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The inaugural Fasig-Tipton Midlantic June 2-Year-Olds in Training sale was held Wednesday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Md.

Bloodstock agent Steven W. Young went to $500,000 to secure the sale topper, a filly by Kantharos (Hip 47), from the consignment of Crane Thoroughbred Services, agent (video).

The chestnut filly breezed a quarter in :20 4/5 seconds during Tuesday's under tack show. Hip 47 is the second foal out of the Distorted Humor mare La Titina, a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Ask the Moon and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Belgrano and graded stakes placed Sundaysatthebeach.

The top five prices of the session also included:

– A filly by Arrogate (Hip 78), sold for $225,000 to Hillwood Stables from the consignment of Cary Frommer, agent. The New York-bred filly is a half-sister to two winners, including stakes placed Harmon (Cairo Prince), out of Summer Shade, a winning Stephen Got Even half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Hot Summer. Hip 78 worked an eighth in :10 3/5.

– A filly by Arrogate (Hip 9), sold for $150,000 to John Guarnere from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin, agent. The gray or roan filly is a half-sister to four winners, including champion 2-year-old filly and graded stakes producer Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor) and graded stakes placed stakes winner Cross the Line (Line of David). Hip 9 worked an eighth in 10 3/5.

– A colt by Liam's Map (Hip 32), sold for $100,000 to Muir Hut LLC from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin, agent. The Florida-bred colt is out of the graded stakes winning Flashy Bull mare Flashy American, from the immediate family of multiple graded stakes winner I'm Already Sexy. Hip 32 worked an eighth in :10 1/5.

– A filly by Flatter (Hip 86), sold for $95,000 to Jewel Box Racing, Marette Farrell, agent, from the consignment of Crane Thoroughbred Services, agent. The chestnut filly is out of the stakes winning Smart Strike mare Valued Strike, from the immediate family of Group 1 winner Lighthouse. Hip 86 worked an eighth in :10-flat.

In total, 57 horses sold for $2,509,000. The average was $44,018 and the median was $27,000. Full results are available online.

The post Kantharos Filly Tops Inaugural Fasig-Tipton Midlantic June 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In the wake of a 12th horse fatality at Churchill Downs on Saturday, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority on Monday released the following statement:

HISA's highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of the horses and riders competing under its jurisdiction. We remain deeply concerned by the unusually high number of equine fatalities at Churchill Downs over the last several weeks. We continue to seek answers, and we are working diligently with Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) to mitigate any additional risk.

In addition to conducting a thorough and independent investigation of each fatality, HISA today announced the following additional measures to ensure the safest environment possible for horses racing at Churchill Downs:

HISA has called an emergency veterinary summit to be held Tuesday, May 30 in Kentucky. This summit will convene the Churchill Downs, KHRC and HISA veterinary teams to thoroughly review all veterinary information available and conduct additional analysis in hopes of better understanding the events surrounding the recent fatalities.

HISA has dispatched well-renowned, seasoned track superintendent Dennis Moore to provide a second and independent analysis of Churchill Downs' racing and training surfaces. During the course of this review, which will begin Wednesday May 31, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus and Racetrack Safety Director Ann McGovern will also travel to Churchill Downs to receive the results of the analysis and any suggested follow-up.

HISA has also dispatched its Director of Equine Safety and Welfare, Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, to provide additional veterinary expertise and observation on site at Churchill Downs to ensure optimal veterinary oversight of the horses.

HISA continues to monitor this situation closely and will evaluate any additional next steps as appropriate.

The post HISA Announces Additional Safety Measures For Horses At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Christophe Louriel isn't sure if Big Everest is ready for graded stakes company or if the 5-year-old gelding will get 1 3/8 miles on the grass, but after Saturday's front-running victory in the $100,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes at Monmouth Park both now have to at least be considered, he said.

Big Everest broke alertly from outside post seven, set reasonable fractions under jockey Jorge A. Vargas Jr. and was a safe three-quarters of length winner in the mile and a sixteenth turf feature for 3 year olds and up.

By winning the Cliff Hanger, Big Everest – who scored his sixth victory in his past seven starts and is 2-for-2 this year – earned free entry and start fees to the United Nations(G1) at 1 3/8 miles on the grass for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and William Branch. The United Nations serves as the supporting feature to the Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 22.

Big Everest has never gone beyond 1 1/16 miles, however.

“I think it's time to try a graded stakes race, but I don't know about a mile and three-eighths. We'll see. If there's one place he can do it I think it's here on this turf course,” said Louriel, the top assistant to Christophe Clement for the past 30 years.

Gelded over the winter, Big Everest won his third straight stakes race, his second this year. He has pretty much led gate to wire in winning six of his past seven starts.

“This went absolutely to the plan,” said Louriel. “After he won at Aqueduct (on April 15 in his seasonal debut) we felt he was short a work but he still got the job done. He has speed around the turns. I told Jorge Vargas that it's a mile and a sixteenth and to make sure he kept something for the end. He is the kind of horse that can accelerate around the turns.

“It was a short field so we just tried to clear the field, go to the lead and try to slow things down. I saw :47 and change to the half and he was still on the bridle around the turn so I felt pretty good.”

In posting his seventh career win from 12 starts, the British-bred son of The Gurkha carved out fractions of :23.49, :47.34 and 1:10.78 to six furlongs. Smokin' T took up the chase at that point but could never get to the winner. It was another 2¼ lengths back to James Aloysius in third.

Though he was the 8-5 morning line favorite, Big Everest paid $8.60 in what looked to be an evenly matched field.

“This is the way he runs, so why change it now?” said Vargas. “I worked him last week at Belmont. I was glad they let me do that so I could get to know him. He worked well. He is a speed horse and I wasn't going to take him away from his game. He likes to run into the bridle.

“The main thing was to get him to relax. I know he is fast. I know he can run fast fractions. I just wanted to have him content. He's aggressive but he doesn't get tired.”

Big Everest, who was bred by Newsells Park Stud, is out of the Why Why Why mare Long Face.

The post Big Everest Wins Monmouth’s Cliff Hanger On Front End appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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No Guts No Glory Farm and Erica Upton's Award Wanted held off a late rally by the 1-to-5 favorite Morning Matcha to post an 18-1 upset nose victory in the $160,000 Obeah Stakes Saturday at Delaware Park.

With Angel Cruz aboard, Award Wanted returned $38 as the longest shot in the field of five fillies and mares. Morning Matcha, with Paco Lopez, finished 7½ lengths in front of third-place finisher Hybrid Eclipse, with Sheldon Russell aboard.

Award Wanted led from the gate and posted fractions of :49.93 for the half mile and 1:15.42 for six furlongs before completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:49.28 over a fast main track.

The 6-year-old daughter of Macho Uno raised her career record to ten wins from 35 starts. The Maryland-bred trained by John Robb earned $90,000 plus a $10,000 Delaware Certified bonus to bring her career earnings to $487,950. She improved her Delaware Park record to four wins, two seconds, and two thirds.

The Delaware Handicap (G2) on July 8 is a possibility for Award Wanted.

“We are going to give it a few days before deciding about her next start,” said trainer John Robb. “For now, the important thing is seeing how she comes out of this race and if everything is good. Once we have a better idea about that, we will start thinking about her next start.”

This the second Obeah Stakes victory for Cruz, who won aboard Miss Leslie, the eventual Delaware Handicap winner, last year.

Award Wanted, who was produced by the Cherokee's Boy mare Touring Hong Kong, was bred by Dr. Alexandro Rubim Dias.

The post Award Wanted Upsets Morning Matcha In Gate-To-Wire Obeah Blitz appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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