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Churchill Downs Racing Club’s Warrior’s Club To Join TRF At Chestnut Hill Sanctuary

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will welcome graded stakes winner Warrior's Club to the TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall through a generous $30,000 donation from the Churchill Downs Racing Club.

“The Churchill Downs Racing Club has been a real thrill and has generated hundreds of new Thoroughbred owners,” said Gary Palmisano, Churchill Downs Racing Club Director. “Warrior's Club has taken his members and the club on an incredible journey and he deserves, like all Thoroughbreds, to live out his days in a place where people can visit him and he can enjoy his retirement.”

Warrior's Club was the first horse for the Churchill Downs Racing Club which was started in 2016 and the son of Warrior's Reward took the 200 partners involved in his group on a whirlwind ride over the course of four years winning races at marquee tracks across the country with victories at Churchill Downs, Saratoga, Oaklawn and Keeneland. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Warrior's Club amassed earnings of over $850,000 including a victory in the Grade III Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland Race Course and competed at the sport's highest level, even participating in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (GI).

The Churchill Downs Racing Club has a commitment to aftercare. Through the success of Warrior's Club on the racetrack, the group was able to purchase several other horses, all of whom have gone on to second careers and homes after racing. To date, the club has either claimed back or purchased back all but two horses, both of whom are actively still racing, to ensure safe and happy retirements.

On behalf of Warrior's Club and the Churchill Downs Racing Club donations also were made to Second Stride, New Vocations, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and Thoroughbred Charities of America.

The TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall opened in April 2021. The farm, a first-of-its kind, was designed to give the Louisville community and fans from around the world a direct connection to the horses at the heart of horse racing. The new TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall will be the permanent home of 11 horses from the organization's national herd of 500 retired Thoroughbred racehorses. These “herd ambassadors” will serve as educators to tell the story of the long life and diverse second careers that await these equine athletes when their racing days are done. Located on nearly 30 acres of historic farmland in Oldham County and featuring a beautiful farmhouse restored to serve as an event venue, Chestnut Hall has been created for the express purpose of connecting Thoroughbred horses to the people of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond. Starting mid-May, the farm will be open to the public for tours through Visit Horse Country and will be available as a unique venue for educational events and fundraisers for nonprofits across the Louisville community.

Weather Forces Oaklawn to Again Reschedule Graded Stakes

Oaklawn, beset by frigid weather which necessitated the cancelling of live racing Friday-Monday, has further altered its stakes schedule to accommodate the extended weather forecast. The featured graded black-type events of Presidents' Day weekend–the GIII Bayakoa S., GIII Razorback H., and GIII Southwest S.–all originally rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20, have all been moved again to Sunday, Feb. 21, to take advantage of the best conditions available. In addition, the Dixie Belle S., which was set for Feb. 13, has now been rescheduled to Saturday, Feb. 20, the same day as the Downthedustyroad S.

Oaklawn will continue to remain open for casino gaming and simulcasting, with live racing scheduled to resume Thursday, Feb. 18.

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Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee Announces Two Upgrades for 2021

The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee held its annual review of graded and listed stakes races in Canada. The number of graded stakes in Canada will decrease to 41 in 2021, due to individual racetracks choosing to place selected races on hold. Additionally, two races currently with black-type status–the Ontario Racing S. and the Woodbine Cares S.–will be upgraded to listed status.

The GI Northern Dancer S., GIII Eclipse S., GII Nijinsky S. and the GII Play the King S. have all been placed on hold and will not be held in 2021.

Additionally, the following races have had a change to their age requirement for 2021: the GII Nassau S., GII Royal North S., GIII Dominion Day S. GIII Royal North S., GIII Vigil S., GIII Ontario Matron S., GIII Seaway S., and GIII Trillium S. all change from three year olds and up to four year olds and up. The GIII Hendrie S. changes from four year olds and up to three year olds and up.

The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all of the graded stakes races in Canada. Last year was recognized as an anomalous year due to the global pandemic. The committee is fully aware of the possibility that some effects of the pandemic may continue in the future.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By The Maryland Jockey Club: Pegasus Races Anchor Gulfstream Card

The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational are among the seven graded-stakes worth $4.725 million on a blockbuster 12-race program at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Both Pegasus races will be part of NBC's live national telecast from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Expanded coverage of the Pegasus World Cup will anchor TVG's weekend coverage as the network is live from Gulfstream Park with exclusive behind-the-scenes features, interviews and expert analysis. TVG's weekend broadcast will also feature opening weekend from Oaklawn Park including the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on Friday which will offer points towards a berth in the Kentucky Derby.

