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Former International Jockey Rafael Schistl Settling In To Trainer’s Shoes At Monmouth

The global journey that has taken Rafael Schistl from his home in Itajai, Brazil, to being a successful jockey in nearly a dozen countries has added yet another geographical twist: Monmouth Park.

That's where the 32-year-old will call home this summer – that and a 30-foot boat he purchased to live on throughout the meet – as he continues trying to make inroads in his first year as a trainer.

Schistl is one of several newcomers among the training ranks based at Monmouth Park for the first time, with the track's 76th season kicking off with four straight days of live racing over the Memorial Day weekend starting Friday, May 28.

“I looked around and decided this was the best place for the horses I have,” said Schistl. “I took into account the timing, the quality of the racing, how my horses fit and the racetrack. I know there are some big-name trainers here but for me, right now, this is the best fit for my horses.”

As a jockey from 2005 through 2019, Schistl estimates he won “more than 300 stakes races,” including three Derbies in Norway, two in Denmark and one in Sweden. He also rode in Dubai, Germany, France, New Zealand, Italy and Switzerland. But the ongoing battle to make weight eventually took its toll and forced him to switch gears professionally.

“I always had in my mind that I wanted to be a trainer,” said Schistl. “It was just time. You can't keep fighting the weight issue. It wasn't the way I wanted to leave riding but it was time.

“It's crazy when I look back. I'm 155 pounds now. I'm a normal person. But I rode at 113 or 114. It's just too much after a while.”

After he stopped riding Schistl eventually found his way to Florida and started working at farms in Ocala. He caught the attention of Bob and Jill Jones, the owners of Endsley Oaks Farms in Brooksville, Fla., and they wound up giving him 30 horses to train at Tampa Downs for the winter meet. From 50 starters he produced 10 winners, five seconds and 10 thirds.

That 30-horse division, which consists mostly of claiming horses, is now at Monmouth Park.

“This is my first year training but I have been around trainers my whole life,” said Schistl, who is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish and German. “My father was a trainer. I have worked for some of the biggest trainers in the world. Along the way you pick up things.

“I'm a very detailed guy. I like small details. Taking care of the small details can make a big difference.”

Schistl said his globetrotting as a jockey has exposed him to enough prominent horsemen that he is not intimidated by the star power in Monmouth Park's backstretch. Hall of Famers Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher have returned with full divisions following a hiatus and Saffie Joseph Jr. has a string at Monmouth Park for the first time. In addition, Claudio Gonzalez, who has won or shared 15 training titles in Maryland, is back at Monmouth following a lengthy absence.

Kelly Breen, looking to defend his training title, will have a formidable presence again, as will another Hall of Famer – Jerry Hollendorfer, whose string is handled locally by Dan Ward.

Among the other newcomers hunkered down in Monmouth Park's backstretch for the next four months are Juan Carlos Avila, Philip Antonacci, Jose Camejo, Cody Axmaker, Darrien Rodriguez and Orlando Noda.

The 53-day meet will again find the $1 million TVG.Com Haskell Stakes on July 17 as the centerpiece. Post times on Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays is 12:15 p.m. First race post time on Fridays is 5 p.m.

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Chocron Enters Guilty Plea In Case That Tied Horsemen’s Accounts To Money Laundering

Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Jose Morley Chocron pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to one count of money laundering. Chocron laundered more than $500,000 in funds that had been represented to him to be the proceeds of a scheme to bribe Brazilian political officials, using a network and bank accounts to which he had access by virtue of his operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Jose Chocron's black-market banking was designed to facilitate tax evasion, and was used to facilitate what he thought was the bribery of a foreign official. Unbeknownst to Chocron, the FBI had identified his network and worked quickly to dismantle it. This Office will continue to ensure the integrity of the U.S. financial system by identifying and prosecuting shadow banking operations like Chocron's.”

