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Derby Week Disruption? Still No Progress On Contract Between Valets, Churchill Downs

After a weekend of protests with community and labor allies calling on Churchill Downs to do by right by its employees, the Licensed Racing Valets who are essential to the Kentucky Derby's success are still without a contract and say they are willing to do whatever it takes to hold the hugely profitable company accountable. Protests and demonstrations are expected to continue this week.

Historically, Derby Week generates tens of millions of dollars in revenue for the Louisville business community and the entire Commonwealth. Labor unrest and disruptions could greatly reduce the amount of revenue for local area businesses, virtually all of which were harmed last year when Derby Week was cancelled on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Churchill Downs Incorporated posted $1.054 billion in net revenue for 2020, and its CEO Bill Carstanjen made $10.5 million, yet the company is refusing to pay its valets at Churchill Downs Racetrack (CDRT) and Turfway Park a fair wage and provide basic workplace protections to ensure adequate staffing levels at the racetracks.

“There's no Kentucky Derby without the hard work of our Licensed Racing Valets, and Churchill Downs's disregard for their basic needs is a slap in face after our members have spent decades building the company's profits,” said Don Vest, President of SEIU Local 541. “Churchill Downs is so greedy that they'd rather threaten the Derby experience for millions of people and deprive local businesses of much-needed revenue than pay workers a modest amount of money that the CEO makes before he finishes his morning cup of coffee.”

The Licensed Racing Valets are highly skilled workers whose work is critical to the success and safety of the Kentucky Derby operation. They must saddle the racehorses and make sure each horse is compliant with stringent racing regulations. The Racing Valets at CDRT, along with those at Turfway Park in Covington, Kentucky, have been working under expired contracts for months. Churchill Downs abruptly cancelled negotiations scheduled for last week after the Racing Valets' union, sent its proposals to the company.

Churchill Downs has refused to return to the bargaining table, choosing instead to pressure the Racing Valets to accept substandard wages and pension benefits, some of which have not been increased for as many as 22 years. Churchill Downs' decision reflects its willingness to gamble with the livelihoods of its loyal employees as well as those of the local and regional business community.

Thirty-five year valet Ronnie Shelton expressed his frustrations with the company's disregard for its employees to ABC affiliate WHAS 11 at a protest Saturday: “…I don't understand their feelings on it. This is the last thing in the world we would want at this point in time. It's a cloud and it's over Churchill and it's over us.”

He continued: “It's kinda hurtful, you put in all these years in the job. And you devote yourself to it.”

The ratio of the CEO's compensation to the median salary of the other full-time employees in 2020 ($26,000) is 404:1. In the first few seconds of opening betting, the company easily makes the $27,000 it would cost to fully cover modest raises for its entire valet workforce.

The Racing Valets' attorney told the Louisville Courier Journal, “This is a corporation that just takes, takes, takes, and we're asking — for members of our community who are essential to the races — we're asking for just a semblance of justice in their contract.”

Former candidate for U.S. Senate and former State Representative Charles Booker rallied with the workers on Saturday. Affirming his support for the workers and his calls on Churchill Downs to settle a fair contract, he said, “Whenever there's an opportunity to fight for justice and to fight for equity, you're going to see me there.”

The Licensed Racing Valets are currently paid about $16 an hour and are asking for modest increases to their pay and contributions to their retirement accounts to provide financial stability for themselves and their families. They are also asking for guaranteed valet staffing levels at live races to ensure consistency and safety. In order to make a living at racetracks that only provide work for 40-80 days per year, valets must travel throughout the country to different race tracks and are responsible for their own travel and housing costs.

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Equipment Check: Mandaloun Gallops In Bit Designed For ‘Tough Horses’

Sporting a rather unique bridle during morning training hours at Churchill Downs has been Kentucky Derby contender Mandaloun, a flashy bay son of Into Mischief trained by Brad Cox.

“We call it a gag bit,” Cox explained Friday morning. “He's a strong horse to gallop, so it just kind of gives the rider a little bit more control. It slows him down a little bit, so that's the reason for using that. We use in on several of what we call 'tough horses,' horses that kind of want to over-train at times.”

