“The system worked and we are happy to clear his good name and his reputation,” Mollica said.

Mollica said HIWU's decision came about after a review of the split sample, which was requested by Mollica and Farrior. Mollica said there were “issues” with the split sample, also known as the B sample.

“Pursuant to the procedures available we sought verification of the alleged positive by requesting a B sample,” Mollica said. “Due to issues with the B sample and pursuant to the rules, HIWU withdrew the charges. There were issues with the B sample that precluded them from prosecuting.”

Farrior faced a suspension of up to two years. When HIWU took over the role of drug testing and handing out penalties for infractions on May 22, trainers who had an alleged positive for a banned substance were issued provisional suspensions that went into effect immediately. It has since changed its rules and allows trainers to put off their suspensions until the results of the B sample have come back.

“The fact that he was not summarily or provisionally suspended is a testament to the effort HIWU has made to seek some level of justice and we look forward to more modifications going forward to protect the innocent,” Mollica said.

Metformin, is used in humans to combat Type II diabetes, but is not FDA approved for horses. In October, HIWU announced that following an internal review, it had discovered that not all of its participating laboratories had applied the same limit of detection in analyzing samples for the presence of drug. HIWU said it met with the six laboratories it works with to establish uniform limits of detection for the Metformin.

Farrior, who has been training since 2011, has 840 winners from 3,725 starters. He is currently the leading trainer at Charles Town with 136 wins on the meet.

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His status is listed as “Pending: Provisional Suspension–Postponed.” Alexa Ravit, the director of communications & outreach for HIWU explained that the wording means, “that B Sample analysis has been requested following a positive A Sample result, so the implementation of the Provisional Suspension is postponed unless/until the B Sample comes back positive.”

Farrior will be allowed to train at least until the B sample is turned over to HIWU. If he is unable to beat the charges, he faces a suspension of up to two years and a fine of $25,000.

The infraction allegedly took place Nov. 5, 2023 at Laurel with the $10,000 claimer Geothermal (Gormley), who did not finish the race. According to the Equibase chart, Geothermal sustained an injury through the backstretch run, was pulled up entering the far turn and was vanned off. According to sources, the horse was euthanized, but the TDN has not been able to confirm that with its connections.

HIWU has penalized at least six trainers for Metformin positives, including Jonathan Wong, a top trainer on the Northern California circuit. In humans, Metformin is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Wong has said that he takes Metformin. The Federal Drug Administration has approved Metformin for use in humans but it is not officially approved for use in animals. Metformin has been used in horses to counteract the effects of equine metabolic syndrome, which is a disorder associated with inappropriate blood insulin levels and increased fat deposition.

Farrior's lawyer, Drew Mollica, said that to the best of his knowledge, Farrior does not take Metformin. However, he was adamant that in Farrior's case, the finding is a matter of environmental contamination.

“We are in the process of evaluating the evidence and intend to vigorously follow the evidence,” Mollica said. “We absolutely believe this is case of contamination. We are in the midst of fact finding and I think that it will be quite clear that Mr. Farrior is not liable for any wrongdoing. We are investigating any and all possibilities and eventualities. We firmly believe this is a case of contamination and when all the facts are in, it will be found that he was not liable or negligent on any manner.”

When asked what steps he would take if the B Sample came back positive, Mollica replied: “We'll cross that bridge when we get there. We ordered the B sample and are following the science. We believe that when we have all the science and the facts are in, we believe he will be exonerated.”

Farrior has been training since 2011 and has 837 wins from 3,708 starts. He is currently racing at Laurel, Charles Town and Mahoning Valley. He is leading the Charles Town standings with 134 wins on the year through Thursday. At Charles Town, he is winning with 25% of his starters.

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One of three runners in the Classic coming out of the July 8 GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows, where he was runner-up to Friday night's sixth-place finisher Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), Skippylongstocking was notching his fourth graded win in the past year. He took Tampa Bay's GIII Challenger S. in March, Gulfstream's GIII Harlan's Holiday S. in late December, and Mountaineer's GIII West Virginia Derby last August. The first half of his 3-year-old campaign featured a third in the aforementioned Belmont, as well as in the GII Wood Memorial, and a fifth in the GI Preakness S.

SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING (Exaggerator) absolutely blows the rest of the field out of the water, securing a seamless victory in the GII Charles Town Classic! pic.twitter.com/YjHvvlnNCv

— TDN (@theTDN) August 26, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Skippylongstocking is the sole North American-bred graded winner for Classic winner Exaggerator, who also has nine black-type winners. A son of the all-conquering Curlin and a former Kentucky sire, Exaggerator has stood for the past two seasons at Elite Thoroughbreds in Louisiana.

Skippylongstocking is also one of 34 stakes winners out of mares by Breeders' Cup winner War Chant, whose daughters have also produced GI Kentucky Derby winner Country House (Lookin At Lucky) and English/French MG1SW Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

The Charles Town Classic winner is Twinkling's best runner, although she also has SW Olivia Twist (Mshawish), who was third in April's GIII Fantasy S., and SW Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map), who was third in the 2021 GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Winking (Take Charge Indy) and a yearling filly named Mia's Mom (Maclean's Music), who sold earlier this month at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for $275,000 to August Dawn Farm. Her 2023 foal, a filly by Authentic, was born May 5. Twinkling was bred back to Not This Time.

Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC S.-GII, $1,000,000, Charles Town, 8-25, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:51.37, wf.
1–SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING, 121, c, 4, by Exaggerator
                1st Dam: Twinkling, by War Chant
                2nd Dam: Unhurried, by Out of Place
                3rd Dam: Laughing Erin, by Irish Castle
($15,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $37,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Daniel
Alonso; B-Brushy Hill, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Tyler
Gaffalione. $576,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 19-6-2-3,
$1,507,185. *1/2 to Olivia Twist (Mshawish), SW & GSP,
$177,449; 1/2 to Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map), SW & GSP,
$174,455. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–O'Connor (Chi), 119, h, 6, Boboman–Torrente de Agua (Chi),
by Touch Gold. O-Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules
Iavarone; B-Haras Carioca (Chi); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
$192,000.
3–Dash Attack, 119, g, 4, Munnings–Cerce Cay, by Hard Spun.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Magdalena Racing (Sherri
McPeek), Catalyst Stable, Kevin J. Pollard and Patty Slevin;
B-Catalyst Stable & Magdalena Racing (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek. $96,000.
Margins: 5, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 10.50, 23.60.
Also Ran: Muad'dib, Call Me Fast, Giant Game, Double Crown, Doppelganger, Perfect Flight, Eastern Bay. Scratched: Martin Man.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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A $280,000 Keeneland September yearling who hammered in 2021 to BDR IV and West Point, Vahva has jumped into the deep end a number of times. She faced 'TDN Rising Star' and eventual GI Kentucky Oaks/Acorn/Test winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) when third in her stakes debut last December in the Untapable S. at Fair Grounds and again when fourth behind that one in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February at the same track. A second in a Keeneland allowance, a win in a Churchill allowance on Kentucky Oaks Day, and a third behind the late Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the aforementioned Victory Ride led Vahva to Charles Town and this initial graded win.

VAHVA (Gun Runner) waved bye-bye to her foes down the stretch, pulling ahead to win the GIII Charles Town Oaks! pic.twitter.com/yCrF2QQp3u

— TDN (@theTDN) August 26, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Vahva is the 15th graded winner and 21st overall black-type winner for Gun Runner, currently a top five North American leading general sire–quite an accomplishment for a young stallion with only his third crop of 2-year-olds now reaching the track. Gun Runner, who earned the Horse of the Year title in 2017, stands at Three Chimneys. Vahva is Gun Runner's only stakes winner out of a daughter of the late Harlan's Holiday, who died a decade ago at age 14 at Argentina's Haras Firmamento and has 53 black-type winners as a broodmare sire.

The winner's dam, Holiday Soiree, was runner-up in the 2012 edition of this race. She was most recently sold at the 2021 Keeneland November sale to Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds for $160,000. The mare produced a City of Light filly the next year, now a yearling, and a filly by Nyquist on Mar. 10. She was bred back to City of Light for next term.

.Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN OAKS-GIII, $750,000, Charles Town, 8-25, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:25.01, wf.
1–VAHVA, 118, f, 3, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642),
                                by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($280,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson,
Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys
Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve
Hornstock and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-John R.
Velazquez. $432,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-2-2, $662,235.
*1/2 to Signal From Noise (Arrogate), SP, $159,190.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Undervalued Asset, 118, f, 3, Speightstown–Hard Headed
Temper, by Hard Spun. ($150,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Speightstown Syndicate & Cloyce C.
Clark, Jr. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $144,000.
3–Late Frost, 120, f, 3, Frosted–La La's Cookin, by Harlan's
Holiday. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Runnymoore Racing,
LLC; B-Gregory and Caroline Bentley Breeders (PA); T-Michael
Matz. $72,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 6 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 3.30, 96.40.
Also Ran: Metaphysical, Lily Poo, Imonra, Interpolate, Hoosier Philly, Opus Forty Two, Chismosa. Scratched: Perfect Wish, Twice as Sweet.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Friday's $500,000 GI Personal Ensign S. at nine furlongs has attracted older mare division leaders Nest (Curlin) and Clairiere (Curlin). Both are multiple Grade I winners with stellar records; the two will meet for the third time.

Nest, last year's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly, is the 4-5 choice after besting Clairiere in a bang-up GII Shuvee S. July 23 over track and trip. It was her first start of the season after ending last year with a fourth as the favorite behind Clairiere's third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. Nest is undefeated in three tries at Saratoga, including last year's GI Alabama S. and GI CCA Oaks. She was featured earlier this week in TDN.

“She had a spectacular season as a 3-year-old and I think her Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama wins were two of the most impressive races we saw at Saratoga last year. It earned her a championship and she's come back and is training even better at four,” said Nest's Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She has that rare ability to quicken at the end of a dirt race–you don't see a lot of horses show that display of turn of foot at the top of the stretch like we see her do,” continued Pletcher. “She's just a very, very special filly.”

Clairiere, second choice at 5-2, is no slouch either. She finished behind Nest in the Shuvee after a less-than-ideal trip and was also second in her first start of the year–Oaklawn's Mar. 11 GII Azeri S. behind fellow Personal Ensign entrant Secret Oath (Arrogate)–but in between she captured the GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn and the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont. She's a four-time Grade I winner who has age and experience on her side, not to mention seven triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

“I'm very happy with how she's training,” said fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. “Obviously, Nest is a very tall order. We'll see how we do, but we couldn't be happier with Clairiere going in. She's a four-time Grade I winner of $3 million. She's covered plenty of ground.”

Clairiere's dam, Cavorting (Bernardini), won the 2016 edition of the Personal Ensign.

GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath has beaten both of the top contenders and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is never shy about putting her in tough spots, including tries against the boys last year, where she finished third in the GI Arkansas Derby and fourth in the GI Preakness S. When she's on her game, she is very, very good. Secret Oath skipped the Shuvee to await the Personal Ensign.

Brad Cox's Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin), on a two-race win streak that covers the GII Delaware H. and GIII Shawnee S.; Tom Amoss trainee and GSW Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner), an optional allowance winner July 19 over this surface; and Wayne Catalano's last-out Hawthorne allowance winner Malloy (Outwork) complete the field.

Show Me the Money at Charles Town

Night owls are in for a treat as Charles Town hosts two rich late-night graded races Friday. The $1-million GII Charles Town Classic, won the last two years by the late Art Collector (Bernardini), attracts a field ages three and up going nine furlongs. Among the top choices are Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), winner two back of the GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows over the re-opposing MGSW Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and Call Me Fast (Dialed In). A Dale Romans trainee, Giant Game was fifth behind White Abarrio (Race Day)'s monster effort in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 5. This spring's GI Carter H. winner Doppelganger (Into Mischief) and West Virginia-bred Muad'dib (Fiber Sonde), second to Art Collector in last year's Classic, are among the others looking to make some noise.

Also on tap at Charles Town Friday night is the GIII Charles Town Oaks offering a $750,000 purse for sprinting sophomore fillies going seven furlongs. All eyes will be on Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), the Tom Amoss trainee who captured the GII Golden Rod S. in her third straight last year but faltered since in disappointing efforts. In her last out June 17, she appeared to be getting back on track in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park, which she captured over subsequent GI CCA Oaks winner Wet Paint (Blame).

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“Jockey Lopez eased his mount, Stylish Paint, coming to the wire in the ninth race on Saturday, Apr. 8, 2023, causing his horse to get beat on the wire,” stated the Apr. 14 stewards' ruling. It was unclear at deadline for this story if Lopez would be appealing the fine.

Lopez, 32, knows Stylish Paint well, having ridden the 6-year-old Paynter mare for owner/trainer Ronney Brown in nine of her last eleven races dating back over a year, a span during which he twice won aboard her by narrow margins of a nose and a head.

