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‘Happy And Healthy’ Jesus’ Team Will Use Claiming Crown To Prep For Pegasus World Cup

Grupo 7C Racing Stables' Jesus' Team, who finished second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his most recent start, is scheduled to make his next start in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 5.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo will use the Claiming Crown headliner, one of nine stakes for horses that have started for a claiming price at least once in 2019-2020, as a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“I prefer a race before the Pegasus World Cup. I don't want to work him up to that race from the Breeders' Cup,” D'Angelo said. “He needs a race in December.”

The 1 1/8-mile Jewel is restricted to 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $35,000. Jesus' Team broke his maiden in a $32,000 maiden claiming race at Gulfstream March 18 in his fifth career start. He came right back to score a seven-length victory for a $25,000 claiming tag May 8 before moving on to prove himself against graded-stakes company in his next six starts.

In his two most recent starts, Jesus' Team finished a distant third behind Swiss Skydiver and Authentic in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico and second in the Dirt Mile, in which he closed from off the pace to finish 3 ½ lengths behind runaway winner Knicks Go.

“After he won the race for $25,000, I saw a big change in him,” D'Angelo said. “With every race, he gets better and better.”

D'Angelo's stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County where Jesus' Team will prepare for Gulfstream's 2020-2021 Championship Meet that will get under way Dec. 2 and run through March 28.

“After the Breeders' Cup, we sent him to Ocala for rest in the paddock and round pen for a week. He's happy and healthy,” D'Angelo said “Now, he's at Palm Meadows and will start training again.”

Jesus' Team is among the most prominent names on the list of 25 nominees, which includes Grade 1 stakes winner Math Wizard and Grade 3 winner Harper's First Ride. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Math Wizard, who captured the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, has breezed twice at Gulfstream since finishing fifth in the Sept. 5 Woodward (G1) at Saratoga. Harper's First Ride, a Claudio Gonzalez-trained Maryland-based gelding captured the Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 2. Jack Sisterson-trained Dack Janiel's, who finished third in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Nov. 6, and defending Jewel champion Leitone are also nominated.

The nine Claiming Crown stakes attracted a total of 271 nominations, including 52 nominations for the $95,000 Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower. Trainer Michael Maker, the all-time leading trainer in Claiming Crown history, has nominated 10 horses to the Emerald, including defending champion Muggsamatic.

The $95,000 Tiara, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 27 nominations, including Herman Wilensky-trained Drop a Hint, who shipped from Gulfstream to Belmont for a third-pace finish in the Sands Point (G2) last time out.

The $90,000 Distaff Dash, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mare that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 34 nominations, including Maker-trained Jakarta, who captured the Powder Break during the Championship Meet at Gulfstream before finishing third in the Franklin County (G3) at Keeneland last time out.

The $90,000 Canterbury, a five-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up who have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, also drew 34 nominations, including Tom Albertrani-trained Fiya, who has won four straight races, including the Maryland Million Turf Sprint at Laurel last time out.

The Claiming Crown program will also include the $85,000 Rapid Transit, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old and up that started for a claiming price of $16,000 or lower; the $80,000 Glass Slipper, a mile race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $12,500 or lower; the $75,000 Express, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower; and the $75,000 Iron Horse, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower.

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Casse: Kentucky, Louisiana Need To ‘Get On Board’ With Clenbuterol Restrictions

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse shared his thoughts on this year's new clenbuterol restrictions with the Thoroughbred Daily News on Tuesday. First, he said he was pleased with the new policies implemented at Woodbine this year, and lauded the Mid-Atlantic region, Oaklawn, and Gulfstream Park for adding restrictions for 2021.

“As a result, we have seen almost none of the nonsensical form reversals that had haunted us in the past at Woodbine in 2020,” Casse told the TDN.

Still, there are several major racing jurisdictions that have yet to change their policies, Casse lamented.

“My question is, what is taking Kentucky and Louisiana so long to get on board?” he said. “I am very disappointed that we ran the recent Breeders' Cup series at Keeneland with the same Clenbuterol rules that have failed us in the past. In life and horse racing, there are not many things I am certain of, but one thing I am positive about is the need for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act to be passed by the Senate. Because only when we have national uniformity of medication rules will inequities of this patchwork quilt that has plagued the sport be solved.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Mark Casse On Clenbuterol Changes

Editor’s Note: In Monday’s TDN, Bill Finley made reference to Mark Casse’s comments on Clenbuterol in a Mar. 2 Op/Ed in the TDN. Casse sent us this note in response.

