Among the key rulings from the last seven days is the saga surrounding Tankinator, a horse at the centre of two positfives within 17 days.

On Oct. 21, Tankinator finished 6th at Delaware Park. Tankinator was claimed out of Webster Gayle's barn that day before running again on Nov. 7 for Bonnie Lucas at Parx Racing. Tankinator was pulled up and vanned off in that race. It's unclear whether Tankinator was euthanized.

In pending rulings posted on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) website, the 5-year-old gelding's post-race sample after his Oct. 21 appearance tested positive for the corticosteroid Dexamethasone, a controlled drug commonly used as an anti-inflammatory.

Tankinator's post-race sample after his Nov. 7 run tested positive for Xylazine, a controlled drug that can be used to sedate or tranquilize horses.

According to a HIWU spokesperson, the notice for the first positive test was sent out after the horse ran again on Nov. 7, as the post-claim owner would not have had the option to void the claim through HISA without being aware of the first positive test. Gayle and the post-claim owner were alerted to the dexamethasone positive at the same time, the spokesperson added.

In a separate case, trainer Michael Lauer was handed down a two and ½ month suspension after his horse, Mowins, had tested positive for the diabetes drug, Metformin, after finishing third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Aug. 5. He was also fined $2,600. Lauer's suspension began on Oct. 12.

HISA lists Metformin as a banned drug, meaning it comes with a possible two-year suspension.

According to the case resolution posted on HIWU's website, the groom looking after Mowins had a prescription for Metformin, which he took twice daily. The day of the race, the groom, Jorge Ceballos, took the medication during lunch, before preparing Mowins for the race, “which included putting the bridle in Mowins' mouth,” according to the case resolution.

HIWU agreed that “Mr. Lauer was able to establish the source of Metformin by a balance of probability was unintentional contamination by Mr. Ceballos during his pre-race grooming preparations,” according to the case resolution.

Trainers Jeffrey Englehart and A. Ferris Allen were each issued seven-day suspensions and $1,000 fines for Phenylbutazone positives. Phenylbutazone is a Class C controlled medication. For both trainers, the sanctions handed down constituted their second Class C substance violations under HISA.

NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 11/05/2023
Licensee: Anthony Farrior, trainer
Penalty: No penalty. Equine anti-doping charges withdrawn. B Sample volume insufficient for analysis.
Explainer: For the presence of Metformin-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Geothermal, who raced at Laurel Park on 11/5/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.
Read more on the story here.

Date: 10/28/2023
Licensee: Tony Lello, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Methocarbamol-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Reel Em In. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 10/25/2023
Licensee: Joe Pizzurro, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Atlantic Firestorm. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/28/2023
Licensee: Terry Eoff, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Methocarbomal-Controlled Medications (Class C)-in a sample taken from Kentucky Dawn, who finished second at Remington Park on 9/28/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/01/2023
Licensee: A. Ferris Allen, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on December 13, 2023; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Aristocratic, who finished second at Colonial Downs at 9/1/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 08/05/2023
Licensee: Michael Lauer, trainer
Penalty: Two and ½ month (i.e., 75-day) period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on October 12, 2023; 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on August 31, 2023 (already served); Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results obtained on 08/05/23 and 08/23/23, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,600. Final decision of HIWU, and admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Metformin-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Mowins who finished third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 8/5/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.

Date: 07/17/2023
Licensee: Jeffrey Englehart, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on December 13, 2023; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Graywing, who finished fourth at Finger Lakes on 7/17/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers.

Pending ADMC Violations
Date: 11/29/2023
Licensee: Lacey Gaudet, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314-Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method-on the horse, Graceful Union. This is also a possible violation of Rule 4222-Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 11/25/2023
Licensee: Peter Walder, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314-Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method-on the horse, Hello Jack. This is also a possible violation of Rule 4222-Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout.

Date: 11/14/2023
Licensee: Robert Lucas, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Shake N Fries. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Librado Barocio, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Sugar Fish. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Librado Barocio, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Barristan the Bold. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/13/2023
Licensee: Ron Rozell, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Pemoline-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Bavaria. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212-Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/08/2023
Licensee: Ilmar Loaiza, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Roseinthesky, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 11/8/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 11/07/2023
Licensee: Bonnie Lucas, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Xylazine-Controlled Medication (Class B)-in a sample taken from Tankinator, who was pulled up and vanned off in a race at Parx Racing on 11/7/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 10/21/2023
Licensee: Webster Gayle, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone-Controlled Medication (Class B)-in a sample taken from Tankinator, who finished sixth at Delaware Park on 10/21/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Date: 09/21/2023
Licensee: Bret Calhoun, trainer
Penalty: Pending
Alleged violation: Medication violation
Explainer: For the presence of Diclofenac-Controlled Medication (Class C)-in a sample taken from Ain't Broke, who won at Churchill Downs on 09/21/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312-Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List).