In addition to the Pegasus World Cup coverage, NYRA-produced America's Day at the Races resumes its regular weekend schedule on Jan. 22. Presented in 2021 by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, the show on FS1 and FS2 will feature racing from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park, Fair Grounds, and Tampa Bay Downs in the coming weeks.

Saturday, Jan. 23

1:05 p.m.—$125,000 G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Graded stakes winner Performer will make his seasonal bow and first start outside of New York when he heads up the field in the one-mile Fred W. Hooper Stakes. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Performer has five wins from seven starts and has not finished worse than third in his career. The son of Speightstown most recently ran third in the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap on Dec. 5.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA4-EQB.html

2:38 p.m.—$125,000 G3 Marshua's River Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Stakes winner Vigilantes Way seeks her second win over the Gulfstream Park turf course when she headlines a field of 10 in the one-mile Marshua's River Stakes. The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro comes into Saturday's test off a victory in the Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream on Dec. 26. That outing marked the first stakes win for the Phipps Stable homebred in eight career starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA7-EQB.html

3:09 p.m.—$125,000 G3 La Prevoyante Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Regally-bred Always Shopping has shown an affinity for the Gulfstream Park turf in recent months and aims to keep that momentum going in the 12-furlong La Prevoyante Stakes on Saturday. Out of Stopshoppingmaria – the runner-up in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf – Always Shopping has won two of her last three starts with both of those victories coming over the Gulfstream turf. The daughter of Awesome Again took the Monroe Stakes on Sept. 7 and enters Saturday's race off a victory in the Via Borghese Stakes on Dec. 19.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA8-EQB.html

3:40 p.m.—$200,000 G2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

2W Stables' Bronx Beauty, an eight-time stakes winner over her first four seasons of racing, continues the pursuit of her elusive first graded triumph in Saturday's Inside Information. Bronx Beauty owns 10 wins and $618,070 in purse earnings from 25 career starts, all for owners Richard and Marie Woll, for whom Margotta purchased the now 6-year-old mare as a yearling. Twenty-two of Bronx Beauty's starts have come in stakes, six of them graded, including a head loss to Lady's Island in the Dec. 12 G3 Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream, a race where the winner survived a jockey's objection for interference to earn her second straight win in the six-furlong sprint.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA9-EQB.html

4:13 p.m.—$150,000 G3 W. L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Veteran G1 winner Sadler's Joy will try and notch his first victory in more than a year when he takes on 10 challengers in the 1 ½-miles W.L. McKnight. Trained by Tom Albertrani, Sadler's Joy last visited the winner's circle in November 2019 when he took the Grade 3 Red Smith Stakes. The son of Kitten's Joy most recently finished fourth in the 2020 edition of the Red Smith Stakes and was third in the 2020 Mac Diarmida Stakes last February over the Gulfstream course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA10-EQB.html

4:59 p.m.—$1,000,000 G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park on NBC

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, making just his sixth career start and first in graded company, figures to garner plenty of support in the third running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Colonel Liam was made the narrow 7-2 program favorite over stablemate Largent (9-2) in a field of a dozen stakes winners, 10 of them graded, including G1 winners Aquaphobia, Next Shares, Say the Word and Storm the Court, the 2-year-old male champion of 2019. Colonel Liam and Largent are part of trainer Todd Pletcher's triple threat that includes Social Paranoia, also among the five horses listed at less than double-digit odds.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA11-EQB.html

5:44 p.m.—$3,000,000 G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park on NBC

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go is scheduled to seek the biggest payday of his career in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational. Knicks Go will enter the fifth running of the Pegasus off three straight victories in as many starts in 2020, including a track record-breaking triumph under Joel Rosario in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. Installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of 12, Knicks Go will have to prove himself by trying to carry his abundant speed beyond 1 1/16-miles, the longest distance he has run during his 17-race career.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP012321USA12-EQB.html

6:57 p.m.—$200,000 G3 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Veteran gelding Captain Scotty is back to defend his title as he heads a field of eight older horses going six furlongs in Saturday's Palos Verdes Stakes. A 7-year-old son of Quality Road, Captain Scotty gives trainer Peter Miller a strong one-two punch as he'll be joined by stablemate Shashashakemeup, who comes off a big second place finish in his first start off a $50,000 claim at Churchill Downs. Jay Em Ess Stables' California-bred Take the One O One shortens up out of a close third at 29-1 in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes while Ax Man, idle since fourth in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles July 25, looms dangerous off the bench for Bob Baffert.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA012321USA7-EQB.html

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