Horse Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lone Star Concludes Thoroughbred Meet With Record Increase In Average Daily Handle

Lone Star Park concluded its 24th Thoroughbred Racing Season on Wednesday, August 12 with a record $2.1 Million in average daily handle from off track sources. The previous high mark was in 2002 when the average was just over $2 Million per day. The meet saw a record increase of 131% in average daily all-source handle from 2019.

Overall this season marked the highest amount handled per day since 2004, the same year Lone Star Park hosted the Breeders' Cup, with an average daily all-source handle of just over $2.2 Million.

“With the success of this season behind us, we are eager to keep the momentum going into next year and feel the future is bright for horse racing at Lone Star Park and in Texas,” said Kent Slabotsky, Vice President of Operations.

Total Purses paid increased by $95,000 per day or 34% as part of House Bill 2463 from $166,000 per day up to $261,000 per day. This increase in purses led to an increase in field size by over 20%.

Highlights of the season included witnessing jockey Stewart Elliott, famed rider of Smarty Jones, who just missed the Triple Crown of 2004, winning his career 5,000th race here.

Meet leaders were Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen who won 50 races worth $1,463,385 during the season. As Lone Star Park's all-time leading trainer, this was his 13th season leading title here at the Grand Prairie track.

Jockey Ramon A. Vazquez was the top among the jockeys with 58 wins totaling $1,343,946 in purse money. This was his first ever season riding at Lone Star Park.

Mike Sisk of M and M Racing was top owner of the meet. His stable scored 29 wins worth a total of $587,235 in earnings.

Lone Star Park's 2020 Quarter Horse Season opens Friday, September 4 and runs through Saturday, November 28.

The post Lone Star Concludes Thoroughbred Meet With Record Increase In Average Daily Handle appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keeneland Further Elaborates On COVID-19 Policies For September Yearling Sale

Following is an open letter to the industry from Shannon B. Arvin, Keeneland's president-elect and interim head of sales:

Over the past several weeks, the Keeneland team has been reviewing every aspect of our sales operation and collaborating with government and health officials to deliver the safest possible environment for our sales participants. To provide further assurances and consistency in the marketplace, we've continued to coordinate our protocols with Fasig-Tipton.

This week's newsletter provides a thorough overview of these efforts and operational protocols for the Keeneland September Sale. As a reminder, please continue to reference keeneland.com/september for the latest updates.

Thank you for your loyal support of Keeneland this fall. Please don't hesitate to contact me or any member of our sales team if you have questions related to the September Sale protocols or items specific to your operation.

HOW TO REQUEST A CREDENTIAL

Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton have partnered with a trusted technology provider, Virtual Badge, to serve our digital credential needs for both September sales. Both sales companies will share a common credential, conveniently accessible from your mobile device on the Virtual Badge app. In order to request a credential, please complete the following simple steps:

1. Download the Virtual Badge app on your smartphone in your App Store or Google Play. Create an account within the app, log in and select “Keeneland” under Organization.

2. Complete the credential application. Select your role at the sale and complete the questionnaire.
Buyers and their agents should complete the form and submit your request. No other action is needed.

All other sales participants should indicate whether you will be testing at Keeneland/Fasig-Tipton or off site. If testing at Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton, your results will be linked to your Virtual Badge account once a negative test is received.

If testing off site, upload a copy of your test result into the app.

3. Credential approved. You will receive notification within 48 hours after submitting your request and test results are received. Your approved credential will appear in the Virtual Badge app on your phone, which will be scanned at entry to the sales ground each day.

An approved credential issued by Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton will be valid for both sales, and therefore you will only need to complete this process once. Please apply with the organization that you will first enter within 10 days of your COVID-19 test.

COVID-19 TESTING AT KEENELAND

COVID-19 testing will be available on-site at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton beginning this Monday, Aug. 24. No appointment is necessary and you may arrive at any time during these testing windows. We ask that you print and complete this health questionnaire and waiver, and bring this paperwork with you when you arrive for testing.

Testing is available at the Keeneland Entertainment Center on the following dates. Please enter the grounds through Gate 1.

Aug 24-25 | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Aug. 31-Sept. 2 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sept. 11-12 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Please note that your COVID-19 test does not have to be taken at Keeneland; however, you must show proof of a negative test to submit your credential application, unless you are applying for a Buyer/Owner/Agent credential.

