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Derby Jockeys: With Several Big Names Staying Home, Kentucky Riders Get A Shot In The Big Dance

In a normal year, jockeys would be hard-pressed to miss their flights to Louisville for a chance to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Obviously, 2020 has been anything but a normal year, with the coronavirus pandemic pushing the Run for the Roses back to Sept. 5 and drawing up jockey travel restrictions all around the United States.

Last week, Churchill Downs announced that riders wanting to participate in the Derby will have to arrive in the state of Kentucky by Aug. 31, and participate in several additional coronavirus precautions.

As such, a number of prominent U.S. jockeys won't be making the trip to Kentucky. Jose and Irad Ortiz will both stay in New York, as will Joel Rosario, reports the Daily Racing Form, and last year's Derby winner Flavien Prat will stay in Southern California.

Those choices have opened the doors for Kentucky-based riders to have a chance to pick up a mount in the Derby.

Here's a look at the current 3-year-olds pointing to the Kentucky Derby, and their jockeys (plus state in which they are based), in order of points earned.

Tiz the Law – Manny Franco (New York) – 372
Authentic – John Velazquez (New York) – 200
Art Collector – Brian Hernandez, Jr. (Kentucky) – 150
Honor A. P. – Mike Smith (California) – 140
Ny Traffic – TBD (last ridden by Paco Lopez) – 110
King Guillermo – Samy Camacho (Florida) – 90
Thousand Words – Florent Geroux (Kentucky) – 83
Dr Post – TBD (last ridden by Joe Bravo) – 80
Max Player – Ricardo Santana, Jr. (Kentucky) – 60
Caracaro – TBD (last ridden by Javier Castellano) – 60
Enforceable – Adam Beschizza (Kentucky) – 43
Rushie – TBD (last ridden by Javier Castellano) – 40
Major Fed – James Graham (Kentucky) – 38
Storm the Court – Julien Leparoux (Kentucky) – 36
Attachment Rate – Joe Talamo (Kentucky) – 35
Sole Volante – Luca Panici (Florida) – 30
Finnick the Fierce – TBD (last ridden by Jose Ortiz) – 25
Winning Impression – Joe Rocco, Jr. (Kentucky) – 20
Necker Island – Mitchell Murrill (Kentucky) – 14
Shirl's Speight – Rafael Hernandez (Canada) – 0
Money Moves – TBD (last ridden by Luis Saez) – 0

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Four Star Sales Adds Lanigan As Bloodstock Advisor

David Lanigan has recently joined Four Star Sales, announced Kerry Cauthen, the company's managing partner.

David will join the company as bloodstock advisor, helping the company's clients in all areas, but emphasizing on the private purchase of horses in-training and racing management. Four Star Sales has been one of North America's leading Thoroughbred consignors since its inception in 2002.

Lanigan closed his Newmarket training operation this spring to prepare for his family's planned return to Lexington, Ky. As a trainer, Lanigan worked for over five years with the renowned Sir Henry Cecil as his assistant trainer before embarking in 2007 on his own notable 13-year training career. He ended with over 200 winners including top stakes horses, Main Sequence (2nd Epsom Derby G1), Meeznah (Park Hill G2 and Lillie Langtry G3), Interception, (Royal Ascot Wokingham), and Worth Waiting (2019 Dahlia Stakes G2, Prix Miniver Rose G3 and Aphrodite Stake).

Joining Four Star Sales brings things full circle for Lanigan. Twenty years ago, before he went to England as assistant trainer for Cecil, he worked with Cauthen at John T.L. Jones Jr's' Walmac International.

“We are very excited to have David join our team at Four Star,” said Cauthen. “David has a great understanding of all the different aspects of the Thoroughbred business. He learned the sales and breeding side from his parents at Tullamaine Castle Stud in Ireland and during his thirteen year training career where he regularly sold race horses both privately and at training sales. David has also returned to America for the September Sale every year since he began training. He recommended the purchase of several top stakes winners from that sale. He knows well what it takes to select and train top quality horses on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Lanigan added, “As I begin with Four Star, I will be focusing on the bloodstock side and I have been sourcing private sales of racehorses from England that we believe can move up in class in the U.S. Also, given the concerns over travel during the pandemic, I have had inquiries from European and other overseas owners to advise on purchases at the upcoming yearling and breeding stock sales. I expect that I may have a few more of those as the sales draw closer. While I was training in England, I attended the September Sale every year to buy yearlings for several overseas clients and to inspect the stock of my clients with breeding operations in Kentucky, such as Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Runnymede Farm and the Niarchos family. We sourced Main Sequence and Meeznah, among others, from those trips. Both were stakes winners in England and Main Sequence returned to the States and was a tremendous performer here.”