But he ended up on the wrong end of the photo finish in the ninth and final race Apr. 8, a $5,000 claimer over seven furlongs that attracted a $53,250 win pool and was the concluding leg of double, pick three, pick four and pick five pools.

After pressing the pacemaker into submission, the 3-1 Stylish Paint took over with a half-furlong to go. The 3-2 favorite, China Cat (Justin Phillip), was gaining under Andre Ramgeet, but was seemingly left with too much work to do to win.

Lopez chose to hand-ride Stylish Paint after making the lead, then geared her down as the line loomed. But Ramgeet continued driving with China Cat, apparently catching his rival unaware at the finish.

“Oh, it got very close! Carlos Lopez thought he had it won on Stylish Paint, and it got very tight on the wire!” announcer Paul Espinosa, Jr., exclaimed in his race call.

The Equibase chart stated that Stylish Paint “dueled for the nod nearing mid-stretch and drew briefly clear, was allowed to relax in late yards and was nipped under the wire.”

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(TDN is re-running this letter to the editor, which originally appeared in Wednesday's newsletter, due to editing errors).

There were many empty seats at the table when HISA was invented, that being “Middle America Racing”, comprised of almost every jurisdiction between “the moon (California) and New York City (NYJC).” Now, being “blue collar horse folks,” we all know it takes three (3) legs for a stool and in this “fixed race” it was Kentucky. Throw kerosene on the flames, when certain trainers were indicted by the Feds and…as Fred Capossela and Costy Caras echoed, “It's now POST TIME!”

For years, horse racing was sometimes called the “sport of kings” but more appropriately resembles the “king of sports.” Few have billions of dollars to purchase a professional franchise, but actually every Thoroughbred owner has their own professional sports team. An athlete (horse), coach (trainer), quarterback (jockey), athletic trainer (veterinarian), and other similarities including a team name (Seabiscuit), uniform (colors) plus you can legally wager on your own team, (Pete Rose), now that's Americana.

Reading the Small Business Administration Act (1953), an act of congress, one could conclude that every owner/trainer in this country is a small business. The SBA was created as an independent agency of the federal government “to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business concerns; preserves free competitive enterprise; and maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. Small businesses fuel economic growth by insuring job opportunities and raising employment rates.”

The U.S. government often favors small businesses with incentives, tax cuts, grants, and good access to help to keep them competitive. Now that's more Americana.

But, “Whoa, Nellie!” Does HISA interfere with the SBA Act (1953) causing potential ending, hardships, unemployment, etc., to the racing industry? Is this government overreach, personified only to be overturned by the courts (Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court) as unconstitutional? Where in the U.S. Constitution does it allow to be formed an ill-conceived, forced mandate with little input by the industry, especially the hard-working horse caring and loving persons, numbering tens of thousands of people and thousands of horses potentially, in “Middle America Racing?” Folks up at 4-5 a.m., 6-7 days a week, calloused hands, stiff backs, and “boots on the ground,” who never had a say. That's not Americana!

The elimination of Middle America Racing will occur with the prohibition of Lasix, an approved medication for humans and equine. If you ever witnessed a horse bleed, you would condone the use of the diuretic. Humans take Lasix in tablet form. Reduce the public perception of treating horses with a “syringe?” and conclude, “there is no medical evidence that Lasix is harmful or a masking agent for horses” and Middle America Racing will continue….otherwise, it's the Golden Rule: “He with the gold makes the rules and that is anything but American!”

All across the United States, this wonderful Constitutional Republic, founded on a capitalist economic system, the end of racing by eliminating Lasix with an unfounded mandate, threatens all but the high echelon of the industry and we deserve better. Remember this quote from “Seabiscuit” the movie: “They say my horse is too small, my jockey's too big, my trainer's too old, and I'm too dumb to know it!” Well, the “racing heart of America” does know it and HISA should be on an indefinite hold until all the voices have a chance to be heard, the true facts known, and we all get along together, with the care and safety of horses and humans finishing first in every race. Now that's the Americana we all hope for!

