“We're not here for the accommodations. We're not here for the badges and the passes and the parties,” Summers said. “We're here because we want to have a chance to hold that trophy up and put our name in the lore of the horses that have won it in the past.

“We're 60-1 and everyone says we have no shot. And we like being there. We like being the one that everybody counts out. It's a comfortable place for us and we're used to it.”

Clapton, last year's GII Lukas Classic winner, made a pair of starts during the Dubai Racing Carnival, finishing third to Kabirkhan in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge in January and again to Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday, Mar. 2

After some internal debate, Clapton–whose owner also campaigns defending G2 Godolphin Mile champion Isolate (Mark Valeski) with trainer Doug Watson–has been green-lighted for the World Cup and he'll leave from gate seven with Dylan Davis taking the ride. Summers and team have made some subtle tweaks and he believes he has the chestnut ready for the test.

“We have some working theories now as to what happened,” he explained. “For the last two months, he'd come out of the stall at 4 a.m. and we're waking him up at 2:30. He's not used to that. By the time he goes back in the stall at 7 a.m. he's been out of the stall for three hours. That's a lot of walking.”

It's a four-mile round trip from the barn to the Meydan main track.

“We're only taking him to this track three days a week instead of six days a week now,” Summers continued. “He seems like a fresher, happier horse. They have other tracks in the back and he seems just more like the old Clapton that we needed to see, because to be honest with you, we have too much respect for this race to run just to run.”

It's a bit of a full-circle moment for Summers this weekend, as Mind Your Biscuits is ironically the sire of one of Clapton's main World Cup foes in the form of G2 UAE Derby winner and GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Derma Sotogake (Jpn).

“To watch him pop out of the gate and go on with it and just utterly dominate and then go on to the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup was amazing,” Summers said of Derma Sotogake's run in last year's UAE Derby.

But the gloves come off this weekend, make no mistake.

“Hopefully Biscuits can look down on me one more time and tell Christophe Lemaire to ride him like he rode him in the UAE Derby, go to the lead and battle Laurel River (Into Mischief) and go fast enough to help set things up for Clapton.

The post Clapton Returns Summers To Scene of His Finest Hours appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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In this installment of Breeders' Cup Buzz, we asked current and former trainers for their opinions on the most impressive training feats in the event's history. For some, the answer lied in an individual horse's performance, while others looked at dominance over the course of a card.

Kenny McPeek

“Dick Mandella winning four in a day (at the 2003 Breeders' Cup). I was there that day, and I think even Dick was in shock.”

Mandella's quartet of winners during the 2003 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park were Halfbridled in the Juvenile Fillies, Action This Day in the Juvenile, Johar in the turf, and Pleasantly Perfect in the Classic.

Elliott Walden

“Da Hoss and Michael Dickinson (in the 1998 Mile). He had a long, long time off, and it was a heck of a performance to come off that layoff.”

After winning the 1996 Breeders' Cup Mile at Woodbine, Da Hoss didn't race for 715 days, hampered by recurring injuries that kept halting his progress on the comeback trail. Dickinson finally got the horse right for a return start in a Colonial Downs allowance less than a month before the 1998 Mile at Churchill Downs. He won the race at Colonial Downs, then won by a head in the Breeders Cup; an effort billed by announcer Tom Durkin “the greatest comeback since Lazarus.”

Steve Asmussen

“Wild Again, because he was the first one (to win the Classic).”

Wild Again, trained by Vincent Timphony, made history as the first Breeders' Cup Classic winner in 1984 at Hollywood Park. He raced 16 times that season, winning six, including the G1 Meadowlands Cup, the G2 New Orleans Handicap, and the G2 Oaklawn Handicap.

Chad Summers

“Da Hoss. Training horses is always stressful – training good horses is many sleepless nights – to take a horse who won the Breeders' Cup and not make it back to the races for almost one year – prep in an allowance at Colonial Downs in his only start in a year, and have the confidence off that race to go on to the Breeders' Cup and win it again – I can't imagine what the day-to-day thoughts were and training job Michael Dickinson did to have him ready to go.

