Horse Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Constitution’s Parchment Party Charges Home on Churchill Debut

7th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 9-15, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.47, ft, 1 1/4 lengths.
PARCHMENT PARTY (c, 2, Constitution–Life Well Lived, by Tiznow) sported a typically steady worktab for this outfit over the Belmont training track and shipped in from the Big Apple to make his debut here as the 16-1 second-longest shot in a field of nine. Slowly into stride from the four hole, the $450,000 Keeneland September graduate was void of any speed and settled at the back of the pack behind a moderate tempo. Still last entering the final half-mile, the June foal was making progress at the fence on the turn but James Graham had to shut him down a bit at the five-sixteenths when off heels. Still full of run as they hit the stretch, Parchment Party was once again in very tight inside of 14-1 Warp Nine (Hightail) at the eighth pole, but squeezed through that opening and outfinished tough-trip Django (Medaglia d'Oro) by 1 1/4 lengths. It was also a horror watch for Warp Nine backers, as the Calumet homebred was stopped cold in traffic at a critical stage and was forced to settle for third, a further two lengths away. A half-brother to Muqtaser (Distorted Humor), MGSP, $303,605; and to Darley Japan stallion American Patriot (War Front), GISW, $487,272, Parchment Party is out of Life Well Lived–a full-sister to MGI/G1SW Well Armed–who was purchased by Bobby Flay in foal to American Pharoah for $1.25 million at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. Sales history: $450,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Life Well Lived is also kin to GSW Witty (Distorted Humor), the dam of GSW Bombard (War Front), and MGSP Amuse (Medaglia d'Oro); and to Well Lived (Tiznow), whose daughter Played Hard (Into Mischief) won this year's GI La Troienne S. Life Well Lived, who was RNAd for $750,000 when offered in foal to Curlin at KEENOV in 2019, has a yearling full-brother to Parchment Party and returned to Constitution this term. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-B Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-William I Mott.

The post Constitution’s Parchment Party Charges Home on Churchill Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Back At Woodbine, Derby-Oaks Roads Begin At Churchill

Racing roads converge this Saturday. With a little over a month left before horses and their connections officially point to Santa Anita, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series returns to Woodbine Racetrack. Featured are three 'Win and You're In' chances, including the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile.

Meanwhile, at Churchill Downs, the prep seasons officially open for 2-year-old colts and fillies, who are seeking to bank points for next May's 150th editions of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks.

There is much to get to with Belmont at the Big A, Pimlico and Hastings, all carding graded races as well.

Appleby Looks to Repeat in Woodbine Mile

Last year, trainer Charlie Appleby sent MGISW Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to Toronto for the Woodbine Mile and the now-retired globetrotter with William Buick aboard brought home the prize en route to another win in the Breeders' Cup.

With a trip to the FanDuel GI Breeders' Cup Mile on the line, this time around the Godolphin conditioner ships in multiple-group winner Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was well-beaten last March on the World Cup undercard in the G1 Dubai Turf, but won the G2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile S. by four lengths at Ascot July 15.

“He has natural pace and travels well,” said Charlie Appleby. “The E.P. Taylor is a nice conventional track which suits him. It is a fair track with a nice straight that gives you a chance.”

The 5-year-old morning-line favorite will face five others, including MGSW War Bomber (Ire) (War Front), whose stalking trip led to a key victory in the Aug. 19 running of the GII King Edward S. That race saw 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) run fourth, which was the 6-year-old's first attempt since finishing fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf.

Also scheduled, trainer Mark Casse has almost half of the field looking for a trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in the GI bet365 Summer S. Out of his entries, My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) was certainly eye-catching when he won against restricted company by 14 lengths in the Simcoe S. over the Tapeta at Woodbine Aug. 27. The gray upstart will do battle with Catch a Glimpse S. victor Airosa (Uncle Mo), who is looking to take on the boys.

The fillies will get their chance for a trip to Santa Anita and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Saturday in the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma S. Airosa could run in this spot, but it is an incredibly open race with Appleby's import Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) present and the Christophe Clement-trained Ozara (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who broke her maiden by a neck Aug. 6 at Saratoga.

“We liked this horse from day one,” said Miguel Clement, son and assistant to the trainer. “She'd been working well on the grass, and we were actually quite confident in her. She's a gutsy little filly, with tactical speed and a turn of foot that makes her very dangerous.”

Switching to the Tapeta, Woodbine rounds out their graded races with the GIII Vigil S. Seven sprinters will try to derail the early speed of Patches O'Houlihan (Reload), who stepped up to win the GIII Bold Venture S. in Toronto Aug. 20.

The Roads Begins Where It Ends at Churchill

Less than nine months from now, the 150th GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks will be crowned. The roads start at Churchill Downs on Saturday as points of 10-5-3-2-1 will be distributed to the top five finishers.