Ken Lowe spent his earliest years around horses, began working in the mutuels at Charles Town in his teens until he graduated from Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV. He “scratched” the idea of attending law school and attended the New York Jockey Club School for Racing Officials, where twice Mr. Kenny Noe asked him to stay and work with the NYRA as a racing official. After years as a successful businessman, he became an owner and breeder within the Mid-Atlantic region. He served as President of the CTHBPA and is now serving as Chairman, WV Racing Commission, and RCI Board of Directors

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The annual Claiming Crown races were two weeks ago. But a surprise black-type feast for blue-collar campaigners took place over Thanksgiving weekend, when horses once claimed for tags as low as $10,000 and $16,000 ran away with three of five stakes at Laurel Park, and an 8-year-old gelding bought last year for $10,000 topped a blanket-finish trifecta of previously claimed sprinters in the GIII Fall Highweight H. at Aqueduct.

The relic known as the Fall Highweight–in which nominees are assigned weights scaled several notches above today's norms–is very much a throwback concept. So it was only fitting that the 109th edition of this six-furlong sprint was won by an old-school, powerhouse grinder under a 130-pound impost.

Greeley and Ben (Greeley's Conquest), who tied for second-winningest horse in North America in 2021 with 11 trips to the winner's circle, scored his seventh win this season Nov. 26. That runs his lifetime record to a hefty 23-7-2 from 39 starts.

This earner of $882,698 has been an overachiever since the outset. Written off at 94-1 odds in his Oct. 15, 2016 debut at Keeneland, Greeley and Ben just missed, running second, beaten a head.

Proving the effort was no fluke, he won start number two, and even though he didn't progress to stakes as a juvenile or sophomore, he kept company at allowance levels against contemporaries who eventually ran in the 2017 GI Kentucky Debry and future editions of the Breeders' Cup.

Although Greeley and Ben was a six-time winner by the start of 2021, there were no takers the first two times the strapping bay showed up for a $10,000 tag at Oaklawn Park. This was likely because of the gelding's precipitous drop out of a $32,000 claiming win at Churchill Downs. Was the downward plunge in class by then-trainer John Ortiz a red flag or a bluff?

Trainer Karl Broberg was willing to gamble $10,000 to find out, and when he dropped a slip on behalf of his own outfit (End Zone Athletics) the third time Greeley and Ben was entered at that level (after previously winning and running second), he had no idea the gelding would blossom into a three-time stakes winner for him, bankrolling roughly 45 times that initial claiming investment in purses at Oaklawn, Prairie Meadows, Remington Park, Delta Downs, Fair Grounds, and Sam Houston.

Broberg's stunning run with Greeley and Ben would last until Apr. 24, 2022, when he dropped the gelding from Grade III sprint company into a $62,500 optional-claimer at Oaklawn. Pounded to 2-5 favoritism, Greeley and Ben won again that afternoon at Oaklawn, but was claimed by trainer Melton Wilson.

After running second and fourth in stakes this past spring and summer at Monmouth and Delaware for trainer Bonnie Lucas, Greeley and Ben was auctioned for $80,000 at July's Fasig-Tipton sale for horses of racing age.

The gelding spent time in the barns of David Jacobson and Jeffrey Englehart through the fall, and while Greeley and Ben had to get used to new surroundings every few weeks, his output remained consistent: Claimed for $40,000 out of a win at Saratoga Sept. 4, he then ran second while not entered for a tag in an optional $55,000 claimer at Laurel Oct. 8.

It is the last four weeks, though, that are emblematic of what Greeley and Ben is all about. On Oct. 29, he finished a very credible fourth–beaten only three-quarters of a length at 20-1 odds–in the GIII Bold Ruler S. at Aqueduct, coming off Lasix (as required in New York stakes races) for the first time in his career after making all previous 36 starts on it.

Twelve days later, on Nov. 10, Greeley and Ben got wheeled back in a $10,000 starter allowance, also at Aqueduct, and won as the crushing 1.5-to-10 fave.

Then on Saturday, firing back in 16 days, the gelding was more or less dismissed by bettors at 7-1 odds in the Fall Highweight. Jockey Manny Franco patiently saved ground at the fence, and when Greeley and Ben cut the corner for home, he was full of run.

The competition counter-punched, though, and Greeley and Ben tenaciously had to reclaim the lead not once, but twice in deep stretch after getting headed. He prevailed by a neck in a furious photo finish with the two favorites right behind him, separated by head bobs. The 98 Beyer Speed Figure for the no-Lasix stakes score represented a career best for the 8-year-old.

