Horse Racing Free Tips

Second Chances: Ambivalent

In this continuing series, TDN’s Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

After kicking off his career with a promising runner-up effort at Santa Anita last month, the highly regarded 2-year-old Ambivalent (Constitution) will look to go one better at the upcoming Del Mar meeting.

“Being a son of Constitution, which is just a huge feather in your cap, he’s a horse that we’ve been excited about from day one,” two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Purchased for $550,000 by Reddam Racing at OBS March after gliding through a quarter in :20 4/5 from the Wavertree Stables consignment, the long-striding dark bay was sent off as the 2-1 second choice in his unveiling going 4 1/2 furlongs June 21 (video).

Outfooted in fourth in the early stages, Ambivalent traveled nicely on the inside behind the top three approaching the quarter pole. Kept along the fence by Mario Gutierrez as the front-running Weston (Hit It a Bomb) left the rail open as they straightened, Ambivalent continued on nicely while scraping the paint down the lane and reported home 1 1/4 lengths adrift the sharp pacesetter.

“He acts like the longer, the better,” O’Neill said. “He didn’t have the cleanest of trips in his debut, and going 4 1/2, it’s hard to win if you don’t have a real good, clean trip. I thought he ran dynamite. The goal is July 18–it’s the second straight maiden at Del Mar going 5 1/2, so he’ll have an extra furlong to navigate, which should benefit him.”

Bred in Kentucky by J. Stephen McDonald, Ambivalent was a $95,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Red Wings prior to bringing the second-highest price for a colt in Ocala this March. He was produced by a Smart Strike-winning daughter of MGSW Roshani (Fantastic Light).

Ambivalent returned to the worktab with an easy three-furlong breeze in :36.40 (2/5) in Arcadia July 1.

“He’s doing really well,” O’Neill concluded. “We just put a little easy breeze into him and he’s down at Del Mar now. We’re hoping to breeze him this Friday, that’s the game plan. He came out of his debut in good shape. Like all these athletes, you just got to keep them injury free. The sky’s the limit with this guy. He’s got a real bright future.”

Previous standouts featured in ‘Second Chances’ include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. runner-up Candy Tycoon (Twirling Candy).

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Indiana Racing Commission To Consider Sale Of Tracks To Eldorado Amid Staff Concerns

The Indiana Horse Racing Commission will meet next week to consider a petition from Eldorado Resorts to purchase permits and licenses to hold racing in the state from Caesars Entertainment. Based on a redacted report released to the public this week, commission staff have expressed concern about whether the purchase would be good for racing in Indiana.

Eldorado currently owns Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Fla., and Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio. It also once owned Presque Isle Downs before selling the Erie, Penn., track to Churchill Downs, Inc. and Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W.V., which it sold to Century Casinos last year.

While the report from executive director Deena Pitman made note of big promises made by Eldorado to the commission and horsemen about its willingness to contribute to the longterm health of racing, it also raised concerns about the company. For one thing, the report noted a decline in stock shares of Eldorado from their 52-week average and questioned whether Eldorado would continue to invest in its racing properties, particularly if new financial challenges arose as a result of COVID-19 or other factors.

More importantly though, Pitman expressed serious concern about feedback from horsemen at Pompano, Scioto and Mountaineer. Reports prepared by a third party demonstrated a poor relationship between horsemen and track management and alleged unwillingness by Eldorado to repair facilities like grandstand and seating areas and barns. At Mountaineer, the report also noted, track employees were paid far less than average before it was sold, causing staff shortages and making retention difficult. At various times, the track had been short of several assistant starters and had gone months without a track superintendent at the time of a report authored by consultant Doug Reed in February 2020, around the time the sale of the property to Century was due to close.

“Unfortunately, based on all of the information before the Commission Staff, it is not clear that ERI offers the capable leadership needed for the future of Indiana racing. This is not a conclusion that the Commission Staff reaches lightly. As stated above, the Commission Staff was impressed with the commitments that ERI offered in the March Letter. These commitments, for the first time, made Commission Staff believe that ERI was giving serious thought and consideration to its ownership of the two racing permits and its place as a steward of both racing and the Anderson and Shelbyville communities.

“On the other hand, Commission Staff cannot ignore the information in Reed's Second Report. It is difficult to reconcile the 'two sides' of ERI as an organization — one that is promising great things and making commitments to the Indiana horsemen and IHRC to be the permit holder that the Indiana industry needs. The other, an entity that is and has been clearly disinterested in horse racing since entering the industry in 2014 and seems strongly averse to spending any additional money to improve horse racing at its currently-owned properties.”

Pitman outlined a 22-item list of requirements she advised the commission require of Eldorado before approving the sale, including a racing escrow fund of $25 million to be spent over a ten-year period, application and accreditation by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance for Indiana Grand, and more.

The commission will meet in closed executive session on Monday morning to discuss the issue, and followed by a public meeting.

Pitman's report is available here.

The post Indiana Racing Commission To Consider Sale Of Tracks To Eldorado Amid Staff Concerns appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Capri’s Brother on Show at Navan

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday’s Insights features a full-brother to dual Classic winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

1.05 Navan, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, c/g, 8fT
BRAZIL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) represents Ballydoyle and is a surefire future stayer as a full-brother to the G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire) and this year’s G2 Ribblesdale S. third Passion (Ire). He faces some rivals with experience on their side including Khalid Abdullah’s Popular Verdict (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a Dermot Weld-trained colt whose dam is a full-sister to Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

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Minnesota Stewards To Begin Issuing Civil Fines For Non-Compliance With COVID-19 Protocols

The Minnesota Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association posted on Facebook Wednesday the following letter from Steve May, executive director of the Minnesota Racing Commission.

July 8, 2020

Attention:
Mike Cronin
Minnesota HBPA

Attention:
Andrew Offerman
Canterbury Park

RE: COVID-19 Protocol Compliance by Minnesota Racing Commission Licensees

Dear Sirs,

It has come to my attention through communications with Minnesota Racing Commission (“MRC”) licensees, Canterbury Park and MRC staff, and through my own observations at the racetrack that numerous licensees are not complying with COVID-19 protocols while at Canterbury Park. This is after countless verbal and written communications from MRC, Canterbury Park, and Minnesota HBPA personnel as well as signage posted throughout various Canterbury Park facilities. These areas of non-compliance include, but are not limited to:

• The usage of face masks that cover the mouth and nose;
• The display of color-coded wristbands to ensure that individuals have undergone a temperature and symptom check each day at the racetrack; and
• Social distancing of at least 6 feet in areas of congregation.

Therefore, I am instructing MRC investigators and staff, Canterbury Park staff, and any licensee to report the name and badge number of any licensed individual that is not complying with COVID-19 protocols while at Canterbury Park to Board of Stewards. I have also instructed the Board of Stewards to begin issuing civil fines for non-compliance with these protocols. These fines will begin at $100 and will escalate for repeated violations.

I do not believe that I need to remind anyone that failure to adhere to COVID-19 protocols has led to the closure of at least two pari-mutuel racetracks throughout the United States that had previously been allowed to operate with protocols in place. But I still rest assured that Minnesota's pari-mutuel racetracks can continue to offer a safe, secure facility for the horsepeople, the teams at Canterbury Park and the MRC, and most importantly the patrons visiting the racetrack. This is only possible with strict compliance to the COVID-19 protocols that have been thoroughly researched and developed with all parties in mind.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this letter.

Sincerely,

Steve May
Executive Director Minnesota Racing Commission

The post Minnesota Stewards To Begin Issuing Civil Fines For Non-Compliance With COVID-19 Protocols appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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