Violations of Crop Rule
One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race.

Los Alamitos
Diego Herrera – violation date Dec 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 2 strikes over limit
Giovanni Franco – violation date Dec 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 1 strike over limit
Kyle Frey – violation date Dec 17; $250 fine, one-day suspension, 1 strike over limit

OTHER KEY RULINGS
The TDN also 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.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 12/14/2023
Licensee: Manuel Franco, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Manuel Franco is hereby suspended for three (3) NYRA racing days January 1st 2024, January 4th 2024, January 5th 2024 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 6th race at Aqueduct Racetrack on December 9th 2023.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 12/18/2023
Licensee: Junior Alvarado, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Junior Alvarado is hereby suspended three (3) NYRA racing days January 1st 2024, January 4th 2024, January 5th 2024 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 9th race at Aqueduct Racetrack on December 16th 2023.

The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings, Dec. 12-18 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“Basically, the last couple of years, I was just breaking even doing what I was doing,” Faucheux said. “I love training horses, but I wasn't getting the kind of day rate trainers in places like New York and Kentucky get and our expenses are pretty comparable to their's. This was a lot of work and, in all honesty, over the last several years, I wasn't making any money doing it.”

Faucheux, 40, started training in 2009 and quickly became established as one of the top trainers on the Louisiana circuit. In 2021, he won his first training title at the Fair Grounds, finishing ahead of Steve Asmussen, Cox and Tom Amoss.

“That meant so much to me,” he said. “I was a kid growing up in New Orleans and I idolized the trainers like Asmussen, Amoss, Al Stall, Dallas Stewart. Three leading trainer titles at the Fair Grounds is three more than I ever thought I'd get.”

He had arrived, with a big stable and the type of horses that could compete at a top-tier track like the Fair Grounds. But it came at a cost. He said that the bigger his stable got the harder it became to make money. His overhead kept growing and his income couldn't keep up.

“Over the last couple of years, the prices for everything kept going up,” he said. “The more horses I got the less money I made.”

His day rate, which was $75, was a problem. He said that the trainers who come and go between the Fair Grounds and Kentucky, like Asmussen and Cox command a higher rate. But the trainers like himself who spend the entire year in Louisiana had to charge less. It was not, he said, enough.

He was able to stay focused throughout the Fair Grounds meet and secured the title with three winners on closing day. But he was already looking ahead to the next chapter in his racing career.

Rodriguez, a native of Venezuela who had been riding in Panama, came to the U.S. in August and had an immediate impact. He was 22-for-104 (21%) in 2022 and stayed hot at the Fair Grounds, where his 35 wins were good enough for sixth in the standings. Faucheux saw him as an up-and-coming rider who could be a force at Evangeline, where Faucheux was fifth in last year's trainer standings.

“My kids are getting a little bit older and I can spend a little bit more time with them being a jock's agent,” he said. “There is quite a bit of work that goes into it, but not nearly the amount of work that I was used to as a trainer. He's a good rider and he finished sixth at the Fair Grounds, his first full meet ever in the U.S. This is a good opportunity to spend more time with my family, have a little more free time and a little less stress and try this out. I'll see how it works.”

There are things about training that he misses and others that he does not.

“There's no question that I am going to miss training,” he said. “So far as the training and the horses and connections I made with my owners and the people around me, I'm absolutely going to miss that. Being an agent, I'm still a part of it. But I trained a lot of horses, had a lot of employees and there were a lot of expenses. That's all part it. So there are things I won't miss.”

Faucheux said he might train again.

“I could go back to training for the next Fair Grounds meet,” he said. “I'm not sure. Or I could never go back to training. I'm just going to enjoy this meet at Evangeline and not make any decisions until the meet is over with.”

Should he come back, winning races won't be the problem. Faucheux has won 740 in his career and his winning percentage is 23.7%. But will those numbers, as good as they are, ever translate into making a decent living? It's the problem he needs to solve.

The post Trainer Faucheux Wins Fair Grounds Title and Walks Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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With 64 wins, Rey Gutierrez captured the first leading rider title of his young career. The 27-year-old's top moment came when Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) posted an upset in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, offering personal redemption for Gutierrez after he and his mount Hidden Connection finished a diminishing nose shy of Echo Zulu last year.