Much has changed since my Mar. 2 Op/Ed with regards to Clenbuterol. Canada made big changes to their Clenbuterol policy and, as a result, we have seen almost none of the nonsensical form reversals that had haunted us in the past at Woodbine in 2020. I was elated to see the Clenbuterol changes for 2021 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Also, I commend Louis Cella and Oaklawn for their revised Clenbuterol policies. And just today, I read where The Stronach Group has implemented new Clenbuterol rules for the upcoming Gulfstream Park Championship Meet. Cheers!

My question is, what is taking Kentucky and Louisiana so long to get on board? I am very disappointed that we ran the recent Breeders’ Cup series at Keeneland with the same Clenbuterol rules that have failed us in the past. In life and horse racing, there are not many things I am certain of, but one thing I am positive about is the need for the Horse Integrity and Safety Act to be passed by the Senate. Because only when we have national uniformity of medication rules will inequities of this patchwork quilt that has plagued the sport be solved.

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Tiz the Law to Return in Pegasus, Perhaps With a New Jockey

A rarity in the modern era for a top-class 3-year-old, Tiz the Law (Constitution) will race again next year and is being pointed for the GI Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park. But who will be aboard him that day? It appears the answer is not Manny Franco.

After trainer Barclay Tagg criticized Franco’s ride in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, Jack Knowlton, the managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, echoed those sentiments Tuesday. When asked if there would be a jockey change, Knowlton said it is under consideration.

Franco has become a top jockey on the New York circuit and has ridden Tiz the Law in all but his first start. But he is short on experience when it comes to major races. Tagg was disappointed that Franco wasn’t immediately able to get Tiz the Law off the rail in the Classic and that he didn’t go after Authentic (Into Mischief) more aggressively in the early part of the race. After breaking sharply, Tiz the Law settled into fifth before finishing sixth. The first time in his career he has finished out of the money, Tiz the Law was beaten 5 1/2 lengths.

“I don’t think any of us were pleased with his ride,” Knowlton said. “I was in the paddock when Barclay talked to Manny and gave him his instructions, how he wanted to see him ride him and where he wanted him to put the horse in the race. Unfortunately, that did not happen.”

Will Franco lose the mount?

“I think that’s certainly on the table,” Knowlton said. “We’re not just looking at the Classic but looking at next year, looking at the potential of where we may run. There are places like Del Mar and Oaklawn and those are places where Manny’s never raced or certainly not ridden at to a high degree at all. That’s a factor as you look ahead. We know we’ve got one more year and we have a pretty good idea of where we are going to run. We had a great year with him, but you have to look forward and try to figure out what’s best for the horse going forward. The discussion of who is going to ride is one that Barclay, (assistant trainer) Robin (Smullen) and I have already begun.”

Knowlton said that Tiz the Law does not like to run inside of horses.

“We had a hell of a streak and then we got the two post in the Classic and lot of people said, ‘Uh oh, this is trouble’ because he wants to be outside of horses,” Knowlton said. “Unfortunately, it played out that way. Did it have to play out as badly as it did? I don’t think so. I don’t really think with the best of trips we were going to beat Authentic. He got a lot better.”

In June, Knowlton finalized an agreement with Coolmore America to stand Tiz the Law at stud. It stipulated that Sackatoga would make all racing decisions before he was retired and that it had the option of racing him as 4-year-old.

“When we had discussions with outfits that were interested in pursuing Tiz as a stallion I drew two lines in the sand,” Knowlton said. “One was no racing rights were for sale and, secondly, he had to be able to run through his 4-year-old year, as long as he was healthy and sound and running at a high level.”

Knowlton said that giving his partners another chance to cheer on Tiz the Law as a 4-year-old was among the reasons he is bringing the horse back.

“For 33 out of 35 partners this is the horse of a lifetime,” he said. “Lew Titterton and I had the experience of Funny Cide winning the Derby, the Preakness and almost winning the Triple Crown, doing things on a big stage and having a great horse. Thirty-three other people have never had this opportunity and, in all likelihood, never will again. I think it’s great for the sport to bring him back. It is unfortunate that so many of the good 3-year-olds don’t get a chance to run as 4-year-olds and then are forgotten. Because Funny Cide was a gelding we had the wonderful opportunity as Sackatoga owners to enjoy this horse basically for six years, from his 2-year-old to 7-year-old year. We are trying to do something that is good for the game and something I wanted to make happen.”

Knowlton said the Pegasus at Gulfstream will be next and that Tiz the Law will not have a prep for that race. He said other races on Tiz the Law’s tentative schedule are the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the GI Whitney S. and the Oaklawn H. He said there is an outside shot he will run in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

The $20-million Saudi Cup, he said, is not under consideration.

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