Author: News

Sunday Insights: Ellis Park Maidens Highlight Sunday Card

5th-ELP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:45 p.m.

Shadwell's MUAZARAH (Into Mischief) leads a battle of the homebreds in Sunday's fifth race at Ellis Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee is out of a half-sister to the dam of a pair of prolific European runners in MG1SW Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who debuted at Shadwell Stud this season, and MG1SW Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}).

Just to his outside, Unreasonable (Honor Code), racing in the Calumet Farm colors, is out of a half to both GISW Geri (Theatrical {Ire}) and MGSW/MGISP A.P. Arrow (A.P. Indy).

One of a pair of starters for Steve Asmussen, Black Iron (Constitution) is a joint venture for breeders Doug and Felicia Branham and Winchell Thoroughbreds. The colt's third dam is responsible for MGISW and leading sire Quality Road (Elusive Quality).

The only colt not racing for his breeders, The Process (More Than Ready) was a $370,000 Keeneland September purchase last year. His half-brother, Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}), took this year's GII Rebel. S. and he is out of a half-sister to the great Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) and to MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPS

7th-ELP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 3:50 p.m.

The most expensive buy of this field, Awesome Road (Quality Road) was a $600,000 yearling at Keeneland and is a half to SW/GISP Endless Chatter (First Samurai) as well as SW/G1SP Whitecliffsofdover (War Front). His dam is a half to MGSW and late sire Pulpit (A.P. Indy) while his extended family includes GSW/MGISP and sire Tale of the Cat (Storm Cat).

Just to his inside is another Calumet homebred in Loma Paloma (Mineshaft) whose dam is a half to SW and young sire Nashville (Speightstown).

Beyond Stoked (Into Mischief) brought $450,000 at this year's OBS March Sale and races for Boardshorts Stables and trainer Brian Lynch.

Rounding out the group to the outside is Chryso Alogo (Bolt d'Oro), a Brad Cox trainee whose dam is a full-sister to GSW Shumoos and a half to SW/GSP Steady On (Pioneerof the Nile). He brought a final bid of $400,000 from a lengthy ownership group that includes Qatar Racing LLC and Spendthrift Farm at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. TJCIS PPS

The post Sunday Insights: Ellis Park Maidens Highlight Sunday Card appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Favorite New York Thunder Suffers Fatal Breakdown In Jerkens Memorial

Tragedy unfolded in the closing stages of the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) for 3-year-old sprinters Saturday at Saratoga Race Course when favorite New York Thunder appeared en route to a clear victory but fell near the sixteenths pole. The Nyquist colt suffered a catastrophic injury to his left front fetlock and was euthanized on the track.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was on his feet and walked to an ambulance, visited first aid and was uninjured.

With the undefeated colt down, One in Vermillion ($41.40) went on to the token victory in the seven-furlong race.

Entering with four wins from as many career starts, including the Amsterdam (G2) July 29 at the Spa in his most recent start, New York Thunder was the 3-2 favorite. He sprinted from the gate to the early lead and opened a five-length advantage in early stretch. The son of Nyquist out of the Midshipman mare Start Over was trained by Jorge Delgado for AMO USA Racing. He was bred in Kentucky by Gatewood Bell and Forgotten Land Investments Inc.

New York Thunder was the second fatality on the Travers Day card. Qatar Racing's Irish-bred Nobel, making his U.S. debut for trainer Brendan Walsh, suffered a catastrophic injury while galloping out after the fifth race, an allowance contest, run over turf course rated “good.”

Eight horses have suffered fatal injuries while racing during the current Saratoga meet, with another four fatally injured while training.

In the Jerkens Memorial, One in Vermillion raced far off the pace at the rear of the field down the backstretch and made a strong sustained run under Irad Ortiz Jr. to pass rivals entering the stretch, winning in a final time of 1:22.63 at odds of 19-1 for trainer Esteban “Steve” Martinez's first career graded stakes victory.

Verifying finished second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Arabian Lion. Fort Bragg and Drew's Gold completing the order of finish.

Jonathan Kalman's One in Vermillion, a California-bred son of Army Mule out of the Any Given Sunday mare Given Star, entered from a third-place finish in the West Virginia Derby(G3) on August 6 at Mountaineer, and has now finished in-the-money in each of his last six starts.

The post Favorite New York Thunder Suffers Fatal Breakdown In Jerkens Memorial appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Unbeaten New York Thunder Tragically Breaks Down in Deep Stretch in Allen Jerkens Memorial; Longshot One in Vermillion Inherits Win

The sensationally fast New York Thunder (Nyquist) was well on his way to a fifth victory from as many starts in Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga, but fell when well clear at the sixteenth pole and suffered a life-ending injury in scenes eerily reminiscent of those three weeks ago when Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) catastrophically broke down just before the wire of the GI Test S. One in Vermillion (Army Mule) found his best stride in the stretch and inherited the victory at odds of 19-1.

The second-longest shot on the board, One in Vermillion was content to drop out to the back of the field as New York Thunder, so impressive in running his winning streak to four in the GII Amsterdam S. July 29, took pace pressure to his outside from GI Woody Stephens S. hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) through wicked fractions of :22.29 and :44.40 over a track that had been drying out from earlier showers, but had been sealed after another bit of rainfall a short time prior to the Jerkens. New York Thunder proved best in the pace battle and began to open up on his five rivals, carrying an unassailable advantage into the final furlong. But tragedy struck soon after, as New York Thunder fell and ultimately could not be saved. Verifying (Justify) outfinished Arabian Lion for the most minor of minor awards.

