Del Mar | Horse Racing Free Tips

Blea on Del Mar’s Churchill Shippers, Wakanaka Scratched from Matriarch

In the midst of the Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) outbreak at Churchill Downs, Del Mar had accepted three shippers from the Louisville track Tuesday, Nov. 29, the same day a horse at Churchill first showed symptoms of the contagious disease. One of the horses, Bill Mott's MGSW Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}), had a suspicious test and will not be permitted to start in Sunday's GI Matriarch S. She was 5-1 on the morning line.

Dr. Jeff Blea, the equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), released the following statement Saturday:

“Three horses arrived at the Del Mar Race Track from Churchill Downs on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Due to the recent EHV-1 issue identified at Churchill Downs, the horses were placed in a quarantine barn with biosecurity measures implemented upon arrival, which continue to remain in place. Since their arrival, all three horses remain healthy and show no clinical signs of illness. Furthermore, bloodwork has been and continues to remain normal.

“The horses were tested for EHV-1 at UC Davis and all horses were negative for EHV-1 in blood. However, one horse, Wakanaka, was mildly positive on a nasal swab sample with a very low viral load. The viral load was too weak to differentiate between neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic EHV-1. This is only one test at a single time point, so we will continue to monitor the situation. Out an abundance of caution, Wakanaka will not be allowed to compete in the Dec. 4 Matriarch S. as planned.”

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Regal Glory Goes For Year-End Gold In Matriarch

In a tightly-contested race for the year-end female turf championship, Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) looks to land the year's final blow and defend her title in the GI Matriarch S. at Del Mar Sunday.

With both War Like Goddess (English Channel) and stablemate In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), her two main rivals for the Eclipse, done for the season, Regal Glory, winner of this race last term, enters off a 10th-place finish in the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile behind Europe's best males, including winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Despite being one of only two 6-year-olds in the field, Regal Glory has already a pair of Grade I wins this year and was a narrow second to Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga Aug. 13 in her first try against males.

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will look to return to the form that saw her earn a trip to Royal Ascot earlier this summer. A stakes winner already this season in Pimlico's Hilltop S. May 20, Pizza Bianca suffered an abysmal trip in the G1 Coronation S. at Ascot and didn't return stateside until a last-out fourth in the

GII Sands Point S. at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting Oct. 15, where she matched her career high 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Cigar Mile Program Headlines Saturday Stakes Action

Enjoy your day at the Big A.

Led by the GI Cigar Mile H. and three other graded events, Aqueduct's loaded 10-race card will be in the spotlight in South Ozone Park Saturday.

Zandon (Upstart), winner of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and third-place finisher in the GI Kentucky Derby this spring, cuts back to a one-turn mile for Chad Brown in the feature. The dark bay, favored at even-money on the Cigar Mile's morning-line, also finished third in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and second in the GI Pennsylvania Derby last time Sept. 24.

Fellow Grade I-winning sophomore White Abarrio (Race Day) will also shorten up here. He tired to fifth after setting the pace in the Pennsylvania Derby last time. The handsome gray has been firing bullets at Saffie Joseph, Jr.'s Gulfstream Park base for this.

Two-time Grade I winner Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), drawn widest of all in post seven (he'll move in one slot with the scratch of O Besos), will look to close out his career on top. The 2018 GI Hopeful S. winner and 2019 GI H. Allen Jerkens S. winner was moved up to first via disqualification after falling a neck short in a roughly run renewal of the Parx Dirt Mile S. last out Sept. 24. The 6-year-old boasts a record of 7-4-2-1 at Aqueduct, including a trio of graded wins. A stud deal for Mind Control will likely be finalized in the days following the Cigar Mile, according to Rick Sacco, racing manager for co-owner Red Oak Stable.

“He's been a great horse for us and accomplished a lot before he even came to us, but he's been a real neat horse to be around,” said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who seeks a record-extending sixth Cigar Mile victory. “He enjoys his job and has always liked Aqueduct.”

Juveniles, meanwhile, will take centerstage in the GII Remsen S. and GII Demoiselle S., both at the demanding distance of 1 1/8 miles.

