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$15,000 Purchase Lookin At Justice Kicks Clear To Win Indiana Futurity

A late rider change paired Jesus Castanon with Lookin at Justice in the 21st running of the $75,000 Indiana Futurity Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Indiana Grand. The move proved to be a winning connection as the duo scored a six and one-quarter length win in a time of 1:44.19 in the one mile and 70-yard event.

Starting from post four in the 12-horse lineup, Castanon had Lookin at Justice ready to roll out of the gate, getting good early positioning behind early leader A Few Too Many and Tommy Pompell. Lookin at Justice followed along comfortably down the backstretch as horses vied for position on the outside. Heading into the final turn, Lookin at Justice moved up and moved on to lead the field into the final portions of the race.

In the stretch, Lookin at Justice hit another gear and rolled out to a dominant lead for an easy win. Sudden Shift and DeShawn Parker rallied up late to finish second over Rockin All Night and Rodney Prescott, who also closed well for third place.

“Anytime you get to ride for Mr. Genaro (Garcia), you go out with a lot of confidence,” said Castanon. “I've been on him (Lookin at Justice) in the mornings so I knew him a little. He got somewhat confused turning into the stretch because he looked over and saw the starting gate and he picked up his ears. But I smooched to him one time to pick it up and he took off.”

It was the second win in six starts for Lookin at Justice, who is owned by Steve Lewis of Chicago and Genaro Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable. The juvenile son of Atreides was a $15,000 purchase last year at Fasig Tipton's October Yearling Sale in Kentucky. The Justice Farm product now has in excess of $80,000 in career earnings.

“I always thought two turns would be better for this colt,” said Garcia, who handles the training duties. “He would be much better for a distance because when he was in a sprint, you had to push him the entire time. I feel like he will be a nice 3-year-old. He's one of the special ones in the barn.”

Lewis and Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable is currently leading the owner standings with 19 wins heading into the final two days of racing. Garcia is leading the trainer standings with 41 wins. A title in 2020 would be Garcia's fourth straight training title at Indiana Grand.

The final two days of racing in 2020 offers a lot of action. A $115,522.76 carryover will kick off the Straight Fire 6 Jackpot Pick 6 in the second race Wednesday, Nov. 18. The card also includes two stakes, the 23rd running of the $100,000 To Much Coffee Stakes and the 24th running of the $100,000 Frances Slocum Stakes for older Indiana breds.

The post $15,000 Purchase Lookin At Justice Kicks Clear To Win Indiana Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Global Trade For Goffs Autumn Yearlings

The two-day virtual online Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale came to a close on Wednesday, with global participation pushing the average and median above last year’s figures. A heavily scratched down catalogue due to the many challenges of 2020 meant that 273 of the 475 catalogued yearlings went up for sale, with 170 (62.6%) finding new homes for an aggregate of €1,094, 200. Last year 288 were sold (74%) for €1,691,600. This year’s average and median were each up 10% (€6,436 and €4,400).

Taking top billing on Wednesday was a Zoffany (Ire) filly out of Watsdaplan (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) (lot 456), who has had two winners from two to race and is a half-sister to GI Beverly D.S. winner Watsdachances (Ire) (Diamond Green {Fr}). Consigned by Glacken View Stud, she was bought by Al and Bill Ulwelling, bidding online from America, for €33,000. The Ulwellings also bought fillies by Lawman (Fr) and Fast Company (Ire) on Tuesday.

The top-priced colt of the session was Airlie Stud’s son of Sea The Moon (Ger) (lot 317) bought by BBA Ireland and Stamina Turf for €31,000, while a first-crop daughter of Profitable (Ire) (lot 399) made €20,000 from Aoife Dunphy.

Upon the conclusion of the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “Adaptability. That is one of the key words that sums up the bloodstock industry throughout this awful pandemic as all of us have had to react and adapt to circumstances that have been both out of our control and unlike anything we have experienced.

“The last two days have been a very clear example of reacting and adapting as a purely online sale, devoid of both horses and people, was never a first preference but was forced upon us by the latest Irish restrictions and the need of vendors to sell into the market place. Originally we had planned to hold the sale in January in the hope that the situation would have improved enough to hold a live sale with the usual participants in Kildare Paddocks, and we will still provide that option if the market wants it, but it became clear that the majority of vendors desired the opportunity provided by Goffs Online. Indeed, we salute the flexibility and positivity in which so many have approached the last two days and feel that the decision was vindicated by a level of trade which, although far from a cause for celebration, was acceptable in the current climate.

“We have taken 2,261 bids via Goffs Online, backed up by a lot of telephone activity, and that has led to 10% advances in the average and median although the turnover is obviously well down as we offered a significantly smaller number than 12 months ago. That said, a 62% clearance rate demonstrates the challenges for the market, but it should be noted that part of the service provided was to allow breeders the chance to qualify for 2021 Auction Races and we are grateful to both HRI and BHA for making the necessary alterations to the criteria to allow these yearlings to be eligible; obviously those ‘vendor’ sales are not included in the clearance rate we quote.