“Per NYRA Sr Examining Vet, New York Thunder sustained a catastrophic injury to his left front in the stretch run of the @TheNYRA #Saratoga 9th & was humanely euthanized on track,” NYRA's Keith McCalmont tweeted. “Jockey Tyler Gaffalione is up and walked to the ambulance. He will visit first aid.”

McCalmont later added that Gaffalione, who had no other mounts on the card, was uninjured.

A two-time stakes winner at Turf Paradise last winter, One in Vermillion won the May 6 Laz Barrera S. at Santa Anita while still under the care of Eric Kruljac, then won a Canterbury allowance and was runner-up in the grassy Canterbury Derby June 21 in his first two starts for the Esteban Martinez barn. Disqualified after dead-heating for the win in the Iowa Derby July 8, the chestnut led past the eighth pole in the Aug. 6 GIII West Virginia Derby before yielding late to finish third to Red Route One (Gun Runner).

“I feel really bad about the rider [Tyler Gaffalione] and the horse [New York Thunder],” Martinez said. I thought this horse could run well in here. He tries hard all the time. He came from the back and he did great.”

Added jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.: “It's sad. He [New York Thunder] was already a winner I think, to be honest. Unfortunately, that happened. I asked about the rider, they say he's OK, so I'm glad Tyler is okay. He's a friend of mine. It's not the way you want it to happen.”

Pedigree Notes:

One in Vermillion is the first Grade I winner and second graded winner overall for Army Mule. Dam Given Star was purchased by Richard Barton Enterprises for $4,500 with the Jerkens winner in utero at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale and One in Vermillion changed hands for $26,000 at the 2021 Arizona Fall Mixed Sale. One in Vermillion is out of a half-sister to MSW King Henny (Henny Hughes) and MSP Honey Pants (Cairo Prince), who is also responsible for the Cal-bred 2-year-old filly Raspberry Wine (Cat Burglar).

Saturday, Saratoga
H. ALLEN JERKENS MEMORIAL S.-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 8-26, 3yo, 7f, 1:22.63, my.
1–ONE IN VERMILLION, 118, c, 3, by Army Mule
          1st Dam: Given Star, by Any Given Saturday
          2nd Dam: Queens Carousel, by Afternoon Deelites
          3rd Dam: Irving's Girl, by Badger Land
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($26,000 Ylg '21 ARZNOV). O-Jonathan Kalman; B-Richard Barton Enterprises (CA); T-Esteban Martinez; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 12-6-3-1, $653,840. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Verifying, 120, c, 3, Justify–Diva Delite, by Repent. ($775,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor; B-Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Arabian Lion, 124, c, 3, Justify–Unbound, by Distorted Humor. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($600,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1HF, 12. Odds: 19.70, 4.80, 1.90.
Also Ran: Fort Bragg, Drew's Gold, New York Thunder.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Unbeaten New York Thunder Tragically Breaks Down in Deep Stretch in Allen Jerkens Memorial; Longshot One in Vermillion Inherits Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Letter to the Editor: The Future of the North

Behind the scenes there is a battle taking place for the future of racing in Northern California.

Approximately 30 million dollars is at the center of the battle, the projected net revenue from wagering derived in the north. The projection is derived from past revenues generated annually through Thoroughbred simulcast, ADW and live racing wagering in the north.

Under current law, these funds must remain in the north, for the benefit of the north–both for horsemen and any race meet that continues to offer Thoroughbred racing in the future. The powers that be in the south, 1/ST Racing and The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club are pushing to change the law so they can use those monies “to boost” racing in the south.

At the end of the day, these changes are political–the law must be changed. Experience tells me political contributions will certainly flow, if not are flowing already, to influence legislative changes that will undercut the investment and livelihoods of hundreds of horsemen in the north.

Curiously, and disappointingly, the leadership of both the CTBA and the TOC were supportive of the change even before their members learned of it. Each personally offered statements of support to 1/ST Racing that were included in the release announcing the closure of Golden Gate. Even now I find that troubling because, to my knowledge, neither has made any effort to convene their affected members in the north to ascertain first-hand our feelings, ideas, or concerns. No efforts whatsoever.

Without use of the revenues generated in the North, the Thoroughbred industry in the north will disappear. The significant investments made by many of us will be lost without any apparent regard by leadership elected by and for the purpose of representing our interests too.

I'm told neither board has even taken a vote on these issues, yet their chairs and paid executives open and privately advocate for the plans laid out by 1/ST Racing.

Having previously spent time myself on both these boards, I cannot recall a single instance prior leadership ever committed those organizations to such important positions without first having convened membership, held meaningful discussion and debate, then taken action/a vote of the board then made public to their members.

When did the genuine concerns and interests of TOC and CTBA members cease to matter to the leadership of those organizations?

When members' interests are no longer valued by the chair, the chair really should ask themselves, am I still the right person for this job?

Should this become the end of racing in the north, California Thoroughbred owners will have less than half the opportunities to run their horses and breeders will have lost venues that previously hosted races filled by nearly 70% Cal-breds.

All of us should be asking TOC and CTBA leadership why these issues have not come to the forefront in direct discussion and engagement with affected members.

Northern California horsemen and women have a right to know what the lobbyists for these organizations are saying and doing about these legislative changes. We should know how each board member voted on these issues and the minutes of each organization should explain to members why each organization has determined–for the benefit of all its members–to act as they are.

Members of each organization should openly question and challenge those boards and hold them accountable just as we do other elected representatives. They voluntarily chose to represent our collective interests. They have a duty and obligation to explain why they are proceeding in the manner they seem to be, while what seems like a majority of us believe otherwise.

As one owner to another, one breeder to another, I ask you to think about these issues and then join me in asking some serious questions of the TOC and CTBA boards.

–Tom Bachman, Owner and Breeder

The post Letter to the Editor: The Future of the North appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights