Pricey Karakontie Colt Highlights Book 5 Opener

A colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) achieved a very rare feat in Keeneland September’s Book 5 opener Tuesday, summoning a session-topping $500,000 from Marsha Naify. The Gainesway stallion had another yearling in the top five lots of the day with a full-sister to graded stakes-bound Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 3161) bringing $220,000 from Ballyfair Bloodstock.

A total of 253 yearlings brought $6,484,100 Tuesday with an average of $25,629 and a median of $15,000.Fifty-five horses failed to meet their reserves Tuesday.

Throughout the first nine days of trade, 1,880 youngsters sold for a gross of $240,340,300 with an average of $127,841 and median of $62,000. There were 743 RNAs.

“It has been really thin except for top horses in your draft,” said Brian Graves of Gainesway, which bred and consigned the day’s top lot. “The top horses have a lot of action and bring more than you think they will bring and the horses below that are tougher to sell and you really have to adjust your expectations and be willing to let the market say what they are worth.”

 

Karakontie Colt Sparks Fireworks in Book 5

It is pretty unusual to see a yearling summon $500,000 in Book 5 of Keeneland September, but a colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) did just that Tuesday, selling to California-based owner Marsha Naify, who did her bidding over the phone.

“The sire can be grass or dirt,” said Naify. “We think the yearling would be a good dirt miler, but he could also go on turf. There is a lot of upside. There were obviously a lot of bidders for that horse, which drove the price up. But, that’s okay. I stuck to my guns and stayed in there.”

The chestnut is out of Untouch (Speightstown), a half-sister to SW and GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News (Giant’s Causeway). This is also the family of GISW sire Sligo Bay (Ire). The yearling was bred and consigned by Gainesway, where Naify keeps her broodmares.

“The Karakontie was a drop-dead gorgeous horse,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said. “He had everything you want to see. I know we were in Book 5, but he had everything you want to see in a Book 1 horse. He had a lot going for him. Physically, he was a standout. He was really athletic with a big, sweeping walk and was correct. He attracted the interest of Maria Niarchos [of Flaxman Holdings, who bred and campaigned Karakontie] and of Marsha Naify, who decided she wasn’t going to leave the sale without him. It culminated to a perfect sale. It is a very good thing for Karakontie. We wish Marsha Naify the best of luck with him.”

With Naify not in attendance at the sale, it was Graves that pointed the colt out to her.

“Brian Graves helped me and my trainer Karen Headley out,” Naify said. “That is who I will be sending the horse to here in California once it gets cold in Kentucky. I send all my purchases back to Gainesway just to stay in Kentucky a little longer.”

She continued, “He was on my short list. I made some other smaller purchases, not like that one of course. There were a couple I lost out on. Everyone else I know who is over there said he was a good-looking horse and of course they have the videos online. I also got another cell phone video sent to me.”

Naify has purchased five yearlings at Keeneland so far, but Hip 2814 is by far the most expensive. Her other purchases include: a $75,000 Liam’s Map filly (Hip 2235), a $70,000 son of Carpe Diem (Hip 1905), a $35,000 daughter of Jimmy Creed (Hip 3064) and a $30,000 filly by Gormley (Hip 2842).

“I am usually pretty conservative on my bidding,” Naify said. “I don’t spend a lot of money at auctions. I look for horses in the more conservative range who could be stars. This one was just special. He just caught my eye. Everybody said he was a great horse and obviously the underbidders thought he was a great horse. Sometimes you have to just go for it.”

She added, “They will all go to Karen. This is the biggest grouping we will have together. I used to have horses with Bruce Headley. He also looked at the video and thought this was a great horse. He still has an eye for the horses.”

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Longtime Horse Racing Executive Tony Chamblin Passes

Tony Chamblin, a longtime horse racing industry executive and ambassador for the industry passed away peacefully Sunday at his home in Lexington, Ky. He was 81.

Chamblin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 and the Pari-Mutual Licensing Simplification Act of 1988, and later became an early supporter of federal legislation intended to align U.S. equine medication policies with International standards

Chamblin served in a number of executive capacities during his nearly 50-year career in the horse racing industry while leaving a lasting legacy along the way.