KEENELAND OPERATIONAL CHANGES FOR THE SEPTEMBER SALE

Earlier this week, we announced along with Fasig-Tipton a common set of protocols for those planning to attend both September sales. While protocols are consistent between Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, please make note of the following additional operational changes that apply specifically to Keeneland sales:

Barn Area

The barn area is open to credentialed participants. Participants must wear a face covering and socially distance at all times. Only consignors and their staff will be permitted to enter barns and shedrows.

Van drivers are not permitted to leave their vehicles, and therefore consignors must meet their horses at the receiving chute to unload.

Back Holding Ring & Sales Ring

Capacity in the Back Holding Ring will be reduced to two horses at a time with a maximum of three representatives per horse (one groom, one showperson and one consignor). No one else may enter this area or congregate in the chute area.

To limit contact, the showperson responsible for the horse will also lead the horse while in the Sales Ring.

Sales Pavilion

Capacity will be limited in the Sales Arena to 40 percent. No seating will be permitted on the benches encircling the Sales Arena.

Bidding locations have been expanded to allow for social distancing. In addition to the Sales Arena and Back Holding Ring, buyers may bid in the Show Ring.

Sales Offices

The Sales Counter will operate as normal but we have constructed plexiglass to protect sales participants and staff. Access to this area will be limited based on the number of people in the office at a given time.

The Sales Accounting Offices will be expanded for increased space and distancing. Signage will be available to point to this area located to the left of the Sales Counter.

The Administrative Offices at Keeneland are closed. All paperwork should be submitted to the Sales Counter or the Stable Office.

We encourage you to visit Keeneland.com/September for full details on these protocols as well as continued updates over the next few weeks.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We wanted to take the opportunity to also address questions that we have received since releasing the safety and testing protocols along with Fasig-Tipton earlier this week. Please continue to reach out with questions and we will continue to use this newsletter as well as our website to answer your questions.

Will I need to be tested a second time over the course of the sale?

A negative COVID-19 test is required within 10 days of your first entry to the Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton grounds. No re-testing is needed after that point unless it is deemed through contact tracing that you may have been exposed, at which point a new negative COVID-19 test will be requested.

What is the earliest date I can test to be approved for a credential?

If you are attending both Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland September sales, it is Aug. 24. If you are only attending the Keeneland September Sale, it is Aug. 31.

If you have an approved credential for Fasig-Tipton, it will also be honored at Keeneland. The first wave of testing on Aug. 24-25 is intended to create a window to allow anyone who tests positive on these days to isolate for 10 days and still be present at their consignment for Book 1 preview days.

Since the credential can be used at Fasig-Tipton or Keeneland, does it matter which organization I apply under?
Please apply with the organization that you will first enter within 10 days of your COVID-19 test.

What is the turnaround time for testing?

You can expect to receive results for tests taken at Keeneland electronically within 48 hours. Keeneland is providing testing prior to the sale to allow everyone to be tested before entry to the grounds to work the sale. Therefore, you must leave the grounds after your test until you receive a negative result and approved credential.

Are bloodstock agents considered buyers with regards to testing requirements?

Yes. Bloodstock agents will not be required to receive a negative COVID-19 test. The exception is if they are also working in the barn area as a consignor or other role, in which case a negative test is required.

What are the requirements for those who shortlist for agents or buyers?

Each of these individuals will need to request a credential, but a negative COVID-19 test will not be required as they will be considered buyers. Again, the exception is if they are also working in the barn area for a consignor or other role, in which case a negative test is required.

Will van drivers need to be tested?

No, a test is not required for van drivers. However, drivers will not be allowed to get out of their vehicle at the loading chutes and therefore all consignors will need to meet their horses at the receiving chute. After loading/unloading, all vans must leave the grounds immediately.

I'm not sure if I need to be tested. How can I tell?

As a rule of thumb, if your role is such that you will need to enter the barn area, shedrow or a stall, a negative COVID-19 test will be required. A reminder that buyers are not permitted to enter the barns this year and must stay outdoors in the walking rings.

Do I need to make an appointment for testing?

No appointment is needed.

Are deliveries allowed on the grounds?

Yes, you can receive deliveries from caterers and other vendors. They will not require a test or credential; however, you must meet them at the designated drop-off zones near Barn 49 and the Track Kitchen to receive your delivery.

Who can I contact if I need help with my credentialing process?

If you need assistance, please contact credentialing@keeneland.com. Please wait at least 48 hours after testing before reaching out on your credential status.

What if I don't have a smart device or email/computer access?