Darryl Abramowitz owns Greeley and Ben, and the Fall Highweight was the first graded stakes victory for New Jersey-based conditioner Faith Wilson, who has only been a licensed trainer for 18 months.

Meanwhile, in Maryland…

Friday's 5 3/4-length trouncing of the $75,000 Politely S. for Maryland-breds at Laurel was administered by another on-the-rise claimer once bought for $10,000.

Fille d'Esprit (Great Notion) is now 12-for-23 lifetime, and has won five stakes so far in 2022, including open-company races while winning her division of the MATCH series and the $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff. Since that Aug. 21, 2020, claim, the 6-year-old mare has been trained by John Robb and owned by the partnership of C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm.

Saturday at Laurel featured three open-company stakes for $100,000, and two them were won by relative bargains at the claim box.

Swayin to and Fro (Straight Talking) captured the Safely Kept S. by 3 1/4 lengths at 6-1 odds for Baxter Racing Stable and trainer Mario Serey, Jr. The win came exactly six months to the date of that outfit claiming the 3-year-old filly for $16,000 out of an 8 1/4-length maiden romp. Including the win on the day she was claimed, Swayin to and Fro is now 6-for-10 on the year, with two stakes victories.

Armando R (Blame) was another runner you could have bought out of a winning effort for $16,000, which is exactly what current owner Ronald E. Cuneo and trainer Damon Dilodovico did a year ago, on Nov. 28, 2021. This 6-year-old gelding has since won through his '2x' allowance condition, and in the span of the past 60 days has won two hundred-grand listed stakes at Laurel, the off-grass Japan Turf Cup S. at 10 furlongs in the slop Oct. 1, and the Richard Small S. over nine furlongs on fast dirt Nov. 26.

Six for the road…

News quiz: Can you name the jockey who won six races in one day of racing over the holiday weekend? In case you need a hint, his last name contains only four letters and ends in a Z.

If you guessed the mid-Atlantic based Angel Cruz, you are correct.

But Cruz is probably not the first jockey you thought of. You'd also be correct if you guessed Luis Saez, whose six wins at Churchill Downs on Saturday rocketed him to the top of the meet standings there and to the top of the national news cycle.

No disrespect to the world-class Saez, but Cruz rarely gets much ink in the press, which is why we're highlighting him here.

Plus, Cruz's feat was a little more unique because he had to hit the road to earn his six-pack.

On Friday afternoon, Cruz, who is currently second in the Laurel standings, won the $75,000 Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial S. aboard Maryland-bred Alwaysinahurry (Great Notion).

Cruz then commuted roughly 90 minutes west to ride under the lights at Charles Town Races, where he swept races two through six (and barely lost the eighth race, running second with his only other mount of the night).

Serving up a fitting moniker for a horse who just completed a six-pack, the name of Cruz's final winner Friday was Always Drinking (Speightster).

Monday walk in the 'Park'

It wouldn't seem right to complete a column about the upward mobility of lower-level claimers without getting in a mention about Beverly Park (Munnings), the continent's winningest horse so far in 2022. The 5-year-old will be aiming for win No. 13 in his 28th start of the year Monday when he goes up against starter-allowance company in the sixth race at Mahoning Valley.

That Nov. 28 race is restricted to horses who have started for a claiming tag of $8,000 or less over the past two calendar years. Beverly Park won a N2L $5,000 claimer by 15 lengths at Belterra Park back on July 8, 2021. Next time out, he was claimed for $12,500 by his current owner/trainer, Norman Lynn Cash, whose horses race under the name Built Wright Stables.

Beverly Park has not started for a tag since being claimed, feasting exclusively on starter allowances, optional claimers in which he was not entered for a tag, and in the $100,000 Ready's Rocket Express on the Claiming Crown card two weekends ago.

In the span between Cash's claiming him and a second-place finish at Charles Town Nov. 19, Beverly Park is 19-for-35 with $453,688 in purse earnings (roughly 36 times that original $12,500 claim investment). His lifetime record stands at 22-7-4 from 44 starts.

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Speaking about the loss of race dates, WVRC executive director Joe Moore said, “I'm told that is as a result of the Horse Racing Integrity Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) assessments recently received by the commission and the racetracks for calendar year 2023.”

Mountaineer executives were offered the opportunity to elaborate on that reasoning and the dates cutback, but chose not to speak during the Nov. 14 meeting.

The HISA and HIWU assessments were separately discussed at length during a different portion of the meeting. TDN covered that topic here.