With 20 wins from 137 starts in their first full meet at Fair Grounds,  Genesis and Sylvia Castillo's L and G Racing Stable won the track's owners' race.

Fair Grounds offered the richest stakes schedule in Louisiana history at $8.5 million during its 151st season of racing, with the Mar. 25 Louisiana Derby Day card leading the way with a $3.1-million single-card record for purses offered in the state.

“Our 151st season was one for the books,” Fair Grounds president Doug Shipley said. “Throughout the entire season our racing team proved once again they are the best in the business. Starting with an amazing Thanksgiving celebration to kick off the season and finishing with a fairytale ending with the Shantel Lanerie Second Line celebration. There were tears on the course this year as jockey Corey Lanerie returned to Fair Grounds to take home the win in the race named to honor his beloved-by-all wife. Their daughter Brittlyn served as the Grand Marshal for the Second Line walk completing out the season with full hearts all around.”

The post Faucheux, Gutierrez Earn Fair Grounds Titles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The 2023 National HBPA Annual Conference closed with a lively discussion with three prominent horsemen who questioned the need, validity and overreach of federal legislation pitched as the so-called savior of racing while the industry heads into a challenging economic and logistical future.

Bret Calhoun, Ron Faucheux and Jason Barkley participated in the Trainer's Talk panel moderated by multiple Eclipse Award-winning journalist and media specialist Jennie Rees and talked about everything from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, challenges facing small to mid-sized stables, finding and keeping help and what gives them motivation in spite of all of racing's uncertainties.

HISA dominated the discussion–as it did much of the conference this week at The Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans–and the trio pulled no punches when it came to the controversial entity.

“The whole thing is a façade. It's been all smoke and mirrors,” said Calhoun, a member of the Louisiana HBPA board who also maintains strings in Kentucky and Texas. “They sold this thing as the safety of the horse. It's absolutely not about safety of horse. It's a few people, with self-interest and they have their own personal agenda.”

Faucheux, also a member of the Louisiana HBPA board and just two back of the leader on the Fair Grounds' leading trainer's list that he topped for the 2021-22 meeting, conditions a stable of about 60 horses and hasn't left his native state since HISA rules went into effect last summer.

“I haven't signed up and I won't sign up. I'll get out of training if I have to sign up,” Faucheux said. “A stable like mine, 55-, 60-horse stable, I couldn't afford the cost of having to hire somebody to do the paperwork for me. The added expenses of it all, it wouldn't work financially for me. It's a struggle to get by the last couple years. Feed costs have gone up 50 percent, hay, shavings, it doesn't make financial sense for a trainer in Louisiana year-round to sign up and have to take on all those added fees because right now we're barely making it as it is.”

Barkley maintains a stable of about 30 horses based at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park in the winter and in Kentucky the majority of the year. A member of the Kentucky HBPA board and a third-generation horseman, Barkley said he feels the impact of the regulations already and only sees them as potential obstacles for trainers hoping to grow their stables.

“A lot of my smaller clients they don't want to pay the added cost of a per-start fee, the extra vet checks, and all the added fees they want to put on us,” Barkley said. “There's added costs and the time to do all the work. Between me and my main assistant, who is my wife, Shelbi, we do the extra paperwork, keeping track of everything. We already kept track of what every horse got every day but to then have to put it into files, that doubles the workload. That is time taken away from actually working with your horses, which is what you should really be focused on.”

Fixed-Odds Wagering…

Fixed-odds wagering on horse racing is coming to America and should be embraced as well as understood by horsemen.

That was the advice of two heads of major horse-racing content distributors and two executive directors of horsemen's associations. They spoke on a closing-day panel at the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association conference.

The panelists addressed both the growth of U.S. tracks sending their race product to legal bookmakers overseas and the possibilities and challenges of introducing bookmaker-style fixed odds as a wagering option at U.S. tracks, whether at the actual track, another bricks-and-mortar facility or online.

“We've really had a mantra to educate our members on what's coming,” said National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback. “Whatever you decide as a state–to bring it in, not to bring it in, or if you're fortunate enough to have a sports-wagering license–I believe sports wagering and fixed odds are in our future. But it's up to us to continue to educate everyone properly on the pros, the cons and the nuances of what's going on.”