“All connections who have run well in Breeders' Cup should be commended but that was the most impressive one to me.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Buzz: Trainers Discuss The Event’s Greatest Training Feats appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One, who boasts a record of 18-8-3-2, captured the 2020 Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs by a nose over Serengeti Empress. Her graded stakes ledger also includes scores in the 2019 Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and last year's Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 5-year-old Majesticperfection bay enters from a three-quarter length score in the Roxelana under returning rider Corey Lanerie on June 19 at Churchill.

“I'm really not scared of any sprint filly in the country right now, to be honest,” Pessin said. “It's just a question of if she runs her race. If she does, she's going to be tough to beat no matter who shows up. I respect them all, but I don't fear any of them. I'm very confident in my filly's abilities.”

Bell's the One rated closer to the pace last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Roxelana before popping outside rivals to secure the win.

“I'm trying to get her a little more that way, so we're not so pace dependent,” Pessin said. “In her last race, they didn't go fast early but we weren't far off of it. She was stuck in between horses – there were three across the track – and Corey let her suck back a little bit so she could get to the outside. When she turned for home, she just kicked on. She won by three-quarters, but it was a handy three-quarters.”

Bell's the One launched her current campaign with a narrow loss to Kimari in the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland ahead of a fourth-place finish in her title defense in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill in May.

“Kimari beat us at Keeneland and it was my mare's first out of the year,” Pessin said. “We also got stuck on the inside and didn't get to bounce outside. If we'd got outside, I think we'd have beat her that day.”

Bell's the One breezed a bullet half-mile in :47 flat on July 20 over the Arlington Park synthetic and will arrive in Saratoga on Sunday.

“It was an OK work. She went a little faster in the first part than what I wanted,” Pessin said. “She finished good and did it fairly handily. It didn't take a lot out of her. Fitness-wise, I don't have any issues. It's just a matter of if she handles the shipping and likes the track.”

Lanerie retains the mount from the outermost post 9.

“He knows her well and rode her excellent last time,” Pessin said.

Godolphin homebred Lake Avenue enters in search of her first graded stakes win since the 2019 Grade 2 Demoiselle in the final start of her 2-year-old campaign.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old Tapit chestnut was winless in four starts last year but has enjoyed a resurgence in 2021, posting wins in an optional claimer at Gulfstream in February ahead of a 6 3/4-length score in the Heavenly Prize Invitational in March at the Big A.

Last out, Lake Avenue made the lead at the stretch call of the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses but could not stave off Estilo Talentoso, who prevailed by a neck in the seven-furlong sprint on a sloppy Belmont main track on June 4.

Junior Alvarado will pilot Lake Avenue from post 4.

Dennis Narlinger's graded-stakes-placed Sadie Lady, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Freud, boasts a record of 20-8-1-3 with purse earnings of $406,322.

The speedy mare won the open-company Correction in her seasonal debut at Aqueduct in March ahead of a strong second in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 8 at Belmont. Last out, Sadie Lady went gate-to-wire in the six-furlong Dancin Renee for state-breds.

Trainer Rob Atras said Sadie Lady, who breezed a half-mile in :49.26 Friday on the Saratoga main track, may consider waiting for the state-bred Union Avenue Handicap on August 19.

“We breezed her this morning and she went really well. It was just an easy half with a nice little gallop out,” Atras said. “We're probable to run but there's also a New York-bred stake in just over three weeks, so we'll talk it over with the owner.”

Atras said Sadie Lady is at her best on the engine.

“She runs her top race when she can get out front and dictate it a little bit,” Atras said.

Jose Ortiz retains the mount from post 3.

Almost Heaven Stables' Honey I'm Good enters from a neck win in the Regret, contested at six furlongs over a muddy Monmouth Park main track on July 3.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old Shackleford mare was a gate-to-wire winner of the six-furlong Harmony Lodge over muddy going at Belmont last June.

