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Prix Jean Prat Winner Pinatubo Now Heading Standings For Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt

Pinatubo, winner of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt award in 2019, now heads the latest standings for Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt in 2020 following his victory in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, France, on July 12.

The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

European horseracing's top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from readers of Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35%). The participation of the public plays a crucial role in determining the winners of each year's Cartier Racing Awards and gives horseracing fans the chance to put forward their favourite horses in a meaningful way.

In addition to the equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 16-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months. The 10 most recent recipients have been Pat Smullen, David Oldrey, Sir Michael Stoute, Aidan O'Brien, Jack Berry, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Jim Bolger, Team Frankel, Barry Hills and Richard Hannon Sr.

The 30th annual Cartier Racing Awards will be awarded in November. Cartier continues its ongoing support with the presentation of Cartier Racing Awards in 2020, despite the cancellation of the traditional awards ceremony at The Dorchester in London, due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Cartier looks forward to resuming the awards ceremony in 2021.

Homebred by the Maktoum family's Godolphin operation, Shamardal colt Pinatubo (56 points) went through 2019 unbeaten in six races, culminating with G1 victories at the Curragh and Newmarket. The Charlie Appleby-trained colt began this season with placed efforts in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and at Royal Ascot in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes before registering a third career success at G1 level in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat. His closest pursuer in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category is Santiago (48), who was successful in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot before going on to land the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Pinatubo also enters the reckoning for Cartier Horse of the Year, where the standings continue to be headed by Way To Paris (72), who has scored at G1 and G2 level already in 2020. Way To Paris, owned by Paolo Ferrario and trained by Andrea Marcialis, also leads in the Cartier Older Horse category. A significant mover in both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse standings is Nazeef (48), trained by John Gosden for Hamdan Al Maktoum. A daughter of Invincible Spirit, Nazeef has won all three of her starts so far this year. Her latest victory was her best yet as she took the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes on July 10, one of the highlights of Newmarket's Moët & Chandon July Festival.

Also successful at the three-day meeting was Oxted (40), who handed trainer Roger Teal a first G1 success in the six-furlong G1 Darley July Cup. The four-year-old Mayson gelding progressed through handicap company last season and displayed further improvement when landing the G3 Betway Abernant Stakes on his return to action at Newmarket in June. Oxted currently leads the Cartier Sprinter category alongside Golden Horde (40), winner of the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and third behind Oxted at Newmarket.

Love (64) continues to maintain her clear lead in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly category following her Classic victories in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and G1 Investec Oaks. The Galileo filly, trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore syndicate, is set to head to York next for the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks in August.

It is a similar story in the Cartier Stayer division where Stradivarius (32), who was crowned Cartier Stayer in 2018 and 2019, continues to head the standings. Owned by Bjorn Nielsen and trained by John Gosden, Stradivarius claimed his third consecutive success in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and is expected to attempt for a fourth win the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup on July 28.

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Louisiana Downs Announces Updated COVID-19 Protocols for Riders

Officials at Harrahs Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana, have released updated protocols as it regards its jockey leaving and returning to the track.

The track has announced that any rider accepting a mount at another track will be asked to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days and will be required to submit a negative test for COVID-19 before being allowed to return. Inbound jockeys who have ridden at other facilities will be asked to do the same. The policy will be in effect until further notice.

“After careful consideration, we felt it was necessary to implement these restrictions at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs,” said David Heitzmann, Director of Racing. “The health and safety of everyone involved must be protected; we join other racetracks in North America by enacting these measures.”

Live racing at Louisiana Downs, which began June 6, continues Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through Sept. 23.

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Louisiana Downs Announces Updated Jockeys’ COVID-19 Protocols

Harrah's Louisiana Downs announced an updated policy, effective Wednesday, July 15, regarding riders leaving and entering the racetrack.

The following restrictions have been implemented. If a rider accepts a mount at another racetrack, he or she must quarantine for a 14-day period and submit a negative COVID-19 test prior to returning to Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Jockeys who have ridden at other racetracks must self-quarantine for 14-days and present a negative COVID-19 test before gaining access to Harrah's Louisiana Downs. This policy will be in effect until further notice.

“After careful consideration, we felt it was necessary to implement these restrictions at Harrah's Louisiana Downs,” said David Heitzmann, Director of Racing. “The health and safety of everyone involved must be protected; we join other racetracks in North America by enacting these measures.”

Harrah's Louisiana Downs has continued to follow the policy set by Governor John Bel Edwards and protocols regarding COVID-19 on the OpenSafely.la.gov website. Prior to the opening of the meet, the jocks room was expanded to ensure proper social distancing. Additionally, patrons are required to enter via a specially marked designated entrance and temperature checks are conducted. Face masks are required and no more than three people are permitted in the saddling paddock.

The 64-day Harrah's Louisiana Downs Thoroughbred meet began on Saturday June 6. Live racing continues Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through September 23.

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‘Beat Byk Challenge’ Returns With NHC Spot on the Line

Steve Byk, whose Sirius XM radio magazine ‘At the Races With Steve Byk‘ airs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET daily, is once again teaming with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) for the ‘Beat Byk NHC Challenge,’ offering a seat at the 2021 National Horseplayers’ Championship.

Running from July 18 through Sept. 6, Byk will select one horse in one stakes race each Saturday and Sunday and players can bet with or against the host. Any player who correctly selects the winning horse in each round advances to a Sept. 12 NHC online qualifier limited to participants from the weekly promotions. Participants may qualify just once for the September qualifier, the winner of which will represent ‘At the Races’ at the NHC.

Points will be calculated for alternate prizes in the “Beat Byk” Challenge. Participants will receive 100 points if they beat Byk and 50 points if they bet with Byk to win the featured race. The top 5 point leaders will receive HorsePlayers.com credits as prizes (first place–$500 HP credit, second place–200 HP credit, third place–$200 HP credit, fourth place–$200 HP credit, fifth place–$200 HP credit).

NHC Tour membership is required to compete in the September online qualifier. In addition, any participant who “Beats Byk” in any of the weekly contests and is not already a Tour member will be able to join the NHC Tour for a special offer of only $4.99 for the remainder of the 2020 NHC Tour. Those who “Bet with Byk” and win a spot in the NHC online qualifier by picking the winner will be required to join the Tour ($50 annual membership good through January 31, 2021) to be eligible to win the NHC spot.

Participants in the September qualifier must be NHC Tour members in order to be eligible to win the NHC berth. A secondary prize of $250 cash will be available to the overall winner if he or she is not an NHC Tour member.

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