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Churchill R.E.I.N. Fund Providing COVID-19 Economic Relief

The Churchill Downs Foundation has launched the Relief for Equine Industry Needs (“R.E.I.N.”) to assist members of the racing community that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced Friday.

The R.E.I.N. Fund will specifically address the needs of backstretch communities by providing meals, micro-grants and financial assistance with emergency needs as well as the fulfillment of essential care for horses.

One of the earliest supporters of the R.E.I.N. Fund has been trainer Jack Sisterson, who announced in early May that he would donate a portion of his horse’s purse earnings to the cause.

“Horsemen are the most generous people I know,” Sisterson said. “With us being so fortunate to reopen our business, all the horsemen I talk to say, ‘I wish I could help the less fortunate.'”

Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Julien Leparoux and owner Skychai Racing, have also pledged to donate a portion of their earnings to the R.E.I.N. Fund.

“I made a deal with Jack at the beginning of the meet to help the cause,” Gaffalione said. “It’s such a great cause and it’s a way for us to easily give back to those less fortunate on the racetrack.”

As a result of the success of the R.E.I.N. Fund, the Churchill Downs Foundation has already aided several members of the horse racing community when they returned to Churchill Downs in mid-May. Applications for aid within the racing community can be sent to CDIFoundation@kyderby.com. An advisory committee will then review the applications.

Visit www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/rein for more information.

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Five Things To Know About The 100th Middleburg Spring Races

This Saturday in Virginia, the Middleburg Spring Races will be celebrating 100 years of racing. And aside from the 100th anniversary milestone, the National Steeplechase Association (NSA) announced this week that the event is the season’s first jump race after a hiatus because of the pandemic.

Asmussen Becomes All-Time Leading Trainer at Churchill

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen surpassed Dale Romans as the winningest trainer in the history of Churchill Downs Friday, sending out Drop Dead Gorgeous (Strong Mandate) to win the opening race on the program. The victory was his 738th at the historic Louisville oval.

“If anyone knows American horse racing, they know what Churchill Downs means to the sport,” Asmussen said. “This is a very significant honor. I know the people who have been in this spot before, and been here consistently, and for us to have won the most races is a very proud accomplishment.” (Click for a winner’s circle interview)

Asmussen registered a quick-fire double in race two with first-time starter Hulen (Tapiture), a horse bred in Texas by his father Keith Asmussen, a former jockey and trainer, and raced by long-time clients Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt. The winner is out of a mare by Valid Expectations, who Asmussen trained for the Ackerley Brothers to win the 1996 GIII Derby Trial S. in Louisville.

Born in Gettysburg, South Dakota, Nov. 18, 1965, Asmussen took out his first trainer’s license in 1986 and saddled his first winner at Ruidoso Downs that July. His first Churchill winner came during the Spring meeting of 1993 when Snake Eyes took a $41,420 allowance on the turf beneath Pat Day as the 2-1 favorite. Asmussen first brought a string of horses to Churchill for the 1996 Fall meet and has called the track home since the fall of 1997. The first of his record 22 local training titles came at the 2001 Fall meet.

A two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, Asmussen conditioned two winners of the GI Preakness S. in the span of three seasons, each with horses acquired privately and raced by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables in separate partnerships. Curlin (Smart Strike) turned the tables on 2007 GI Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) in that year’s Preakness S. before giving the trainer the first of seven Breeders’ Cup victories in the 2007 GI Classic at Monmouth Park. Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) was purchased privately off her towering victory in the 2009 GI Kentucky Oaks, and returned on two weeks’ rest to beat the boys at Old Hilltop. Curlin was named Horse of the Year in 2007 and in 2008 after adding the G1 Dubai World Cup, and Rachel Alexandra made it three straight HOY titles for Asmussen in 2009. Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) capped a Horse of the Year campaign in the 2017 Classic. Asmussen was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in Saratoga in 2016.

Among the other top horses conditioned by Asmussen are the Heiligbrodt-owned champion sprinter and Horse of the Year finalist Mitole (Eskendereya), Eclipse Award winner Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Oaks winners Untapable (Tapit) and Summerly (Summer Squall)–both owned by the Winchell family–and GI Belmont S. hero Creator (Tapit). While he has yet to win the GI Kentucky Derby, Asmussen has sent out the runner-up twice with Nehro (Mineshaft, 2011); and Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky, 2017). His 79 local stakes winners are second only to fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott’s 95.

Asmussen also is a nine-time winner of the national training title in races won (2002, ’04-05, ’07-11 and ’13), including a record 650 wins in 2009. On Feb. 7, 2004, he won a North American record 10 races, including three stakes, from 16 starters at five racetracks (Delta Downs, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn Park, Sam Houston Race Park and Sunland Park).

Entering Friday’s action, Asmussen ranks second in career victories with 8,867, trailing Dale Baird (9,445) by 578 winners.

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Freshman Sire New Bay Off the Mark at Newbury

Ballylinch Stud resident New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) became the latest freshman sire to strike when the appropriately named Charlie Fellowes trainee First Prophet (Ire) overcame greenness in Friday evening’s It’s Not Rocket Science With MansionBet EBF Novice S. at Newbury.

6th-Newbury, £6,400, Nov, 6-12, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.03, gd.
FIRST PROPHET (IRE) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}–Lus Na Greine {Ire}, by Pour Moi {Ire}) was swiftly into stride and raced up front in a prominent third through halfway in this debut. An ominous presence to his rivals throughout, the well-backed 18-5 third choice remained hard on the steel until passing the quarter-mile marker and, despite rolling around briefly in front passing the eighth pole, quickened clear of toiling rivals under mild rousting in the closing stages to score by an impressive 1 1/2 lengths from Al Watan (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), becoming the first winner for his Ballylinch Stud-based freshman sire (by Dubawi {Ire}). “He jumped smartly, but we didn’t go particularly quick and we travelled nicely in a decent enough rhythm,” said winning rider James Doyle. “Charlie [Fellowes] told me he’d see out the trip nicely so I was keen to get him on the move early and he found plenty and did it nicely. He’s pencilled in for the [Listed] Chesham S. [at Royal Ascot] next week and we’ll see how he comes out of this, but he’s a relaxed character and didn’t have a hard race there.” Half to a yearling colt by Belardo (Ire), First Prophet is also the first winner for Lus Na Greine (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G3 Park Express S. victress and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Rehn’s Nest (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}). His third dam Key To Coolcullen (Ire) (Royal Academy), a half-sister to G1 Phoenix S. heroine Eva Luna (Ire) (Double Schwartz {Ire}) and GSW sire Cois Na Tine (Ire) (Double Schwartz {Ire}), produced the stakes-placed Coolcullen Times (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and is also the second dam of G1 G1 Criterium International hero Loch Garman (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Sales history: €50,000 Ylg ’19 TIRSEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,217.
1ST-TIME STARTER. O-D Blackstock & C Fellowes; B-Ennistown Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Fellowes.

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