Horse Racing News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Authentic To Carry Silks Of Spendthrift Farm In Preakness Stakes

B. Wayne Hughes, whose Spendthrift Farm is majority owner in Authentic, wanted minority owner MyRacehorse's black and white silks to be worn by jockey John Velazquez in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Authentic carried those colors into the history books as the winner of the only Kentucky Derby not held in the spring. A month later, Authentic will wear Spendthrift's orange and purple silks in the first Preakness Stakes (G1) not held in the spring or summer.

“That will be a lot of fun, we'll look forward to that,” said Mark Toothaker, Spendthrift Farm's stallion sales manager who was on hand to watch Authentic and the Spendthrift co-owned Thousand Words work Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Authentic is a son of the red-hot Spendthrift stallion Into Mischief, whom Hughes raced. Into Mischief is out of the same mare, Leslie's Lady, as Hughes' four-time champion mare Beholder and Mendelssohn, a $3 million yearling campaigned by the partners in the Coolmore international stallion and racing conglomerate.

Spendthrift bought controlling interest in the racing and breeding rights to Authentic before the Santa Anita Derby (G1) from Starlight Racing, with Madaket Stable also a partner. As it turned out, the Santa Anita Derby is Authentic's only defeat to date in six starts, with the wins including Santa Anita's Sham (G3) and San Felipe (G2) and Monmouth Park's Haskell Invitational (G1).

“We felt like this was a horse who had a real chance to win the Derby,” Toothaker said of the purchase. “We thought, 'The timing is great. Let's try to get something done for Spendthrift and Mr. Hughes.' The team was able to put this offer together with Mr. Hughes' blessing and get it done.”

Hughes, meanwhile, had bought into MyRacehorse, founded by Michael Behrens, both financially and by embracing the concept of making micro-shares in racehorses available to the general public for just a couple hundred bucks each.

“I'll have to say there were a few of us kind of grinding our teeth a little bit when Mr. Hughes wanted to run in MyRacehorse's silks,” Toothaker said. “I made the pitch that 'Wayne you've done so much for the game, this is going to be something for history that is going to hang in the Derby Museum.' ”

However, Hughes, a billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist, felt strongly that MyRacehorse's concept could be a game-changer. The result is that Authentic surely set a record for the most owners in a Kentucky Derby winner, with 5,314 investors owning 12,500 shares in MyRacehorse.com's 12 1/2-percent stake in the colt. Each share in Authentic cost $206 for 1/1,000th of the horse, both for racing and breeding.

“He feels it will re-energize the racetracks and get people coming,” Toothaker said, adding of the 86-year-old Hughes, “Wayne grew up in an era when there were tons of people going to the races at Santa Anita. He feels like MyRacehorse gives that opportunity back to racing, that people will return, they'll come. There's nothing like having a horse running, bringing friends and family with them. It's not just one person who signs up for a micro-share; it's all their family that comes with them to the track. His vision is that over time it will explode attendance back to the racetrack as people take part on this. We've been very active at the sale buying another group of yearlings with MyRacehorse that folks will have a chance to participate in — and hopefully see them in the winner's circle.”

The Derby proved a rollercoaster for Spendthrift, which also is partners with Albaugh Family Racing in $1 million yearling Thousand Words. Out of the blue, Spendthrift went from two to one entrant when Thousand Words flipped in the paddock after becoming unruly, with assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes fracturing his wrist in the melee and missing the Derby while going to the emergency room.

“It was just the craziest half-hour you could ever imagine,” Toothaker said. “I actually walked over (from the backstretch to the paddock) with Thousand Words because of the Albaughs. They were in town, they're our partner on that horse. We bought him together as a yearling. So I knew MyRacehorse representatives were walking over with Authentic. To see (Thousand Words) in the paddock, he didn't want to be saddled. I feel terrible for Jimmy, when the horse flipped over Jimmy had to have nine screws put in his arm, putting him back together. You're just sad that 20 minutes before the Derby you don't get a chance to run. It was heart-breaking. You're in the paddock, a little bit stunned that happened. Everybody was just in a fog.

“As we walked through the tunnel onto the track, I told our general manager, Ned Toffey, 'You know, if there are any Derby gods looking down upon us after Thousand Words flipping, maybe he'll give Authentic a little push around there and get us to the winner's circle.' And, boy, I'll tell you what, it sure did.”