The post Trainers Speak Out on HISA at HBPA Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Calhoun Looks to Continue Louisiana Hot Hand

Bret Calhoun continues to lead in the trainer standings during the meet for an award that he has yet to win, despite much success in the past. He has a trio of entries in the Louisiana S. with Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) being the most experienced stakes contender. The 5-year-old gelding is priced well at 5-1, but will probably be overshadowed by his stablemate Run Classic (Runhappy), who returned to racing last fall after being off for a year and a half. He was fourth in the $200,000 Tinsel S. at Oaklawn Park Dec. 17.

Standing in Calhoun's way is Brad Cox, who has a pair of runners entered that are drawn towards the outside. Of these, Zozos (Munnings) made some noise last spring along the Derby Trail when he won an optional claiming race at Oaklawn Feb. 11 by an impressive 10 1/4 lengths to become a 'TDN Rising Star'. A second to now-retired Epicenter in the GII Louisiana Derby and a 10th-place finish in GI Kentucky Derby followed before the homebred went to the bench. His tune-up at the Fair Grounds Dec. 17 tells us that he is ready for his 4-year-old debut. One other entry that merits consideration is Business Model (Candy Ride {Arg}). Sure to be a price at 15-1 on the morning-line, the Brendan Walsh trainee caught a slow pace in the Tenacious S. Dec. 26 that was not to his liking. The race shape could be much different this time around.

Derby Dreams Brewing for Gold Square's Instant Coffee

New stakes coordinator Stu Slagle has put together a solid field of eight for this year's Lecomte S., despite Paulo Lobo reporting that out of his two entries, Itzos (Bolt d'Oro) will scratch. Last year, Gold Square enjoyed the fruits of the Derby Trail when Cyberknife (Gun Runner) rallied to win the GI Arkansas Derby. They are back with Brad Cox for more rose-colored dreams with Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro) who already has 12 Kentucky Derby points to his credit. After breaking his maiden first-out at Saratoga Sept. 3-with future GII Remsen S. Hero Dubyyuhnell (Good Magic) fourth–he was fourth in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at Keeneland Oct. 8 to eventual GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Forte (Violence), but came back and won the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 26. With Luis Saez in the irons once again, he will be heard from late in the game.

A major threat to Cox, who also has Tapit's Conquest (Tapit), is GIII Street Sense S. winner Two Phil's (Hard Spun). The colt broke his maiden at Colonial Downs July 18 at second asking, and after a romping win in the Shakopee Juvenile S. at Canterbury Park Sept. 17, the Larry Rivelli trainee was seventh in the Breeders' Futurity. Being forwardly placed is a essential for this runner, which will be Jareth Loveberry's tactical challenge. Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) should be the pacesetter and he has proven dangerous on the engine. Though he was fifth to Curly Jack (Good Magic) in the GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs Sept. 17 after winning in his second career race in Louisville Aug. 13, he certainly showed grit going wire-to-wire under the Twin Spires against optional claimers Nov. 26. Bred by Summer Wind Equine LLC and out of a half-sister to Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), he will be looking to ride the merry-go-round on Saturday.

The post Grade III Double Feature for Fair Grounds Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“We've already had a lot of interest in our 2023 sale season,” Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “Our 2-year-old sale has certainly gotten stronger in terms of quality in the past few years and those horses have been performing well at tracks around the midwest and south.”

Free Drop Maddy (Free Drop Billy), who topped this year's sale after a final bid of $200,000, broke her maiden in the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity and, most recently, captured the Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds for Mansfield Racing and Bret Calhoun.

“Our graduates are proof of the quality our consignors have offered each year,” Bridewell said. “We're excited to get to work on putting together another solid edition in April.”

The entry deadline for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale is Jan. 16 and consignment forms are now available at www.ttasales.com.

The post Texas 2-Year-Old Sale Set for Apr. 5 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Hidden Connection (Connect) has been made the 3-1 morning-line favorite, a starting price likely inflated by her draw nearest the stands. Not that she hasn't dealt with that type of adversity before–she overcame the eight hole in a field of eight to graduate by 7 1/2 lengths on her 5 1/2-furlong debut at Colonial Aug. 17 and validated that performance with a 9 1/4-length thrashing of her rivals in the GIII Pocahotas S. Sept. 18 at Churchill, where she had gate nine of 10. While she left there running those first two starts, she bobbled at the break of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and never reached contention, finishing a distant fourth. The dark bay will look to give trainer Bret Calhoun a fourth winner of the race and first since Summer Applause (Harlan's Holiday) scored in 2012.