Please contact credentialing@keeneland.com with advance notice for guidance.

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‘This Cannot Be A Celebratory Year’: Why Are Members Of Louisville’s Black Community Calling For A Kentucky Derby Boycott?

Louisville, Ky., has been one of the national hubs for racial justice demonstrations following the death of Breonna Taylor at the hands of the city's police in March, and a group of local and national organizations has suggested the Kentucky Derby should not be immune to the greater happenings in the city and the country.

Pastor Timothy Findley Jr., the founder of the Louisville-based Justice and Freedom Coalition, provided insight on the Derby's role in those demonstrations in the past and present on the Bleav in Horse Racing With Ken Rudulph podcast, including his case for why the race and its surrounding events should be boycotted or even canceled this year. Calls from Louisville's Black community to boycott the race reach as far back as mid-July, but they have gotten louder as the Sept. 5 race gets closer.

The Justice and Freedom Coalition is one of four groups calling for a boycott of the Kentucky Derby – joined by No Justice No Peace Louisville, the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter, and the national group Until Freedom – deeming it an inappropriate time to hold the event while there is unrest in Louisville. Mayor Greg Fischer announced Thursday that he would not be attending the Derby, citing the protests planned in the city for Derby week, along with the rampant spread of COVID-19.

“This cannot be a celebratory year,” Findley said. “This cannot be a festive moment, especially in light of all that has happened, so we're not only asking people to boycott the Derby, we believe the Derby should be cancelled.

“Now, to be completely realistic, we know the chances of that happening are slim to none,” he continued. “But we also know this: the eyes of the world that week, and specifically that particular day, are on Louisville, are on Churchill Downs, and this is a time for people to understand around the world that black folk in Louisville, Ky., are not happy. That valuing this race over lives, it's evil, it's wicked, and it's a symptom of a much larger problem.”

This would not be the first time that Churchill Downs has been a potential focal point in the national Black rights movement. In 1967, activists attempted to slow and halt the progress of racing at the track, going as far as to execute a sit-in through the home stretch during a race, leading the riders to pull up their mounts and cancel the race. The issue at the time was housing discrimination in Louisville ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s arrival to town, and plans were made for a sit-in to happen again on a larger scale during the Kentucky Derby itself if city officials did not meet with the Black leaders.

King got the meeting with the city's leaders, and concerned the Derby sit-in would do more harm than good, he instead convinced the organizers to hold a rally in downtown Louisville. A fair housing law came to the city a year later.

Findley said the changing times also change the demands. Simply calling for a meeting with city officials would not be sufficient. The list of demands published in June (which can be found here) call for sweeping change in local and state policy.

In the short term, the groups demanded the police officers involved in Taylor's death are charged, and that a plan be laid out showing how funds will be divested from the Louisville Metro Police Department and reinvested in other community resources. Looking further, the plan calls for programs to support small Black businesses, strengthen workforce development, increase rent support, and expand absentee voting, educational opportunities, and mental health support, among many other items.

In the interview, Rudulph pointed out many of Churchill's backstretch workers are minorities and they would be adversely affected by any kind of interference with the Kentucky Derby, both in terms of income and the payoff in satisfaction for hard work coming to fruition.

Findley recalled the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala., in 1955 and 1956 to protest public transit segregation, and the level of sacrifice it took from everyone involved – even those who stood to lose plenty – to achieve the desired goal. For nearly a year, Montgomery's Black residents refused to ride public transportation, traveling miles every day to and from work.

“Historically, anytime there was a movement regarding inequities, regarding inequality, whenever there was a movement or an action to get something done, a revolutionary moment, there was sacrifice,” Findley said. “There was always sacrifice. People talk about the Montgomery bus boycott. I often tell people, 'Who do you think was impacted?' Yes, the government was when that chokehold was put on public transportation, but understand there were people that depended on the bus to get to work, to get around, and they made sacrifices because they understood the big picture.

“That has been a part of every single movement, that yes, I have the ability to benefit from this. Yes, I take pride in this, but the bigger picture is not simply my desires, or what I want,” he continued. “The bigger picture is the people, the oppressed people, what is right and what is wrong. I would argue that from a spiritual standpoint, from a natural standpoint, if we're going to see change, if a movement is going to be effective, there is going to have to be sacrifices from people who have a vested interest in certain aspects that are going to be moved against.”

Listen to the full interview on Bleav in Horse Racing With Ken Rudulph.