Cox said the 3-year-old homebred for Juddmonte Farm has been wearing the bridle during morning training since at least January, but the colt breezes and races in the more traditional ring bit.

The sharp-looking Mandaloun has been training forwardly since his last race, a race Cox called “a clunker,” when he ran sixth as the heavy favorite in the G2 Louisiana Derby. Prior to that race, Mandaloun had finished third by a length in the G3 Lecomte, and won the G2 Risen Star by 1 1/4 lengths.

“He was training so well leading up to the Louisiana Derby, and he was the favorite; we thought he would perform well, and he just didn't,” said Cox. “He was a little flat in the race, but he bounced out of it in great order, so that's why we're here.

“He deserves the right to run as long as he's doing well, and he's doing fantastic… He's definitely the question mark in the field as to if he's going to show up. If he does, he's a contender. If he runs the Louisiana Derby race, he's not.”

Mandaloun gallops on Friday morning at Churchill Downs

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Kentucky Oaks: Undefeated Search Results ‘Came Back Bouncing’ From Final Breeze

Klaravich Stables' Search Results, undefeated in three starts for trainer Chad Brown, including the April 3 Gazelle (G3) at Aqueduct, had some classy company as she completed her last major work for the Oaks. The daughter of Flatter walked onto the Churchill Downs main track at 7:34 with her stablemate, the grade 1-winning millionaire Dunbar Road, who starts in Friday's La Troienne (G1). The pair went five furlongs in a comfortable 1:02.60, which gave Brown plenty of reason for encouragement.

“I gave her an easy work by design,” Brown said. “She's coming back in four weeks so she's very, very fit. I liked the way she went and she really seemed to get over the ground. I just wanted to get her used to the track a bit and she came back bouncing around when we untacked her. I wanted to bring her in there sound and happy and I think we're well on our way to doing that.

“She doesn't normally work with Dunbar Road, they've been in different places, but I just go with the roster I have,” Brown said. “With both horses running two turns on the dirt next Friday, they were a real good match. They were right together and perfect, but in fairness, it was an easy work and anyone could have stayed with anyone. Dunbar Road has run here before and the other filly hasn't been here very long, so with this particular horse, where she's at in her development, I thought it was important.

“She's got a nice solid mile and an eighth race into her in the Gazelle,” Brown said. “She ran quite fast at Aqueduct, faster than the boys in the Wood (G2) on the same card (1:54.14 to 1:54.49), so that's a pretty good indicator of how fit she is and what she potentially got out of that race. So, I just wanted to get her over the track, and they galloped out really well. I got them galloping out in 1:15 (for six furlongs) and her ears were up and I was really happy with it.

“The dynamics of the Oaks figure a lot different than the Gazelle (Search Results was just a length off a half-mile in 50.09),” Brown said. “This filly, much like our Derby horse Highly Motivated, has good early tactical speed. They have shown they can be on the lead at any point, but are probably a touch better with a target. So, with speed signed up in the Oaks—there looks like there are some horses and I've seen some quick breezes here too—if somebody goes out there and she can lay in close proximity, that's my ideal trip. Of course, whether you get your ideal trip in a horse race, is to be determined, but that's what I'd like to see.”

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Pimlico: Spring Stakes Spectacular, San Francisco Mile

Keeneland closes its spring meeting on Friday with the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes, and the Kentucky scene shifts to Churchill Downs on Saturday evening with the William Walker Stakes to open its spring meeting just one week before the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.

Graded stakes action in California this weekend is highlighted by the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park and the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields, part of a five stakes race program which also includes the California Derby.

On Saturday, Pimlico Race Course in Maryland will feature the rescheduled Spring Stakes Spectacular, featuring six stakes worth $650,000 in purses headlined by the $125,000 Federico Tesio, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15, and the $125,000 Weber City Miss, a 'Win and In' event for 3-year-old fillies to the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14.

