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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Apr. 5-11

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

California

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 04/08/2022
Licensee: Ryan Curatolo, jockey
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Ryan Curatolo is fined $1,000.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times – third offense within the past sixty days) during the fourth race at Santa Anita Park on April 3, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 04/09/2022
Licensee: Wayne Barnett, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey Wayne Barnett who rode Wicked Blue in the sixth race at Santa Anita Park on April 3, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (April 15, 16, and 17, 2022) for failure to maintain a straight course in the back stretch and causing interference. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules-Careless Riding). Pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1766 (Designated Races), the term of suspension shall not prohibit participation in designated races.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 04/10/2022
Licensee: Drayden Van Dyke, jockey
Penalty: $1,000 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Drayden Van Dyke is fined $1,000.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–third offense within the past sixty days) during the sixth race at Santa Anita Park on April 9, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 04/09/2022
Licensee: Brice Blanc, jockey
Penalty: $750 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Official Ruling of the Board of Stewards Santa Anita Park Winter/ Spring Meet (Association) April 10, 2022 (Date) LATS Ruling #88 Jockey Brice Blanc is fined $750.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times–second offense within the past sixty days) during the eighth race at Santa Anita Park on April 9, 2022. *Rule #1532. Fine shall be paid to the Paymaster within seven calendar days from the date of this ruling, or the license of the person upon whom the fine has been imposed shall be suspended.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 04/09/2022
Licensee: Emily Ellingwood, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Official Ruling of the Board of Stewards Santa Anita Park Winter/ Spring Meet (Association) April 10, 2022 (Date) LATS Ruling #89 Apprentice Jockey Emily Ellingwood, who rode Dutch Bus in the eighth race at Santa Anita Park on April 9, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (April 17, 30 and May 1, 2022) for failure to make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference which resulted in the disqualification of her mount from first to second place. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – Careless Riding). Pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1766 (Designated Races), the term of suspension shall not prohibit participation in designated races

Florida

The following was reported on the Association for Racing Commissioners International's recent rulings website.

Track: Gulfstream Park
Date: 03/23/2022
Licensee: James Toner, trainer
Penalty: $1,000 fine and purse money redistribution
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Stipulation and Consent Order # 2022-007341 – F.S. 550.2415 Violation = Methocarbamol. Respondent fined $1000, made payable to the board of relief fund established at Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred After Racing Program, Inc. In addition, the Owners agree that they shall return all money that was distributed from the purse to Gulfstream Park Racing Association, Inc.

New York

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 04/07/2022
Licensee: Heman Harkie, jockey
Penalty: Three-day penalty
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to appeal Jockey Mr. Heman Harkie is hereby suspended 3 NYRA racing days April 8th 2022, April 9th 2022, April 10th 2022 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 1st race at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 3rd 2022.

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Insight Outcomes: Mendez Upsets Well-Bet Ward Baby in Keeneland Debut

On an action-packed stakes weekend, insights were relatively light, featuring an upset of perennial 2-year-old powerhouse Wesley Ward in the Keeneland meet opener Friday and the unveiling of a $1.25-million purchase on the Aqueduct turf Saturday.

Friday's Insights: Laoban Full-Sister Debuts at Keeneland

1st-Keeneland, $60,904, Msw, 4-8, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.16, ft, 5 lengths.

The annual tradition of Wesley Ward dominating Keeneland's April 2-year-old races early and often was immediately interrupted by emerging California juvenile trainer Luis Mendez–starting his first-ever horse at Keeneland–and Flavien Prat thanks to five-length winner KING ADROCK (c, 2, Uncaptured–Gardening Leave, by Colonel John) in Friday's meet opener. The $25,000 Fasig-Tipton October buy prompted the pace, took over early in the stretch and kicked away smartly as the clear 51-10 second choice behind 2-5 Ward baby Dominicana (Uncle Mo). Favored as a filly facing males, the $300,000 Keeneland September buy wasn't away all that great and showed brief speed before retreating to finish sixth. Dominicana still possesses plenty of upside, as a full-sister to Laoban, who broke his maiden in his eighth start–at 27-1 in the GII Jim Dandy S. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Saturday's Insights: $1.25-Million American Pharoah Colt Debuts

3rd-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 4-9, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:39.96, gd, 1 length.
Speedway Stables' Colton Charlemagne (American Pharoah) brought intrigue to this Big A turf mile as a $1.25-million Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling buy and half-brother to MGSW/GISP Travel Column (Frosted), but the dark bay broke several lengths behind the field and never got involved as BAY STREET MONEY (g, 5, Street Sense–Collect the Cash, by Dynaformer) broke through in his ninth career start. One to watch coming out of this race is 16-1 runner-up Howe Street (Honor Code) for trainer Jorge Abreu. Breaking from the outside post in a 12-horse field, the John Gunther homebred was second-last out of the stalls, got carried wide into the clubhouse turn and bravely weaved through traffic in the stretch to finish a fast-closing second before blowing by the winner in the gallop-out. The dark bay earned an 81 Beyer for the effort. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Nostalgic Upsets Venti Valentine Gazelle

Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) added to a banner day for Godolphin with an upset score over even-money favorite and Busher Invitational S. romper Venti Valentine (Firing Line) in Aqueduct's GIII Gazelle S. Saturday. Godolphin and Nostalgic's trainer Bill Mott also teamed up to win the GI Carter H. one race earlier with Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). Additionally, Sheikh Mohammed's operation won Keeneland's GIII Commonwealth S. with homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro).

Venti Valentine broke alertly and went straight to the front with fellow NY-bred, 9-5 second-choice and 'TDN Rising Star' Classy Edition (Classic Empire) just off her heels in second and 4-1 shot Nostalgic on that one's inside hip. Keeping the leader close as the half-mile went in :49.26, Nostalgic was joined by several rivals on her outside, but determinedly maintained her position behind the chalk. Venti Valentine turned for home strongly and steadily pulled away from all, but Nostalgic, who kept after her on the fence. Nostalgic wore down the hometown heroine late, extending clear to a 1 1/4-length success. Ruthless S. heroine Shotgun Hottie (Gun Runner) filled the show spot.

Earning 100 points for the victory, Nostalgic moves into sixth in the GI Kentucky Oaks standing with a total of 101 with Venti Valentine just behind her with 94 points.

“You can see where she was in her first couple of races, so far back,” Mott said. “She put him in the race today. Last time, we planned on putting her up in the race a little bit, which we did again today. We wanted to see her engaged early a little more and she did it. She held her position and came through on the rail. I didn't tell him where to be other than we didn't want to be 15 lengths back.”

On a potential start in the Kentucky Oaks, Mott said, “[Godolphin bloodstock director] Michael [Banahan] and I were talking about that. We said that we have to consider it.”

“I love this filly. She reminds me a lot of [Mott-trained MGISW] Elate (Medaglia d'Oro),” winning rider Jose Ortiz said. “I was very happy to ride her today. She ran amazing last time. She woke up which was the most important thing. As a 2-year-old, she won first time out, but she was very green. She's big and she's supposed to keep going longer and longer. I am very excited about her.”

Jorge Abreu said Venti Valentine is still under consideration for the Oaks after her gallant second.

“We'll see how she comes out of it and we'll consider it,” said Abreu. “She ran her race and I think like Manny [Franco] said, he didn't think that horse [Nostalgic] was going to come back at the eighth pole and by the time he looked, the horse was already there. But I think he gave her a great ride. She's used to having a target and today she was by herself on the lead. It was a whole different scenario because there was no speed in the race. If she tracks somebody, that puts her on the bit.”

Rallying from well back to graduate by 7 3/4 lengths in her two-turn unveiling at Belmont Oct. 22, Nostalgic made up ground late to be fourth behind Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. romper Nest (Curlin) and Venti Valentine in the track-and-trip GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4. Kicking off 2022 on grass in the Feb. 5 GIII Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream, she proved turf was not for her, finishing a non-factor ninth. Returned to the main track in Hallandale, the bay dominated by 6 3/4 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer Mar. 3.

Pedigree Notes:

Nostalgic is the 88th graded winner and 164th black-type scorer for Medaglia d'Oro and second on the day following commonly owner Commonwealth winner Prevalence. She is also the 26th graded winner and 58th black-type achiever out of a daughter of Tapit. His sire Pulpit was the broodmare sire of GII Wood Memorial S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo).

Mott trained Nostalgic's first three dams, tracing back to GSW & GISP Minister's Melody (Deputy Minister), who was a $400,000 KEESEP purchase for Stonerside Stable and the dam of GI Wood Memorial winner Bob and John (Seeking the Gold). Mott saddled her stakes-winning second dam Connie Belle (Storm Cat) and her SP dam Been Here Before. That 10-year-old mare's 2020 foal died and her 2021 foal was born dead. Been Here Before is expecting a foal by Violence.