Honey I'm Good will emerge from post 7 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Truth Hurts, trained and co-owned by Chad Summers with J Stables, added blinkers and romped to a 5 3/4-length score last out under Luis Saez in the off-the-turf Perfect Sting at one mile over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track on July 3.

The 4-year-old Ontario-bred daughter of Tonalist tried her luck at longer distances last season, including a third in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City at Woodbine.

Truth Hurts breezed a half-mile in :48.54 on July 20 on the Saratoga main track under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Summers said he is cautiously optimistic after her last-out win.

“I think it was good for her. The first time with blinkers on she was more aggressive,” Summers said. “She came out of the gate good and sat a perfect trip. I'm proud of how she finished up and she galloped out strong. She came out of the race like nothing. I know we'll be a big price on the board, but she's doing so well. Irad came out and breezed her the other day. He liked her and it gives me a lot of confidence going into Wednesday.”

Truth Hurts, who graduated at first asking sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in December 2019 at the Big A, will shorten up to six furlongs for the first time.

“I think seven [furlongs] is probably her game, but she can go six,” Summers said. “With Sadie Lady and a few of the others with speed in there, I'm hoping we can work out a good trip.”

Rounding out a competitive field are Ain't No Elmers [post 1, Adam Beschizza], Reagan's Edge [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Don't Call Me Mary [post 6, Saez], and Miss Mosaic [post 8, Manny Franco].

The Honorable Miss is slated as Race 9 on Wednesday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Bell’s The One Heads Field Of Nine For Honorable Miss At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Entered for the main track only, Truth Hurts drew in and tracked the early speed of Piedi Bianchi under a sharp steer by Luis Saez. Truth Hurts was asked for her best into the turn and responded with a smart turn-of-foot to secure the win, garnering a 76 Beyer.

Summers said the addition of blinkers has honed the Ontario-bred daughter of Tonalist's natural pace.

“I think adding blinkers put a little more speed into her. She's been really good in the morning time since we put blinkers on her,” said Summers. “She's been more aggressive than she has been in the past.

“She's happy with herself this morning,” Summers added. “She cooled out really quickly and is real happy this morning, bouncing around the shed row.”

Summers said he will consider many options for Truth Hurts, including the $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on July 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; or possibly the seven-furlong Grade 3 Seaway on the Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario on August 21.

“I don't want to go a mile and an eighth with her anymore. I think a mile is as far as she wants to go,” Summers said. “With that in mind, it's just a matter of seeing what's out there. We could look at a race like the Honorable Miss cutting back to three quarters. We'll take a look around and evaluate the filly sprint division and if she comes back and needs more time, we can wait. There's plenty of options out there.”

Summers said he will have 15 stalls at Saratoga for the upcoming 40-day summer meet that kicks off on July 15.

“We have a lot of exciting babies and we want to take our time with them and do right by them and get them in the right spots,” said Summers. “Saratoga has my favorite races over there, the maiden auction races for horses bought for $45,000 or less. So, we'll take a look at the condition book and see what shakes free.”

NYRA Maiden Allowance Auction Series races are restricted to horses that sold or RNA'd for $45,000 or less at their most recent auction.

The Maiden Allowance Auction Series races offer purses of $80,000 and will also include up to $13,920 in New York Breeding Fund open company owners awards for New York-breds finishing first through third.

Summers said he is looking forward to the debut of Cee Are Em, a $25,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The bay daughter of Orb is out of the Known Fact mare Database, who produced the multiple graded stakes winning turfer Data Link.

“She's going to run in the auction race on the grass in book two,” said Summers. “She works well on the dirt, but with her pedigree being a half to Data Link, we'll want to take a shot on the grass first time out.”