TVG will be broadcasting every race, every day. In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, TVG will feature racing from Oaklawn Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will also be live on Saturday on FS2 from 1-11 p.m. ET. On Sunday, “America's Day at the Races” will air from 1-5:30 p.m. ET on FS2.

Friday, April 23

5:30 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is seeking his fourth win in the Grade 3 1 ½-mile, $150,000 Bewitch Stakes on turf with War Like Goddess and Delta's Kingdom among 12 fillies and mares in the field on closing day of the Keeneland spring meet. George Krikorian's War Like Goddess enters the Bewitch off a nose victory in last month's Grade 3 Orchid at Gulfstream Park. Julien Leparoux, who was aboard for the Orchid victory, has the call as he seeks his third victory in the race. Delta's Kingdom, who broke her maiden at Keeneland in April 2019, was fourth in the Orchid. The Al Stall-trained Dalika (GER) won the Albert Stall Memorial, named after the trainer's late father, at the Fair Grounds in February.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE042321USA-EQB.html#RACE9

Saturday, April 24

3:23 p.m. –$100,000 Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park

VinLaur Racing Stables' Xanthique, competitive when stretched out for back-to-back stakes over the winter, returns from a two-month break between races looking for her first stakes victory in Saturday's $100,000 Dahlia at Pimlico Race Course. Xanthique, trained by Tom Morley, began this year running fifth to 2019 Dahlia winner Secret Message in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial. The 5-year-old mare then ran into a yielding course and the starting gate when sixth behind Dalika in the Albert M. Stall Memorial Feb. 13. Both Fair Grounds races were contested at the Dahlia distance.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA6-EQB.html

3:58 p.m.–$100,000 Frank Y. Whitely Stakes at Pimlico

Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing's multiple stakes winner Whereshetoldmetogo, in the best form of his life at the age of 6, chases his fourth straight victory and 11th overall in Saturday's $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley at Pimlico Race Course. Whereshetoldmetogo was already a four-time stakes winner, beaten a neck by Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire when second in the 2018 Gallant Bob (G2), when he arrived in trainer Brittany Russell's barn last summer from her former mentor Brad Cox. In five starts for Russell, the El Padrino gelding has never been worse than second and crossed the wire first in four consecutive races, though he was disqualified from victory in the New Castle last September at Delaware Park for interference. Since then, Whereshetoldmetogo won a six-furlong edition of the Whiteley by a nose last November and the Dec. 26 Dave's Friend, also six furlongs at Laurel Park, by three-quarters of a length to close his 2020 campaign.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA7-EQB.html

4:31 p.m. -$100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes at Pimlico

Initially split between running Grade 2 winner Pixelate and fellow 4-year-old stakes winner Doc Boy, trainer Michael Stidham opted to enter both as part of a solid field of 14 for Saturday's $100,000 Henry S. Clark at Pimlico Race Course. Goldophin's homebred Pixelate has run in 13 consecutive stakes, five of them graded, winning three including the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2) last September. He capped 2020 by capturing the one-mile Woodchopper Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds, and began 2021 running fifth by three lengths at odds of 52-1 in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park. In his most recent outing, Pixelate ran fourth to Pegasus Turf winner Colonel Liam following a wide trip in the 1 1/8-mile Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) March 20 at Fair Grounds. Making his Pimlico debut, he has a record of 4-5-3 from 16 lifetime starts at 10 different tracks with purse earnings of $413,350.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA8-EQB.html

5:04 p.m. -$125,000 Weber City Miss Stakes at Pimlico

Her stop in Maryland already beyond the original plan, Joel Politi's multiple stakes winner Littlestitious may wind up extending her stay a bit longer depending on how she runs in Saturday's $125,000 Weber City Miss at Pimlico Race Course. Though born in Kentucky and trained by Midwest-based Tom Amoss, who winters in Louisiana, Littlestitious has called Laurel Park home since mid-March, when horses were restricted to the grounds amid an equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) quarantine that was lifted April 18. She remained in the barn of trainer Brittany Russell, and was able to display a stalk-and-pounce tactic under jockey Sheldon Russell in the Beyond the Wire Stakes, winning by a half-length in her most recent outing.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA9-EQB.html