According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other filings in this case:

Between May 2019 and October 2019, Chocron, working with his co-conspirators, utilized his network of contacts and bank accounts to launder funds that had been provided to him by individuals who – unbeknownst to Chocron – were working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). Those individuals informed Chocron that the funds were the proceeds of bribes that had been paid to Brazilian public officials in order to obtain licenses and permits. On four occasions, Chocron accepted cash from individuals who were working for the FBI or arranged to have the cash delivered to his associates. He then arranged for the funds to be transferred to bank accounts specified by the FBI, minus a commission payment.

Chocron explained that he was able to receive large amounts of cash in the United States and arrange for those funds to be transferred to bank accounts because Chocron “ha[d] . . . people here that need cash. They will transfer to you, because they don't want to pay taxes . . . What do I do? I give them the money and they make a transfer to me.” He also requested a higher commission for his services than initially offered, stating “Let's be clear, that's laundering money.”

Chocron, 61, of Spain and Venezuela, pled guilty to one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. In connection with his guilty plea, Chocron also admitted that he operated an unlicensed money transmitting business, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960.

Chocron is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Rakoff on July 16, 2021, at 4:00 p.m.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of FBI New York's Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force.

The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office's Money Laundering and Transitional Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Adams, Benet J. Kearney, and Sarah Mortazavi are in charge of the case.

Editor's note: The preceding press release was distributed by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Chocron was named a March 2020 indictment alongside Florida trainer Alfredo Lichoa and several others. A superseding indictment named only Lichoa, Chocron, and Schachtel. Read about that case here. Lichoa has since entered a guilty plea to a charge of money laundering conspiracy.

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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Winner Outstrip To Stand In Brazil

Outstrip, the winner of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, has been purchased by a group of 29 Brazilian breeders to stand in that country, the South American publication Turf Diario reports.

The 10-year-old son Exceed and Excel had previously stood his entire career at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud in England, where his first foals are 4-year-olds of 2021.

Outstrip has sired 41 winners from three crops of racing age, with progeny earnings of $1,413,960.

His leading runners include Outburst, the winner of last year's Grade 3 Florida Oaks, French Group 2 winner Gold Trip, Greek Derby winner Gunmetal Jack, and Swiss champion Justin.

During his own on-track career, Outstrip won three of 11 starts for earnings of $826,800. He made his mark early as a 2-year-old, winning a Group 2 in England before traveling stateside to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Park in what would be his only U.S. start.

Outstrip raced for two more seasons, one in the U.K. and the other in the UAE, with his best effort being a third in the G1 St. James's Palace Stakes during the Royal Ascot meet.

The British-born Outstrip is out of the Grade 1-winning El Prado mare Asi Siempre.

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Grade 2 Winner Synchrony To Enter Stud In Brazil

Synchrony, a six-time graded stakes winner, will begin his stallion career at Haras Cima in Brazil, the South American publication Turf Diario reports.

The 7-year-old Tapit horse was retired in September after sustaining a minor injury. Racing as a homebred for Pin Oak Stud, under the shedrow of trainer Michael Stidham, Synchrony won nine of 29 career starts and earned $956,652.

He won two editions of the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap, and he notched additional victories in the G2 Muniz Memorial Handicap and King Edward Stakes, as well as the G3 Red Bank Stakes and Oceanport Stakes. Synchrony also placed in eight other graded stakes races, including the G1 Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Synchrony is out of Pin Oak homebred Brownie Points. A daughter of Forest Wildcat, Brownie Points was a graded stakes winner of eight black type stakes, earning over $950,000. Her best performances included a victory in the G3 Ouija Board Distaff Handicap and a runner-up finish in the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap to Horse of the Year Zenyatta.

In addition to Synchrony, Brownie Points is the dam of graded stakes winner Chocolate Kisses as well as stakes winner Point System.

Synchrony is the second son of Tapit to be exported to Brazil in 2020 to launch his stallion career, following in the footsteps of classic-placed Hofburg.

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