The post Truth Hurts Has Options For Next Start After Perfect Sting Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The eighth running of the Perfect Sting was originally scheduled for one mile on the Widener turf course before inclement weather forced the race to the main track, resulting in the scratches of Honey Cake, Princess Grace, Sunset Kiss, Madita, and 4/5 morning-line favorite Viadera.

Truth Hurts, entered for the main track only, added blinkers and the services of Belmont Stakes-winning rider Luis Saez to secure her first stakes win in her fifth attempt.

Multiple graded-stakes placed Piedi Bianchi broke alertly under Flavien Prat and marked the quarter-mile in 23.88 seconds and the half-mile in 47.54 under outside pressure from Truth Hurts on the sloppy and sealed main track.

Main-track only entrant Velvet Crush, the 3-5 mutuel favorite under Jose Ortiz, stalked the pacesetters from third position into the turn as Truth Hurts took over from Piedi Bianchi and established a three-length lead at the stretch call.

Truth Hurts, the longest shot on the board at 8-1, continued to find more down the lane and powered home a 5 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:37.48.

Piedi Bianchi completed the exacta, three lengths in front of Velvet Crush. Hogans Holiday, who trailed throughout, completed the order of finish.

Summers said the equipment change proved beneficial.

“She was getting better and better and we were just waiting for the right time to put the blinkers on her,” said Summers. “We put it on her last week and at that point, we were ready for an allowance race at Saratoga, but we saw the weather forecast here. We thought if it came off, we'd take a chance, and then we played the waiting game.

“My filly was ready, and we got the call around 12 or so that it was taken off the turf,” Summers added. “Everything worked out well. Luis was able to come in and it worked out.”

Saez said he felt confident throughout.

“She broke pretty nicely. She was right there behind the speed,” said Saez. “At the three-eighths [pole], she was very comfortable. She came out of the stretch and responded really well.”

The 4-year-old Tonalist bay graduated at first asking in December 2019 at Aqueduct Racetrack and followed with a smart optional-claiming win in January 2020 at the same track.

Bred in Ontario by William D. Graham, Truth Hurts continued her 3-year-old year with off-the-board efforts in the Busanda Stakes at the Big A and the Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park ahead of a good third in the Bison City at Woodbine in September. Truth Hurts completed a busy sophomore season with an eighth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico.

A $35,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, Truth Hurts notched her first win in four starts this season. She banked $55,000 in victory and returned $18 for a $2 win ticket.

Summers said Truth Hurts is rounding into form and will target opportunities at the Saratoga summer meet.

“We tried the Black-Eyed Susan and it was maybe a little too aggressive at that time,” said Summers. “We gave her some time off after that and it was just about getting her back into shape. She made some good moves.

“You lose the two-other-than condition now, but we'll regroup and go from here,” Summers continued. “With the prestigious meet in Saratoga coming up, there's always spots that are open, so we'll see once again if she belongs in that upper echelon as the racing gets tougher.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont with a 10-race Independence Day card highlighted by the $100,000 Manila Stakes in Race 9 and the $250,000 Grade 2 John A. Nerud Stakes in Race 10. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

The post Truth Hurts Gets First Stakes Win In Perfect Sting At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“I talked to Bob Baffert three times last week, and he told me a lot of things about going to Dubai,” D'Angelo said. “He's helped me a lot.”

D'Angelo is scheduled to fly to Dubai Monday, while Jesus' Team will leave Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Tuesday for his scheduled start in the March 28 Dubai World Cup.

The 30-year-old former leading trainer in Venezuela struck up a friendship with Baffert, a three-time Dubai World Cup-winning trainer, during Preakness Week around the stakes barn at Pimlico last fall. He also has been in contact with trainer Chad Summers, who saddled Mind Your Biscuits for a victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in 2018.

In his first full year of training in the United States, D'Angelo took a tour of the East Coast and Midwest while driving the truck towing Jesus' Team to several major-stakes engagements. Along the way, the former $25,000 claimer finished third in the Preakness (G1) and second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland before returning to South Florida to finish second in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in January. Horse and trainer, by necessity, will have separate travel arrangements for the first time for the Dubai World Cup.