Stonestreet homebred Julia Shining (Curlin), a full-sister to champion 3-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Malathaat, will head straight into the deep end versus six rivals in the Demoiselle. The bay kicked off her career with an eye-catching come-from-behind victory for Pletcher going seven furlongs at Keeneland Oct. 16. She is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the Demoiselle. Malathaat, also trained by Pletcher, won this same race in 2020.

“Physically, they're a little bit different, but they're both very impressive fillies to watch train and she's shown talent from the beginning,” Pletcher said. “I always felt like the further she gets the opportunity to go, the better she'll get. That's why we have been pointing for the Demoiselle.”

A field of seven will also line up for the Remsen, led by unbeaten Rocky Run S. winner Tuskegee Airmen (Street Sense) and New York-bred Arctic Arrogance (Frosted), a last out winner of the Sleepy Hollow S.

Aqueduct's Saturday program also includes the GIII Go For Wand S. for older fillies and mares.

Welcome to Hollywood

A very deep field of 11 have been entered for the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. New York shippers 'Rising Star' Wit (Practical Joke) and Celestial City (Uncle Mo) are the top two on the morning-line. Slightly favored Wit just missed by a neck for Pletcher in Keeneland's GIII Bryan Station S. Oct. 29. Celestial City posted a come-from-behind win for Shug McGaughey in Aqueduct's GII Hill Prince S. Oct. 22.

The Hollywood Derby field also includes: GIII La Jolla S. winner and GII Twilight Derby winner Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile); Cinema S. winner War At Sea (War Front); and Let It Ride S. winner Handy Dandy (Fury Kapcori).

Del Mar's Saturday card also includes a wide-open renewal of the grassy GIII Jimmy Durante S. for 2-year-old fillies.

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Weekly Rulings: Nov. 22-28

Every week, the TDN publishes a round-up of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a round-up of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

CALIFORNIA
Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/26/2022
Licensee: Abdul Alsagoor, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Apprentice Jockey Abdul Alsagoor, who rode Mastermind in the third race at Del Mar Race Track on Friday, November 25, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (December 3, 4 and 9, 2022) for failure to maintain a straight course in the stretch and causing interference. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – Careless Riding).

Track: Del Mar
Date: 11/26/2022
Licensee: Hector Berrios, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: Jockey Hector Berrios who rode Sunshine Babe in the fifth race at Del Mar Race Track on November 25, 2022, is suspended for 3 racing days (December 3, 4 and 9, 2022) for failure to make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference which resulted in the disqualification of his mount from first to second place. This constitutes a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules – Careless Riding).

FLORIDA
Track: Gulfstream Park
Date: 11/22/2022
Licensee: Victor Barboza, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine and 15-day suspension
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Steward's Ruling Final Order # 2022-025402 – F.S. 550.2415 violation + 2-(hydroxyethyl) promazine sulfoxide. $500 Fine imposed and due to GSP/BOR by 12/7/22; Purse to be returned by Owners; and 15 day Susp to be served 12/15/22 through and including 12/29/22.

NEW YORK
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 11/26/2022
Licensee: Jalon Samuel, jockey
Penalty: Seven-day suspension
Violation: careless riding
Explainer: You are hereby suspended Seven (7) NYRA racing days for careless riding on November 18,2022 during the running of the 6th race at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 11/26/2022
Licensee: Omar Hernandez Moreno, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: For having waived his right to appeal, Jockey Omar Hernandez Moreno is hereby suspended three (3) NYRA racing days, December 3,2022, December 4, 2022 and December 8, 2022 for careless riding on November 18, 2022 during the running of the 8th race at Aqueduct Racetrack.

NEW HISA STEWARDS RULINGS
The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal, except for the voided claim rulings which were sent to the TDN directly.

Violations of Crop Rule
Golden Gate Fields
Kevin Radke–violation date November 25; $250 fine and one-day suspension, seven strikes; Appealed, stay granted

Remington Park
Weston Hamilton–violation date November 25; $250 fine and one-day suspension, eight strikes
Voided Claims
Hawthorne
Lord Dylan–ruling date November 20, 2022
Maystart–ruling date November 25, 2022

Parx Racing
Iconic Legacy–ruling date November 22, 2022
Emma and I–ruling date November 23, 2022

Penn National
Commissioner Biggs–ruling date November 23, 2022

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