Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

BC Announces Guests for Cocktails and Conversation Broadcast

Trainer Simon Callaghan and Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano are the special guests for this week’s installment of the Breeders’ Cup’s Cocktails & Conversation. The broadcast is a recurring virtual happy hour series designed to rally the industry into raising funds for communities that have been profoundly impacted by COVID-19.

It airs Thursday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. ET via Breeders’ Cup’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The episode will be hosted by Nick Luck and Britney Eurton of NBC Sports and 21 Club mixologist and creator of Breeders’ Cup’s official cocktails Mark Tubridy.

All proceeds generated from Cocktails & Conversation are wholly donated to the following organizations benefitting the horse racing and hospitality industries: Race Track Chaplaincy of America, USBG National Charity Foundation and Restaurant Workers Relief Program.

The post BC Announces Guests for Cocktails and Conversation Broadcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion Will Not Be Held in 2020

Due to circumstances that arose with the coronavirus pandemic, Parx Racing has canceled all of its open stakes for the remainder of the year, including the GI Pennsylvania Derby and the GI Cotillion S. The two $1-million events were part of a program that had been scheduled for Sept. 26 and also included the Turf Amazon S., the Parx Dirt Mile and the GII Gallant Bob S.

“We will not be running any open stakes races this year,” racing secretary David Osojnak said. “We will be going on hiatus. The virus, the plague, just wiped out everything. We think we will be able to come back stronger in 2021.”

COVID-19 caused two major problems for the Parx stakes. Since being moved to mid-September they had an open spot on the calendar, coming after the major 3-year-old races at Saratoga and before the Breeders’ Cup. That allowed Parx to attract quality fields that included recent Pennsylvania Derby winners like McKinzie (Street Sense) and West Coast (Flatter). Once the GI Kentucky Derby was rescheduled for Sept. 5 and the GI Preakness S. for Oct. 3, the mid-September slot no longer worked.

The purse account at Parx was also dealt a blow with the closing of the on-track casino Mar. 16. It reopened June 29, but can only operate at 50% capacity.

“It was 50-50,” Osojnak said. “As soon as they moved the Derby, we had a problem. We would have had to run three weeks after the Derby and a week before the Preakness. The way things were working out, it just didn’t make any sense to do so, from a financial standpoint or from where the calendar fell.”

Using the money that would have been earmarked for the Sept. 26 stakes has allowed Osojnak to keep purses for overnight races near their 2019 levels.

“We cut our purses, but not significantly,” he said. “I did an analysis of the local tracks–Laurel, Delaware, Monmouth. We had to work things out between the horsemen and Parx management, but what we wanted to do was to make sure that our purses were comparable, plus or minus a few thousand dollars, with those other tracks. We are doing OK, and if the casino revenue picks up, I anticipate that the purses will go back up.”

Parx will hold a handful of Pennsylvania-bred stakes races this year, including five scheduled to be run Sept. 7.

“It’s disappointing that we won’t be able to run these stakes this year,” Osojnak said. “This virus has affected so many things. These races will be back and, we believe, stronger than ever.”

The post Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion Will Not Be Held in 2020 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

After Whitney Loss, Tom’s D’Etat Tied With Maximum Security Atop Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

San Diego Handicap (G2) winner Maximum Security and Tom's d'Etat, third in the Whitney Stakes (G1), are tied for first place with 281 votes in the 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 7.

The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 13. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

Owned by Gary and Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 4-year-old Maximum Security moved up from second place last week to tie for the top spot. A winner in his first start for trainer Bob Baffert in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 25, Maximum Security is being pointed to the “Win and You're In” TVG Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 22, which will give the winner an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Tom's d'Etat, owned by Gayle Benson's GMB Racing, had been alone atop the Classic Rankings for the first two weeks. A 7-year-old bay son of Smart Strike, trained by Al Stall Jr., Tom's d'Etat had won four consecutive races, including the “Win and You're In” Stephen Foster (G2) prior to the Whitney at Saratoga, but stumbled at the start and could not overcome breaking last from the gate on Saturday, and wound up third.

The big mover in the rankings this week is the Whitney winner, Improbable (243 votes), who jumped from ninth to third place in the poll. Owned by WinStar Farm, CHC Inc. and SF Racing, Improbable is also trained by Baffert. The 4-year-old chestnut son of City Zip earned a “Win and You're In” automatic starting position into the Breeders' Cup Classic following his 2-length victory in the Whitney under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. The win was Improbable's second Grade 1 triumph this year after taking the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 6.

Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law (208 votes), one of two 3-year-olds in the top 10, remains in fourth place. Unbeaten in three starts this year, the Sackatoga Stable's star, trained by Barclay Tagg, is scheduled to start in this Saturday's Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards (144 votes), second in the Whitney, moves up two spots to fifth place. Trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards won the New Orleans Handicap (G2) and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) before finishing second to Tom's d'Etat in the Stephen Foster.

W.S. Farish's 4-year-old Code of Honor (117 votes) drops from third to sixth this week after finishing a non-threatening fourth as the 5-2 second choice in the Whitney.

Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou (95 votes) was upset by Vexatious in Saratoga's Personal Ensign (G1) on Saturday, losing by a neck as the odds-on favorite. The Steve Asmussen-trained dark bay daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Midnight Lute falls two spots to No. 7.

