Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

One Last Go for Maxfield in Clark

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) will look to take one more trip to the Churchill Downs winner's circle in Friday's GI Clark H. before he joins Darley's stallion roster for next year. The Grade I winner boasts a perfect four-for-four record under the Twin Spires, having most recently dominated the GII Stephen Foster S. over this same distance in June. Second to expected Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in Saratoga's Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. and again to streaking Art Collector (Bernardini) in the GI Woodward S. at Belmont Oct. 2, the dark bay has earned four-straight Beyer Speed Figures of 103 or better. Dr Post (Quality Road), a dual Grade III winner this year, finished one spot behind Maxfield in the Woodward.

Sophomore Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) figures to seize the early lead from his rail draw and could prove tough to run down. This year's GIII Lecomte S. winner and GI Preakness S. runner-up clipped heels and lost his rider when crossed over on by Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GI Haskell Invitational S. in July, but bounced back the following month to run champion Essential Quality (Tapit) to a neck in the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 28, good for a 107 Beyer Speed Figure. He paired up that figure when proving second best to Hot Rod Charlie in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25.

Lightly raced 4-year-old 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver) aims for a late-season Grade I win for the second straight year. The Wertheimer homebred was four-for-four last term, capped by a victory in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup in October over subsequent G1 Dubai World Cup hero Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). He resurfaced in May to take a Belmont optional claimer, but was third behind Max Player (Honor Code) and Mystic Guide in the July 3 GII Suburban S. and second behind the former in the repositioned Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Sept. 4.

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Bonny South Headlines Falls City

Juddmonte homebred Bonny South (Munnings) gets the 9-5 morning-line nod for Thursday's GII Falls City S. at Churchill Downs. The chestnut kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with a close decision over Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Keeneland's GIII Doubledogdare S. in April, but had to deal with the buzzsaw that is likely champion older mare Letruska (Super Saver) in three of her next four. Second behind that formidable foe and ahead of MGISW stablemate Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont in June, she was a no-show fifth at 1-2 in the GII Delaware H. over 10 panels July 10, but bounced back to run Letruska to a half length in Saratoga's Aug. 28 GI Personal Ensign S., defeating the likes of Royal Flag, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Dunbar Road (Quality Road) and champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Bonny South was last seen finishing third to Letruska and Shedaresthedevil in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 10–Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) and Envoutante (Uncle Mo) were fourth and fifth in that spot respectively. Also stepping out of Grade I company is Army Wife (Declaration of War), who is cross-entered against fellow 3-year-olds for Friday's GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct. A clear-cut winner of the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GIII Iowa Oaks earlier this year, the Mike Maker trainee was third in both the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 21 and GI Cotillion S. at Parx Sept. 25.

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Trainers Bauer, Foley Hit with Kentucky Drug Suspensions

Kentucky stewards have disqualified two winners and a third-place horse while assessing trainers Philip Bauer and Greg Foley 30-day suspensions and $500 fines for three separate post-race drug tests that came back positive in recent months.

It was not immediately known if appeals were in the works. Bauer's two suspensions will run concurrently because the stewards cited mitigating circumstances (including “first medication violation in training career”), but he will be responsible for paying both fines. Foley's one suspension got halved via stay to 15 days, also because of mitigating circumstances (“number of violations in relation to overall record”).

According to a pair of Kentucky Horse Racing Commission rulings dated Nov. 18, the Bauer-trained Angkor (Anchor Down), who ran third in a June 13 allowance/optional claiming sprint at Churchill Downs June 13, and Played Hard (Into Mischief), who won a maiden special weight route June 20, both returned positive tests for meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic listed as a Class B (second-most severe tier) substance in Kentucky.

The rulings stated that in addition to his prior clean record, the fact that Bauer was not notified of the first finding before the second one registered a week later was also a factor in allowing his suspensions to be served concurrently over Dec. 5-Jan. 3.

The Foley-trained On Your Mark (Mark Valeski) won a NW1X/N2L allowance turf sprint at Ellis Park Aug. 1 and then tested positive for an acepromazine metabolite. The tranquilizer known as “ace” is a Class B penalty in Kentucky.

Foley's suspension runs Dec. 5-19. The remaining 15 days will be stayed provided he does not register any Class A or B drug violations in any jurisdiction within a year of the Nov. 18 ruling.

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Kentucky Commission Issues Medication Suspensions To Greg Foley, Phil Bauer

Trainers Greg Foley and Phil Bauer have each been issued suspensions by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, according to rulings posted to the Commission's website late last week.

Foley's trainee On Your Mark, winner of the eighth race at Ellis Park on Aug. 1, has been disqualified due to the presence of a metabolite of the sedative Acepromazine, a Class B medication violation. Foley has been fined $500 and issued a 15-day suspension, with 15 additional days stayed pending no additional violations (Class A or B) over the next 365 days.

Foley's suspension will run from Dec. 5 through Dec. 19, inclusive.

Bauer's trainees Angkor (third in Churchill's eighth race on June 18) and Played Hard (winner of Churchill's seventh race on June 20) were both found to have meloxicam in their post-race samples. Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory classified as a Class B medication violation. Both Angkor and Played Hard have been disqualified, with Bauer fined $500 and suspended 30 days for each positive.

Since Bauer could not be notified of the first positive before the second occurred, his suspensions will run concurrently on Dec. 5, 2021 through Jan. 3, 2022.

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