ellis park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Trainer John Ortiz Suspended 15 Days For Clenbuterol Positive At Ellis Park

Trainer John Alexander Ortiz has been issued a $500 fine and a 30-day suspension by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, with 15 days stayed, after his trainee Woopigsooie tested positive for clenbuterol at Ellis Park on July 2, 2020.

Woopigsooie finished third in that day's second race, and post-race testing showed a clenbuterol level of 236 picograms per milliliter in the urine, according to findings confirmed by the UIC Analytical Forensic Testing Laboratory.

Since this was Ortiz' first medication violation as a trainer, stewards stayed 15 of the 30 suspension days, pending he has no additional Class A or B medication violations over the next year.

Ortiz will serve his 15-day suspension from Dec. 20, 2020, through Jan. 3, 2021.

Woopigsooie, a 3-year-old son of Secret Circle, was disqualified from his third-place finish in the $16,000 claimer, and all purse money was forfeited.

The post Trainer John Ortiz Suspended 15 Days For Clenbuterol Positive At Ellis Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Approves Race Dates For 2021

At its virtual board meeting on Tuesday, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved 2021 race dates for the state's five Thoroughbred tracks.

Chairman Jonathan Rabinowitz made a statement acknowledging the uncertainty caused by the Kentucky Supreme Court's Sept. 24 decision on historical horse racing, though he did not discuss any specifics: “While I cannot say too much, I do want everyone to know that if the current Supreme Court opinion is rendered final, that this commission is committed to finding a solution,” Rabinowitz said.

In addition, the KHRC tabled a discussion on whip rule penalties that had been listed on the meeting's official agenda.

The race dates approved for 2021 are as follows:

Turfway Park

Jan. 1 – March 28, Thursday to Sunday (Thursdays all marked as “optional”)
Dec. 1 – Dec. 21, Wednesday to Sunday (Wednesdays all marked as “optional,” no racing Dec. 24 or 25)

Keeneland

April 1 – April 23, Wednesday to Sunday
Oct. 8 – Oct. 30, Wednesday to Sunday

Churchill Downs

April 24 – June 26, Wednesday to Sunday (Wednesdays all listed as “Optional,” except April 24)
Additional spring meet cards to be held on April 27 (Tuesday) and May 31 (Monday)
No racing May 2 (Sunday)
Sept. 15 – Oct. 3, Wednesday to Sunday (Wednesdays listed as “optional”)
Nov. 3 – Nov. 28, Wednesday to Sunday

Ellis Park

June 27 – Sept. 1 (all Mondays through Thursdays listed as “optional”)

Kentucky Downs

Sept. 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

The post Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Approves Race Dates For 2021 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

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.

Source of original post

Talamo Earns Ellis Park Riding Title

Joe Talamo, recently relocated from the West Coast, won his first jockey’s title on the Kentucky circuit after riding 20 winners at Ellis Park’s Runhappy Summer meet which concluded Sunday.

“It feels really good,” said Talamo, who won a race both Saturday and Sunday to pull out of a tie with Rafael Bejarano. “Obviously Bejarano didn’t ride the last couple of weeks, so that definitely helped quite a bit, in all honestly. But more than anything, I was just really happy that we got into some nice barns and outfits and won on some really nice 2-year-olds this meet that I’m really excited about in the coming months. I think quite a few of them have a bright future.”

Talamo continued, “I really have to thank all the owners and trainers who supported me this meet, gave me good opportunities. Obviously [agent] Jake [Romans] did a great job. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”

Brad Cox and Ken McPeek tied for the meet’s leading trainer title with 10 wins apiece. Cox won Ellis titles in 2015 and 2018 and McPeek was winning his first title at the Henderson oval.

“We had a great meet,” McPeek said. “We had a lot of horses who came into it perfect. I liked the distance 2-year-old races, and I think we even had one win going short. Overall, the team did a great job. We brought up some from Florida to run, so it was a great summer. It’s a fun meet.”

Cox came on top in the money title with purse earnings of $450,261.

“I was happy with the meet,” Cox said. “It’s a great place to start a lot of young horses, to get them going. Whether they won or not, at least we got some races into them and the meet offered a lot of options as far as turf and dirt. The place has been extremely good to us, and we think a lot of Ellis Park. We’re able to stable there, and it’s a big part of our operation for sure. It’s a good meet, and we’re looking forward to bigger and better things to come.”

The Haughey family’s PTK was the leading owner at the meet with six wins from 23 starters.

“My amazing mom, our P, actually passed away unexpectedly in late March,” Kaitlin Haughey said in an email. “PTK was her baby, and we know she must be proud of this achievement. Winning the Ellis Park owner’s title is really a testament to all the many people and horses who keep PTK functioning on a day-to-day basis.”

The post Talamo Earns Ellis Park Riding Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post