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‘We Have An Obligation’: Louis Cella Named Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sportsman of the Year

Oaklawn owner and president Louis Cella has been named the 2020 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sportsman of the Year for his efforts to keep racing going during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The track operated without fans in attendance beginning on March 13, and was able to continue hosting racing through the end of the season. Cella even rescheduled the Arkansas Derby to the first Saturday in May when it was announced that Churchill Downs would postpone the Kentucky Derby.

“In racing, we have an obligation,” Cella told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “It's not like a retail store. You send your employees home and good luck and let's talk next week. We have 500 people in the backstretch. We've got 1,500 horses that have to be fed and cared for. We have our own employees, and at that time, we're ramped up to a thousand people. We can't just turn the lights off and say go home. It's not right, and we can't do it.”

Read more at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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Baffert On Charlatan’s Malibu: ‘He Exceeded Our Expectations’

It was business as usual Sunday morning for Bob Baffert, less than 24 hours after Charlatan demolished his rivals with a 4 ½-length victory in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., the final Grade 1 race of a tumultuous 2020.

It was the 16th Grade 1 win of the year for Baffert, four more than runner-up Chad Brown, enhancing the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer's chances for an Eclipse Award, although personal triumphs are not high on his priority list.

But with Authentic's Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic victories and pending Horse of the Year honors a mere formality, Baffert assuredly has the credentials to merit such a singular honor.

But this morning it was all about the horse.

“He came back great,” Baffert said of Charlatan, a Speightstown colt making his first start since May 2, when he crossed the wire first by six lengths in the first division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, only to be disqualified on a medication violation that has been appealed.

“We haven't really decided what we're going to do with him yet,” said Baffert. “It's too early. We'll give it a week.

“I thought he was going to need the race but he was a lot readier than I thought. We were hoping he would pick up where he left off, and he exceeded our expectations.

“He's just a brilliant horse. He came out of it in really good shape so we're excited. It was a good way to cap off the year.”

Now it's on to 2021, and Baffert wasn't letting the grass grow under his feet, so to speak.

“I breezed a lot of good horses today,” he said, among them Life Is Good, sensational winner by 9 ½ lengths of his debut race Nov. 22 by 9 ½ lengths for owner China Horse Club, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC. The $525,000 son of Into Mischief is among five Baffert trainees nominated to Saturday's Grade 3 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile.

Life Is Good went six furlongs in a bullet 1:10.60. In all, Baffert supervised 14 recorded works this morning.

“The track was really good today,” he said. “It was faster and they were getting over it good. It had a lot of bounce to it. We're still debating whether Life Is Good will go in the Sham or the seven-eighths (the G2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 7). I have to talk to Elliott Walden first.”

Walden is president and CEO of racing operations at WinStar, near Versailles, Ky.

Baffert does plan to enter debut winner Medina Spirit in the Sham.The Florida-bred son of Protonico owned by Zedan Racing Stables Inc. was a three-length winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11 under Abel Cedillo. Medina Spirit breezed five furlongs today in 1:02.

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Oaklawn Releases New Proposed Integrity Initiatives for ’21

Working in partnership with the Arkansas Racing Commission and the Arkansas HBPA (Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort has announced, subject to legislative approval, a series of significant proposed safety and integrity enhancements planned for the 2021 racing season. Key provisions include the prohibition of Clenbuterol within 60 days of a race, reduction in the maximum amount of Lasix without specific approval, and the mandatory use of safety whips in races.

“We began working on these measures last spring,” said Oaklawn President Louis Cella. “We hosted a series of roundtable meetings with horsemen, regulators, racing officials, and our own management team where we asked a simple question: ‘What can we do to enhance the safety and integrity of our program?'”

The rule changes are currently making their way through the regulatory approval process in Arkansas and are expected to be finalized in advance of the start of the 2021 racing season Jan. 22.

“We could not have accomplished all of this without the strong partnership we have with our Racing Commission and our horsemen,” Cella said. “When it comes to integrity and safety, we are united.”