The awarding of race dates in West Virginia is a somewhat confusing two-step process bound by a state statute that requires Mountaineer to apply for 210 annual dates and Charles Town Races to apply for 220.

But in actuality, those quotas haven't been met “in a number of years” because of the logistical difficulties of filling that many cards, Moore said.

Moore explained that to comply with the law, tracks must first apply for the statutory minimum, then come back to the commission with a reduction request. After a 10-day public commentary period, if each track's horsemen's organization and tellers' union do not object, the WVRC can vote to reduce the dates.

So Mountaineer did both steps at Monday's meeting. Charles Town only applied for the 220 minimum, and will presumably be back before the board at a future meeting to ask for its traditional reduction.

Moore said Charles Town, which races year-round except for a brief break in December and January, had asked for 179 dates in 2022, but will likely end up racing only 175 by year's end because cancellations.

Charles Town executives were also offered an opportunity to outline the track's 2023 dates strategy, but declined to speak.

Chairman Ken Lowe Jr. and commissioner J.B. Akers voted in the affirmative on the two statutory requests and Mountaineer's reduction request. Commissioner Tony Figaretti voted “no” on all three counts.

“I'm not happy with it,” Figaretti said. “We're always deducting days, deducting days. It's too hard for me to accept that.”

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Favored on the precipitous drop in class, the beautifully bred chestnut was hustled straight into the lead by Tyler Gaffalione and the duo was pressed along early by 21-1 outsider Chardonnay (Candy Ride {Arg}), with the well-backed Louisiana raider Free Like a Girl (El Deal) not far away in third. Going along easily after four furlongs in a very manageable :46.54, Society faced a mild challenge from Free Like a Girl rounding the turn, but spurted away passing the quarter pole and was punched out for a convincing victory.

Society debuted for trainer Wayne Mackey at Keeneland last October and pulled clear late to graduate by a length at nearly 28-1, keying a $533 exacta and a triple that paid better than $9,700 for a buck. Transferred to the Asmussen barn this year, the chestnut was the 1 3/4-length winner of a sloppy allowance about 50 minutes after Secret Oath (Arrogate) won the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6 and added a front-running victory in the June 18 Monomoy Girl S., but stumbled at the start of the CCA Oaks and beat just one home in fourth.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Society becomes the eighth graded winner for the outstanding Gun Runner and is his second graded scorer out of a mare by Tapit, joining GII Adirondack S. victress Wicked Halo. Also bred on the Gun Runner/Tapit cross is Echo Again, who achieved 'TDN Rising Star' status for a maiden romp at Saratoga Aug. 20.

Produced by a half-sister to GSW Pleasant Prince (Indy King) and hailing from the extended female family of Sovereign Award and Queen's Plate winner Holy Helena (Ghostzapper) and Midlantic-based sire Holy Boss (Street Boss), Society has a 2-year-old half-brother named Punctuality in training at Churchill Downs, a yearling half-sister Finesse (Street Sense) that is cataloged as hip 237 to the upcoming Keeneland September sale and a foal half-brother named Valor (Omaha Beach). Etiquette was put back in foal to Gun Runner this past breeding season.

Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN OAKS-GIII, $500,440, Charles Town, 8-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.42, ft.
1–SOCIETY, 120, f, 3, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Etiquette, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Archduchess, by Pleasant Tap
3rd Dam: My Marchesa, by Stately Don
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds
LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $294,055.
Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $545,775. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*.
2–Free Like a Girl, 120, f, 3, El Deal–Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull.
($5,500 Ylg '20 ESLYRL). O-Gerald Bruno Jr, Carl J Deville,
Chasey Deville Pomier & Jerry Caroom; B-Kim Renee Stover &
Lisa Osborne (LA); T-Chasey Deville Pomier. $98,055.
3–Midnight Stroll, 123, f, 3, Not This Time–Midnight Magic, by
Midnight Lute. ($14,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $225,000 Ylg '20
OBSOCT). O-Gatsas Stables; B-Carolin Von Rosenberg (FL);
T-John P Terranova II. $49,055.
Margins: 6 3/4, 1 1/4, 4HF. Odds: 1.40, 3.80, 3.70.
Also Ran: Divine Huntress, Chardonnay, Peachy Weachy, Stellar Ride, She's Pure Silver. Scratched: Lady Scarlet. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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