Lanigan continued, “Amy and I always knew we would return to Lexington one day and started considering it seriously last summer. Though I genuinely loved my time with Henry, and training on my own in Newmarket and Lambourn, I am extremely excited to return to the States. I couldn't hope to work for a better company or have a better team to work with than Kerry, Tony, Ashley and Elizabeth. They have a wonderful clientele and I believe I can add to the service they offer and hopefully bring some new connections to Four Star.”

Cauthen added, “David's honest manner, skill, and tenacity will definitely make him a great fit in the U.S. bloodstock market and also a great fit for Four Star.”

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Got Stormy, Uni Will Renew Rivalry In ‘Win And You’re In’ Fourstardave

Gary Barber's Got Stormy will take on reigning Champion Turf Female Uni as she looks to defend her title in Saturday's 36th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Fourstardave at Saratoga Race Course.

The one mile event over the inner turf for 3-year-olds and upward is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event which offers an automatic entry towards the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on November 7.

The Fourstardave pays homage to “The Sultan of Saratoga” who was best known for winning at least one race at the Spa every year from 1987-1994 in a racing career that featured 100 starts. Trained by Leo O'Brien and owned by Richard Bomze and Bernard Connaughton, Fourstardave was a 10-time winner at Saratoga, with five of those races taking place on the turf, including two editions of the West Point and back-to-back editions of the Grade 3 Daryl's Joy in 1990-91, which is now run as the Fourstardave.

Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy will seek to become the first back-to-back winner of the Fourstardave since two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan scored back to back victories in 2012-13. Got Stormy put together a sensational campaign last season, included a 2 ½-length victory in the Fourstardave in which she became the race's first female winner, posting a track record time of 1:32 flat while registering a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The daughter of 2010 Fourstardave winner Get Stormy was a hard fought second to Uni two starts later in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita before capping off her season with a win in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar.

Got Stormy will look to end a streak of four straight losses. In her most recent start, she was fourth beaten 3 ½ lengths in the Grade 3 Poker going one mile over the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

“She's training well and she's back to Saratoga, which is where she did her best running last year, so we're hoping for the best,” Casse said. “We know she likes that course, we know that she likes firm turf. She's got to come with her A game. She's the same horse, she looks great and trains great. She's just been a little bit unlucky. She ran over some good turf courses and she wants it to be really firm.”

Regular rider Tyler Gaffalione will return to the saddle as he attempts a sixth stakes win of the meet from post 4.

Eclipse Award-winner Uni, one of four runners for trainer Chad Brown along with Raging Bull, Valid Point and Without Parole, will attempt to replicate her form from last year when making her second start of 2020. Uni, who was third in last year's Fourstardave, rounded out the trifecta as the favorite in her seasonal bow under Joel Rosario in the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 27 at Belmont Park, where she finished 3 ½ lengths to stablemate Newspaperofrecord. The 6-year-old daughter of More Than Ready was named Champion Turf Female last year following victories in the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile against colts at Santa Anita, where she registered a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She missed some time with a splint issue, and we stopped breezing for five or six weeks,” said Bradley Weisbord of BSW/Crow Bloodstock, who manages Uni on behalf of owners Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert V. LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables. “The ground might have been a little soften the Just a Game and Joel didn't think she got through it great, but she was short, and she really needed the race.”

Uni arrives at the Fourstardave off a sharp five-eighths breeze in company with multiple Grade 1 winner Newspaperofrecord over the Oklahoma training turf on Sunday morning, which she completed in 1:00.46.

“She just had her best breeze of the year last week and we weren't completely sure about this race,” Weisbord said. “We were 50-50 between the Fourstardave and the Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill, but the breeze is what gave Chad the confidence to run her, so she's sitting on go.”

A winner over six different turf courses in North America, Uni has won seven of her nine starts over the one mile distance, four of which took place against graded stakes company.

Uni boasts the highest amount of lifetime earnings in the field with $2,377,880 and will be picking up the riding services of Saratoga leading rider Jose Ortiz.

“We picked up a great rider in Jose Ortiz,” Weisbord said. “I asked him if he watched replays and he said 'I breezed her tons of times'. We're looking forward to the race.”

Peter Brant's Raging Bull and John D. Gunther and Tonya Gunther's Without Parole will square off for the third time in a row.

Winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita two starts back, Raging Bull was third in the Grade 1 Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland, where he was carried wide into the turn and finished a neck to War of Will. Second in last year's Fourstardave, the 5-year-old bay son of Dark Angel seeks his third graded stakes triumph at Saratoga having won the Grade 2 Hall of Fame and Grade 3 Saranac at the Spa during his 3-year-old campaign en route to a score in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

Breaking from the rail, Raging Bull will be ridden by Joel Rosario, who has ridden the horse in 12 of his 14 lifetime starts.