Jesus' Team breezed seven furlongs in 1:31.60 Sunday morning at Palm Meadows to compete his local preparation for the Dubai World Cup.

“I'm very happy with the work,” D'Angelo said. “He finished very strong and his gallop-out was amazing. I'm very confident now that Jesus will run a great race with a chance to win the Dubai World Cup.”

The post Trainer D’Angelo Doing Homework For Trip To Dubai With Jesus’ Team appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The NYTHA Board is comprised of five Owner Directors, five Trainer/Trainer-Owner Directors and the President. All seats on the Board come up for election every three years. This year, there are two candidates for President, eight candidates for Owner/Director and five candidates for Trainer/Trainer-Owner Director.

PRESIDENT

• Joseph Appelbaum
• Chad Summers

OWNER/DIRECTOR

• Tina Marie Bond
• Daniel Collins
• Peter Dorsman
• Jonathan Green
• Jeanne A. Liddy
• Robert Masiello
• Edward J. Messina, Ph.D.
• Aron S. Yagoda

TRAINER/TRAINER-OWNER/DIRECTOR

• Leah Gyarmati
• Patrick J. Kelly
• John Kimmel, V.M.D.
• Linda Rice
• Richard E. Schosberg

To be entitled to vote in the election, a member must:
(A) be currently licensed as of October 9, 2020 as a Thoroughbred owner or trainer by the New York State Gaming Commission and in good standing; AND
(B) have started a Thoroughbred racehorse in a pari-mutuel race at a NYRA track in 2019/2020; AND
(C) be listed as a Thoroughbred racehorse owner or trainer in the Equibase owner or trainer records and in an official NYRA track program in 2019/2020, OR
(D) own a minimum of 5 percent of a Thoroughbred racehorse that started in a pari-mutuel race at a NYRA track in 2019/2020.

If you own 5 percent of a horse that started in a pari-mutuel race at a NYRA track in 2019/2020 and were not listed as an owner in the Equibase owner records and in an official NYRA program and you wish to cast a ballot, you will be required to complete the a NYTHA Self Affirmation Form included with the voting package or upon request.

The election will be supervised by Election Services Co., Melville, NY. Voting packages will be mailed this month. All votes must be cast in person or by proxy during the NYTHA Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually on Monday, December 7, 2020. If you are a NYTHA Member but will not attend the Annual Meeting in person, you must complete and submit the proxy authorization and, when necessary, the self-affirmation form attesting to your eligibility to vote. NYTHA members may complete the proxy authorization and, when necessary, the self-affirmation form provided in the voting package, and return it by mail OR they may complete the proxy authorization and, when necessary, the self-affirmation form ONLINE, using the website address and unique Proxy Control Number that will be provided by Election Services Co. in the voting package. Whether submitted by mail or online, the proxy authorization and, when necessary, self-affirmation form must be received no later than the deadline of 5 p.m., EST, on Dec. 3, 2020.

PROXY AUTHORIZATIONS AND SELF-AFFIRMATION FORMS WILL, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, BE ACCEPTED ONLINE OR BY MAIL AFTER THE DEADLINE OF 5 P.M., EST, ON DEC. 3, 2020.

For those who plan to attend the Dec. 7 Annual Meeting, there will be a secure procedure to allow for in-person online voting.

If you feel you are entitled to vote in the NYTHA Election, but did not receive a voting package, please contact the NYTHA Office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 23, 2020, for a mail-in voting package, and by 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2020, for an online voting package. You can contact the NYTHA Office at (516) 488-2337 (before Nov. 1, 2020) OR (718) 848-5045 (after Nov. 1, 2020) or send an email to: Election2020@nytha.com.

All information concerning the election will be posted on NYTHA's website, nytha.com.

The post New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Announces Candidates For 2020 Election appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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