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New Owners Consider Runhappy Travers for South Bend

South Bend (Algorithms), purchased privately by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable following a runner-up effort in the June 27 GIII Ohio Derby, could make his first start for the new connections in the Aug. 8 GI Runhappy Travers S.

“We’re leaning toward the Travers,” confirmed the colt’s new trainer Bill Mott. “The partnership group wants to have a good look at that. He’ll work probably the first part of the week.”

Previously campaigned by Sagamore Farm and trainer Stanley Hough, South Bend won last year’s Street Sense S. over the main track at Churchill Downs and his three stakes placings over the turf include a third-place finish in the Feb. 29 GIII Palm Beach S.

Of the colt’s versatility, Mott said, “I think that’s one of the reasons they bought him. He looks good on both surfaces.”

In his first work for Mott, South Bend went four furlongs in :49.12 (5/31) at Saratoga July 27.

“We breezed him the one time. We like the horse, he’s doing well,” Mott said. “He’s a nice horse to train. He moves well and he worked well for us. I’m happy with him.”

Trainer Mike Stidham confirmed that Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), most recently a closing third in the July 16 GIII Peter Pan S., is also under consideration for the Travers.

“The Travers is a possibility. He’ll work [Saturday] and we’ll know more after he works,” said Stidham. “Ultimately, he has to put himself in a better position early. You can’t win those types of races with that much to do late in the race. Our goal was to try blinkers on him and see what type of response he gives, so we can try to be a little bit closer.”

The post New Owners Consider Runhappy Travers for South Bend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Kentucky Lasix Suit To Continue After Judge Reverses His Own Order

The civil suit in Franklin County Circuit Court over a partial Lasix phaseout in Kentucky will continue after a judge granted a motion from the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association to set aside, vacate, alter or amend an earlier judgment dismissing the case.

In June, Judge Thomas Wingate had denied a motion from the KHBPA for a temporary injunction to stop Churchill Downs and Keeneland from writing races for 2-year-olds requiring Lasix to be given 24 hours pre-race, rather than the typical four hours. The tracks had begun carding those races while waiting for regulations approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (also named as a defendant in the suit) to go into effect. The KHBPA contended that the tracks don't have the legal power to card no-Lasix races, since medication regulation is supposed to be made and enforced by the commission.

The tracks and commission argued that existing rules do permit racetracks to card no-Lasix races.

Part of the reason Wingate dismissed the case in June was due to a technical point about associational standing on the part of the KHBPA; “associational standing” in a legal sense refers to whether the organization represents members who had grounds to bring a suit in their own right, whether it is seeking to protect interests relevant to its members and whether the claims it makes require participation of individual members to the suit.

In an order this week, Wingate wrote “the Court understands the Plaintiff's position that it was not given adequate time, once standing was raised, to sufficiently address the issue prior to the Court dismissing the Complaint for lack of standing.”

Now, Wingate wrote, it's likely the matter will be decided on the strength of competing motions for summary judgment from each side in the suit. Wingate ordered the parties involved to set a date for oral arguments in the case within 10 days of granting the KHBPA's motion to vacate on July 29.

The post Kentucky Lasix Suit To Continue After Judge Reverses His Own Order appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Silvano Colts Dominate National Opener

Bloodstock South Africa’s National Yearling Sale, delayed from its original April calendar date, at last got off and running for its two-day stand on Friday. Topping trade during the opening session was Wilgerbosdrift Stud’s Silvano (Ger) colt out of local wondermare Halfway To Heaven (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) (lot 185), whose first two foals are the triple Group 1 winner Rainbow Bridge (SAf) (Ideal World) and champion 3-year-old and five-time Group 1 winner Hawwaam (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}). Hawwaam had been a R1-million yearling purchase by Shadwell South Africa, but his full-brother far outpointed that pricetag when bringing R7-million (£312,679/€347,508) on Friday from Summerhill Equestrian.

In fact, it was sons of Silvano who dominated trade on the day, in the end responsible for the top four prices. Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock signed for the session’s second and third highest-priced colts at R4.5-million (£201,008/€223,384) and R1.8-million (£80,390/€89,353): lot 106, a grandson of multiple champion mare Dancer’s Daughter (GB) (Act One {GB}), and lot 186, whose dam is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Futura (SAf) (Dynasty {SAf}).