Trainer Doug O'Neill is always to be taken seriously when shipping horses into the Big Easy and is represented here by Reddam Racing's Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist). A debut winner sprinting at Santa Anita on Halloween, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida grad missed by a nose in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. going a grassy mile at Del Mar Nov. 27, but atoned with a sharp runner-up effort in the seven-furlong GII Santa Ynez S. Jan. 8. Mario Gutierrez is likely to ask for some speed from the 7-2 morning-line second pick.

Divine Huntress (Divining Rod) easily accounted for a field of Parx maidens going seven panels Dec. 13 following which Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners bought into the Maryland-bred filly. Prohibitively favored for a first-level allowance going an extended mile at the Bensalem oval Jan. 19, she took over at will with about 2 1/2 furlongs to race and shot away to score by nearly 13 lengths while never being asked to run. Jose Ortiz sees fit to take the call for trainer Graham Motion.

North County (Not This Time) is perfect in three starts to date, including a neck success in the Dec. 26 Untapable S., while the rail-drawn La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro–Cavorting) looks to add to her latest score in the Jan. 22 Silverbulletday S.

The post Hidden Connection Must Overcome Draw in Rachel Alexandra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“We're excited to see Mr. Money's first foals,” said Brent Fernung of Journeyman Stud, which stands the 6-year-old stallion. “Mr. Money is a handsome horse and I fully expect that he'll pass that along to his foals. With his talent and pedigree, we're anticipating great things from Mr. Money's progeny.”

Campaigned by Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm and trained by Bret Calhoun, Mr. Money won the 2019 GIII Matt Winn S., GIII Pat Day Mile, GIII West Virginia Derby and GIII Indiana Derby and was second in that year's GI Pennsylvania Derby. He added the GIII Ack Ack S. to his resume in 2020.

Mr. Money will stand for $4,000 in 2022.

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Thirteen wins is an impressive win total less than halfway through the meet, and since Dec. 11 he has sent out 11 winners from 39 starters( 28%). Never one to chase trainer titles, Calhoun, according to his own recollection, took the 2005 crown at Remington Park and added the 2012 title at Lone Star 2012. Nearing 30 years as a trainer, his numbers speak for themselves: 3,353 wins and nearing $100,000,000 in earnings (currently at $94,848,491).

“It's funny how this meet has gone,” Calhoun said. “I thought I had a few Louisiana-bred maidens that would have already won. I tried to have them ready to run at the first of the meet. As the best laid plans go, a couple of them got sick, a couple had minor injuries. So those are horses that are still out there and I think will win for us soon. Instead, we've won with some that you thought were going to run and had chances but you don't think they are can't-lose type horses. We've been fortunate to win with those. The other thing is we try not to have a lot of grass horses but we've won with a lot of grass horses. So it's been a pleasant surprise in some places.

“I don't get at this point in my life too worked up about titles,” Calhoun continued. “I just want to win as many races as we can and put them in the right places and win. It's always nice to be part of the thought process for that (title) but it's not something that drives me to maneuver horses here or there, to pull horses from other places just to win races. I just like to win the right races for the right money.”

One of Calhoun's most promising horses on the grounds is Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds' Hidden Connection, who has posted four local works, including 1:00 4/5 breeze on Saturday morning. The winner of her first two starts, including the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs with an 88 Bris speed figure, the filly by Connect concluded her freshman season finishing 4th after a stumbling start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

“She's not quite ready yet,” Calhoun said. “There's no reason to force it. She's a smaller lighter filly. We're not going to pound a bunch of races into her too soon. She's coming along nicely. I think she is bulking up which is something we wanted to see, so we're really happy where she is in her training and her development. At the end of the day we sat down and talked about it (running in the Silverbulletday) and we are going to stay with our plan of waiting and going to the Rachel [Alexandra (G2) on Feb. 19].”

An early buzz horse for the Kentucky Oaks, Calhoun says he won't force it.

“Everybody has the hopes and dreams of the Oaks and all that but I don't want to do anything to set her back from a tremendous filly career. There are a lot of spots that could fit, including the Eight Belles (G2) (at seven furlongs), I don't know yet.  We've had some nice 3-year-olds the last few years. We campaigned them smartly, and they've made one million or two million apiece and they've been worth a lot of money. I am going to take the same path with this filly.”

Meanwhile, Tejano Twist capped off a nine-race 2-year-old season finishing second in the $100,000 Gun Runner, awarding 10-4-2-1 Derby points. By Practical Joke, the game plan going forward looks to be at one-turn distances.

