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Classic-Placed Virginia Joy Makes €975,000 At The Arc Sale

Arqana staged its annual boutique Arc Sale of horses in training at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on Saturday evening following a day’s racing at ParisLongchamp, and it was a current star of the German turf that proved the breakout horse, with Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 24) selling to Michel Zerolo’s Oceanic Bloodstock for €975,000. Having raced thus far as a homebred for Gestut Auenquelle, Virginia Joy won the July 12 G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy by a head before finishing third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the G1 Preis Der Diana on Aug. 2. She was runner-up when last seen in the G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis on Sept. 12.

Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) (lot 13) is declared for Sunday’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, and should she line up at ParisLongchamp she will be racing for new connections, having been bought by Haras du Saubous for €400,000 on Saturday evening. Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, Coeursamba broke her maiden at second asking on June 30 and has since been third in the G3 Prix Six Perfections and the G3 Prix d’Aumale.

Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International stepped up to sign for four of the 11 lots sold on the evening, and the dearest of those was the 3-year-old colt Step By Step (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) (lot 25) for €320,000. Step By Step took the Listed Derby du Languedoc on June 12 before finishing second in the 3000 metre G3 Prix de Lutece on Sept. 3 for trainer Yann Barberot. Barberot was also the seller of the 3-year-old gelding Dick Whittington (Fr) (War Command) (lot 12), and that listed-placed runner was also bought by Narvick for €270,000.

Kalifornia Queen (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (lot 11) was another black-type German filly to appear here, and she duly fetched €260,000 from Hubert Guy. Kalifornia Queen won this year’s G2 Diana Trial for trainer Henk Grewe.

Among the high-profile lots that failed to meet their reserves on Saturday were 2-year-old filly Libertine (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (€400,000); Arc runner Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) (€250,000); and Group 3-winning 5-year-old Pretreville (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) (€240,000). In total 19 of the 29 catalogued lots went up for sale, with 11 sold for a total of €3,050,000. The average was €277,273 and the median €260,000.

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The Arc Promise Raises Funds For Retired Racehorses In France

Au-Dela Des Pistes (ADDP), the French charity that focuses on retraining racehorses when they retire from the track, is launching a new initiative to raise funds: the Arc Promise. The Promise allows owners, trainers, breeders and jockeys with a horse running on the two biggest days of French racing to pledge a percentage of any prize money they win to the charity. Thus far, Mickael Barzalona has pledged a percentage of his winnings to ADDP.

Founded in 2016, the ADDP accredits farms that meet their requirements to either retrain or provide sanctuary to retired racehorses. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has forced owners and trainers at all levels to utilize ADDP's services to help place horses in suitable aftercare programs.

To raise additional money, France Galop has committed a portion of funds from ticket sales be designated for the charity.

Racing Resumes in Wuhan, China

Thoroughbred racing resumed in Wuhan, China on Oct. 1. Racing had been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic which originated in the region. A crowd of 3,000 fans were allowed to attend the races, with masks and strict social distancing measures enforced. The first race of the five-race card was the China Cup (video), which went to Ashraf (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in track-record time. Racecourse announcer Wen Li proclaimed, “Wuhan racing, we are back.”

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‘We Can’t Ride Them To Their Full Potential’: Santa Anita Jockeys Struggle With New Whip Rules

Following the first day under new whip rules at Santa Anita Park, several jockeys shared their continuing frustrations with the Daily Racing Form.

The California Horse Racing Board regulations include:

Riders cannot use the crop more than six times during a race, excluding showing or waiving the crop or tapping the horse on the shoulder.
Riders cannot use the crop more than two times in succession (within the six-time limit) without giving the horse a chance to respond before using the crop again.
The crop must be used in an underhanded position with the crop always at or below the shoulder level of the jockey.

“We can't ride them to their full potential, even if it's a light overhanded tap left-handed,” Drayden Van Dyke told drf.com. “People have to understand to get that whip over to your left hand, there are certain techniques you have to do. Underhanded bars you from being able to do it as quickly. This is a game when every millisecond matters. I think it's really discouraging.”

“In my professional opinion, it's not going to work,” Hall of Famer Mike Smith said. “If you're on a deep track and they're tiring, it doesn't work. It'll cost somebody second money, a win, or third money.”