Tag: churchill

Brian Hernandez Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Off Tuesday Mounts At Churchill Downs

Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. has tested positive for the coronavirus, as first reported by the Daily Racing Form. He had been scheduled to ride Art Collector in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, but the colt was removed from consideration Tuesday morning due to a minor hoof injury.

Hernandez and the other riders were tested for COVID-19 Monday. Hernandez said in a text to Kentucky Derby pool reporter Jennie Rees that he tested positive for the coronavirus but that he also tested positive for the antibodies, “which means I am no longer contagious.”

Hernandez was named on four mounts at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, but he has taken off and is awaiting further updates on what the positive test menas.

“Now we are waiting for Churchill and the health department to tell us when we can go back to riding,” Hernandez said.

The news that he'd tested positive came to Hernandez even as there were issues whether his scheduled Kentucky Derby mount, Art Collector, would run after Bruce Lunsford's colt nicked his left front heel in a routine gallop Monday morning. The final decision to withdrawal Art Collector from the Kentucky Derby was made Tuesday morning after the colt continued to show tenderness in the heel.

Hernandez last rode at Ellis Park on Aug. 29, and is named to ride three graded stakes mounts on Thursday and Friday's cards.

The post Brian Hernandez Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Off Tuesday Mounts At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tiz The Law Draws 17; Top Three Choices To Break From Outside Posts In Rescheduled Kentucky Derby

Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Tiz the Law will seek Kentucky Derby glory from post 17 of 18 in Saturday's rescheduled Run for the Roses. Trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Sackatoga Stable will be trying for their second win in the Run for the Roses; they first captured the race with New York-bred Funny Cide in 2003.

Veteran oddsmaker Mike Battaglia gave Tiz the Law morning line odds of 3-5, the lowest since 1989. The race's top three choices will all be on the far outside in the new 20-stall starting gate: Honor A. P. in post 16, Tiz the Law in post 17, and Authentic in post 18.

Horses will be entered in the new 20-stall starting gate away from the rail, so the third slot will become post position one.

The full field is as follows:

  1. Finnick the Fierce – Rey Hernandez – Martin Garcia (50-1)
  2. Max Player – Steve Asmussen – Ricardo Santana, Jr. (30-1)
  3. Enforceable – Mark Casse – Adam Beschizza (30-1)
  4. Storm the Court – Peter Eurton – Julien Leparoux (50-1)
  5. Major Fed – Greg Foley – James Graham (50-1)
  6. King Guillermo – Juan Carlos Avila – Samy Camacho (20-1)
  7. Money Moves – Todd Pletcher – Javier Castellano (30-1)
  8. South Bend – Bill Mott – Tyler Gaffalione (50-1)
  9. Mr. Big News – Bret Calhoun – Gabriel Saez (50-1)
  10. Thousand Words – Bob Baffert – Florent Geroux (15-1)
  11. Necker Island – Chris Hartman – Miguel Mena (50-1) *blinkers off
  12. Sole Volante – Patrick Biancone – Luca Panici (30-1)
  13. Attachment Rate – Dale Romans – Joe Talamo (50-1)
  14. Winning Impression – Dallas Stewart – Joe Rocco, Jr. (50-1)
  15. Ny Traffic – Saffie Joseph, Jr. – Paco Lopez (20-1)
  16. Honor A. P. – John Shirreffs – Mike Smith (5-1)
  17. Tiz the Law – Barclay Tagg – Manny Franco (3-5)
  18. Authentic – Bob Baffert – John Velazquez (8-1)

The post Tiz The Law Draws 17; Top Three Choices To Break From Outside Posts In Rescheduled Kentucky Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘The MLB Of Racing’: Venezuelan Native Camacho Living The Dream With 2020 Derby Mount

Samy Camacho left Venezuela in 2012 to chase a dream – a dream that will become very real when he rides Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo in Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“This is the dream for every jockey in my country – to ride in the United States. This is the MLB of racing. When you're here, that's your dream – to ride the big races and ride in the Kentucky Derby,” Camacho said. “That was my dream. I never thought I'd ever ride in the Kentucky Derby, and when I won Tampa Bay Derby, I said, 'Wow!'”

Camacho, among the leading riders during the Spring/Summer Meet at Gulfstream Park, shares a dream of participating in the Kentucky Derby with fellow Venezuelan natives Victor Martinez and Juan Carlos Avila, King Guillermo's owner and trainer, respectively.

Martinez lived his boyhood dream during 16 Major League Baseball seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians as a catcher, first-baseman and designated hitter, making five All-Star appearances. Martinez, who retired from baseball in 2018, has turned to raising cattle at his 2,500-acre ranch in Okeechobee, FL and owning a few racehorses, most notably King Guillermo, who is trained by Gulfstream-based Avila, who won nine titles and more than 3,000 races in Venezuela before venturing to South Florida in 2018.

“The owner, Victor Martinez, I have a good relationship with him. He's a really nice guy. He has a lot of class. He's humble. He's amazing,” the married father of three said. “Thanks to God for letting me ride in the Derby. Thanks to Victor Martinez, the owner, and the trainer, Juan Carlos Avila, for giving me this big opportunity.”

