Robin Goodfellow’s Racing Tips: Best bets for Tuesday, December 22
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Huntingdon, Sedgefield and Lingfield.
Tag: Horse racing news
Breeders’ Cup Winner Sharing Headlines Field Of 10 In American Oaks
Trainer Graham Motion's Sharing is the filly to beat in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita. Originally run at Hollywood Park in 2002 and transferred to Santa Anita in 2014, the Oaks, the final G1 event of the year for 3-year-old fillies, has attracted a field of 10 and will be run for the 19th time on Saturday, opening day of Santa Anita's Winter/Spring meeting.
A winner over the course in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at one mile on Nov. 1, 2019, Sharing, a Maryland-bred daughter of Speightstown, who is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable, will be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time as she seeks her sixth win from nine career starts.
Eclipse will also be well represented by the Paddy Gallagher-trained Red Lark, who comes off a close fourth place finish in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland Oct. 10 and who won the G1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 22.
Eastern-based Chad Brown looms dangerous with English-bred Capital Structure, who although she'll be making her stakes debut in the Oaks, exits a solid allowance win going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Belmont Park Oct. 25 and rates a big look with Joel Rosario aboard in what will be her fourth career start.
THE G1 AMERICAN OAKS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT
- Red Lark—Drayden Van Dyke—124
- Miss Addie Pray—Mike Smith—124
- Capital Structure—Joel Rosario—124
- Going to Vegas—Mario Gutierrez—124
- Luck Money—Ricardo Santana, Jr.—124
- Guitty—Juan Hernandez—124
- California Kook—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
- Duopoly—Flavien Prat—124
- Sharing—John Velazquez—124
- Neige Blanche—Umberto Rispoli–124
The G1 American Oaks is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race card Saturday​. Although there is no public admittance, fans can watch and wager via 1st.com/Bet and they can watch all of Santa Anita's races free of charge at santaanita.com/live. Special early first post time on Saturday is at 11 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
The post Breeders’ Cup Winner Sharing Headlines Field Of 10 In American Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Finite Ships West To Take On Merneith In La Brea
In what appears to be a wide-open affair at seven furlongs, Steve Asmussen-trained Finite and Bob Baffert trainee Merneith head a field of 11 sophomore fillies in the Grade 1, $300,000 La Brea Stakes, one of five graded events on Santa Anita's Winter/Spring opening day this Saturday, Dec. 26.
A winner of the G3 Chilukki Stakes going a one turn mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 21, Finite is a three-time graded stakes winner who seeks her seventh win in what will be her 12th career start.
A winner of her last two starts, Merneith, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, seeks her third consecutive win and her first graded stakes win.
FINITE
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson & Deborah Easter
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Fresh off a rousing 2 ½ length win going a one turn mile in the G3 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs Nov. 21, this daughter of Munnings will ship west in search of her first G1 victory. Although she rallied powerfully from off the pace to win the Chilukki, Finite has plenty of natural speed, evidenced by her gate to wire maiden win going 6 ½ furlongs on grass at age two. With three graded stakes victories and an overall mark of 11-6-3-0, she is the leading money earner in the field with $757,869 and looms the post time favorite.
MERNEITH
Owner: HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A game neck winner of an ungraded six furlong stakes at Keeneland on Nov. 7, this daughter of American Pharoah was an emphatic 3 ¼ length allowance winner at the same distance here on Oct. 11 and thus seeks her third consecutive win. A well beaten third by Horse of the Year candidate Swiss Skydiver in her only graded stakes try, the G2 Santa Anita Oaks five starts back on June 6, Merneith appears poised for a top effort as Baffert seeks his record eighth La Brea triumph.
MOTIVATED SELLER
Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc.
Trainer: Chad Brown
Second, beaten a neck by Merneith going six furlongs at Keeneland Nov. 7, this daughter of top sire Into Mischief is very much on the improve for Brown. A six length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Jan. 12, she was then idle until Oct. 11 at Belmont Park, where she pressed the early pace and registered a 2 ¾ length allowance win at the same distance. In what will be her fourth career start, Motivated Seller will be trying graded stakes competition for the first time.