Some of the proposed rule or policy changes include:

The use of Clenbuterol or any other beta2-agonist will not be allowed within 60 days prior to a race at Oaklawn, confirmed for the first time through hair testing.
The maximum dosage of Lasix that can be administered has been reduced by 50% without specific approval of the State Veterinarian. Lasix is also prohibited in any 3-year-old stakes that awards points towards eligibility in the GI Kentucky Derby (Smarty Jones, GII Southwest S., GII Rebel S., and GI Arkansas Derby) and GI Kentucky Oaks (Martha Washington, GIII Honeybee S., and GIII Fantasy S.)
The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, radial pulse wave therapy or similar treatments will not be allowed within 30 days of a race. Also, shock wave equipment will not be allowed on Oaklawn’s grounds at any time.
Trainer and veterinarian records must be made available upon request for review by the pre-race exam veterinarians.
The only riding crops allowed during races will be the 360 Gentle Touch (360 GT), Pro-Cush or other similar riding crops approved by the stewards.
Off-track training facilities in Arkansas will be asked to agree to abide by rules similar to rules that apply on-track.
Horses will be required to be on the grounds at least 72 hours before races unless approved for late arrival. To facilitate this, entries will be scheduled at least four days prior to a race.

“Our racing program has become one of the elite racing programs in America with a projected average daily purse distribution of $700,000 a day in 2021,” he added. “In addition, we are close to completing a $100-million expansion project that will elevate the program even further. So, the time for safety and integrity enhancements is now.”

One of the individuals who worked closely with Oaklawn and horsemen in the development of these measures was Alex Lieblong, Chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. A horse owner himself, Lieblong said, “I applaud Oaklawn for taking these forward-thinking steps that will help solidify Oaklawn’s status as one of the premier racing destinations in the country. They have the full support of the Racing Commission.”

Another key participant, Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas HBPA, added, “We began these meetings in early 2020 and continued working through the summer and into the fall. While we do not endorse every change, we do not object to any of these changes. Overall, it has been a true partnership effort, and it demonstrates why Oaklawn, the Arkansas HBPA and the Arkansas Racing Commission enjoy what I believe is the strongest working relationship in the industry.”

Oaklawn’s 2021 season runs from Friday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, May 1. Stall applications are now available on www.oaklawn.com and are due Nov. 5.

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Undefeated Nadal to Stand at Shadai in Japan

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Nadal (Blame–Ascending Angel, by Pulpit), whose four wins from as many trips to the races included the faster of two divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby, will enter stud in 2021 at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, the organization confirmed in a release Wednesday upon the 3-year-old’s arrival in the country.

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Nadal was purchased by Randy Bradshaw, agent, for $65,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale and was successfully resold for $700,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. Kerri Radcliffe signed the ticket on behalf of an ownership group that included George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen.

Turned over to Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Nadal easily won his career debut Jan. 19 at Santa Anita, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.28 and followed up three weeks later with a 3/4-length success in the GII San Vicente S. over seven panels. The hard-fought winner of the Mar. 14 GII Rebel S. when sent away from California for the first time, the strapping bay turned in his best effort to date when defeating King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) by three lengths in the Arkansas Derby May 2 (video). His final time of 1:48.34 was a full 1.15 seconds faster than that recorded by his ‘Rising Star’ stablemate Charlatan (Speightstown) in the other split of the race. It was announced May 28 that Nadal suffered a condylar fracture and was to be retired.

“He’s going to have a great career at stud,” Bolton told TDN at the time. “He took a second to wind up. Coming out of the gate, he wasn’t a little bottle rocket. Once he got going three or four strides later, he was a :21, :43 horse. That’s what the breeders want.”

Nadal is the last of two foals from his dam, a daughter of Solar Colony (Pleasant Colony), whose full-sister Pleasant Stage was named champion of her generation in 1991 following her victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Pleasant Stage was a full-sister to MGSW Stage Colony and GSW Colonial Play, the dam of MGISW Marsh Side (Gone West).

A stud fee will be announced at a later date.

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