For the colts, the GIII Iroquois S. includes Winchell Thoroughbred's Risk It (Gun Runner), who sprinted home a winner at first asking Aug. 19 at Saratoga for trainer Steve Asmussen. The morning-line favorite will try to outrun WinStar and Siena Farm's Gettysburg Address (Constitution), who won in his first career race for trainer Brad Cox at Ellis Park Aug. 6.

As for the fillies, their race is no-less competitive as nine will be sent on their way in the GIII Pocahontas S. V V's Dream (Mitole) makes her return to the races after garnering 'TDN Rising Star' honors when she debuted for Kenny McPeek back in mid-May at Churchill Downs. The gray filly was second in her last effort to the undefeated GISW Brightwork (Outwork) at Ellis July 2 in the Debutante S. Facing her will be a number of contenders on the make, including SW Hot Beach (Omaha Beach), Empire Island (Classic Empire) and Peignoir (Mendelssohn).

Rounding out the first Saturday of racing at Churchill's September meet is the GIII Locust Grove S. Out of these older females, the two-turn test welcomes back GISW and MGSW Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). The Stonestreet homebred will once again do battle with the likes of MGSW Search Results (Flatter) and GISW A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).

Grade III Tests at BAQ, Pimlico and Hastings

Swinging up to Aqueduct for the BAQ meet that just opened, we find the final leg of the Turf Triple Series for the fillies in the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational.

Charlie Appleby will look to make his presence felt here too when he sends out Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Last seen running third Aug. 20 at Deauville in the G2 Prix Alec Head S, she will match wits with Graham Motion trainee Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was second by a nose at Laurel Park Aug. 13 in the Searching S.

Speaking of racing in Maryland, Pimlico's short September meet continues and featured on Saturday is the GIII Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S., which includes MSP Smokin' T (War Front), GSP Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) and SW King Vega (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Wrapping up the graded day of racing, Hastings Racecourse will put on the GIII British Columbia Derby. Morning-line favorite SW Sunbird (Orb) will look to rebound after the bay gelding ran fifth in the GIII Canadian Derby.

The post Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Back At Woodbine, Derby-Oaks Roads Begin At Churchill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Saturday Insights: Into Mischief Colts Front and Center at the Big A

1st-BAQ, $90K, 2yo, Msw, 6 1/2f, 1:05 p.m. ET
Spendthrift's irrepressible Into Mischief has had a whopper of a week at the Keeneland September Sale and a pair of immaculately bred juveniles are down to debut in the Saturday opener from Aqueduct. Juddmonte's BOUNTEOUS hails from a very active female famile, as his dam Hall (Tapit) is a half-sister to the operation's Eclipse Award winner Close Hatches (First Defense), the dam of MGSW/MGISP sire Tacitus (Tapit) and unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit); and to SW/MGISP Lockdown (First Defense), whose daughter Idiomatic (Curlin) defeated champion Nest (Curlin) in the GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga last month. Jay Em Ess unveils its homebred Ignite the Light, a son of nine-times stakes-winner and GISP By the Light (Malibu Mooon), whose six scorers from eight to race include dual Grade I winner By the Moon (Indian Charlie) and GSP Wonderful Light (Tiz Wonderful). Commander of Truth (Constitution), a daughter of 2009 GIII Natalma S. third Jungle Tale (Lion Heart), was a $200,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Becky Thomas this time last year and was sold to Lauren Carlisle for $675,000 at OBS this past March after breezing a furlong in :10 flat. TJCIS PPs

6th-BAQ, $90K, 2yo, f, 6fT, 3:42 p.m. ET
MITOLE MAGIC (Mitole) was an $80,000 purchase out of the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale, but matured nicely and was knocked down to First Row Partners for $275,000 at OBS this past March. The Feb. 26 foal is out of 12-time winner Blake's Magic (Bernstein), a half-sister to Canadian champion and four-time GSW and GI Atto Mile runner-up Mobil (Langfuhr). Agra (Blame) is a granddaughter of MSP Greenery (Galileo {Ire}), the dam of GI Donn H. hero, GI Woodbine Mile second-place finisher and G1 Dubai World Cup third Lea (First Samurai) as well as 2020 Iowa Derby winner Acre (Blame). Agra was bought back on a bid of $190,000 at this year's OBS April Sale. TJCIS PPs

11th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 5:58 p.m. ET
IRINA'S CHARM (Justify), a $550,000 KEESEP purchase, is the third foal to race out of treble graded-stakes winner Strike Charmer (Smart Strike), who was purchased by Mt. Brilliant Farm & Ranch for $700,000 carrying to Tapit at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. The Apr. 13 foal is out of a daughter of SW/GSP Cat Charmer (Storm Cat), whose MSP half-sister Sweet Dreams (Candy Ride {Arg}) produced GSW/GISP Subconscious (Tapit). This is also the family of GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. third Impeachment (Deputy Minister) and of top sire Violence (Medaglia d'Oro). TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday Insights: Into Mischief Colts Front and Center at the Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Letter To The Editor: The Unspoken Safety Factor In Horse Racing Fatalities From The Handicapper’s Perspective

Handicappers use the term “bounce” to explain a poor performance of a horse or to project a possible poor performance. This handicapping angle is more pronounced in demanding stakes races where a horse will often meet a field where only a top performance will result in a placing.