As chief executive of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) from 1965-1983, Chamblin oversaw the only horsemen's organization of its kind in North America. While headquartered near Washington, D.C., Chamblin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, a bill that has generated billions of dollars in purse money for owners and trainers and racetrack operators over the past 42 years.

From 1983-86 and at the urging of local horsemen, Chamblin took the helm at Finger Lakes Racetrack in New York. Changes quickly ensued. The western New York oval became one of the first racetracks in the nation to introduce whole card simulcasting. Chamblin also introduced twilight racing and Pick Six wagering to Finger Lakes.

From 1986-2001, Chamblin served as the chief executive of the Association of Racing Commissioners' International (ARCI). During his time with the ARCI, the association completed a decades-long effort to establish a national multi-jurisdictional racing license for owners. The association also completely overhauled its model rules of racing, administered accreditation programs for stewards and judges, developed uniform totalizator standards that cleared the way for massive national simulcasting growth, instituted an accreditation program for drug testing laboratories, funded numerous drug testing research projects, and classified over 750 drugs into five categories. In 1993, Chamblin was honored by the ARCI with the William H. May Award for meritorious service to racing.

Along the way, Chamblin traveled the world promoting U.S. horse racing interests. His work took him to more than 100 racetracks in the United States and Canada. As an ambassador for racing Chamblin was asked to speak on the industry in the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Mexico, France, the Middle East, Australia, South America, South Africa and Russia, among other countries.

Anthony (Tony) Chamblin was born May 15, 1939, in Flora, Illinois.  Chamblin graduated from Milliken University in Decatur, Ill., where he majored in English and lettered in football and tennis. In 1961, after graduating college at age 23, Chamblin became the youngest sports editor in the country of a paper with over 100,000 in circulation (Evansville Courier & Press). During his early career as a sports writer and editor Chamblin won the U.S. Basketball Writers award, U.S. Football Writers award, and wrote for Sports Illustrated and Newsweek.  Chamblin has written and edited four books, and also wrote the History of Thoroughbred Racing for World Book Encyclopedia.

While in retirement, Chamblin was proud to advocate for the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA), a grassroots movement supporting federal legislation to eliminate race-day medication and dedicated to changing negative public perceptions of the sport.

Chamblin also publicly endorsed the Horse Racing Integrity Act (HIA) the forerunner to the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) currently making its way through Congress.

Chamblin, who died of congestive heart failure, is survived by his wife of 31 years, Debbie; two daughters, Margaret McClintock (Tampa) and Kaitlin Chamblin (Lexington); a son, Keith (Lexington) and six grandchildren. A celebration of Chamblin's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm (www.oldfriendsequine.org).

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NY Harness Trainer Suspended 20 Years for Blood Doping

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) on Sept. 21 suspended Standardbred trainer Michael Temming for 20 years after two of his horses tested positive for a blood doping agent in a pair of December 2019 races at Yonkers Raceway.

The Paulick Report first reported the story, describing the drug involved as IOX-2, a stabilizer of hypoxia-inducible factor, which is known as a blood and gene doping agent.

TDN reported back in January that when the New York Equine Drug Testing Program announced the detection of this drug in Temming’s horses, the findings were “believed to be the first–either in horse racing or the worldwide WADA network of testing labs–to screen for and confirm the presence of IOX-2, an IHF stabilizer that can trigger EPO-like effects as well as overall stimulation of an athlete.”

At Monday’s hearing prior to the 5-0 commissioners’ vote to suspend the trainer and disqualify the horses, NYSGC executive director Robert Williams read Temming’s adjudication into the record as such:

“The commission issued a notice of suspension and hearing on harness trainer Michael Temming on Jan. 21, 2020, composing a summary suspension for violation of the trainer responsibility rule, and a rule against doping agents or drugs, including blood doping agents.

“Specifically, two horses trained by Mr. Temming were found in post-race testing to have had blood-doping agent known as IOX-2 present in their systems. These violations were also alleged to have established that Mr. Temming lacked the character and fitness required to hold a harness racing license….

“The hearing, initially adjourned at Mr. Temming’s request, was finally conducted on July 15, 2020. The hearing officer found that the violations were established, and that Mr. Temming’s license should be suspended for 20 years,” Williams concluded.

Chairman Barry Sample said the commissioners voted unanimously to sustain the hearing officer’s report and recommendations, and the NYSGC commissioners additionally disqualified the horses.

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