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Longtime Lane’s End Farm Manager Mike Cline Retires

Mike Cline, the only farm manager Lane's End has ever known, retires after a 40 year career at the storied nursery.

“It would be hard to overstate Mike's importance to Lane's End and everything that has happened here since the farms inception,” said Will Farish, “I hired Mike back in 1979 and he has overseen everything from the broodmares, to stallions, to sales, to barn construction, to pasture maintenance.”

Mike has mentored many successful people in the industry. Callan Strouss at Oak Tree, Chris Baker at Three Chimneys, Eddie Kane at Calumet, Charles Campbell at Indian Creek Farm, Cooper Sawyer at Mt. Brilliant and Donna Vowles at Kiltinan Castle Stud just to name a few.

“Will Farish provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime and it has truly been an honor to work for him and with him over these many years,” Cline said. “Will's vision for Lane's End was incredible and it has been a privilege to help him implement that vision. I have had the opportunity to meet presidents, the Queen and many fascinating people, not to mention manage some of the greatest Thoroughbreds in history: A.P. Indy, Smart Strike, Kingmambo, Zenyatta, Miesque, All Along, Weekend Surprise, and so many others.

“I plan on continuing to stay involved with the farm and it's many clients in more of an advisory role,” Cline continued. “Lane's End's continued success will always be important to me.”

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Dan’s Double: Swinging for the Fences on Del Mar Turf

Dan’s Double of the week, featuring handicapping analysis from America’s Best Racing’s New York correspondent Dan Tordjman, is brought to you by Horseplayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).

‘Hard Work Pays Off’: Irad Ortiz Jr. Bags Five Wins Thursday At Saratoga

Irad Ortiz, Jr. enjoyed a tremendous day at the races, winning with 5-of-8 mounts on Thursday's 10-race card at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The veteran jockey, a two-time leading rider at Saratoga [2015, 2018], moved into a tie for second position in the jockey standings with his brother, Jose Ortiz, each with 10 wins, just one short of Joel Rosario.

“When you have the right horses, they make you look good,” said Ortiz, Jr. “Days like this are great. To win five races in one day at any track is so special. You work so hard in this business and on days like this all that hard work pays off.”

Ortiz, Jr. kicked off the flat racing portion of Thursday's program by guiding Thomas Shelby [No. 6, $6.50] to a claiming score for owner-trainer Wesley Ward. Two races later in Race 4, he captured the NYSSS Statue of Liberty for the second straight year by piloting Fresco [No. 1, $3] to a memorable maiden win for leading trainer Christophe Clement.

The veteran rider followed up in Race 5 with a prominent score aboard Irish Front [No. 5, $9.50], a Waterford Stable homebred son of Summer Front trained by Todd Pletcher. In Race 7, he guided Bertranda [No. 10, $6.70] to an in-hand allowance optional-claiming event for trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci.

Ortiz, Jr. added his fifth win on the card in Race 9 when Admiral Lynch [No. 3, $16.80] sprinted to convincing score over 8-5 mutuel favorite Honest Mischief.

On July 31, 2019, Ortiz, Jr. also won five races in one card at Saratoga, going 5-for-7 on the day of his NYSSS Statue of Liberty score aboard Kid Is Frosty.

Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez twice won six races on a Saratoga card in 2012 and Hall of Famer John Velazquez also notched six in one card at the Spa in 2001.

Live racing resumes Friday at Saratoga with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 3, $100,000 Quick Call for sophomores going 5 ½ furlongs on the Mellon turf course in Race 9 at 5:46 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:10 p.m.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Fixing The Easy Things

Racing has major challenges to deal with: competition from sports betting and casinos, distribution of wagering revenue, high takeout, medication, integrity and a growing perception problem with the general public about safety and welfare of the horses. That's why The Jockey Club Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining To Racing is the longest-running show in the game.

But there are some things that aren't that complicated and could be fixed quickly and easily. If only the people in charge really wanted to make a difference.

In this edition of the Friday Show, Ray Paulick and Natalie Voss bring up a few of those issues that almost everyone in racing should agree on: better communications, greater access to information, simple measures to enhance integrity.

We'll leave the big stuff to the poobahs and focus on getting some of the simple things fixed.

Watch The Friday Show below and let us know some of the issues in racing you believe can be fixed easily.

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