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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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Woodbine Adds Three New Members To Board Of Directors

Woodbine Entertainment (Woodbine) announced Wednesday the appointment of Michael Lay, Mark Saunders and 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.”

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. Prior to joining ONCAP in 2000, Lay was Head of the Private Equity Group at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. Additionally, Lay is an experienced Board member having served on numerous corporate and not for profit Boards.

Lay is passionate about Thoroughbred racing and has owned and raced horses at Woodbine since 2013. He has a strong interest in working with the Board and Management Team at Woodbine to grow horse racing throughout the province.

“As Woodbine continues to unlock the value of the lands that surrounds our racetracks, Michael's leadership experience will greatly benefit our efforts as we continue to take the prudent steps on our pathway towards self-sustainability,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment.

Saunders is a retired police officer and most recently, the Chief of Police for the Toronto Police Service. As Chief of Police, Saunders successfully led the largest municipal Police Service in Canada and fourth largest in North America, helping to keep Toronto safe. As Deputy Chief, Saunders created and operationalized the “C3” Unit, a unit whose mandate is to investigate cybercrime and provide technology based investigative support throughout the Service.

As a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Community Contributions recipient, Saunders' impact within Toronto communities was immense and includes serving on the Board of Directors at Covenant House Toronto, as a Co-Chair of the United Way Campaign Cabinet, Vice-patron of Haven Toronto (formerly The Good Neighbours' Club) and the Honourary Chair of the 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games.

“Mark 's passion for creating safe, inclusive spaces, along with his leadership and community engagement expertise will help Woodbine continue to be an active, responsible and valued member of the communities in which we operate,” commented Lawson.

Ann Straatman is one of the most prominent people involved in Canadian standardbred racing. As Reproduction Manager at Seelster Farms, the largest Standardbred breeding farm in Canada, Straatman uses her 25 years of industry experience to skillfully guide the highly successful operation including directly overseeing stallion acquisition, syndication and management; mare reproductive management, mare contracts and client liaison. Additionally, she is the current Sales Manager of London Selected Yearling Sale and President of Forest City Standardbred Sales Inc. since 2006.

Straatman additionally provides leadership to the industry as Chair of the Board of Directors at Standardbred Canada, Chair of the Board of Governors at Western Fair District; Director of The Hambletonian Society, a member of the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and a member of the Central Ontario Standardbred Association.

“Few people contribute to the horse racing industry to the degree that Ann does,” said Lawson. “Having her broad expertise on our Board of Directors will greatly benefit our organization by having another industry leader offer her expertise and experience to our strategic planning and decisions.”

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Johnson Hopes To Get Sports Crowds Back ‘As Soon As Possible’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday that he hopes to get fans back into sporting venues “as soon as possible” after reports emerged on Tuesday that the government was exploring having spectators return to venues by Christmas in areas with the lowest COVID-19 infection rates.

With the exception of trial events at Doncaster and Warwick in September-with the former having been cut short due to rising infection rates in the area-racing has been staged behind closed doors since its resumption on June 1. Goodwood and Newmarket had also been set to stage pilot events for the return of crowds in August and September, but those events were subsequently cancelled.

A BHA spokesperson said on Wednesday, “We remain in ongoing liaison with [the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] regarding the return of spectators to sporting events, both through direct routes and racing’s seat on the ‘major sports’ group which supports the work of the Sports Technology and Innovation Group. We are currently awaiting further clarity from DCMS on the situation, though we are of course aware that this will be a cross-Governmental decision.”

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Keeneland and Cross Gate Gallery to Host Virtual Auction Sunday

The 2020 Sporting Art Auction, a collaboration between Keeneland and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington that features 188 lots representing fine sporting art, American paintings and sculptures, will be held virtually Sunday, Nov. 22, beginning at noon ET. The Sporting Art Auction catalog is available online at thesportingartauction.com.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Sporting Art Auction will not be conducted in person. Bids will be accepted via absentee, by phone through prior arrangement and online at www.crossgategallery.com, www.liveauctioneers.com and www.invaluable.com. Participants must register to bid in advance of the auction.

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