Tag: Horse Racing

CHRB: 2022 Race Dates Approved, Claiming Limitations Introduced

The California Horse Racing Board conducted a meeting by teleconference on Wednesday, September 15. The public participated by dialing into the teleconference and/or listening through the audio webcast link on the CHRB website. Chairman Gregory Ferraro chaired the meeting, joined by Vice Chair Oscar Gonzales and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, and Wendy Mitchell.

The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief:

  • The Board allocated dates for all of California racing in 2022. The allocations reflect the recent and historical dates run by racing associations and fairs with two notable exceptions. Santa Anita will close for as many as two weeks in the middle of its winter-spring meet. Del Mar will shift its traditional schedule by one week with later opening and closing dates. Date allocations permit the tracks to operate on the dates they choose within their timeframes. The actual dates of planned operation will be announced and considered by the Board when each track submits its license application.
    As allocated, the dates for the Southern California thoroughbred circuit will begin at Santa Anita on December 15, 2021 (with opening day expected to be December 26 as usual). Santa Anita will take one week off (three racing days) for certain during the meet – the week of April 15-17 – and has the option for a second “flex week” that could immediately follow – April 22-24 – or be taken off at some other time depending on weather and circumstances. Their allocated dates conclude June 21.
    The racing calendar continues to Los Alamitos for daytime thoroughbred racing from June 22 to July 12, and then to Del Mar with allocations from July 13 to September 13. Del Mar is expected to go dark for the first week of that allocation and open its meet on July 22. Del Mar anticipates running beyond Labor Day and closing September 11.
    The circuit will then shift back to Los Alamitos (September 14-27), then Santa Anita (September 28-November 8), Del Mar again (November 9-December 6), then finally back to Los Alamitos (December 7-20).
    The Thoroughbred/fair circuit in Northern California will begin at Golden Gate Fields with allocated dates of December 22 through June 7, followed by Pleasanton (June 8-July 5), Cal Expo (July 6-26), Santa Rosa (July 27-August 9), Ferndale (August 10-23), Golden Gate (August 17-October 4, overlapped one week with Ferndale), Fresno (October 5-18), and concluding at Golden Gate (October 19-December 20).
    The Board allocated an entire year to Los Alamitos for night quarter-horse racing (December 22-December 20). Los Alamitos will race both day and night during those weeks when thoroughbred racing is conducted in the day.
    Harness racing at Cal Expo will be conducted within two blocks of dates: December 22 through May 10 and October 26 through December 20.
  • The Board approved the license application for the Los Angeles Turf Club (LATC)  to conduct a Thoroughbred meet at Santa Anita with racing scheduled to begin October 1 and conclude October 31. The Board authorized the meet even though LATC could not finalize the horsemen's agreement with the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT). The Board authorized the meet to proceed using the previous year's agreement. Racing commissioners will be meeting with the CTT and racing executives in an effort to resolve their differences.
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  • The Board approved the license application for the Pacific Racing Association (PRA) to conduct a thoroughbred meet at Golden Gate with racing scheduled to begin October 21 and conclude December 12. PRA faces the same issue as LATC concerning the horsemen's agreement, so the Board authorized that meet to proceed with the previous year's agreement. In conjunction with this license approval, the Board approved an agreement between PRA and the Thoroughbred Owners of California authorizing the racing secretary to establish conditions on races limiting the administrations of certain medications and certain procedures.
  • The Board approved the license application for Big Fresno Fair  to conduct a fair meet in Fresno with racing scheduled October 8-17.
  • The Board approved the license application for Watch and Wager LLC  to conduct a harness meet at Cal Expo with racing scheduled November 19-December 19.
  • CHRB Executive Director reported on the tracking of racing related injuries that has been a topic at recent Board meetings.
    “The CHRB takes all such allegations very seriously,” he explained. “The CHRB assigns a fourth steward to racetracks. In addition to the three-member panel that oversees operations at each track, the CHRB assigns a safety steward to more specifically ensure the protections of horses and licensees. One of the safety steward's responsibilities is to follow up on all horses that are vanned off or injured on the track. If those horses leave the track shortly after the injuries, CHRB investigators follow up along with the safety steward. There have been a few cases where the CHRB suspected that connections were trying to avoid the count, so our team followed up with either ranch visits or by requiring live pictures of the horses. The suspicions thus far have proven to be unfounded. Should we uncover evidence that injured horses are removed from racing or training facilities, the CHRB would prosecute such behavior to the fullest extent possible. If stakeholders or member of the public have actual evidence that any injured horse has been removed from regulated facilities to escape scrutiny, please contact the CHRB directly or through our tip line.”
  • Concerning the panel responsible for reviewing entries to make sure the horses are fit to compete, Vice Chair Gonzales suggested expanding the panel to provide increased scrutiny for the Breeders' Cup (November 5 and 6 at Del Mar). Dr. Jeff Blea, equine medical director, said this will be accomplished.
  • The Board authorized Fasig-Tipton Co. to conduct a horse sale at Fairplex in Pomona on September 28.
  • The Board began the regulatory process to process to prohibit any licensee from depositing more than one claim (commitment to purchase) for any horse in a race. Chairman Ferraro said this will ensure that trainers with smaller stables wishing to claim (purchase) horses will have an equal chance with larger stables that sometimes submit multiple claiming slips for different owners in their barns.
  • The Board approved the amended license application by Xpressbet LLC to reflect a change in officers for its Advance Deposit Wagering operation.