“The Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale has always relied heavily on overseas participation and Goffs Online has really come into its own over the two days with buyers from Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, UK and the U.S. The user friendly nature of this platform has made it very easy for them to engage at a time when travel is not possible and we wish all of them the best of luck with their latest Goffs purchases.

“So, whilst we will not look back on the 2020 renewal of the Autumn Yearling Sale with any affection, we extend our thanks to everyone who has helped the sale take place and, like the whole world, we just hope and pray that a degree of normality will return soon as there’s nothing like the Goffs sales ring when it is buzzing with horses, people and bids.”

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Russian Influence Dominates Miss Indiana Stakes

All she needed was a little more time to shine, and that's exactly what she did. Russian Influence and Marcelino Pedroza scored the win in the 23rd running of the $75,000 Miss Indiana Stakes Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Indiana Grand. The race, which began at Hoosier Park in 1998, was the first 2-year-old pari-mutuel stakes race in the state and transferred to Indiana Grand when the program went to one breed, one track in 2013.

Russian Influence broke sharply and could have been a contender early, but Pedroza grabbed the reins and opted to settle in behind the field in next to last place. A herd of horses shot to the lead. America Rules and Tommy Pompell were the first to claim the top spot on the inside but were tracked closely by Hungarian Princess and Sammy Bermudez to their outside. Big If True and Eddie Perez were a lane further out. Horses were stacked three-wide through the first seven spots down the backstretch.

Pedroza began to move Russian Influence forward heading into the final turn of the one mile, 70-yard event, but ran into traffic trouble midway through the turn and was delayed a few strides. However, room opened up soon after and he was able to shoot through horses and was among the top three heading into the lane.

In the stretch, Russian Influence took over and sped out to the top spot, rallying home for the win by two and three-quarter lengths in a time of 1:45.88. Hungarian Princess held off Timeless Glory and Geena Lucille to finish second.

“I got on this filly after the last time she ran and really liked her and it gave me the opportunity to know what to recognize from her,” said Pedroza. “She just needed distance. She broke sharp but the plan for the race worked out perfectly. We let the speed go and at the 5/16ths, I was looking for a way to get through. Once we got through, I had a lot of horse left.”

It was the second win in three starts for Russian Influence and her first appearance in stakes action. She was purchased as a yearling at the Keeneland January All Ages Sale in 2019 for $120,000 by owner Stuart Grant of The Elkstone Group. He instantly liked what he saw.

“Stuart (Grant) texted me after the sale and told me he just bought the next Lady Fog Horn,” said trainer Tony Granitz, who campaigned two-time Indiana Horse of the Year Lady Fog Horn to more than $825,000 in earnings. “I told him those were big shoes to fill. We had to wait quite a while before we got her, but to this point, she's done everything right. We took the blinkers off of her tonight and it worked out great. We've been waiting for two turns.”

It was the first time Pedroza had been aboard Russian Influence in a race, but he was familiar with the Into Mischief Indiana bred filly from the mornings. With Andres Ulloa riding two of three entrants entered in the Miss Indiana Stakes for Granitz, he had to find a new pilot for Russian Influence.

“Andres (Ulloa) had just won on Taperinea so I told him we'd leave him on her and get someone for this filly (Russian Influence),” said Granitz. “We worked Russian Influence and Taperinea together last week and Marcelino came over and breezed her. It can be stressful having three in one race, but all three ran well today. I thought Timeless Glory ran really well to finish third. It's been a great year for all of our 2-year-olds.”

Russian Influence completes her two-year-old campaign with more than $70,000 in earnings in just three starts. The filly was bred by Deann and Dr. Greg Baer of Columbus, Ind.

For Pedroza, it was his third win on the program. The Panamanian jockey recently returned to riding after a three-month layoff due to an injury. In only two months of action, Pedroza has earned a spot among the track's top six riders and has accumulated more than $1 million in purses in the process.

The final two days of racing in 2020 are set for Wednesday, Nov. 18 and Thursday, Nov. 19 with a 2:05 p.m. start time. The Wednesday program offers the final two Thoroughbred stakes races of the year with the 23rd running of the $100,000 To Much Coffee Stakes and the 24th running of the $100,000 Frances Slocum Stakes for older Indiana breds on the program. The afternoon card will also feature a $115,522.76 carryover in the Straight Fire 6 Jackpot Pick 6, which begins in Race 2.

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Woodbine Entertainment Adds Three to Board of Directors

Woodbine Entertainment appointed Mr. Michael Lay, Mr. Mark Saunders and Ms. Ann Straatman to its Board of Directors.

“Woodbine is proud to announce the appointment of three new members to our Board of Directors,” said Christine Magee, Chair, Woodbine Entertainment Board of Directors. “The Board is excited to work with such outstanding leaders to help fulfil Woodbine’s mission to grow the sport of horse racing in Ontario while making a positive impact on the communities that we operate in.”

Mr. Michael Lay is a Managing Partner and Co-Head of ONCAP, the middle market private equity platform of Onex, who invests and manages capital on behalf of shareholders, institutional investors and high net worth clients from around the world. Mr. Saunders is a retired police officer and most recently, the Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service. Ms. Ann Straatman is Reproduction Manager at Seelster Farms, the largest Standardbred breeding farm in Canada.

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