Saturday, Aqueduct
GAZELLE S.-GIII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 4-9, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:50.41, ft.
1–NOSTALGIC, 118, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: Been Here Before (SP), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Connie Belle, by Storm Cat
                3rd Dam: Minister's Melody, by Deputy Minister
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $235,400. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Venti Valentine, 120, f, 3, Firing Line–Glory Gold, by Medaglia d'Oro. O-NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Final Furlong Racing Stable & Maspeth Stable (NY); T-Jorge R. Abreu. $50,000.
3–Shotgun Hottie, 118, f, 3, Gun Runner–Re Entry, by Malibu Moon. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($45,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Aldabbagh, Omar and Ganje, Jeff; B-Vincent Colbert (KY); T-William E. Morey. $30,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2, HF. Odds: 4.30, 1.10, 21.00.
Also Ran: Classy Edition, Divine Huntress, Morning Matcha, Caragate. Scratched: Greatitude.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Speaker’s Corner Dominates Carter

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) took his 2022 record to a perfect three-for-three with a sensational victory in the GI Carter H. on a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct.

Hammered down to 3-5 favoritism, the Godolphin homebred was quickest away from the outside stall, but was quickly joined on the front end by a trio of rivals to his inside. Speaker's Corner spurted away to gain a clear lead after the first quarter went up in :23.17 with Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) tracking from second to his inside.

That foe backed up a bit as Speaker's Corner registered a :46.11 half-mile and Green Light Go (Hard Spun) ranged up to present a new challenge on the outside. That threat was quite brief however as Speaker's Corner shrugged off his competitors with ease at the top of the stretch, cruising home with ease under a hand ride from Junior Alvarado to win for fun. It was 4 1/2 lengths back to Reinvestment Risk in second and GISW Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) was third.

“We thought he was talented as a 2-year-old,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “He had some little issues that we had to give him time for and then we had to give him more time than what we wanted to, but right now it looks like it's turned out well. That was a prime target [winning a Grade I]. That was the goal.”

On targeting the GI Met Mile June 11, “We've got to put that on the list of things. That would be a prime target. We've squeezed him pretty good the way it is. We've come back five weeks, four weeks, so he's had his races fairly close together already.”

“He is a horse who we have always been very high on,” Alvarado said “We figured out what he wants to do. He's a very good miler. Today, we had a great trip, and he was there the whole way around. He was very much the best horse. He took the lead around the half-mile pole and after that, he was just doing his thing. He ran them off their feet early. He was travelling comfortably and was faster than the other horses. He gave me the same kick at seven-eighths as a mile. He's on his 'A' game right now. He'll be a tough horse this year.”

Breaking his maiden at second asking in October of 2020, Speaker's Corner was not seen again until August of 2021 when he romped in a Saratoga allowance. Off the board next out when extended to nine panels for the GI Pennsylvania Derby, he rebounded with a 6 3/4-length optional claimer victory going a sixteenth shorter at Belmont in October, good for a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. Setting the pace in Aqueduct's Discover S. Nov. 27, the homebred set the early pace, but was run down late, finishing second. Speaker's Corner kicked off this term with a front-running score in Gulfstream's one-mile GIII Fred Hooper S. Jan. 29 and led every step of the way for a decisive victory in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile last out Mar. 5.

Pedigree Notes:

Speaker's Corner has Godolphin pedigree top and bottom being by their stallion Street Sense and out of a daughter of their late Bernardini. He makes 12 Grade I winners for Street Sense and is also one of 37 graded winners and 85 black-type scorers for the Darley sire. Speaker's Corner is the 14th Grade I winner for Bernardini as a broodmare sire and one of 36 graded victors and 65 black-type achievers out of his daughters. The Street Sense/Bernardini cross has been successful for Godolphin in the past as it is the same breeding as their MGISW and new sire Maxfield.

Godolphin purchased the winner's second dam, MGISW Round Pond (Awesome Again), for $5.75 million at the 2007 FTKNOV sale. Speaker's Corner is the first foal out of her unraced daughter Tyburn Brook, who has since produced the 3-year-old colt Town Branch (Street Sense), a juvenile colt by Maclean's Music and a yearling colt by Nyquist. She was not bred back for 2022 after having that May 9 foal. Round Pond is also the dam of G1SW Long River (A.P. Indy) and GSP Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire}).

Saturday, Aqueduct
CARTER H.-GI, $300,000, Aqueduct, 4-9, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.34, ft.
1–SPEAKER'S CORNER, 124, c, 4, by Street Sense
                1st Dam: Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Round Pond, by Awesome Again
                3rd Dam: Gift of Dance, by Trempolino
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin, LLC; T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $165,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 9-6-1-1, $572,130. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Reinvestment Risk, 117, c, 4, Upstart–Ridingwiththedevil, by Candy Ride (Arg). 'TDN RISING STAR'. ($140,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL; $280,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
3–Mind Control, 123, h, 6, Stay Thirsty–Feel That Fire, by Lightnin N Thunder. O-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) and Madaket Stables, LLC; B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $36,000.
Margins: 4HF, 2HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.75, 6.80, 4.30.
Also Ran: Green Light Go, Drafted, Bank On Shea, First Captain. Scratched: War Tocsin.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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