Horse Racing Free Tips

3-D Printer Makes Equine Neck Replica To Train Veterinarians

Similar to doctors in human medicine, veterinarians spend hundreds of hours honing their skills in laboratories before they begin practicing in the field. Learning how to administer joint injections is no different. The equine neck has a complex set of muscles and vertebra, but a new 3-D printer is making it easier for vets to learn how to precisely place ultrasound-guided injections.

Veterinary students typically learn how to do this procedure on equine cadavers, which have a limited shelf life and also have a delay in getting injection results to learn what may have been done incorrectly. To see if 3-D models might be a useful teaching tool, Dr. Alex zur Linden, radiologist and Ontario Veterinary College researcher, joined Dr. John Phillips, an engineer and director of 3D printing in the University of Guelph's Digital Haptic Lab.

Watch a video on how the 3-D models are created below.

Once a CT scan of an equine neck is complete, computer software will highlight the part or parts of the scan that will be printed. The printing takes between three and six hours. The team tested 13 different materials and printers to determine which one best simulated real bone using ultrasound; six of the materials worked for simulating bones or joints.

The model vertebrae were then embedded in ballistics gel that simulated the soft tissue around the bones. The models give vet students the ability to practice procedures with instant feedback; they're also efficient and reusable. Once the lab is complete, the model can be melted down and used again.

The research team is hopeful that the models will become a resource for the scientific community and spur the creation of other3-D models for horses and other animals.

Tagg: Tiz The Law ‘Did Everything A Good Horse Ought To Do’

Sackatoga Stable's Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers winner Tiz the Law was bright eyed the morning after a 5 1/2-length victory in Saratoga Race Course's marquee race, where he registered a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

Just shortly after training concluded for the morning, trainer Barclay Tagg was at his barn on the backstretch of the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., track standing next to the garland of carnations that had been draped around the now four-time Grade 1 winner's neck on Saturday.

Tagg said his star 3-year-old colt was in good order.

“He looks fine,” Tagg said. “I was very pleased with the way he ran. He did everything a good horse ought to do and did it perfectly.”

Patiently guided by regular pilot Manny Franco, the son of Constitution was forwardly placed early as Uncle Chuck set a moderate pace up front, took charge nearing the quarter-pole and drew off in style. The scenario played out exactly the way Tagg envisioned it.

“I pictured the horse being at his best laying second or third in the two path just off the leader and I figured the leader would be [Bob] Baffert's horse [Uncle Chuck]. We discussed that and that's exactly what he did,” said Tagg.

Tagg praised Franco for being an ideal pilot aboard Tiz the Law.

“They work well together, they know each other and it's a good combination,” Tagg said.

After becoming the first New York-bred to win the Belmont Stakes in 138 years, Tiz the Law became the first horse bred in the Empire State to win the Travers since Thunder Rumble in 1992.

Tiz the Law will now point to the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs, which Tagg won with Sackatoga's Funny Cide in 2003. Tiz the Law is atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 372 qualifying points.

Tiz the Law will see a quicker turnaround than what he's used to entering the “Run for the Roses” off four weeks' rest. Tagg said that the horse should have no problems with the timing.

“There's nothing I can do about it, but I don't think it will faze him at all,” Tagg said.

Unbeaten in four starts this year, Tiz the Law won the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park en route to a win in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes before taking the Runhappy Travers.

Following a career debut win at the Spa against New York-breds last August, exactly one year prior to his Runhappy Travers win, Tiz the Law won the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park. His only loss in a seven-race career came when finishing a close third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs over a sloppy track.

“He seems to terrorize the competition when he makes his move,” Tagg said. “Every race I've seen, even the first one, has been great. He came off that turn, and I thought 'They're going to run by him like he's standing still' and then I look again and he's three in front. It was the same way yesterday. I thought, 'Get into him, Manny' and he just kept running, running, running.”

Tagg credits much of the success with Tiz the Law to how hands-on and detail-oriented his team is with the horse, including barn foreman Juan Barajas Saldana and assistant trainer Robin Smullen.

“That's our job to make things go smoothly,” Tagg said. “We've been fortunate with him. We've been hands-on every step of the way. He doesn't go out of the stall without Juan, he doesn't go out to the track without Juan. Robin rides him and I lead him and warm him up and then I pick him up when he pulls up and we bring him back to Juan and Juan brings him back to the barn. It might be boring for the horse, but it's pretty safe.”

Tagg said that Tiz the Law will likely have two breezes prior to the Kentucky Derby.

“He'll gallop every day,” Tagg said. “He'll have about 10 days before we breeze him again. We'll probably only be able to get two breezes in him before we go out there. We'll go out there a week ahead of time.”

Tagg praised Sackatoga Stables founder and operations manager Jack Knowlton for being a patient owner and a great partner over the years.

“Jack is the greatest. If every owner could be like Jack, it would be a great life,” Tagg said.

