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Antonio Sano Readying Pair Of Promising 2-Year-Olds For Saratoga Meet

Trainer Antonio Sano started making plans for the upcoming Saratoga Race Course meet after saddling his fourth 2-year-old winner of the Spring Meet at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

The popular Venezuela native has been particularly impressed with Papetu, a five-length winner in his Saturday debut, and Hara, a filly who also graduated with a five-length victory Friday.

“The two horses are the best horses in my barn,” said Sano, who has saddled 21 winners, five fewer than leading trainer Todd Pletcher, during the Spring Meet. “I'm going to send Papetu and Hara to Saratoga.”

Papetu was always in control over his nine rivals under Leonel Reyes. Purchased by Magic Stables LLC for $80,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, Papetu is by Dialed In, the sire of Sano-trained multiple graded-stakes winner Gunnevera. The first-out win hardly surprised his trainer, but the manner in which he dismissed his rivals was a bit of a revelation.

“I expected him to come from behind and close. The race came up different. It was a surprise to me,” Sano said. “He is a good horse. I told the owner that this was a very good horse.”

A day earlier, Sano sent out Hara, who scored a dominating front-running triumph in a 5 ½-furlong dash for fillies. The daughter of Hard Spun, who is owned by Briannjenn Racing LLC, was purchased for $30,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale.

Sano has enjoyed success in the past while sending promising 2-year-olds from South Florida to Saratoga, most notably with Gunnevera, who scored his first graded-stakes victory in the 2016 Saratoga Special (G2) on his way to earning $5.5 million.

Earlier in the meet, Sano saddled Swaggy George, a son of Not This Time, for a four-length triumph in a five-furlong maiden special weight race taken off the turf. The Sano-trained Espia, a son of Creative Cause who finished third behind Swaggy George, came right back to capture a 5-furlong maiden special weight event on turf.

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Safety Protocols Announced Ahead of Midlantic 2YO Sale

Officials at Fasig-Tipton have announced a set of COVID-19 protocols that will be instituted in advance of next week’s Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and this week’s under-tack previews.

Screening measures, including temperature checks and health screening questions, will be in place to gain admittance to the sales grounds for all staff, participants and attendees;
Cloth face coverings are required in accordance with U.S. CDC recommendations;
Participants will not be allowed to congregate. At least six feet of distance must be maintained between people;
Seating capacity in the sales pavilion will be reduced below 50% of capacity;
No food service will be available in the sales pavilion;
Valet parking will not be available;
Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures will be implemented with regular sanitation of high-touch surfaces at least every two hours;
Frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended for all attendees;

The guidelines are intended as a supplement to assist with safe operations during the ongoing pandemic and are subject to change.

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McKinzie to Gainesway

Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville) will begin his stud career at Gainesway Farm upon his retirement from racing after the Kentucky nursery announced Monday that it had purchased the breeding rights to the 5-year-old.

“It is very exciting to stand a horse with McKinzie’s credentials at Gainesway,” said Gainesway’s Director of Bloodstock Alex Solis, II. “I don’t believe there is a more exciting prospect than McKinzie out there. We are grateful to Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman, and Bob Baffert for this fantastic opportunity.”

With earnings of $3,438,560, McKinzie has run first or second in 13 of 15 graded stakes during his career. The 5-year-old, tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ following his debut victory at two, won the 2017 GI Los Alamitos Futurity, 2018 GI Malibu S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby, as well as last year’s GI Whitney S. Also in 2019, the bay was runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, GI Runhappy Metropolitan H., GI Santa Anita H., and GI Awesome Again S. He most recently captured the June 7 GII Triple Bend H.

“McKinzie is a Grade I winner at two, three, and four from distances of seven furlongs to 1 1/8 mile,” said Gainesway’s General Manager Brian Graves. “His speed, versatility, and soundness make him an absolute standout. His 10 individual triple-digit Beyer figures are truly impressive.”

Trainer Bob Baffert added, “From day one, McKinzie has just been exceptional. He is a gorgeous physical with brilliant speed and stamina. I’ve only had one other horse in my career that has been able to accomplish what he’s done by winning a Grade I at two, three, and four. It takes an extraordinary horse to achieve that.”

Baffert continued, “The plan with him going forward is to return in the [Runhappy] Met Mile. Hopefully, this will put us in an excellent position to earn Horse of the Year honors and champion older horse of 2020.”

McKinzie is out of Runway Model, a dual Grade II who was third in the 2004 GI Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies and second in the 2005 GI Ashland S.

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COVID-19 Safety Protocols In Place For Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale

In advance of the upcoming breeze show and 2-year-old in training sale at Timonium, Fasig-Tipton has announced the following COVID-19 protocols will be in place in accordance with Maryland regulations:

Screening measures, including temperature checks and health screening questions, will be in place to gain admittance to the sales grounds for all staff, participants and attendees;
Cloth face coverings are required in accordance with U.S. CDC recommendations;
Participants will not be allowed to congregate. At least six feet of distance must be maintained between people;
Seating capacity in the sales pavilion will be reduced below 50 percent of capacity;
No food service will be available in the sales pavilion;
Valet parking will not be available;
Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures will be implemented with regular sanitation of high touch surfaces at least every two hours;
Frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended for all attendees;

The health and safety of sale participants is of paramount importance. These guidelines are intended as a supplement to assist with safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and are subject to change.

The post COVID-19 Safety Protocols In Place For Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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