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Casse Will Saddle Four In ‘Win And You’re In’ Summer Stakes

The more, the merrier could be the mantra of trainer Mark Casse when it comes to racing at Woodbine.

Take, for example, Sunday's $400,000 Summer Stakes, a Grade 1 for 2-year-olds in which Casse will field four of the nine entrants in the one-mile turf race.

The Summer is also a Breeders' Cup Challenge event with an all-fees berth in Del Mar's 1 1/16 mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5 earmarked for the winner.

Last year Casse sent forth winner Gretzky the Great, who went on to finish a decent sixth of 14 in the Juvenile Turf, and third-place finisher Dolder Grand.

This time around, Casse will send out First Empire, Souper Legacy, Luckman, and Grafton Street in quest of present and perhaps future glory.

First Empire is the most prominent member of the quartet, having followed up on a rather disappointing debut here on the main track with back-to-back turf scores including the 6 ½-furlong Soaring Free, a race which Gretzky the Great had also used as a successful Summer stepping-stone.

“His last race ended up being very good,” said Casse. “He's doing everything right, he definitely loves the turf, and he's coming into this race good, whereas this is a little tougher task. But, I don't see the mile being an issue.”

Patrick Husbands, in the irons for First Empire's turf scores, retains the mount.

Souper Legacy is 1-for-1, having captured an off-the-turf maiden race over seven furlongs, while Luckman ran second when debuting in a split of that race on the August 29 card.

“I thought his first race was good,” said Casse, of Souper Legacy. “We definitely think he's a little better on the grass.”

Antonio Gallardo replaces Husbands on the gelding.

Luckman, also ridden by Husbands in his opener, will have Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard this time.

“We were hoping to give both those horses a race over the turf but he's another horse who should move up on the grass,” said Casse, who does not anticipate the mile being a problem for either runner.

Grafton Street has not seen action since May 29 when he debuted with a third-place finish in a race scheduled for turf but contested over five furlongs of sloppy going at Belmont.

“He's by War Front, and he's kind of my version of War of Will this year,” said Casse, who sent out that son of the Danzig sire to finish second in the 2018 Summer and then go on to achieve Grade 1 heroics in the Preakness and later the Maker's Mark Mile on Keeneland's turf course. “I've kind of always thought he was one of our better colts.

“The race came off the grass at Belmont, he ran, and that was hard on him. It took him a while to bounce back.”

Getting back down to business at Saratoga, Grafton Street recorded a bullet turf breeze on August 13.

“It was phenomenal,” said Casse. “Then I shipped him to Woodbine, to get a race on the grass, and it came off so I scratched him. But he's trained very, very well.”

Rafael Hernandez gets the call.

In addition to Gretzky the Great, Casse took down three consecutive Summer Stakes beginning in 2013 with My Conquestadory and continuing with Conquest Typhoon and Conquest Daddyo.

Albahr, based in England with trainer Charlie Appleby, has shipped in for the Summer with some interesting credentials.

After ending a troubled third in his debut the English-bred gelding has rattled off three straight wins, the first two at seven furlongs and the most recent over one mile of “good” going at Salisbury.

“He's done little wrong this year,” said travelling head lad Chris Durham. “He won a listed race in Salisbury, probably not on the ground you'd want. It rained, and it got a bit of water on it. The ground wouldn't have been in his favour, and he still won. Charlie's really happy with him. This has been his plan.”

Albahr will be looking to become the first European shipper to win the Summer in very limited representations. Vitalogy, trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien, finished third in the race in 2019.

The presence of Frankie Dettori in the irons will add to the Godolphin homebred's allure.

Invading from south of the Canadian border will be Dripping Gold and Degree of Risk.

Dripping Gold, trained by Shug McGaughey, was an impressive winner of his only start at Saratoga, a 1 1/16 mile race over firm turf. Joel Rosario picks up the mount.