“I'm hoping for a better trip,” Brown said.

Without Parole, a 5-year-old bay son of Frankel, seeks his first win since winning the Group 1 St. James's Palace in June 2018 at Royal Ascot while being trained by John Gosden. Two starts back, Without Parole was a troubled third in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile where he lacked racing room down the stretch but finished third to stablemate Raging Bull. Last out, he was a closing third beaten a neck in the Grade 1 Makers Mark Mile where he went six wide into the stretch and made a late bid to be beaten a neck. Without Parole made his North American debut last November when finishing third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile to Uni and Got Stormy.

“We feel like he fits in with this group, so we're trying again and hope that he will get a better trip,” Brown said.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride Without Parole from post 8.

Valid Point, owned by e Five Thoroughbred Racing, has made all of his five lifetime starts going one mile and seeks a second Grade 1 win after winning the Secretariat at Arlington Park last August. The bay son of Scat Daddy was off the board last out in the Grade 3 Poker

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano seeks a third Fourstardave win aboard Valid Point, who will leave from post 7.

“I'm hoping the turf is firm for my four horses,” Brown said. “Hopefully they can all get clean trips and have an equal chance to win the race.”

Rounding out the field are Casa Creed [post 2, Junior Alvarado], Emmaus [post 3, Jose Lezcano], Halladay [post 5, Luis Saez] and Chewing Gum [post 9, John Velazquez].

The Fourstardave is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Turf Paradise, Arizona HBPA Continue To Dispute Settlement Agreement, Winter Meet Cancellation

The following letter was written by Arizona HBPA president Bob Hutton and posted on social media on Aug. 15, following Turf Paradise's announcement that the track would not host a live racing season this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Below Hutton's letter is a response from Turf Paradise's general manager Vincent Francia, posted on the track's website on Aug. 17.

TO: HBPA MEMBERSHIP
FROM: PRESIDENT BOB HUTTON
DATE: August 15, 2020

As I am sure everyone is aware, Turf Paradise announced Thursday at the Arizona Racing Commission Meeting they are not running a race meet in 2020 / 2021. This is not a big surprise to me. As you all remember, when we fought last year to keep the track open till May 10th, Jerry Simms stated to all trainers they should take everything with them, do not leave anything behind, including walkers and pens. That was my clue that there would not be any more racing at Turf Paradise. At the commission meeting I stated no permittees will benefit from OTB revenue after the current signed consents for simulcasting have expired! No new approvals for signals will be signed if there is no live racing!

The HBPA has made numerous attempts to engage Turf Paradise in resuming negotiations to successfully run the 2020 / 2021 meet. It was obvious Jerry Simms had no intention of running a race meet, when for the most part the meetings deteriorated quickly once threats of lawsuits were thrown out in the direction of the HBPA Board members.

The arbitration settlement in October of 2019 resulted in the following changes: 1. The OTB split changed from Turf receiving a 60% / 40% split to 52% / 48%. 2. The advertisement contribution from the HBPA was reduced from $400,000 a year to $150,000 a year. 3. It was established that the purse money was the property of the Horsemen, and the purse account was to be in a HBPA controlled trust account, not in a Turf Paradise account. I believe once this happened Jerry Simms made the decision to close the track. The Covid 19 pandemic was just a convenient excuse.

I want all of you to know that in our most recent discussions with Turf Paradise, the Boards number one concern was to avoid the unprofessional behavior that we experienced in March of 2020. The HBPA could not in good conscience inform its membership they could return to Turf Paradise without some guarantee that the race meet would be run in its entirety. Jerry Simms refused to give that guarantee.

During the time that we were on the backside from March 14th till May 10th Jerry Simms charged the HBPA to keep the backside open for the horsemen. Although the HBPA Board did agreed to contribute to 50% of the expense, they were led to believe that it would be approximately $7,500 a week for the HBPA's portion. Jerry Simms then made the HBPA pay a security deposit of $20,000 up front or horseman would have been evicted on March 28th. Not wanting to have everyone evicted on March 28th, we were forced to pay the deposit and sign the agreement to stay. When we starting receiving the weekly bills instead of being charged $7,500 a week, Jerry Simms charged us anywhere from $13,000 to $15,000 a week for a total of $121,162.70. This was almost double what we were told was the estimate. The HBPA filed a grievance in May 2020 with the board of stewards asking for a refund. As of today, we have had no response.

