charlatan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Arkansas: Baffert’s Lidocaine Hearings Scheduled For April 19, 20

According to the Daily Racing Form, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been scheduled for hearings on April 19 and 20 with the Arkansas Racing Commission over a pair of lidocaine positives at Oaklawn Park in 2020.

The two horses testing positive for the Class B substance were Charlatan, winner of the G1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, and Gamine, winner of an allowance race on the same card.

After news of the positives was leaked last year, Baffert's attorney Craig Robertson said both Gamine and Charlatan were exposed to the lidocaine from a patch worn by a member of the trainer's staff suffering back pain while tending to the horses at Oaklawn.

Jimmy Barnes, assistant trainer for Baffert, saddled the horses at Oaklawn in the trainer's absence. He suffered a fractured pelvis in September 2017.

Both Gamine and Charlatan were disqualified from their victories, and Baffert was suspended for 15 days.

Mishriff, Mystic Guide Top Longines World Rankings

After impressive displays during the Dubai World Cup card, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and TDN Rising Star Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) share the top spot with a 122 ranking in the second edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2021. The rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

Mishriff, who led the rankings following his victory in the Saudi Cup, switched back to turf and won the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic next time out. Joining Mishriff at the top with a win in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Mystic Guide came into the race having won Oaklawn Park's GIII Razorback H. earlier this season.

Joining Australia's Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) at 121 in the co-third spot is Eduardo (Aus) (Host {Chi}), who is a perfect two-for-two this season. Eduardo defeated Nature Strip by a short head in the G2 Hyland Race Colours Challenge S. and then went on to win the G1 Bisley Workwear Galaxy.

TDN Rising Star Charlatan (Speightstown), winner of last December's GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita, is ranked in co-fifth at 120. The chestnut finished second behind Mystic Guide in the Feb. 20 G1 Saudi Cup. Also among those co-ranked in fifth at 120, TDN Rising Star Life Is Good (Into Mischief), Lord North (Ire) who entered the top five after winning the G1 Dubai Turf and Hong Kong's 2020 Horse of the Year Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), two for two in Group 1 company in Hong Kong this season.

For the complete rankings, click here.

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Dubai World Cup Winner Mystic Guide Takes Over NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide earned his first top-level victory in spectacular fashion this past weekend when he surged to a 3 ¾-length triumph in the $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. In addition to padding his career bankroll, that win allowed the son of Ghostzapper to continue to elevate his reputation in the handicap ranks as he takes over the No. 1 spot in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Trained by Michael Stidham, Mystic Guide came into the Group 1 Dubai World Cup off a six-length victory in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on February 27. The 4-year-old colt, who won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes during his sophomore campaign, earned 21 first-place votes and 333 points this week to move past fellow Grade 1 winner Charlatan into the lead position on the poll.

“Today he proved he is a champion and I know he is going to get better and better,” jockey Luis Saez told the Dubai World Cup notes team after piloting Mystic Guide to victory. “What a nice horse, he has all the ability. It's an honor for me. It's a dream come true.”

Charlatan, who most recently finished as the runner-up in the $20 million Saudi Cup, drops one spot to second with 10 first-place votes and 328 points. Champion distaffer Monomoy Girl sits third with 6 first-place votes and 309 points followed by fellow champion Swiss Skydiver (1 first-place vote, 249 points) and stablemate Knicks Go (231 points).

Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam ranks sixth with 193 points while Santa Anita Handicap hero Idol (122 points) is seventh. Godolphin's Maxfield ranks eighth with 68 points while Shedaresthedevil (52 points), and champion female sprinter Gamine (45) round out the top 10.

The Godolphin team reigns over both NTRA polls this week as their unbeaten juvenile champion Essential Quality maintains his lead position in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll with 31 first-place votes and 373 points ahead of his expected run in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3.

Concert Tour, winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, remains second with 6 first-place votes and 330 points with Louisiana Derby victor Hot Rod Charlie moving up to third with 258 points. Known Agenda joins the top 10 for the first time, landing in the fourth spot this week with 240 points following his triumph in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Medina Spirit sits fifth with 185 points while Greatest Honour (178 points) drops to sixth after finishing third as the favorite in the Florida Derby. Risk Taking (89 points) is seventh followed by Life Is Good (1 first-place vote, 88 points), Midnight Bourbon (70), and Helium (51).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll concludes following the Belmont Stakes on June 5 and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through November 6.

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Medina Spirit, Baffert’s Santa Anita Derby Stand-In, ‘Went Very Nice’ In Breeze

Medina Spirit, twice runner-up to Life Is Good, worked four furlongs Sunday in 48 seconds flat as the Protonico colt prepares to deputize for his undefeated but sidelined stablemate in Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

“He went very nice (under jockey Juan Ochoa),” said Bob Baffert, who is seeking to add to his record of nine Santa Anita Derby victories.

“I also worked Hozier (runner-up to unbeaten stablemate Concert Tour in the March 13 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, five furlongs in 1:00.80), Charlatan (four furlongs in 48 flat) and Gamine (five furlongs in 59.60).”

Life Is Good was favored in the most recent Future Wager to win the May 1 Kentucky Derby before a small chip in his left hind ankle was detected following a workout on March 20, forcing him to miss the race and necessitating surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., two days ago.

“The surgery went well,” Baffert said. “I received great reports on it. It was minor, so that was good and he should be back (racing) a lot sooner than we thought he would.”

G1 Malibu Stakes winner Charlatan and Eclipse Award champion female sprinter Gamine are scheduled to run at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, Charlatan in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes and Gamine in the G1 Derby City Distaff, both at seven furlongs.

Trainer John Sadler sent Runhappy Santa Anita Derby candidate Rock Your World five furlongs Sunday morning in a bullet 59.20, fastest of 76 drills at the distance, more than two seconds faster than the average time of 1:01.37.

The Runhappy Santa Anita Derby headlines six stakes on Saturday, four of them graded and two showcasing California-bred or sired runners.

In addition to the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, they are the G22 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the G2 Royal Heroine for fillies and mares 4 and up at one mile on turf; and the G3 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Also, two Golden State Series races, the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs and the $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs.

In all, the six stakes offer $1,750,000 in purse money. Entries for Saturday's race will be taken on Wednesday.

Saturday's latest local weather forecasts partly cloudy skies, one percent chance of rain and a high of 78 degrees.

First post time will be 12 noon.

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