While historic Spendthrift Farm had previously stood the sire of Derby winners, Authentic is its first as the owner. In the case of Authentic, Spendthrift is owner of the Derby winner and his dad, the farm's stallion Into Mischief.

“When I saw the opening fractions of 22-and-change, I was very, very worried, knowing you've got to go a mile and a quarter,” Toothaker said. “Certainly as they turned for home, I saw Manny Franco look over his right shoulder. I thought, 'Boy, he's probably loaded on Tiz the Law.' And you hear the announcer give the big call on Mr. Big News, that he's rolling around horses on the outside. You're just looking to see how much fight you have down the stretch.

“Really, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking can we just hang on here to hit the board. When Johnny kind of hit him left-handed, he gave him so much effort down the stretch. It was just a thrill, going from being so depressed in the paddock with Thousand Words to seeing Authentic win. It was the biggest rocket ship of emotions in that 20 minutes there that you can ever imagine. And then thinking of Mr. Hughes and all he's meant to all of our team at Spendthrift and he was able to win that elusive Kentucky Derby was as good as it gets.”

Well, it actually has gotten better. The Derby victory further boosted Into Mischief as a stallion, with five of his yearlings fetching at least $1 million at Keeneland's September yearling sale.

“People questioned whether he could have a horse win a classic, and now he [Into Mischief] checked that box off,” Toothaker said. “It wasn't very many years ago that he was averaging $21,000 per yearling. And after the first two books (of the Keeneland sale), he's averaging $500,000. Into Mischief has climbed the ladder of stallion success, and it's put him in a whole other stratosphere now.”

The post Authentic To Carry Silks Of Spendthrift Farm In Preakness Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Pneumatic Breezes Bullet for Preakness

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Pneumatic (Uncle Mo), last-out winner of the Aug. 15 Pegasus S. at Monmouth Park, breezed five furlongs in company in a bullet 1:00.85 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Monday morning as he continues towards a start in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Oct. 3.

With exercise rider Angel Garcia up, Pneumatic went in fractions of :12, :23.80, :36 and galloped out three-quarters of a mile in 1:15.

“On this track, that’s about as good as horses work,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “It was a solid five-eighths. They were out well. He’s trained really good since the Pegasus at Monmouth. Off that work we expect a big effort in the Preakness.”

Third to Maxfield (Street Sense) in the GIII Matt Winn S. May 23, Pneumatic was a well-beaten fourth behind Tiz The Law (Constitution) in the GI Belmont S. June 20. He came from just off the pace in the Pegasus to defeat Jesus’ Team (Tapiture) by 2 1/4 lengths.

The post Pneumatic Breezes Bullet for Preakness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Keeneland, Kentucky Downs Plan For New Racing Facilities In Southeastern Kentucky

Keeneland and the majority owners of Kentucky Downs announced Monday their filing of an application for a racing license and proposed construction of a state-of-the-art racing facility and related track extension in Kentucky to be located in Corbin and Williamsburg, respectively. The proposed facilities will feature live Standardbred racing and historical racing machines for guests from Kentucky and beyond.

Kentucky Downs, located in Franklin, Kentucky, is majority owned, controlled and managed by a partnership led by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone.

“Horse racing is an extremely vital part of the Commonwealth's economy,” said Winchell. “With the addition of a new race track and related amenities in southeastern Kentucky, it will help to continue the momentum we have created for the state and our industry in recent years.”

“Keeneland has dedicated resources to this region and project for many years and we look forward to working alongside our partners at Kentucky Downs to bring this project to life,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “This project will strengthen Kentucky's vital horse industry and positively impact the Commonwealth and the local communities by stimulating significant economic growth, generating hundreds of new jobs and enhancing tourism and hospitality.”

Officials from each racing association are working with state and local officials on a number of incentives and necessary infrastructure improvements to bring the facilities to fruition. Additionally, the venture is working with local investors to enhance the magnitude of the impact to the region.

“Corbin is thrilled to be a part of this endeavor,” Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus said. “The new racing facility will be a welcome addition to our city's already long list of sites and attractions for local residents and visitors.”

“We are proud of the significant investment this partnership is committed to making in our community, and are excited to see the infusion of tourism, economic development and new jobs it will bring to Williamsburg and Whitley County,” Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison stated.