“I've shipped him over to Copper Crowne [training center],” Calhoun said. “He's walking the shed row for a few weeks. He's going to go back into training on Monday. You won't see him back to the races for a couple months. We just gave him a little breather. End of the day we didn't have Derby dreams [with Tejano Twist], but I do think he is a very good one-turn mile, shorter distance horse, so we are going to freshen him up for the spring.”

Some of the standout horses have been notching their wins on the turf include: Gentle Soul, Excess Magic, Lovely Ride, and Who took the Money.

A half-brother to By My Standards (also trained by Calhoun), Gentle Soul has flown through his first and second-level allowance conditions. Improving upon his first two-turn turf try, this son of Tapizar earned an 87 Bris, displaying a sobering turn of foot to flash a Bris late pace figure of 106.

“Obviously this horse has been slower to develop than By My Standards was,” Calhoun said. “This horse had some injuries along the way early in his career. He's always trained like a good horse even though he hasn't always run like one. I do think it is a 'light come on' type of situation. He's been a bit of a disappointment to us up until now. His mother was turf we were honestly searching and that's how we landed back on the turf and he has had two monster races.”

Third in this summer's Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga, Ain't No Elmers had a tough go in the recent $75,000 Menard Stakes at Fair Grounds.

“She came out of it great,” Calhoun said. “Trip-wise it was absolutely horrible. We lost all chances at multiple spots along the way there. At the end of the day the soft turf that day didn't do her any good. If she gets back to really good form we'll go on, if not we'll probably breed her after the next race.”

Thirty-one days down and 50 to go in the meet, the Calhoun barn will certainly hover near the top of the list throughout.

The post Calhoun Enjoying Big Meet At Fair Grounds; Oaks Hopeful Hidden Connection Points To Rachel Alexandra appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gutierrez won with seven of his 17 mounts the past two days at Fair Grounds, five of them stakes. His winning mounts returned a total of $209.20 for a $12.30 return on investment. On Sunday he guided Gentle Soul ($35.00), Chess Chief ($22.20) and Halo Again ($30.80) to the Fair Grounds' winner's circle, and on Monday he followed up with victories aboard Hooperdrivesthboat ($83.80), Excess Magic ($6.60), Lovely Ride ($20.80) and Chattalot ($10.00).

“Feels great,” Gutierrez said after winning the final stakes of the day aboard Chattalot. “It's a credit to (jockey agent) Jose Santos, Jr. No matter where he's put me, we've been successful. We are calling Fair Grounds home, and we are doing very well. He does his due diligence. He does an excellent job with all of his riders. He puts me on these horses, and it's for everybody, so I'm just thankful for Jose.”

For the year, Gutierrez has won 132 races while banking $4.8 million, both career highs, while taking on new racetracks and challenges seemingly every month. Entering Thursday's card, he's sits second in the Fair Grounds jockey standings with 17 wins from just 73 mounts (23%), three behind meet leader Colby Hernandez.

Two of Gutierrez's Monday stakes scores came for trainer Bret Calhoun, whom he also credits for helping to jump start his career.

“When I ride for the Calhoun train it is really special,” Gutierrez said. “He's one of the reasons I am here today.”

Excess Magic Gets the Bacon in Woodchopper

In the $75,000 Woodchopper, Gutierrez placed the William T. Reed homebred Excess Magic (2.30-1 favorite) in the perfect pressing position on the outside of the pacesetting 18.10-1 longshot Rightandjust through early fractions of 24.43 and 49.76. He put that rival away off the turn for home and then held safe of close second choice Point Me By (2.50-1) to win by 1 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:38.08 for the mile on turf.

“His other horse (Who Took the Money) was the one I was most afraid of, so I guess he did me a favor by scratching him from the race,” Gutierrez said. “Both tracks (turf and dirt) are playing the way I like to ride. He (Excess Magic) was coming from a sprint to a route so I let him be a horse, get out there, and get in good position. On the backside I could feel everyone on top of us, so I could tell we were going pretty slow. He was ready to go and when I turned for home, I said 'let's go get some bacon'. He was hungry. I was hungry. Calhoun does a great job with his horses.”

The Woodchopper was the fourth win overall and first in a stake for Excess Magic (8-4-2-1), and it boosted his career bankroll to $164,171.

