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Shelley Mann Named Executive Director Of Secretariat Center

The Secretariat Center is pleased to welcome the appointment of Shelley Mann as its new Executive Director. With a lifetime of equine experience and more than 18 years in nonprofit leadership driving the advancement of strategic goals, Shelley will take the Secretariat Center's reins beginning September 14.

A long time Bluegrass resident, Shelley most recently served as the Director of Marketing and Communications for The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. In that role, she promoted equine education with a focus on safety, health and management by putting educational and leadership resource in homes, schools and barns.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Secretariat Center team,” says Shelley. “The care and placement of retired racehorses and providing these equine athletes a second career is something I am deeply passionate about. I look forward to utilizing my background in marketing, education and resource development to expand community outreach and share the Center's mission with equine enthusiasts across the United States.”

“We are very excited to have Shelley join the Secretariat Center team, and I look forward to seeing her promote our mission and new strategic plan going forward,” said Secretariat Center President Dr. Holly Schmitt. “She has dedicated much of her professional career to understanding equine health and to supporting community programs. Her experience and skills will be crucial to promoting this organization as the gold standard in Thoroughbred retraining.”

The Secretariat Center was founded in 2004 as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for happy, healthy, and successful post-track careers through rehabilitation and by giving them a broad-based foundation of skills to ensure a harmonious match with their adopters. While advocating for the athleticism and versatility of the American Thoroughbred, The Secretariat Center also seeks to provide educational opportunities for human development through horsemanship. Located in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, the Secretariat Center showcases adoptable Thoroughbreds and uses its illustrious location to herald the athleticism of this amazing breed by teaching new skill sets to horses of all levels of ability. Visit www.secretariatcenter.org to find your next partner, make a donation or get involved today.

For more information contact Secretariat Center at 859-246-3080 or info@secretariatcenter.org.

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Goken’s Go Athletico Pounces for Rochette Triumph

Philippe Decouz trainee Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) posted a second over seven furlongs in ParisLongchamp’s July 14 Listed Prix Roland de Chambure on stakes bow last time and returned to the same Bois de Boulogne strip to cause a 17-2 surprise in Sunday’s G3 Prix La Rochette. Positioned under some cover behind the leaders in third, he was shaken into action with 350 metres remaining and quickened smartly in the closing stages to edge Roland de Chambure third Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) by a length for a career high and a second black-type success for his freshman sire (by Kendargent {Fr}). Godolphin’s 3-5 favourite Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) set the tone for the most part, but was swamped inside the furlong and finished a neck further back in third.

“We saw that he handled the track very well when he ran over course and distance last time, which all horses don’t, and he handled it very well again today,” said winning trainer Philippe Decouz. “We targeted this race, freshened him up and we were quite confident that he would run a great race. We are delighted as we own and bred the horse with some friends and he carries the colours of one of them for whom this is a first venture into ownership. He’s a gelding so he can’t go for the upcoming Group 1 races. He is small, but quite speedy, with a fluent stride and I might bring him back over six furlongs for the [G2] Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte. I’m sure he could be okay, tackling soft ground on a straight course, and I am also convinced that he could run over a mile without any problem.”

Go Athletico is the second foal and scorer out of Byburg (Fr) (Sageburg {Ire}), whose own dam By The Best (Fr) (King’s Best) is kin to the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. victor Keep Quiet (Fr) (Elusive City) and GII San Clemente H. victrix Little Treasure (Fr) (Night Shift). Little Treasure has three black-type winners to her credit, headed by MGISP GII La Canada S. victress More Chocolate (Malibu Moon). Go Athletico’s Listed Prix Yacowlef-winning fourth dam Bague Bleue (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) is a full-sister to MG1SW sire Bigstone (Ire) and a half to Listed Prix Imprudence winner Blue Cloud (Ire) (Nashwan), herself the dam of G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial winner Empowering (Ire) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX LA ROCHETTE-G3, €56,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-6, 2yo, 7fT, 1:21.83, g/s.
1–GO ATHLETICO (FR), 126, g, 2, by Goken (Fr)
1st Dam: Byburg (Fr), by Sageburg (Ire)
2nd Dam: By The Best (Fr), by King’s Best
3rd Dam: Luminosity (GB), by Sillery
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Tanguy Moreux, SAS Racing D, Mme Camille Vitse, Robin Mouterde & Thibault de Seyssel; B-Mme Camille Vitse & Mme Valerie Decouz (FR); T-Philippe Decouz; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, €51,800. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, €51,800. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sealiway (Fr), 126, c, 2, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€62,000 Ylg ’19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €11,200.
3–Naval Crown (GB), 126, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. €8,400.
Margins: 1, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 8.50, 3.20, 0.60.
Also Ran: Darkness (Fr), Magic Sword (Fr), Dahiya (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Kentucky Derby: Authentic beats favourite Tiz the Law to take victory

Authentic secures a dominant Kentucky Derby win as heavy favourite Tiz the Law finishes second at Churchill Downs.

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Spectator-less Kentucky Oaks-Derby Day Wagering Down Nearly 50%, Lowest Since 2002.

A historic Kentucky Derby saw Authentic claim the Garland of Roses in what was the first time the race had ever occurred on Labor Day weekend.

Authentic, owned by Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Myracehorse.com, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing and bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, led from the start, held off a challenge through the stretch from Tiz The Law and drew away to a 1 1/4-length victory. Trainer Bob Baffert secured his sixth Kentucky Derby win, tying the all-time record and jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby for the third time.

“We are grateful to our fans and our community for their support of the 146^th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “We look forward to seeing our loyal fans at next year's 147^th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on the first weekend of May.”

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $126.0 million compared to $250.9 million on the 2019 Kentucky Derby Day program. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was $79.4 million compared to $165.5 million from last year's Derby race.

Churchill Downs attributed the decline in handle for this year's Derby Day program to the lack of on-track wagering, fewer horses per race including in the Kentucky Derby race, and a prohibitive favorite in the Derby race.

Similar declines were reported for Kentucky Oaks day on Friday, which saw a decline in wagers from $60.1 million in 2019 to $30.6 million in 2020. The Oaks itself handled $9.8 million compared to $19.3 million in 2019.

Combined Oaks-Derby day wagering totaled $156.6 million, a 49.7% decline from the record $311.1 million wagered in 2019 when the Oaks and Derby were run in May.

In 2019, $31.2 million was bet on-track at Churchill Downs on Oaks and Derby day ($9.9 million on the Oaks card and $21.3 million on the Derby). That's equal to 20.2% of the $154.4 million in lost wagers this year.

Other wagering declines resulted from a contract dispute between Churchill Downs Inc. and the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association representing race and sports books throughout Nevada. Race and sports books were permitted to book wagers on the races but they were not commingled into the pari-mutuel pools hosted by Churchill Downs or counted in the totals.

The combined Oaks and Derby day wagers were the lowest since 2002.

The Churchill Downs press release added, “Although it is difficult to compare the financial performance to prior years, we are pleased with the profitability of the spectator-less 2020 Derby Week.”

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