John Freeman purchased the fourth Silvano colt, the only other yearling in the session to crack seven figures: lot 109, the third foal out of Group 2 winner Demanding Lady (SAf) (Dynasty {SAf}) and half-brother to the G1 Cape Derby second Charles (SAf) (Trippi) made R1.3-million (£58,059/€64,533).

From 230 yearlings catalogued on the day, 158 were offered and 121 sold for an aggregate of R37,250,000 (£1,663,640/€1,849,127), an average of R307,851 (£13,749/€15,283) and a median of R150,000 (£6,700/€7,447). Comparative statistics will be published after Saturday’s second session of the sale.

The post Silvano Colts Dominate National Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Chester Thomas Looking Forward To By My Standards’ Rematch With Tom’s D’Etat In Whitney

Allied Racing Stables' Chester Thomas will celebrate his first starter at Saratoga Race Course when By My Standards bursts from the gate as one of five millionaires in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney, a 1 1/8-mile test for 4-year-olds and upward.

Whitney Day will feature three Grade 1 events, led by the historic Whitney, with an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland on the line. The card is bolstered by the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign presented by NYRA Bets, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November; and the Grade 1, $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs. The stakes-laden card also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green for 4-year-olds and up on the turf and the $200,000 Caress, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares. The card will be broadcast on Saratoga Live beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, the son of leading third-crop sire Goldencents has already given Thomas a couple of “firsts” in providing the Kentucky native with a first graded stakes win in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby last March at Fair Grounds, which propelled him to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby – Thomas' first starter in the 'Run for the Roses' – where he was elevated to 11th.

By My Standards arrives at the Whitney off a runner-up effort to Toms d'Etat, the Whitney's 6-5 morning line favorite, in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs where he tracked the pace but was unable to catch the leader, who set a tepid pace under Miguel Mena.

“Our horse came out of the race very well,” Thomas said. “He kept his weight up and we're competitive and we like to win, but these races aren't easy. Toms d'Etat ran a huge race at Churchill. I give Miguel Mena a lot of credit, he took control of the race right out of the gate. The fractions were fairly slow at the beginning, and you aren't chasing a horse like that down with those kinds of fractions. Coming in second is not bad, so we're looking forward to trying again.”

Following the Kentucky Derby, By My Standards received a freshening but returned with a six-length optional claiming victory at Fair Grounds which he followed up with Grade 2 scores in the New Orleans Classic and Oaklawn Handicap.

“He's by far better than he was last year. He was coming into himself very well,” Thomas said. “The Louisiana Derby shocked everybody, and we thought he had a real shot in the race back then. The Derby was hard on him and we gave him all the time off he needed. He got his foot issues squared away and Bret has been meticulous with everything he's done.”

By My Standards defeated eight graded stakes winners, including subsequent Grade 2 Suburban victor Tacitus in the Oaklawn Handicap, registering a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

“The races haven't gotten any easier, especially the Oaklawn Handicap. That was a stacked race,” said Thomas. “We're excited to be a part of it and hopefully we can get our first Saratoga win.”

Thomas, who also owns multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Money and stakes winner Mr. Big News with Calhoun, said he hopes for another strong race on Saturday from By My Standards.

“Bret has done just a beautiful job. The horse has come back and is doing really well,” Thomas said. “No doubt this is a very tough race even with only five horses. They're all very, very good horses. Code of Honor is clearly a super horse. Toms d'Etat is a super horse, so it's going to take a super horse to win that race Saturday.”

Thomas could double up his Saratoga starters with Mr. Big News, who is a possibility for the $500,000 Saratoga Derby, part of the Turf Triple Series for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16-miles on August 15.

“His pedigree screams turf,” Thomas said of the sophomore son of Giant's Causeway, who won the Oaklawn Stakes two starts back. “In the Blue Grass, he stumbled out of the gate and the track was speed-biased. It might be a good time to look at turf racing with him.”

Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Mr. Big News is out of the Galileo mare Unappeased, who is a half to multiple graded stakes winner on grass Sligo Bay.

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