“He's been a pretty consistent horse for us,” Calhoun said. He had a little injury last year and we had to back off. Being able to run in a sprint prepping for this (win on Nov. 26), it worked out great. The mile is ideal for him. He's got tremendous turn of foot. Early on I was thinking we were a little (too) close (to the front), but that why I pay Reylu to ride him. He was right. The fractions were pretty slow and he had him right where he needed to be.”

Lovely Ride Works Out a Trip in Pago Hop

First career turf start is a stakes winning one for daughter of Candy Ride

Already a stakes winner on dirt, Allied Racing Stables Lovely Ride proved her versatility by winning her first ever start on turf, taking the $75,000 Pago Hop in what was a hard-fought battle down to the wire. It was the second stakes victory on the card for the team of trainer Bret Calhoun and jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

Away alertly from an outside post, Lovely Ride sat fourth while in the clear, two-wide down the backstretch while chasing moderate early fractions of 24.17 and 49.30 set by the longshot (25.60-1) Touch of Class. With the front-runner wandering about, she ducked inside of her mid-stretch, took the lead, and held safe of the resurgent 3.10-1 favorite Amiche and the late closing Princess Theorem (6.90-1) to score by a game ¾ of a length in a final time of 1:38.56 for one mile on turf. Only 3 ¼ lengths separated the top seven finishers.

“I had a delightful trip,” Gutierrez said. “She has enough tactical speed. I was able to break and come over (from the outside post). That was the whole game plan, we wanted to save ground. She took to it well. I have to credit Mr. (Bret) Calhoun and his brain because he has been brainstorming around with a couple of his horses and switching things up and he took the risk (of running on turf) given her pedigree. A lot of trainers don't have the opportunity to do that, but he took his chance. His chess playing is paying off and he is making me look good and his horses look good, so credit to Mr. Calhoun.”

The winner of the Catherine Sophia on August 24 at Parx, Lovely Ride has looked dominant at times on dirt, but she's been somewhat plagued by inconsistency.

“We thought pedigree-wise (by Candy Ride out of a Tiznow mare) she had a big chance to perform well on turf,” Calhoun explained. “Obviously this is the last 3-year old (restricted) race of the year. We were kind of out of options and so we thought we'd take a chance. We really thought she would handle the turf. It looks like she handled it well, and I look forward to her being even better on it next time. She looked like she was a little bit lost on it early on. By the time she figured out where she was going and what she was on, she finished up big and galloped out huge. It is great to have multiple options. We're just going to have to sit back and look at the condition books and see what race suits us best.”

With the win, Lovely Ride bolstered her resume to 9-5-1-1 with earnings of $284,160.

Chattalot Lets His Speed Do the Talking in Sugar Bowl

With three stakes wins the past two days, trainer Steve Asmussen breaks out of his Fair Grounds “slump” in a big way

Entering Sunday's action, trainer Steve Asmussen had zero wins to show from 21 starters to open the 2021-22 racing season at Fair Grounds. On the other side of Monday, he now has four wins with three of them coming in stakes. So much for that “slump”.

On the heels of a Sunday training triple, including stakes wins with Halo Again in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial and Epicenter in the inaugural running of the Gun Runner, Asmussen added a little icing to his holiday cake by winning Monday's Sugar Bowl with the front-running Chattalot for Bloom Racing and David Bersen. It was the third stakes win on the card, and fifth in the last two days, for jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

Away alertly from the rail, Chattalot (4.00-1) maintained his inside position while neck in neck with the 1.60-1 favorite Higher Standard through contested fractions of 22.05 and 45.35. He put that rival away on the turn for home, and the fended off a stretch challenge from Underhill's Tab (5.90-1) to win by a game, half-length in a final time of 1:10.03 for the six furlong on the main track. It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Blue Kentucky in third. Higher Standards was 5 ½ lengths back in sixth.

“Today I just let him break and get his feet under him,” Gutierrez said. “I saw that no other horses were really getting away from him or going, so I just kind of took it to them. The rail has been good to me this weekend, so why not take it. When I saw (the favorite) Higher Standard just kind of pumping at the half mile pole, I was very confident.”

The winner of the first two starts of his career, the 2-year-old son of Midnight Lute was most recently seen finishing a tired fourth in the Lively Shively Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 27. With the win, he now boasts a record of 5-3-0-1 with earnings of $199,095.

Girl With a Dream was Filly With the Lead for a Brad Cox Letellier Exacta

Maybe it was more experience, maybe it was the break, maybe it was simply a matter that the most talented 2-year old filly won, but either way, the Brad Cox barn was front and center at Fair Grounds, sending out the Letellier Memorial Stakes $75,000 exacta with Girl With a Dream wiring the field and Com'On Sweet luv running second.

