we love to do. There's a lot of people who can't right now.”
UMBERTO RISPOLI – Toughest: “I can't share all the winners and the good meeting with owners, fans and family.”
Favorite: “Enjoying the summer, the beach and good times with my family and friends and having the chance to win a lot of races.”
MIKE SMITH – Toughest: “I think the toughest overall has not been seeing any fans here. Del Mar is a social place. A place where people come to party and have fun. Not this year. It's sad. It kind of takes the gas out of your balloon. For me personally, the protocols (travel restrictions for riders) have been tough. I'm a 'traveling' jock. I'd have been at Saratoga several times already. I think the protocols have probably cost me three Grade Is.”
Favorite: “My favorite part is just being here. I love Del Mar. I want to end my career here. I love California and I especially love Del Mar.”
DRAYDEN VAN DYKE – Toughest: “Having to be part of 2020 and the whole coronavirus thing. Plus all the other stuff going on in the country right now. The Black Lives Matter thing. It's a very unsettled time for the country. It's hard for a lot of people.”
Favorite: “My favorite part of being at Del Mar is being at Del Mar. Right here 'where the turf meets the surf.' I've been riding some good horses and winning some big races. What's not to like about it all. How can you have a frown on your face when you're in San Diego?”
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Kentucky Derby Pedigree Corner: Tiz the Law, Authentic, Honor A. P., And Ny Traffic
Each day of Kentucky Derby week, we'll take a look at the pedigrees of the Kentucky Derby contenders and how those pedigrees might factor into their ability to succeed at a mile and a quarter.
Tiz the Law
Constitution x Tizfiz, by Tiznow
Tiz the Law is the easiest horse in the field to gauge at the classic distance, given his dominating 5 ½-length romp at a mile and a quarter in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. Looking at his pedigree though, there are several factors proving he wasn't outrunning his bloodlines.
The colt is from the first crop of fast-rising sire Constitution, who won the G1 Florida Derby and Donn Handicap, both at a mile and an eighth. Constitution is a son of Tapit, who is one of North America's most proven sire of two-turn runners, including three Belmont Stakes winners.
The average distance of a race won by a Constitution runner (Average Winning Distance) is 6.92 furlongs, which is the bottom half among the sires of the Derby field, though Tiz the Law's previous Grade 1 triumph at a mile and a quarter dispels any concerns with this individual.
Beyond Tiz the Law, Constitution's best runners have tended to be milers, with Laura's Light taking the G2 San Clemente Stakes and Independence Hall taking the Jerome Stakes at the distance. However, Laura's Light also took the G3 Honeymoon Stakes at a 1 1/8 miles and Gouverneur Morris finished second in the G1 Arkansas Derby, both at 1 1/8 miles. Tiz the Law is Constitution's first graded stakes winner beyond a mile and an eighth, though that's not a major concern, given the early stage of the sire's career.
Tiz the Law is out of the Tiznow mare Tizfiz, who won the G2 San Gorgorino Handicap over the turf at 1 1/8 miles. The turf specialist also won non-graded stakes at distances between a 1 mile and 1 1/8 miles
Tizfiz is also the dam of Awestruck, a multiple stakes-placed daughter of Tapit who won from six furlongs to a mile on the dirt. She earned stakes-placings going as far as a 1 1/16 miles. Tizn'tshebeautiful, by Uncle Mo, was a maiden winner going 1 mile and 70 yards at Finger Lakes.
Authentic
Into Mischief x Flawless, by Mr. Greeley
Into Mischief was North America's leading general sire by earnings in 2019, and has established himself as one of the continent's top commercial sires.
He remains a force in 2020 with a slate of runners that includes multiple Grade 1 winner Gamine, who has won at the highest level at seven furlongs and a mile. He is also the sire of two-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents, as well as Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Covfeve, who was named last year's champion female sprinter and champion 3-year-old filly. The stallion's average progeny winning distance is 6.75 furlongs, which is near the bottom of this year's class of Derby sires.
Into Mischief's most notable Derby starter to date is Audible, who finished third in the 2018 renewal, coming in off a victory in the G1 Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles.
On his own accord, Into Mischief won the G1 CashCall Futurity going a mile and a sixteenth over a synthetic track. Never worse than second in six career starts, Into Mischief also won the listed Damascus Stakes at 7 furlongs over an all-weather surface.
Flawless, a daughter of Mr. Greeley, won on debut at 7 furlongs over the main track at Belmont Park, then finished second finished second at the same track going a mile to finish her racing career.
Authentic is by far the most successful runner out of Flawless, with the next closest by earnings being Expectations, a Speightstown gelding who won claiming races from seven furlongs to a mile. Gitgo, by Bodemeister, was a maiden claiming winner at 5 ½ furlongs before being exported to Panama, where he has complied a lifetime record of six wins from 44 starts.
Honor A. P.
Honor Code x Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush
Honor Code has strong credentials around two turns, winning the 1 1/8-mile G2 Remsen Stakes at age two, then earning champion older male honors at four with a campaign including a score in the G1 Whitney Stakes, also at 1 ½ miles. Honor Code's championship season also included wins at a mile in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap and G1 Gulfstream Park Handicap. He is a son of A.P. Indy, who is one of the modern breed's bedrocks for distance runners.
Honor Code's runners post an average winning distance of 7.29 furlongs, which is a strong number for a sire with his first crop of 3-year-olds. He'll have two colts pointing toward this year's Kentucky Derby, with Honor A. P. having won the G1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles and Max Player winning the G3 Withers Stakes at the same distance. Max Player is also placed at the Derby distance, having run third in the G1 Travers Stakes in August.
Hollywood Story ran in nothing but graded stakes races after her debut effort. She won the G1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes as a juvenile at 1 1/16 miles, and she took the G1 Vanity Invitational Handicap over 1 1/8 miles later in her career. Her other two graded wins came at 1 1/16 miles.
A veteran broodmare with five runners sporting six-figure earnings, Hollywood Story is also the dam of Horrayforhollywood, by Storm Cat, who was a winner and stakes-placed at a mile. Hollywood Star, a son of Malibu Moon, finished a narrow second in the G3 Iroquois Stakes over 1 1/16 miles, while his full-sister Miss Hollywood is a stakes winner at 7 furlongs.
Removing Tiz the Law's victory in the Travers from consideration, no other horse in this field is better-qualified to excel at the classic distance in terms of pedigree than Honor A. P., both by high-level output and two-turn performance.
Ny Traffic
Cross Traffic x Mamie Reilly, by Graeme Hall
Cross Traffic was proficient at a route distance, highlighted by a win in the G1 Whitney Invitational Handicap at 1 1/8 miles. He also finished second in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap and G3 Westchester Stakes, both at 1 mile.
He was the leading freshman sire of 2018, spearheaded by Eclipse Award winner Jaywalk, who took the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles. His average progeny winning distance is 6.86 furlongs, putting him on the lower end of this year's Derby sires. However, Cross Traffic has been represented well at a mile and a quarter by Capocostello, who won Panama's G1 Clásico Año Nuevo at the distance.
Ny Traffic would be Cross Traffic's first Kentucky Derby starter.
Mamie Reilly raced twice, graduating on her second try in a 6 furlong maiden claiming race at Belmont Park. Ny Traffic is her first foal.
Ny Traffic's extended family is heavy on South American influence, led by third dam Quilma, who won the Chilean 1,000 Guineas before being imported to the U.S., where she became a Grade 2 winner.
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