Every fall, people who are lucky enough to be in Lexington are drawn to the preview of the annual Sporting Art Auction (11th edition) which is a collaboration between Cross Gate Gallery and Keeneland. “The Sporting Art Auction is a highlight of our fall season at Keeneland, and we are thrilled with the support it receives from sporting art enthusiasts and the community,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said.
Author: News
‘Grateful To Come Back’: Nearing End Of One-Year Suspension, Richard Baltas Plans Starters At Santa Anita
Trainer Richard Baltas is making plans for his return to the Southern California horse racing scene as he nears the conclusion of a one-year suspension for “conduct detrimental to racing” and violating medication rules, reports the Daily Racing Form.
Baltas, who has won 722 races including seven Grade 1 stakes since taking out his trainer's license in 1991, is alleged to have had prohibited race-day administrations given to his horses on 21 occasions from April 15 through May 8, 2022. The treatments, said to be captured on Santa Anita's surveillance cameras, allegedly involved “X-Treme Air Boost,” and “other substances,” according to the original ruling.
A complaint filed by the CHRB against Baltas on June 21, 2022, included an investigation report outlining actions of an assistant trainer who allegedly was seen on video surveillance administering an oral dose of an unknown substance to the horse Noble Reflection on May 8.
Video surveillance reviewed by officials allegedly showed similar race-day activity occurred with over 20 Baltas horses between April 15 and May 8, 2022.
During his suspension, Baltas has been active at sales. The trainer told DRF that he will have approximately 20 horses between Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs, with his first starters expected during the winter/spring meet at beginning Dec. 26.
“Before the year's up, I could have a few runners,” Baltas told DRF. “I have old clients that want me back.
“I'm grateful to come back. That's all I'd like to say about that.”
Read more at the Daily Racing Form.
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2023 Cigar Mile Handicap Cheat Sheet: Get to Know the Horses
The $500,000, Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap Dec. 2 at Aqueduct is the featured race on a four-stakes card at the Big A on the final Saturday of the track’s fall meet.
2022 Claiming Horse Of The Year Invaluable Ready To ‘Turn The Tables’ On Last-Out Winner Samarita
Invaluable secured the National HBPA's Claiming Horse of the Year when she captured the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper last year at Churchill Downs in the mud for trainer Mike Maker and owner Paradise Farms Corp. The 6-year-old mare will attempt to defend that victory in Saturday's $100,000 race for fillies and mares that have competed for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2022 or 2023. But this go-round it will be with a new trainer (Joe Sharp) and owners (Forgotten Man Racing and Dominic Damiano) and at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans.
Sharp and the owners claimed Invaluable two races ago, the day she won a $25,000 claiming race by a nose. They've run her back once, in a $10,000 starter-allowance race at Keeneland. Invaluable closed to finish second, but was never a threat in a 12 3/4-length victory by Illinois shipper Samarita. The two will face off again in the Glass Slipper (race 4, post time 2:15 p.m. CT), which at the Fair Grounds is a mile around two turns vs. Churchill Downs' one-turn mile last year.
While calling Samarita “definitely a really nice filly,” Sharp is extremely confident for a trainer whose horse just lost by 12 3/4 lengths.
“Obviously she showed last year she can handle the off track, if it's the weather they're calling for,” he said of Invaluable. “She's been a nice filly. We claimed her at Churchill, ran back at Keeneland and she came out of that with a little bit of a sinus deal going on. So it probably wasn't her best effort. But she's doing fantastic, really has transitioned well down here. She had a nice breeze about 10 days out from her race. I think we can turn the tables on the filly that beat her.
“Post race unveiled that we weren't 100 percent that day. So we've got a built-in excuse and we're going to use it. I feel very confident going into this race, and she's doing fantastic.”
Of being the reigning Claiming Horse of the year, Sharp said, “I know! Those are big shoes to fill. We've got to keep her crown.”
Sharp also is well-positioned in the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel (race 10, 5:15 p.m. CT) at 1 1/8 miles with 5-2 favorite Money Supply, a $400,000 yearling purchase claimed by Sharp and owner Jordan Wycoff for $35,000 at Saratoga. In three races for Money Supply's new team, the 4-year-old Practical Joke colt was a close second in a $50,000 starter-allowance, then won a similar race at Churchill Downs and followed with victory in a first-level allowance race.
Dana's Beauty will make her first start for Sharp in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Tiara (race 5, 2:45 p.m. CDT) at 1 1/16 miles on turf for fillies and mares that have raced for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2022 or 2023. Dana's Beauty is 8-1 in a field of nine, with the 3-1 favorite Perhaps Tonight making her first start for trainer Tom Amoss.
The 5-year-old Dana's Beauty, who had been racing over Presque Isle's all-weather surface, was claimed for $25,000 two starts back to become Claiming Crown-eligible, then finished a very close third in a stakes. She's owned by the Magic Oaks Stable of the brother and sister team of horse owner and trainer Adam Rice and Taylor Ortiz, who is married to jockey Jose Ortiz.
“Taylor worked for me this summer (at Saratoga), so it's kind of fun,” Sharp said. “The filly has been down here at the Fair Grounds, had about a month to settle in and has had three good works over the track. She just seems like an improving filly. I don't know what would happen if it would come off the turf, but her work in the slop was really good.
“We have a lot of confidence. If it's on the grass, we like her a lot. She's been working phenomenal.”
Sharp also has Bizzee Channel and Runway Magic in the $150,000 Emerald at 1 1/16 miles on turf (race 9, 4:45 p.m. CT). Magic Castle is entered in the $75,000 Ready's Rocket Express but could be scratched because of difficulties in getting the horse shipped from Remington Park in Oklahoma.
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