Juddmonte Farms' 4-year-old Tacitus (93 votes) retains eighth place in the Classic Rankings for the third consecutive week. Trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus rolled to an 8 ¾-length victory in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on July 4. He is expected to run next in the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 5.

The 4-year-old Vekoma, trained by George Weaver, moves up one spot to ninth place this week. Owned by R.A Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma is unbeaten in three starts this year, including two wins in Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races: the Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1), for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Rounding out the top 10 is a new shooter in Bruce Lunsford's 3-year-old Art Collector. Unbeaten in three start this year, including the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on July 11, Art Collector is expected to start in Sunday's Ellis Park Derby for trainer Tom Drury Jr.

CRK Stable's 3-year-old Honor A. P., second in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, dropped from sixth to 11th place.

Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 4, 2020*

RANK	HORSE	TOTAL VOTES	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	Maximum Security	281	13
1	Tom's d'Etat	281	13
3	Improbable	243	2
4	Tiz the Law	208	2
5	By My Standards	144	0
6	Code of Honor	117	1
7	Midnight Bisou	95	0
8	Tacitus	93	0
9	Vekoma	72	2
10	Art Collector	61	0

The post After Whitney Loss, Tom’s D’Etat Tied With Maximum Security Atop Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Collusion Illusion Noses Out Lexitonian In ‘Win And You’re In’ Bing Crosby

Rider Flavien Prat took advantage of a serious speed battle up front, dove for the rail in the stretch and pulled off a nose victory with the 3-year-old Collusion Illusion in Saturday's 75th running of the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

The colt by Twirling Candy just nosed out Calumet Farm's Lexitonian and rider Drayden Van Dyke who lagged far behind early, looped the field on the turn for home and fired in the lane to just miss in the six-furlong headliner. Final time for the dash was 1:10.41 after early splits of :21.58 and :44.73.

Prat was winning his sixth stakes of the nine-day old meet and his second victory of the day to assume command in the local jockeys' race with 16 firsts. He now has 50 stakes wins at Del Mar. For Collusion Illusion's trainer, Mark Glatt, it was his first Grade I stakes victory.

Lexitonian's trainer, Jack Sisterson, won his first G1 earlier in the day at Saratoga when Vexatious upset champion Midnight Bisou in the Personal Ensign Stakes.

“It set up nicely for me,” said Prat. “They were going fast up front; I could feel it. My horse was handling the dirt well today, too. Better than he usually does. When we turned for home I had horses in front of me and I was aware the inside was playing fast today so I went down there. I got through and at the eighth pole I thought I was going to be an easy winner. Then I saw that horse on the outside (Lexitonian) coming and I wasn't so sure. But we got there.”

Collusion Illusion is owned by a quartet of Washington State partners — Dan Agnew, Jerry Schneider, John Xitco and Dr. Rodney Orr.

Running third in the $250,000 Crosby was Law Abidin Citizen, who races for the same group that owns Collusion Illusion and also is trained by Glatt.

As the favorite, the Florida-bred winner paid $5.80, $3.60 and $2.80. He earned a check for $150,000 and moved his bankroll up to $398,751. He now has won five of his six lifetime starts. Collusion Illusion was bred by Don Dizney.

“We thought, looking on paper, they were going to go pretty fast,” said Glatt. “I didn't think my other horse (Law Abidin Citizen, 3rd) would be that close (early) but he hung in there very tough. He's a bit of an overachiever and I'm almost as proud of him as I am of Collusion Illusion. (Collusion Illusion) doesn't like dirt in his face and the way it set up he was going to have to go extremely wide to stay away from it. But the past couple days the rail has been getting better as a place to be and when he darted to the rail I knew he was going to be coming. I got a little worried if he was going to find a place to go, but he was able to and came through in the end.”

The Crosby was a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Race meaning Collusion Illusion has won a guaranteed starting spot – with all fees paid – to the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint, which will be held at Keeneland in Lexington, KY, on Saturday, November 7.

Earlier on the card, the 2-year-old Governor Goteven scampered to a three and one-half length victory in the $100,000 CTBA Stakes for California-bred juvenile fillies.

She was ridden by Tiago Pereira and trained by Lisa Bernard, who was winning her first stakes race, as well as first race at Del Mar. Late last year the conditioner took over the horses of now-retired trainer Walther Solis and trains out of San Luis Rey Training Center.

The homebred daughter of Governor Charlie covered five and one half furlongs in 1:05.55 and earned a first prize of $57,000 to increase her earnings to $87,000 for her two wins in two starts. She paid $8.80, $3.00 and $2.20 across the board. Final time for the five and one-half furlong test was 1:05.55.

The winner is owned by her breeder – Templeton Horses – which is the nom du course of Linda Templeton of Warner Srpings, CA.

Finishing second was LeucadiaLand Stable's race favorite Big Andy and third went to C T R Stables Reign of Fire.

Prior to that race, Thousand Words beat favored Honor A.P. in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, thus earning himself a starting spot in the Kentucky Derby if his connection choose to go.

Racing at Del Mar returns tomorrow with a first post of 2 p.m. PT

The post Collusion Illusion Noses Out Lexitonian In ‘Win And You’re In’ Bing Crosby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post