Tag: hermaphrodite

‘It’s A Bit Strange’: Equine Hermaphrodite Faces Disqualification From Group Race

Germany's reigning champion trainer Henk Grewe faces losing a Group race in Italy because the filly who won the race, Flamingo Girl, is actually a hermaphrodite – having both male and female characteristics.

The extraordinary discovery emerged after Flamingo Girl, officially described as a 4-year-old daughter of Soldier Hollow, tested positive for the male hormone testosterone after winning the fillies-only G3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani at Rome's Capanelle racecourse in September.

The initial finding by Italy's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry suggested the case could involve a doping offence. An immediate two-year disqualification was imposed on the horse – but subsequent tests in Germany have revealed Flamingo Girl is not totally female.

“I came across something like this 15 years ago when I was with Mario Hofer and the same doctor who made the test on that horse carried out the test on Flamingo Girl,” said Grewe.

“In Germany it is called a Zwitter [German for hermaphrodite]. It's a bit strange. The filly was always a bit masculine. She had a bit of the character of a colt. I just thought she was a bit strong for a filly, but nothing more. It's crazy, but we can't change it.”

Flamingo Girl, who has run again since finishing down the field in a Listed race in Hannover, is expected to be disqualified from the Group victory in Italy and her future racing career must be in doubt.

Flamingo Girl has a record of three wins from 16 starts, including a Listed race in Dusseldorf in May 2020, Until last month she had never tested positive for testosterone.

“We have a meeting next week with Deutscher Galopp when we will clear everything up,” said Grewe. “This was not my fault. Parts of her are both male and female. She was tested at the beginning of her three-year-old campaign but it seems the male characteristics have developed later.”

This story was reprinted with permission by Horse Racing Planet. Find the original piece and more content here.

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Sadler-Hronis Racing Run 1-2 In Astra Stakes With Quick, Hermaphrodite

In the midst of a four-day riding suspension, Umberto Rispoli had but one mount on Sunday at Santa Anita and he made it count.  In a furious stretch drive aboard the 9-5 favorite Quick, he held off her stablemate Hermaphrodite and Joel Rosario by a nose, giving Hronis Racing, LLC and John Sadler a one-two finish in the marathon Grade 3, $100,000 Astra Stakes. Rispoli was eligible to compete during his suspension as it is a designated race by the California Horse Racing Board.

With a hillside start, the Astra, at a mile and one half on turf, was run in 2:27.71.

In-hand while a joint third outside of her stablemate as the field came out of the clubhouse turn for its run up the backside, Quick was about two lengths off pacesetter Aunt Lubie.  At the 3 ½-furlong mark, Rispoli stepped on the gas and was three-wide turning for home outside Aunt Lubie and Carpe Vinum.  From there, English-bred Quick gained the advantage, while French-bred Hermaphrodite had to wait for room at the rail.

This proved the difference, as Quick survived by a diminishing nose right on the money.

“Pace was not that fast, so I had to make a decision to move,” said Rispoli, who is now tied with Rosario with a meet-leading four stakes wins through 12 racing days.  “I knew where I sat and I know her, she could go through.  She's a galloper, when she moved again, I got lucky it was by the wire.  Sometimes you need luck in these things.

“…It's always a pleasure, it's probably not nice for him to hear it, but it's always a pleasure to beat a jockey like (Rosario).  He's so respectful, so nice.  I asked him after the wire, 'Did you get me?' because my head was down, and I was just focusing to try to win the race.  He said 'No, no, you got it.'”

A solid third going a mile and three eighths on turf in the G3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 26, Quick, a 5-year-old mare by Olympic Glory, broke through the starting gate prior to the break but she remained the favorite in a field of nine older fillies and mares, returning $5.80, $3.60 and $2.80.

“She got the trip she needed today,” said Juan Leyva, assistant to Sadler.  “She got to relax, not be on the front end.  She settled well and got a perfect trip.  I think our other filly (runner-up Hermaphrodite) might have been a little better, but it worked out great, we ran one-two.”

In garnering her first graded stakes win, Quick, who made her US debut here on Feb. 1, 2020, has now won two of her nine starts with Sadler and is 16-4-5-3 overall.  With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $172,935.

Hermaphrodite saved ground at the rail throughout, but lacked room when it counted, from the quarter pole to the eighth pole, and indeed finished as though she may've been best.  The 4-1 second choice, she finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of a late running Altea and paid $4.80 and $3.20.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Altea outran Lucky Peridot by a half length and paid $3.80 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.98, 48.25, 1:13.59, 1:39.18 and 2:03.40.

First post time for a nine-race holiday card on Monday is at 12:30 p.m. PT.

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