As I stated above, in October 2019 we went through an arbitration with Turf Paradise. As a result of that arbitration it was ordered by the arbitrators that purse money is the property of the HBPA and is to be held in a HBPA trust account, not in Turf Paradise account. Despite several requests throughout the year by the HBPA to have the money moved to the HBPA trust account Jerry Simms has continued to refuse to comply. Again, we filed a grievance with the board of stewards to get this money released to the HBPA's trust account. As of, today we have heard nothing from the commission. We currently have $1.8 million in Turf Paradise's purse account, that he will not move to the HBPA trust account. This purse money belongs to the Arizona Horsemen to be used for a 2020 / 2021 fall and winter race meet in Arizona.

I know these are scary times and I do not want to give anyone any false hopes. However I want everyone to know we currently are having negotiations with other permittees to run a fall and winter race meet. The Arizona HBPA is committed to year around racing and will continue to work with other track owners who may want to come to the Phoenix area! I would like to thank those who have supported the HBPA in their efforts to provide the horsemen in the state of Arizona with a racing venue you deserve! Year around racing in Arizona is our GOAL!

Following is Vincent Francia's response:

Dear Horsemen,

This letter is written to respond to a post written by Mr. Bob Hutton, President of the AZHBPA that appeared on Facebook on August 15. This letter is written to clarify some of the statements and impressions in Mr. Hutton's letter. In other words, to set the record straight.

Mr. Simms has owned Turf for 20 years; 19 of those 20 years race meets were successfully conducted, from beginning to end. It's only this year, specifically when Governor Ducey declared a state of emergency on March 11 because of the Coronavirus that a race meet has
been cut short. The Coronavirus is the only reason Turf cut short its race meet on March 14 and the only reason Turf withdrew its request before the Arizona Racing Commission on August 13 to run a race meet from Nov. 1 to May 1, 2021. Turf does not want the liability of running a race meet while the Coronavirus is active.

Settlement Agreement (Attachment 1)

The Settlement Agreement was written by Mr. Casillas, Director of the Arizona Division of Racing, who also served as the mediator for Mr. Simms and Mr. Hutton as the two men compromised, negotiated and eventually signed the agreement in good faith on March 22.
Either side could have argued specific points of the agreement or declined to sign the agreement. But both sides agreed to sign. Read Attachment 1 for the complete terms of the agreement.

In his posting Mr. Hutton gives the impression that the Settlement Agreement, which by definition is to settle differences between parties, was somehow arrived at without the consent of both parties. On the contrary, both Mr. Simms and Mr. Hutton signed the 14 point
agreement. For example, the parties agreed to split the costs < 50‐50 > of maintaining the backside and training on the man track for 45 days. The AZHBPA was invoiced weekly and the invoices were promptly paid. When the 45 days expired the AZHBPA asked for an additional 10 days, at their own expense, and the request was granted.

It appears that Mr. Hutton's personal feelings toward Mr. Simms and Turf are clouding his judgement. The HBPA is to be neutral, treating all tracks equally, but Turf is treated differently. When Arizona Downs abbreviated their race meet they continued to simulcast without racing live. When that track announced that it would not be able to conduct a meet because of Yavapai County and the City of Prescott Valley's concerns about the Coronavirus, Arizona Downs, without objection from the AZHBPA, maintained their simulcasting and OTB system.

Why not the same for Turf?

Arizona Downs Letter (Attachment 2)

On May 22 Turf became aware of a letter from Mr. Dave Auther of Arizona Downs to Mr. Casillas. Specifically what caught our attention in the letter was the following that revealed how Arizona Downs was going to fund its purses: “This will include a contribution from the HBPA
toward purses. HBPA has a plan to secure purse money from the Turf Paradise purse fund.”

You cannot use the purse money of one race track to subsidize the purses of another track.

Mr. Hutton stated that without live racing there would be no simulcasting. Turf's contract with the AZHBPA goes until May 2021. Turf expects the AZHBPA to honor that contract.

At a meeting in early August with Mr. Hutton and two members of the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders' Association in my office at Turf, Mr. Hutton asked me if I believed a contract existed between Turf and the AZHBPA. I replied in the affirmative that I believed a contract existed between us. Mr. Hutton then asked Mr. Simms (who was participating by phone) the same question. Mr. Simms answered that he not only believed a contract existed but that it was in effect until May 2021. Mr. Hutton responded that he did not believe a contract existed because we cancelled the race meet due to the Coronavirus, thus rendering the contract void. Mr. Simms then asked Mr. Hutton that if he really believed that, then why are we having a discussion about contractual matters. Mr. Simms then said, “Let's continue to talk.” Mr. Hutton then stood up abruptly and said “We're done,” and left my office.

The abrupt ending of the meeting notwithstanding, Turf has never declined a phone call, an email/ text or a request to meet with the AZHPBA. That door is still open.

Sincerely,
Vincent Francia
General Manager

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