Tag: al gold

Cancer Survivor Al Gold Stops and Smells the Roses with Cyberknife

LOUISVILLE, KY – Prostate Cancer Awareness Month isn't until September, but owner Al Gold will be getting a head start on the first Saturday in May.

Named after Accuray Inc's robotic radiation therapy used to successfully treat the 66-year-old's prostate cancer, Gold's Cyberknife (Gun Runner) continues to generate plenty of positive chatter leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby.

“At the end of the day, the Derby is exciting and very important, but it pales in comparison to helping people become aware of the power of CyberKnife in treating cancer,” Gold said. “That's why I've done a lot of interviews about it. I'd like to get it out there so people know.”

Gold, now in remission and “enjoying life as a retired person” while splitting time between Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and Del Ray Beach, Fl., received his first CyberKnife treatment on his 65th birthday last year. The non-invasive procedure–there's no incision involved despite the name–“is specifically designed to deliver radiation beams from potentially thousands of unique angles, targeting only the tumor while minimizing radiation dose to healthy tissue.”

“When someone tells you that you have cancer, it gives you fear and obviously makes you very nervous,” Gold said. “But this was such an easy procedure to get through–five, 18-minute treatments every other day and it was over. It's a wonderful thing. A lot of people have died from prostate cancer, but now it's easily diagnosed and treated.”

Trained by Brad Cox and always held in high regard, the four-legged Cyberknife has certainly done his part to help spread the word as well. Still learning the ropes while sixth in the GIII Lecomte S., the chestnut has put it all together in two subsequent starts. He punched his ticket to Louisville with a breakthrough win in the GI Arkansas Derby, the first ever at the top level for Gold.

Hailing from the first crop of sensational young sire Gun Runner, Cyberknife brought $400,000 from advisor Joe Hardoon on behalf of Gold at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Cyberknife is out of six-time stakes winner and multiple graded placed Awesome Flower (Flower Alley). He hails from the family of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed (Tiznow).

“I had been in five or six Grade I races before and never hit the board, so I was cautiously optimistic going in [to the Arkansas Derby],” said Gold, who made his living in real estate management. “He ran beautifully and won the race. I had quality horses that I thought were going to be Derby potential, but it never materialized. Now, we're all excited about going to Kentucky.”

Racing under the nom-de-course of Gold Square LLC since 2004, Gold and his wife Hilary have also campaigned graded winners Chace City (Carson City) and Little Miss Holly (Maria's Mon). The native of New Jersey has approximately 15-20 horses in training, including a pair of recent OBS Spring acquisitions–a $220,000 Awesome Slew filly and a $140,000 Kantharos colt. In addition to Cox, Gold also employs trainers Jorge Abreu, Steve Asmussen, Tony Dutrow and Chad Summers.

“You want to keep pursuing your passion and what you love in life,” Gold concluded. “I've had some good horses and some bad horses, but you have to just keep on trying to get to the point where I am now. Hopefully, I'm building a quality stable and I'm going to the Kentucky Derby. What else can I ask for? This is the height of the game.”

The post Cancer Survivor Al Gold Stops and Smells the Roses with Cyberknife appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Cyberknife To Represent Cox Barn in Arkansas Derby

Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife (Gun Runner) will make his next start in the $1.25-million GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park Apr. 2, trainer Brad Cox told the Oaklawn press office.

A $400,000 acquisition by owner Al Gold out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, the chestnut is unbeaten in two starts going long outside of stakes competition, having graduated in his first route attempt at the Fair Grounds Dec. 26 before tacking on a three-length allowance victory at the New Orleans oval Feb. 19. In between those efforts, he was a well-beaten sixth in the Jan. 12 GIII Lecomte S. Cyberknife worked five furlongs in 1:00 flat at the Fair Grounds Mar. 12.

“He's probably going to continue to work down [at the Fair Grounds], but we've pretty much zeroed in on the Arkansas Derby,” Cox said. “He's a tough horse to deal with, he always has been. He's gotten better. He appears to be improving. I thought his last race was a step forward. Got a really good figure the last race. I think it's going to stack up and probably be one of the better ones in the Arkansas Derby and if he runs that race, I think he's a player.”

Cox's other main GI Kentucky Derby hope is 'TDN Rising Star' Zozos (Munnings), who is being pointed at the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 26.

Nominations to the Arkansas Derby, which offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, close this Friday, Mar. 18.

The post Cyberknife To Represent Cox Barn in Arkansas Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘All Of Them Started Somewhere, Too’: Natalia Lynch Chasing First Training Victory In Mr. Prospector Stakes

The way Natalia Lynch had it planned out in her mind is that she would spend another year or so working as an assistant trainer before trying to go out on her own. Then owner Al Gold offered to let her train nine horses from Gold Square LLC.

So on Aug. 25, Lynch, known by her nickname “Tally,” officially became a licensed trainer. A day later, she saddled her first starter.

And now on Saturday, with just the fourth starter in her burgeoning career, the 26-year-old Lynch will send out Wendell Fong in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes that headlines Monmouth Park's 14-race card that day.

“It's very surreal,” she said. “I haven't had time to sit down and process how quickly everything has happened yet. I remember the day I got my trainer's license I was walking out of the office and a trainer said to me `who do you work for?' I looked down at the license and said `I guess myself now.'

“I keep telling myself that this is not any different than what I have been doing for a long time. This is something I have been working for. When Al Gold gave me this opportunity I couldn't turn it down. So my one-year process before going out on my own turned into a two-week plan.”

Lynch, who will be based at Belmont Park, currently has 10 horses overall, eight from Gold Square (one was claimed). The Bethesda, Md. native was enrolled in the nursing school at Towson University when she started galloping horses, originally with the intent of becoming a jockey.

“I ended up not going back to school,” she said. “I started riding and worked my way up. I rode in a few amateur races last year. But my ultimate goal was to be a trainer.”

After becoming an assistant to Brittany Russell, Lynch then worked for Jeremiah Englehart. Most recently she was assisting Ray Handal.

Now she's in a race saddling a horse under her name against the likes of Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Kelly Breen, Monmouth Park's leading trainer, and Gregg Sacco, who has multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control entered in the field of seven 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs.

“It's terrifying to think about at times,” said Lynch. “I just look at it as at some point I hope I'm where they are. And I keep reminding myself that all of them started somewhere, too.”

A 4-year-old son of Flat Out, Wendell Fong (the horse's name is an obscure reference from an episode in the old “Frasier” TV sitcom) will need to re-capture his 3-year-old form if the colt is to become Lynch's first career winner. Robertino Diodoro trained the horse in his last start, when he was fifth in an $80,000 optional claimer at Saratoga on July 23. Jorge Vargas, Jr., who rode the horse his first six career starts and accounted for all three of Wendell Fong's career victories, has the mount.

“He's a really cool horse,” said Lynch. “His last race he was a little bit out of form but I had a thought to give him one more shot in a stakes race. He was running really good in stakes company at Oaklawn and I felt the race at Monmouth Park fit him. We put Vargas back on him because they did so well together when Wendell Fong was a 3-year-old.”

Lynch says she hopes her emotions don't get the best of her when she winds up saddling her first winner – but suspect they will if it comes in Saturday's Mr. Prospector Stakes.

“I don't know if I'll be able to talk after the race if we win it,” she said.

The post ‘All Of Them Started Somewhere, Too’: Natalia Lynch Chasing First Training Victory In Mr. Prospector Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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