The son of a jockey, Camacho began his career at La Rinconada in Caracas, Venezuela after attending the country's jockey school and moved on to the U.S. at the end of 2011. He won 32 races in 2012 as an apprentice while riding at Calder Race Course (now Gulfstream Park West) and several mid-Atlantic racetracks. He returned to Venezuela in 2013 before resuming his dream job in the U.S., riding at Tampa Bay Downs at the tail end of 2015.

The 33-year-old journeyman has ridden with success at both Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park, winning more than 650 aces over the past five years – none more rewarding than King Guillermo's 4 ¾-length victory in the Tampa Bay Derby March 7.

“I'm so happy. It's so exciting what is happening with my career. I'm ready,” said Camacho, who also guided King Guillermo to a second-place finish behind Nadal in the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park. “My horse has been working great at Churchill.”

Camacho will spend Derby Week at Churchill Downs as required under Covid-19 protocols.

“I'll try to take some mounts beginning Sept. 1 to ride before the Derby,” he said. “I want to get to know the track.”

The post ‘The MLB Of Racing’: Venezuelan Native Camacho Living The Dream With 2020 Derby Mount appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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McKinzie’s Shot At Alysheba Repeat Among Headliners On Kentucky Oaks Undercard

Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman's McKinzie will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the Alysheba when he takes on seven rivals in Friday's Grade 2 event.

The Alysheba is one of six graded stakes on Friday's 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) and is headlined by the 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). The Alysheba will go as the day's 10th race with a 4:15 post time.

Also on the program is the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track, the 36th running of the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf and the 26th running of the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Trained by Bob Baffert, McKinzie romped to a 4 ¾-length victory in last year's Alysheba. Fifth in the Metropolitan Handicap (GI) going a mile in his most recent start, McKinzie will be ridden Friday by Mike Smith and break from post position two.

Looming as the top challenger to McKinzie is Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards. Runner-up in the Whitney (GI) in his most recent start and a winner of three of five starts in 2020, By My Standards is trained by Bret Calhoun and will be ridden Friday by Gabriel Saez and break from post position six.

The field for the Alysheba, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Silver Dust (Adam Beschizza, 120 pounds), McKinzie (Smith, 118), Owendale (Florent Geroux (118), Hence (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Mr Freeze (Manny Franco, 123), By My Standards (Saez, 123), Title Ready (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Bodexpress (Javier Castellano, 118).

Witham Thoroughbreds' homebred Four Graces, riding a three-race win streak, headlines of field of seven for the Eight Belles.

Scheduled as the day's eighth race, post time for the Eight Belles will be 3:05.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Four Graces has won four of five career starts and has posted Grade III in her past two starts in the Beaumont at Keeneland and the Dogwood at Churchill Downs.

Julien Leparoux, who has been aboard for all of Four Graces' victories, will ride Friday and break from post position 8.

The field for the Eight Belles, from the rail out with riders and weights, is: Mundaye Call (Florent Geroux, 118 pounds), Never Forget (Javier Castellano, 118), Extra Effort (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Purrfectly Claire (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Sconsin (James Graham, 118), Perfect Happiness (Rafael Bejarano, 118) and Four Graces (Leparoux, 120).

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stables' Sharing, winner of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) at Santa Anita last fall and the Tepin at Churchill Downs in her 2020 debut, tops a field of eight for the Edgewood.

The Edgewood will go as the day's ninth race with a 3:40 post time.

Trained by Graham Motion, Sharing will be making her first start since finishing second in the Group I Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Manny Franco has the mount Friday and will break from post position three.

The field for the Edgewood, from the rail out with riders and weights, is: In Good Spirits (Miguel Mena, 118 pounds), Hendy Woods (John Velazquez, 118), Sharing (Franco, 118), Lucky Betty (Declan Cannon, 118), Outburst (GB) (Tyler Gaffalione, 120), Pranked (James Graham, 118), Mariafoot (FR) (Florent Geroux, 118) and Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) (Javier Castellano, 118).

Diamond Oops, making his return to the grass for the first time since finishing second in last fall's Shadwell Turf Mile (GI), and Grade II winner Bound for Nowhere head a deep field of 14 grass sprinters and one also-eligible in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint.

The Twin Spires Turf Sprint will go as the day's 13th race with a 6:20 post time.

Owned by Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, DP Racing and Patrick Biancone Racing, Diamond Oops is a three-time graded stakes placed runner on dirt to go with his grass success. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Oops will be making his first start since June and be ridden by Florent Geroux out of post position one.

Bound for Nowhere, owned and trainer by Wesley Ward, won the 2018 Shakertown at Keeneland at the 5 12/2-furlong distance and finished third beaten a neck in this year's edition July 11 in his most recent start.

Julio Garcia has the mount and will break from post position four.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Diamond Oops (Geroux, 121), Wellabled (Manny Franco, 121), Real News (Joe Talamo, 121), Bound for Nowhere (Garcia, 121), Extravagant Kid (Tyler Gaffalione, 121), Tell Your Daddy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121), Smart Remark, Rafael Bejarano, 121), Just Might (Colby Hernandez, 121), Jazzy Times (Miguel Mena, 121), Carotari (Julien Leparoux, 121), Fielder (Paco Lopez, 121), Chaps (Corey Lanerie, 121), Tiger Blood (Ricardo Santana Jr., 121) and Chief Cicatriz (James Graham, 121). Also-Eligible: High Crime (Javier Castellano, 121).

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