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‘Let’s Make This World A Lot More Transparent’: French Trainer Calls For A Change

The racing industry in France is regulated by five or six different ministries, trainer Anne-Marie Poirier told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. She believes that having fewer people in charge would eliminate many of the communication flaws that exist in the current system.

Asked about the biggest challenges facing the French racing industry, Poirier replied: “Give the racing industry a clean image so there are no more scandals, suspicious owners, doping issues.”

“Let's make this world a lot more transparent, opening up to the public,” Poirier said. “And the penalties, if necessary, should be related to the size of the problem – same problem, same punishment (no matter the 'client').”

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Champion Sprinter Gamine Retired From Racing

Owner Michael Lund Petersen announced today that champion sprinter Gamine, the leading distaff earner of champion sire Into Mischief, has been retired.

One of the fastest horses of her generation, Gamine flirted with two of the most iconic records in the history of the sport set by the legendary Dr. Fager, believed by many to be the fastest horse of all time.

In her 18 3/4-length romp in the Acorn Stakes she blazed the mile in 1:32 2/5, which was one-fifth of a second off Dr. Fager's world record set 54 years ago, which remains unbroken on dirt. In her 6 1/4-length domination of the fastest fillies in the country in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, her track-record seven-furlong time of 1:20 1/5 equaled Dr. Fager's time in the Vosburgh Handicap that stood for 31 years. Finishing a distant second was Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress.

When she romped by seven lengths in the Test Stakes at Saratoga, her blazing time of 1:20 4/5 for the seven furlongs was only two-fifths of a second off the track record set 44 years ago, while not being asked in the stretch. The Equibase comment reads she won “at will.”

Now five years old, her connections felt she has nothing left to prove.

Trainer Bob Baffert said, “Gamine is the best filly sprinter I have ever trained. She defines greatness. She's a big, beautiful, elegant filly. She was all class. We knew we had something very special right from the start.”

Gamine's other Grade 1 victories include the seven-furlong Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery at Churchill Downs, run in a sprightly 1:21 2/5, and the Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga. She also cruised to a 10-length victory in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos and won the Grade 3 six-furlong Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita by five lengths.

Her average margin of victory was seven lengths.

“Gamine is leaving the track happy and healthy. She gave me and my family the thrill of a lifetime,” said Lund Petersen. “We look forward to her next chapter.”

Gamine will reside at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Farm in Paris, Ky.

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‘Battler’s Heart’: Popular Louisiana-Bred Gelding Monte Man Retired

Over the last four years, one horse has been at the center of Louisiana racing – Ivery Sisters Racing's Monte Man. His trainer and Fair Grounds' 2021 title-winner Ron Faucheux has announced that it is time for this 9-year old gelding to step away from the racetrack. Monte Man will spend his retirement at Clear Creek Stud, where his sire Custom for Carlos stands.

“Val Murrel who owns Clear Creek, he bred Monte Man and is happy to take him in,” Faucheux said. “Clear Creek is the nicest farm in Louisiana–at this point, being a 9-year old, he's been so great to us, we'd rather see him have a happy life from this point forward.”

Connections had planned to run him in the Costa Rising Stakes, a race which Monte Man won twice and finished second by a nose, but the gelding did not come back from his Friday workout as well as his trainer had hoped.

“He's sound as can be,” Faucheux said. “Looks great, walks great, legs look good. He just has something a little faint. Something that some trainers would push through, but I'm not going to take any chances.”

Claimed for $25,000 by Ivery Sisters Racing and Faucheux in October of 2017, Monte Man won a local optional-claimer that December to kick off a seven-race winning streak for his new connections. Monte Man ended his career in stakes-winning fashion, scoring his ninth stakes win in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint on Dec. 11, 2021.

“I was looking at the win pictures last night,” Faucheux said. “He's beaten some great horses. He hasn't run worse than fourth since the end of his 4-year old career. Goes to show you how much heart that horse has. He might not run the best numbers as some of the Kentucky sprinters floating around the country, but he has been so consistent throughout the process. That's all you can ask–they run to their ability.”

All told, Monte Man finishes his career 50-18-8-9 with earnings of $794,223.

“I feel honored to have trained him throughout that process,” Faucheux said. “He's been a barn favorite, a fan favorite, a special horse–you could hear it in John Dooley's emotional call of his last race.”

“Here comes the gladiator, Monte Man with that battler's heart for Adam Beschizza. Monte Man now an 18-time winner–well done Monte Man!” — John G. Dooley, Fair Grounds Track Announcer

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Preakness Stakes Winner Rombauer Retired; Stud Plans Pending

Rombauer, the upset winner of the 2021 Preakness Stakes, has been retired from racing after his comeback was halted by a Dec. 31 training injury at Santa Anita Park, Daily Racing Form and Thoroughbred Daily News report.

The 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy had not raced since a third-place effort in last year's Belmont Stakes, after which he'd developed some ankle issues. He'd returned to work in October with trainer Michael McCarthy, but following what owner John Fradkin called a “bad step” during morning training, it was decided to stop on the horse.

Fradkin told the TDN that Rombauer's projected 2022 campaign included the Dubai World Cup, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, and perhaps a try on turf.

Rombauer retired with three wins in eight starts for earnings of $1,040,500. He won on debut as a 2-year-old at Del Mar, and he finished second in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes later in the year before ending his season with a sixth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

He returned at three with a victory in the listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, which earned him a guaranteed spot in that year's Preakness Stakes. Before that, he finished third in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, and his connections elected to skip the Kentucky Derby.

Rombauer came into the Preakness under the radar, with most of the attention going to Medina Spirit, Midnight Bourbon, and Concert Tour. However, his closing kick under jockey Flavien Prat engulfed the early speed of Medina Spirit and snuffed the stretch drive of Midnight Bourbon to win by 3 1/2 lengths at odds of 11-1.

The colt then finished third to Essential Quality in the Belmont Stakes in what would be his final start.

A homebred for John and Diane Fradkin, Rombauer is out of the unraced Cowboy Cal mare Cashmere, who is herself a Fradkin homebred.

Fradkin told DRF that stud plans were pending for the Preakness winner, acknowledging it was late in the commercial schedule to be making a deal on a new stallion and introducing him to the marketplace.