5:37 p.m.- $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico

It will be more than just a homecoming when stakes winner Hello Hot Rod returns to Maryland for only his second start of the year in Saturday's $125,000 Federico Tesio at Pimlico Race Course. The Maryland-bred son of Mosler comes in off three consecutive victories, but has gone unraced since Jan. 31. He will be making his debut in the colors of owner George Sharp, who purchased Hello Hot Rod for $335,000 at auction in February from previous co-owner and trainer Brittany Russell. Among his rivals will be former stablemate Maythehorsebwithu. And, there is a Triple Crown berth on the line.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA10-EQB.html

6:07 p.m.-$100,000 King T. Leatherbury Stakes at Pimlico

Multiple stakes winners Carotari and Completed Pass, the latter with a victory at the course and distance, top a field of 13 entered in Saturday's $100,000 King T. Leatherbury at Pimlico Race Course. Robert D. Bone's Completed Pass returns to the turf for his seasonal debut after an off-the-board finish in the six-furlong Frank Y. Whiteley last November at Laurel Park. The 7-year-old gelding beat Leatherbury rivals So Street and Love You Much in the 5 ½-furlong Laurel Dash last September and won the five-furlong Jim McKay Turf Sprint in 2019 at Pimlico for leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. Completed Pass was beaten a neck over a yielding course in defense of his McKay title last fall.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/PIM042421USA11-EQB.html

7:30 p.m. ―$100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields on TVG

The $100,000 California Derby, for 3-year-olds, is one of the highlights of Gold Rush Weekend at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday. Run on the Tapeta surface at 1 1/16 miles, the eight-horse field is led by the John Shirreffs-trained Parnelli, a bay son of Quality Road, who will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado. Seeking his first win of the year, Parnelli finished sixth in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby in his previous start. California-bred Stalking Shadow, a winner of three of his four starts this year, steps into stakes company for the first time for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GG042421USA8-EQB.html

7:46 p.m. ―Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's 4-year-old filly As Time Goes By looms large as the 3-5 morning line favorite over four rivals at Santa Anita in Saturday's Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles for older fillies and mares. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, As Time Goes By has a regal pedigree. She is by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of three-time Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady. In her first start against stakes competition, As Time Goes By finished second to 2020 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 13. The Simon Callahan-trained Harvest Moon, fourth in the Beholder Mile, won four races last year, including the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita and Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar. She was also fourth, beaten less than three lengths, in the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA042421USA8-EQB.html

8:07 p.m. ―Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on TVG

Grade 1 winners Ohio (BRZ) and Keeper Ofthe Stars headline Saturday's one-mile, $250,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf for 3-year-olds and up, the centerpiece of the Gold Rush Weekend at Golden Gate Fields. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ohio has 11 career wins, including the Grade 1 2019 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita. Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' 5-year-old mare Keeper Ofthe Stars, the lone female in the eight-horse field, won last year's Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita. Trained by Jonathan Wong, Keeper Ofthe Stars tuned up for Saturday's race by winning a 1 1/16-mile allowance race over the course on April 3, which was her first start since finishing seventh in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon last August at Del Mar. The Richard Mandella-trained Border Town ran third to Grade 1 winner Hit the Road in the Grade 3 Thunder Road at Santa Anita in February.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GG042421USA9-EQB.html

10:11 p.m. ―$150,000 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2

On opening night of the spring meeting at Churchill Downs, Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm's Cowan, runner-up in Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, leads a field of 10 3-year-olds and two also-eligibles entered in Saturday's 5 ½ furlong $125,000 William Walker Stakes on turf.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Cowan, the 7-2 morning line favorite, is making his first start since finishing 10th in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, beaten only 4 ¾ lengths. Luis Saez, who was aboard in Dubai, has the call Saturday evening. Second choice Field Day (4-1) finished third last time out in the five-furlong Texas Glitter at Gulfstream Park on March 20 for trainer Brad Cox.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD042421USA9-EQB.html

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