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Appropriately-Named Sentimentaljourney Wins Indiana Opener In Honor Of Late Jon Schuster

The winner of the season opener could not have been more appropriately named. Sentimentaljourney, ridden by Albin Jimenez, scored the win in the first race of the season named in honor of Jonathan B. Schuster, former vice president and general manager at Indiana Grand who passed away over the winter.

A recent claim by Owner Maggi Moss, Sentimentaljourney was making her first start for the Tom Amoss Stable in the $37,000 allowance. The three-year-old daughter of Unbridled Express was claimed out of her last start a Fair Grounds in February with hopes of spending the summer at Indiana Grand.

“This was a Maggi Moss idea,” said Amoss, who has numerous track records to his credit in Indiana, including six training titles. “Because she (Sentimentaljourney) was Indiana sired and bred, we decided to take the plunge and what a beautiful payoff with the win today. We sure do miss the fans here, though. This is one of our favorite tracks to race at.”

Sentimentaljourney began her debut for the Amoss-Moss connection from post four. Jimenez sat patiently in mid pack of the eight-horse field as Betcha and Rocco Bowen surged to the front from the outside to lead the way in the five-furlong sprint. In the stretch, Sentimentaljourney found an inside path and surged through, scoring the win by one and three-quarter lengths over Forbidden Fruit and Malcolm Franklin. Real Deputee and Fernando De La Cruz finished third. The time of the sprint was 1:00.51.

“We were sitting along the rail and were just waiting,” said Jimenez, the track's 2015 leading jockey. “When the inside opened up, she went right through. It feels great to be back and I'm happy to be riding here this summer. Hopefully, we will see spectators soon. I miss having them here.”

The favorite of the field, Sentimentaljourney paid $5.20, $4.00 and $3.00 across the board. It was her second win in nine career starts and the first of 2020. She now has in excess of $55,000 on her card.

The 18th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing started with a tribute to Schuster by Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. Chaplain Otto Thorwarth held a moment of silence followed by a prayer to lead into the first race named in Schuster's honor.

“Jon was not only a great GM, he was a great friend,” added Amoss. “Anything you called upon him for, he was there for the horsemen. He was truly a horsemen's GM and will be missed.”

Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days with a preliminary first post set at 2:20 p.m. July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Continuing in line with Governor Holcomb's plan to return to full operations for businesses in the state of Indiana, spectators are expected to return beginning July 4.

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Tiz The Law Continues To Lead NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll Ahead Of Saturday’s Belmont Stakes

All eyes figure to be on Tiz the Law when he makes his expected start in the Belmont Stakes on June 20 as the son of Constitution heads into the first leg of the 2020 Triple Crown with a firm lead in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Three-Year-Old Poll.

Trained by Barclay Tagg for Sackatoga Stable, Tiz the Law is expected to be the favorite for the Belmont Stakes, which will be contested over 1 1/8 miles this year instead of its usual distance of 12 furlongs. The bay colt most recently captured the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 and is the leader of the sophomore male ranks, earning 28 first-place votes and 360 points from poll voters this week.

Tiz the Law completed his final serious workout in preparation for the Belmont on June 14, breezing a half mile in :50.42 under regular rider Manny Franco.

“He makes my work a lot easier,” Franco told the NYRA publicity team after the colt's workout. “He's a versatile horse. He can be there on the pace or sit off, so I can do whatever I want.”

Honor A. P., winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on June 6, remains second in the poll behind Tiz the Law with 9 first-place votes and 339 points. Authentic, second in the Santa Anita Derby, moved up one spot this week to third overall with 260 points followed by King Guillermo (201 points) and expected Belmont Stakes runner Sole Volante (171).

Grade 1-winner Maxfield (109 points) dropped to sixth overall in the wake of news that he would miss this year's Kentucky Derby due to a condylar fracture suffering during a June 10 workout.

Fellow Grade 1-winner Charlatan (97 points) is seventh with former stablemate Nadal (78) in eighth. Basin (72 points) and Ete Indien (70) complete the top 10.

Rankings were relatively stagnant this week in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with champion Midnight Bisou continuing to be unshakable from the No. 1 spot. The daughter of Midnight Lute earned 26 first-place votes and 343 points to stay atop the rankings as she prepares for an expected run in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 27.

Grade 1-winner Mucho Gusto (245 points) and By My Standards (2 first-place votes, 244 points) remain second and third, respectively, followed by Code of Honor, who earned 3 first-place votes and 190 points in the wake of his victory in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes on June 6.

Tom's d'Etat (138 points) holds in fifth followed by Zulu Alpha (1 first-place vote, 129 points). Vekoma, winner of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on June 6, remains in the seventh spot with 119 points with champion Maximum Security (4 first-place votes, 100 points), Improbable (88), and McKinzie (83) rounding out the top 10.

Tiz the Law (25 points) was not ranked in the top 10 but did receive one first-place vote.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in both the Top 3-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup in November.

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Memorable Week for Heider

Scott Heider enjoyed a memorable couple of days on both sides of the Atlantic last week. Thoughtfully (Tapit), a $950,000 purchase last summer at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, debuted on Thursday at Churchill Downs and ran to the money with a dominant score to become a TDN Rising Star. The following day Crossfirehurricane (Kitten’s Joy) carried his colours to victory in the G3 Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule S. at The Curragh.

TDN‘s Gary King caught up with Heider to reflect on this success and to learn more about his interests in the Thoroughbred business. (Click here to listen.)

The post Memorable Week for Heider appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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OBS July 2-Year-Olds And Racing Age Sale Catalog Now Online

The catalog for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2020 July Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age is now available via the OBS website at obssales.com. Supplemental entries are being accepted until June 19.

There are 988 2-year-olds and 12 older horses cataloged for the three-day sale, rescheduled from its original June dates, with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m. Hip No.'s 1 – 360 will sell on Tuesday, July 14; Hip No.'s 361 – 720 will be offered on Wednesday, July 15 and Hip No.'s 721 – 1003 plus supplements will sell on Thursday, July 16.

There are six under tack sessions. Hip No.'s 1 – 180 will go to the track on Monday, July 6, Hip No.'s 181 – 360 will work on Tuesday, July 7, Hip No.'s 361 – 540 will breeze on Wednesday, July 8, Hip No.'s 541 – 720 work on Thursday, July 9, Hip No.'s 721 – 900 will breeze on Friday, July 10 and Hip No.'s 901 – 1003 plus supplements will go on Saturday, July 11. All under tack sessions begin at 7:30 a.m.

The under tack show and sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the DRF, TDN and BloodHorse websites.

OBS will again offer online bidding during the July Sale. Buyers will be able to go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS bidding screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website at: https://www.obssales.com/2020/06/obs-online-bidding/

The online catalog's main page contains a link to a sortable master index providing searchable pedigree and consignor information as well as access to pedigree updates occurring since the catalog was printed.

The sortable master index has been updated with advanced search and filter capability and to allow shortlist creation. A link to instructions for using the new features can be found in the index header and a step by step tutorial is available in the index as well.

The iPad version of the catalog can be accessed via the equineline Sales Catalog App. The App allows users to download and view the catalog, receive updates and results, record notes and also provides innovative search, sort and rating capability. For more information and downloads go to: http://www.equineline.com/SalesCatalogApp/

Current information about OBS sales, consignors and graduates is now also available via social media sites Facebook and Twitter. A link on the homepage directs users to either site.

To view the online catalog, click here.

The post OBS July 2-Year-Olds And Racing Age Sale Catalog Now Online appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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