The post Tagg: Tiz The Law ‘Did Everything A Good Horse Ought To Do’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Liam’s Map Filly Navigates Traffic to Garner Rising Stardom at Ellis

Crazy Beautiful (Liam’s Map) worked her way out of a tough spot in the lane to blow away the field in Sunday’s Runhappy Debutante S. at Ellis and earn the ‘TDN Rising Star’ nod. The grey was one of now three good-looking debut winners for Ken McPeek so far this meet when she ran to 19-10 favoritism going long on the lawn July 5, and she was the public’s tepid pick in this full field to handle a different surface and sharper trip. Sluggish at the start and ridden along by Rafael Bejarano to steadily advance down on the fence, Crazy Beautiful caught the eye while traveling strongly from midpack heading for home after a :45.46 half. Initially guided wide to go around a wall of horses into the stretch, she bounced twice off of Xtrema (Exaggerator) and had to find a Plan B. Bejarano guided his mount back down to the inside as the horses who were occupying that part of the track were backing up, and Crazy Beautiful kicked on willingly to blow away her foes with good-looking strides while stopping the clock better than a fifth of a second faster than the boys went in the Runhappy Juvenile S. Longshot maiden Mania (Run Away and Hide) was second, and looked briefly like she might just inherit the victory as the stewards took some time to review an objection lodged by Xtrema’s rider against Crazy Beautiful.

“My horse was much the best in the race,” Bejarano said. “I was in perfect position. Behind horses she was fine. But as soon as you got close to the horses, she kind of got excited, angry because of the first time dirt in her face. Last time she was on the turf. I came out a little bit, but [Extrema] pushed me in and tried to make me look bad. This is going to be a really good horse.”

McPeek added, “She trained like a good thing from the beginning. I was a little nervous because she hadn’t run on the dirt yet. But it looks like she’s just as good on that as she was on the turf.”

McPeek said Crazy Beautiful would most likely run next in the GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Sept. 3, but would also be nominated for the Sept. 7 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies as a grass option.

The winner’s SW and GSP dam sold for $20,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale carrying a Midnight Lute filly and was exported to Saudi Arabia.

RUNHAPPY DEBUTANTE S., $99,179, Ellis, 8-9, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.71, ft.
1–CRAZY BEAUTIFUL, 120, f, 2, by Liam’s Map
              1st Dam: Indian Burn (SW & GSP, $236,158),
                                by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Christmas Affair, by Black Tie Affair (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Anna Lisa Beth, by Topsider
($250,000 Ylg ’19 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Phoenix
Thoroughbred, LTD; B-Carolyn R Vogel (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek; J-Rafael Bejarano. $58,245. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$80,445.
2–Mania, 118, f, 2, Run Away and Hide–Taptap I’mgone, by
Tapit. ($4,500 RNA Ylg ’19 KEEJAN). O-Robert S. West, Jr., Bob
Grayson, Jr. & Pavel Matejka; B-Robert West Jr., Millford Farm
& Mike Riordan (KY); T-Pavel Matejka. $18,950.
3–Fabricate, 120, f, 2, Speightster–Counterfactual, by Scat
Daddy. ($75,000 RNA Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Hidden Brook Farm &
Denholtz Stables; B-Greydawn Stables & Machmer Hall (KY);
T-Ian R. Wilkes. $9,475.
Margins: 3 3/4, 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.50, 24.80, 4.00.
Also Ran: Xtrema, Hipnotizada, Wholebodemeister, Puye Timing, Lacey Boss, Seguro, Yogurt, Maci’s Jamming, Tourrista. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Ben Perkins Jr., New Farm Team For Four-Win Day At Monmouth

Ben Perkins, Jr. has been training long enough to know that his business is filled with ups and downs. But the veteran conditioner, who has won more than 1,500 career races, hasn't had many down years like he did in 2019.

Of course, he hasn't had many up moments quite like the one he is experiencing now.

Perkins saddled four winners on Sunday's card at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., after having two on Saturday, and has now won with seven of his past nine starters.

A year ago, the longtime Monmouth-based Perkins was just 2-of-18 at the meet. He's 9-for-19 this year.

“They're in the right spots,” said Perkins. “It kind of all came together at once. Every winner before Amatteroftime won (Sunday's second race) was a maiden, too. We have a bunch of maidens. After not winning races last year this is what we were doing – we were getting them ready.”

In addition to Amatteroftime ($11.40), Perkins clicked with Heir Port ($3.80) in the fourth race and Miss Wild ($3.80) in the sixth. He added an upset on the turf when Joe Bravo roused Reconvene ($20.80) with a prolonged stretch run in the seventh.

This is how hot Perkins is: The only race he lost Sunday was to himself, with Evil Monkey finishing third in the race won by Amatteroftime.

“Last year we had some nice young horses and bought some nice ones but it took some time to get them ready,” he said. “This year, not being able to run anywhere else (because of COVID-19), when we came here I knew we would win a fair amount of races. A lot of them were ready to run in April.”

Perkins won with two of his three starters on Saturday's card – both maidens, including 24-1 shot Jesters Honor – and scored with his only starter last Sunday. That adds up to seven winners the past nine starts.

“They're all bunched up now that we can run them,” he said. “This business is ups and downs. Last year was certainly a down.”

The past week has been a remarkable up – even for someone with more than 8,000 career starters.

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