THE GRADE I LA BREA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
- Princess Mo—Geovanni Franco—120
- Merneith—John Velazquez—120
- Himiko—Flavien Prat—120
- Secret Keeper—Abel Cedillo–120
- Finite—Ricardo Santana, Jr.—122
- Biddy Duke—Juan Hernandez—122
- Provocation—Joel Rosario—120
- Motivated Seller—Umberto Rispoli—120
- Fair Maiden—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
- Golden Principal—Mike Smith—120
- Stellar Sound—Victor Espinoza–120
The G1 La Brea, to be contested for the 48th time, is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race card Saturday.
Although there is no public admittance, fans can watch and wager via 1st.com/Bet and they can watch all of Santa Anita's races free of charge at santaanita.com/live. Special early first post time on Saturday is at 11 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
The post Finite Ships West To Take On Merneith In La Brea appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act Advances in Congress
The $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill that was expected to pass Monday includes a provision that calls for the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. With the omnibus spending bill having received bipartisan support and with President Donald J. Trump expected to sign it, the legislation that would bring sweeping change to how the sport is regulated and policed appears to have cleared its final hurdle.
Congressional leaders announced Sunday night that they had reached a deal on the stimulus package that included the horse racing act. It was expected to be voted on by the House of Representatives some time Monday and would then go to the Senate, which could also vote on the bill Monday. Once the bill is signed by President Trump it will become a reality.
“It’s a great day,” said Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY), a longtime proponent of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. “It’s going to save a sport, provide additional jobs and will be so respectful of the equine athletes, the jockeys and others who are involved. It begins and ends there. I am thrilled about it.”
The effort to increase attempts to end doping and to improve safety through legislation has been an on-going process that started at least six years ago and was spearheaded by Tonko (D-NY), whose district includes Saratoga, and Congressman Andy Barr (R-Ky), whose district includes Keeneland. However, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act appeared to be stalled until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) announced his support in a September press conference at Keeneland.
“It’s a great day,” said Arthur Hancock, who, along with his wife Staci, has been fighting for industry reform for nearly 30 years and formed the Water Hays Oats Alliance. “It’s hard to believe. I’m still sort of pinching myself that it is done. Leader McConnell of Kentucky has done a wonderful job and so has Andy Barr and Paul Tonko. Senator McConnell, they threw him the pass and he ran a 75-yard touchdown. I think now the horse business has a future. People will come to, hopefully, trust it again and have confidence in it. We’re going to clean out the drugs and thugs.”
The House passed a stand-alone version of the Act shortly after McConnell voiced his support, but had to vote again because the legislation was now included in a different bill. The language covering the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act in the spending bill is virtually identical to the bill passed by the House of Representatives in September.
“The private, independent, self-regulatory, non-profit corporation, to be known as the ‘Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’ is recognized for purposes of developing and implementing a horseracing anti-doping and medication control program and a racetrack safety program for covered horses, covered persons, and covered horseraces,” it reads.
“I think this will build great layers of integrity into the process, which is an important thing,” Tonko said. “There are many, many choices for sports fans these days. The sports fans are very discerning and if we are to provide a cleaner image, one that’s safer and more respectful of the equine athlete, the jockeys and all the people involved in the sport, I think it will mean a great shot in the arm for the sport.”
The bill calls for a phase-in period, with the bill going into effect July 1, 2022, at which time the “Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority” will be in place and responsible for “developing and implementing a horseracing anti-doping end-medication program and a racetrack safety program for covered horses…”
The “Authority” will be governed by a nine-member Board which must be put in place prior to July 1, 2022. The Federal Trade Commission will have oversight of the Authority and the United States Anti-Doping Agency will be brought in to handle drug testing and enforcement.
Where the funding will come from to pay for USADA and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority remains somewhat unclear. The bill states that initial funding to establish the Authority and underwrite its operations shall be provided through loans obtained by the Authority.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act had picked up widespread support in the industry. The Jockey Club was the most visible and vocal group when it came to supporting reform measures through legislation, but was joined by the Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland, Churchill Downs, the New York Racing Association, Del Mar, The Stronach Group, as well as other influential racing organizations.
The post Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act Advances in Congress appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