The post ‘This Cannot Be A Celebratory Year’: Why Are Members Of Louisville’s Black Community Calling For A Kentucky Derby Boycott? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘One Of Those Races You Aspire To Win’: Motion Readying Mean Mary, Secret Message For Diana

Trainer Graham Motion has reached the heights of the sport, winning four Breeders' Cup races along with the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. But the Diana, for older fillies and mares on turf at Saratoga, is one prestigious race that has eluded him.

After saddling the runner-up finisher on five occasions, Motion will look to break through, sending out two contenders in Mean Mary and Secret Message in Sunday's 82nd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana going 1 1/8 miles on the Mellon turf course.

Motion has come as close as possible to training the winner of the Diana without having a horse cross the wire first, with Ultra Brat losing by a nose to Sistercharlie in 2018. Quidura (2017), Shared Account (2010), and Sweet Talker (2006) all lost by a head, while Aruna was beaten 1 1/2 lengths in a second-place effort in 2011.

Even before his training career, Motion experienced bad beats in the Diana. Working for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, Motion was the exercise rider of the filly Wooing, who as a 32-1 shot finished first in the race in 1989 but was disqualified for interference and placed behind Glowing Honor.

“Since I've worked for Jonathan Sheppard, it's been a race I've always pointed horses towards,” Motion said. “I even galloped a filly that got disqualified in this race, so it's been a bit of a nemesis for me. It's one of those races that you aspire to win. It's a race that has amazing history and with me training turf horses, and specifically turf fillies, it's always been a race that I've wanted to try and win and try to compete in every year.”

Motion's contenders make up one-third of the small-but-accomplished six-horse field that features the Chad Brown-trained duo of 3-2 favorite Rushing Fall and Sistercharlie [5-2], who will be looking to become the first horse in the Diana's history to win it three consecutive years.

Alex G. Campbell, Jr.'s Mean Mary drew the outside post with Luis Saez aboard. Listed at 3-1, she enters 3-for-3 in her 4-year-old campaign and with four consecutive wins overall dating to a December victory over optional claimers at Gulfstream Park.

In her 2020 bow, she wired a 10-horse field going 1 ½ miles to win the Grade 3 La Prevoyante by five lengths in January at Gulfstream and again won over the track in the 1 3/8-mile Grade 3 Orchid in March. Last out, she was shortened to 1 ¼ miles and responded with a stellar 5 ¼-length score in the Grade 2 New York that netted Mean Mary her first career triple digit Beyer Speed Figure at 101.

Since making her debut running fifth on dirt in September, Mean Mary has won five of her six turf starts and came in second in the other; a one-mile allowance contest in November at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“She impressed me when she broke her maiden and she's just continued to improve,” Motion said. “When she ran in the stake the first time [the La Prevoyante], it was more about the races that were available to her, and I just had a feeling she'd handle the extra distance and she handled it well.”

After proving she likes longer distances, Motion said the 1 1/8-mile Diana will be a good indicator as he prepares her for a potential start in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/16-miles in November at Keeneland.

“She's been pointing to this race for a long time,” Motion said. “With the Breeders' Cup, I need to find out if she can handle these shorter distances. She certainly did before we started running her at these longer races, but not at this level. She's trained really well for this race and hasn't really missed a beat.”

Secret Message, owned by Madaket Stables, Heider Family Stables, ERJ Racing, Elayne Stables Five and Steve Bouchey, is the longest shot on the board in the Diana at 20-1, drawing post 2 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.

The 5-year-old daughter of Hat Trick is also coming off a short turnaround after running third in last week's Perfect Sting at the Spa. After running sixth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on July 11 at Keeneland, won by Rushing Fall, Secret Message earned blacktype in the 1 1/16-mile Perfect Sting on August 14 and will wheel right back.

“The racing this year has been different because it's come up so competitive even though it's listed races,” Motion said. “We feel like we haven't been able to run her as much as we normally would. The fact that she's a big, robust filly; we felt she could handle a quick turnaround. She really ran the last quarter-mile last weekend and really sprinted home. She sprinted home as fast as anyone.”

Motion is approaching 2,500 career wins [2,477 entering Friday] and won the 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom, who also ran second in that year's Grade 1 Preakness. He has earned placing in the other two American Classics, saddling runner-up Irish War Cry in the 2017 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Icabad Crane to a third-place effort in the 2008 Preakness. He won last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with Sharing and is a two-time winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf with Main Sequence (2014) and Better Talk Now (2004). Shared Account won the 2010 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

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