“She broke sharp,” jockey Florent Geroux said of the winner. “I thought she was the best in the field. We didn't know what to expect [in terms of running style]. We know she can be forwardly placed, but last time she came from the back at Churchill. I just felt I had the best horse in the race and she broke sharp so I took it from there. If someone wanted to go faster than me I would have let them go but that's not how the race unfolded, how everything played out.”

In a dirt sprint race where it was unclear how the front end would unfold, jockey Florent Geroux capitalized on a sharp break from his mount. By Practical Joke and owned by Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister, Girl With a Dream was last seen closing inot hot fractions in a first-level allowance on November 13 at Churchill Downs. In the Letellier she set the fractions of 22.49, 46.42 as the .70-1 favorite. 31.90-1 Runnin Happy kept within a length at the first call. The bettor's choice of the two Steve Margolis horses, 4.50-1 Implosion, stalked and chased but never threatened for the lead. The other Margolis, 17.70-1 Mystique Saboteur, got away slow and passed tiring rivals for third. Despite coming away last from the gate, by the second call Marcelino Pedroz Jr. had guided Com' On Sweet Luv through traffic, up within one length, then as close as the leader's throatlatch. As they both got into their fillies, it was Girl With a Dream who proved best, synching the deal late in 1:10.84 for six furlongs.

“When [Come On' Sweet Luv] came close to me at the eighth pole it seemed like she had plenty left,” Geroux said. “But we were able to fight her off in the last eighth of the mile.”

All three rides for Com' On Sweet Luv have come under Marcelion Pedroza, Jr. The second place filly by Jimmy Creed broke her maiden out front last out at Fair Grounds on November 27, finishing strong after setting slow fractions.

“She got left at the gate a little bit,” Pedroza said. “She's not the type of filly to break sharp in the first jump. By the third jump she is right up in the race. I don't think it cost me the race. The other filly was better. We just got beat. On top of the stretch I felt like I had a shot. I grabbed a hold but he did too, so I was like let's see who is the better filly right here. He had more horse than me, that's it.”

The two-year old question du jour as we turn the calendar year: what's next for the winner and will she stretch out?

“Maybe, but if so, probably still around one turn,” Brad Cox said. “I wouldn't get super super crazy. Comparing her with other horses in our barn I am thinking she might be one to keep around one turn for the time being. She's had five runs now at 2 so we'll take a deep breath, regroup with her. It takes a little pressure off you going forward, now being a stakes winner.”

With the win, Girl with a Dream is 5-3-1-0 earning $170,720 in her brief and promising career.

Add Dirt to The Top of the List: Versatile Audrey's Time Keeps Getting Better

Lothenbach Stables' patient approach with Audrey's Time paid off on Monday, as the soon to be 5-year-old mare won the $75,000 “Spanky” Broussard Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Making her 16th start over three racing campaigns, the daughter of Uncle Mo has raced 8 times with one win on turf, 1 win in her lone synth try, and in her 7th dirt start, she gets the trophy for trainer Neil Pessin and regular rider Corey Lanerie.

“She was just doing okay on the turf,” Pessin said. “I knew she had always worked well [on dirt], and we'd run her on the dirt before, but she was just maturing with every time out. I think that helped as much as anything, the time off we gave her and bringing her back slow.”

Run at 1 mile 70 yards, there was nothing slow about the front end. Ignacio Correas' .90-1 favorite Cheetara set fast opening fractions of 23.74 and 47.07–the quickening through the second call was largely due to being aggressively chased by 7.30-1 Powder River, who vied for the lead through the turn. Cheetera has proven not to like company and Powder River's jockey Adam Beschizza seemed to know it. The early leader faded and as Powder Room passed her on the inside, Audrey's Time made her winning move on the outside and didn't stop edging away to the wire.

“My horse got off a little slow,” Corey Lanerie said. “The leader was going easy by herself, but I kept my filly in the clear and she pulled up to her on the turn. From that point on I knew I had something left in the tank. I called on her and she took it from there.”

Make it $268,226 in the bank and a career record of 16-4-1-3 for Audrey's Time as connections contemplate the next move.

“I don't know if we belong with the ones we ran against last time [Envoutante and Bonny South in the Falls City (G2)],” Pessin said. “I don't think we are quite there yet. We might look at Sam Houston. I don't know what they're going to have in the older filly division as far as veteran mares being ready to run.”

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