But what does a “'bounce” really mean? It refers to a horse that had a recent fast performance, several tough races in a short period or many races in a racing campaign. The handicapper is implicitly (and unknowingly) using basic biology to posit that a given horse did not have enough time to recuperate before the next race. But what if this notion of “bounce” has more serious implications beyond performance intersecting with that of safety? Well, apparently it does.

After the deaths at Santa Anita in 2019, I began to observe the records of horses that had catastrophic injuries. A certain number seemed to be horses whose racing and training schedule appeared excessive. While it is impossible to say with certainty that over-racing was the case individually, I surmised it had to be one factor in catastrophic injury in the aggregate. Now HISA apparently is looking at this angle regarding horse safety. In its, 2023 Equine Fatalities: HISA's Strategic Response under “data analysis,” it asks, “Would a maximum number of high-speed furlongs (published works and races) either lifetime or within a rolling period reduce equine injury?” The issue is finally on the table in racing's most significant institution.

Dr. Sue Stover, chair of the HISA Racetrack Safety Committee, goes well beyond what handicappers have noticed in their “bounce” notion only to prognosticate a poor performance for a horse. Dr. Stover in the Spring 2023 Churchill Downs Equine Fatalities: HISA Findings under the category “high speed exercise analysis,” concluded–after comparing the Churchill deaths to the control group- -that (indeed) the deceased horses had more races per year and that the data coincides with the notion that, “frequent high injury exercise (as observed in injured horses) that does not allow for recovery of exercise-induced microdamage contributes to the development of stress fractures and subchondral stress which presupposes horses to catastrophic injuries.” Dr. Stover is based at UC Davis and their veterinary webpage regarding catastrophic injuries to racehorses includes “training intensity” as a risk factor. Thus, from Dr. Stover's remarks, the science on thoroughbred injury has already progressed to a point where the new (Churchill) data is being amalgamated with existing hypotheses.

The notion that with the recent deaths at Saratoga and Churchill Downs there is no one risk factor in common does not mean that several risk factors are not known. The industry has come a long way since 2019 and many risk factors or pre-existing conditions are known including the over-racing of horses.

I do not want to mention individual horses as it is impossible to know with certainty in any single case whether a horse's racing and training schedule was the main culprit in a breakdown. Too often, in my view, trainers are being cast as “bad guys” and that's too easy a way to address industry wide problems in relation to safety. And my point is not to prove this notion as it is already part of the science on racing injury.

I wish merely to bring the issue out from the shadows to be part of a necessary discussion on horse safety. But I will relate a few high-profile examples of a horse's racing schedule in horses that broke down in top races dating back to 2019 without mentioning the name of the horse.

Horse A had 13 races in 11 months and broke down in a grade 1 race,
Horse B had 10 races in 12 months mostly at the grade 1 level and died after a workout,
Horse C raced 11 times in 10 months breaking down in a grade 3 stakes,
Horse D had 4 races in 4 ½ months moving up into a grade 1 with less than a month off.

There are other high and low-profile examples and again HISA, in their report, summarizes the horse's racing schedule as part of their analysis. Of course, many horses can handle a tough schedule–there is genetic variation in any species. Nonetheless, the over-racing of a horse is one risk factor that has to be addressed in any overall plan regarding horse safety. It intersects with other issues like medication: rest versus therapy.

Why this factor of over-racing a horse has been understated in recent discussion of horse fatalities until now is due, I suspect, to the implications on possible restrictions for the scheduling of a horse's campaign. It may mean limiting the number of starts per horse per racing level, age, etc. It obviously casts a doubt about the spacing of racing's greatest event: The Triple Crown.

Yes, I support 1/ST Racing's Aidan Butler's efforts to move the Preakness date because of the safety issue alone. Yes, it would be a tough go to factor in a horse's schedule regarding an overall safety plan for thoroughbred racing. But if the horse racing industry is going to completely address the issue of safety, the over-racing of horses (not the racing but the over-racing of a horse) needs to be looked at. There is not a good alternative to not do so.

–Armen Antonian Ph.D.

The post Letter To The Editor: The Unspoken Safety Factor In Horse Racing Fatalities From The Handicapper’s Perspective appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post