Each facility is contingent upon approval of an initial pari-mutuel racing license by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

The post Keeneland, Kentucky Downs Plan For New Racing Facilities In Southeastern Kentucky appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Local Trainer Hoping to Revitalize Racing in Antigua, Build a New Track

There has not been any racing in Antigua since June, 2019, and when it does return it will be contested at a bare-bones track that is too small, too narrow and doesn’t drain properly. There’s no certainty that racing in Antigua can survive, which is why a local horseman named Hansen Richards is behind an ambitious plan to build a new track on the Caribbean island.

“After all the work I have done, I cannot sit back and do nothing,” the trainer said. “I want to put horse racing in Antigua on the map.”

That won’t be easy. Richards is not a wealthy man and racing in his country is overrun with problems. But he believes he can find investors to help him fulfill his dream. He wants a new track to be the centerpiece of a multi-purpose facility that would include restaurants, shops, beach condos, a marina and, eventually, a casino. He has already found the land for the project, 377 acres that is valued at $32 million. The project would be similar to what the China Horse Club did when building a racetrack in Saint Lucia.

All Richards needs now is someone with deep pockets.

“I want to find an investor who can see the vision I have going forward,” he said.

Richards works as a customs inspector and trains as a hobby. He grew up poor and in a neighborhood where crime was a problem. He is inspired by the thought that his project could create jobs for his fellow countrymen.

“I was raised up in the ghetto,” he said. “I look at this as an opportunity to raise standards of living for my community and for my friends. Unfortunately, some of them have lost their lives to violence. I made a vow I would make our society better and provide some jobs and programs out of the horse racing industry.”

He originally wanted to play professional basketball at some level, but reversed course and started training in 2007. In Antigua, it’s not a job where anyone can expect to make a living, but there are people like Richards who are so passionate about the sport that they’ll dedicate many hours a week to training.

He is also working on creating a stud book for horses bred in Antigua. That would allow them to race in other Caribbean countries and, perhaps, in the U.S.

They’ve been racing at Cassada Gardens Race Track since 1964, running anywhere from 12 to 20 dates a year. Richards’ father was an owner, trainer and breeder and he brought his son to the track a time when he racing was a popular pastime on the island.

“The tradition is that it was a family affair to go to the races,” Richards said. “You’d get an average of 6,500 to 7,000 people at the races in the ’80s and ’90s. The people in Antigua love horse racing.”

Richards said that since racing reached its peak in Antigua, interest in the sport has dwindled and now a typical crowd might be 2,500. He said that one of the reasons is that little has been spent on upkeep or improvements and fans don’t want to spend the afternoon in what he says is a rundown Cassada Gardens facility.

The problem has only been compounded since June, 2019, when the final leg in the Antigua Triple Crown series was run. A spate of wet weather that began last summer caused racing to be canceled for the remainder of 2019 because the track was not fit for training. COVID-19 has kept the track closed this year. A possible re-opening in December has been mentioned by officials of the Antigua Turf Club.

But Richards doesn’t see Cassada Gardens as the future of Antiguan racing. It is lacking in many basic amenities and the racetrack itself is a 5 1/2-furlong track that is just 40 feet across and can’t handle a lot of rain.

“Our major issue of concern is the racing surface,” he said. “It has always been an issue and when you have inclement weather the horses cannot exercise.”

Another issue is the purses. They are so small that owners have little incentive to invest in horses. Richards said an average purse would be in the neighborhood of $800 U.S. Normally, Antigua gets most of its horses from places like Puerto Rico and Florida.

“It cost $6,000 U.S. to fly horses here from Miami,” he said. “That is a lot of money when you look at the purses. I do not encourage anyone to purchase horses to run here. I do it because I love it and I know what I am getting into.”

With a new racetrack, he sees Antigua simulcasting its product to other countries, picking up additional sponsors and increasing the amount of money brought in by gate receipts. There’s also the possibility of having a casino help fund purses.

Richards has created the company Mecke Development Corporation and has given himself the title of Managing Director. For now, it is little more than a concept. But its head executive is enthusiastic, driven and has a plan. He sees great potential for horse racing in his country and says he will do what it takes to ensure its future.

The post Local Trainer Hoping to Revitalize Racing in Antigua, Build a New Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post