Degree of Risk, based at Arlington with conditioner Eoin Harty, returns to Woodbine after finishing second in the Soaring Free. The Godolphin homebred again will have locally-based Justin Stein in the irons.

Rounding out the lineup will be Ready for the Lady and Heat Merchant.

Ready for the Lady, conditioned by Roger Attfield, ran second to Souper Legacy on the Tapeta surface in his only appearance.

Heat Merchant, trained by Ralph Biamonte, also will be making his turf debut after graduating over six furlongs in his third outing.

$400,000 Summer Stakes (Grade 1)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Dripping Gold – Joel Rosario – Shug McGaughey

2 – Luckman – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

3 – Grafton Street – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

4 – Albahr – Frankie Dettori – Charles Appleby

5 – Heat Merchant – Gary Boulanger – Ralph Biamonte

6 – Degree of Risk – Justin Stein – Eoin Harty

7 – Souper Legacy – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

8 – First Empire – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

9 – Ready for the Lady – Keveh Nicholls – Roger Attfield

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Australia: World’s Best Sprinter Nature Strip Returns At Randwick Friday

The Shorts (G2) – Key Prep for The Everest: Race 8 is a barn-burning renewal of a Group Two sprint named The Shorts, whose nine entrants boast a collective 76 wins from 165 starts. It features no fewer than six confirmed runners for The Everest, the world's richest race on turf, which will be run at Randwick on October 15. The Everest (6 furlongs) has a slot-holder format, and the following entrants for The Shorts (5-1/2 furlongs) have guaranteed berths in The Everest:

#1 Nature Strip (3-2 fav.) was Horse of the Year in the 2019/20 season and is currently the world's highest-ranked sprinter. In his 7-year-old debut two weeks ago, he blistered the last three furlongs in 32.62 seconds, winning a G3 five-furlong race.   

#2 Eduardo (7-1), #3 Gytrash (13-1), #4 Masked Crusader (7-2) and #5 Rothfire (9-2) are all Group One winners.

#7 Lost and Running (6-1) has raced only seven times and never at Group level, but created a huge impression while progressing through restricted grades earlier this year.         

Early Market Mover: Race 8 #5 Rothfire has been sidelined for a year since sustaining a potentially career-ending injury, when favorite and looking the likely winner mid-stretch of a Group One race. His morning works have been so electric that he was recently “bought” by a slot-holder for The Everest. As much as 7-1 was offered early this week for The Shorts, and Rothfire has been bet down to 9-2 to complete a fairytale comeback this Friday night.   

Feature Race: The George Main Stakes, Race 7 at Royal Randwick in Sydney. The George Main is a one-mile Group One race at weight-for-age. Winx set the stakes record of 1.33.65 in 2017, when winning her second of three George Mains. 

Star Performer: #7 Verry Elleegant (6-5 favorite). Australia's Horse of the Year for the 2020/21 season made her 6-year-old debut with an excellent 2nd-place finish in the G1 Winx Stakes, at seven furlongs, four weeks ago. 

Hold All Tickets: Verry Elleegant has followed the same path from the Winx Stakes the past two years, and failed to win the George Main both times (as favorite last year). In both campaigns, she peaked in the following race of the form cycle when stepping up to 1-1/4miles. 

Alternatives: 

#1 Kolding (7-1) owns two G1 wins at the Randwick Mile when making his 3rd start from a layoff – including last year's George Main at 9-1. However, he might have “lost a step.” Kolding and Verry Elleegant are both trained by Chris Waller, of Winx fame.

#2 Think It Over (5-1) arrived in the last breath to win a G2 at the Randwick Mile two weeks ago. He might be looking for more distance.

#3 Cascadian (7-1) started favorite when 4th behind Think It Over. Peaked 3rd-up last campaign to win a G1 at the Randwick Mile. 

Blowout: #6 Lion's Roar (40-1) did nothing off a layoff, but is 2-for-2 when 2nd-up. Both wins were at a mile – the latest in the G1 Randwick Guineas, at 20-1, when beating subsequent dual-G1 winner Mo'unga.

Selections: 3 Cascadian; 7 Verry Elleegant; 6 Lion's Roar 

The Randwick card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 9:40pm ET / 6:40pm PT) alongside cards from Kembla Grange, Gold Coast and Eagle Farm. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com. 

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Tapiture Colt Tops CTHS British Columbia Summer Mixed Sale

A Tapiture colt led across-the-board gains during the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (British Columbia Division) Summer Mixed Sale on Sept. 14 at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, B.C.

A total of 83 horses changed hands during Tuesday's auction for revenues of $1,191,000 (Canadian), marking a 86 percent increase from last year's sale, when 74 horses brought $639,600. The average sale price rose 21 percent to $15,880 from $13,053, the median rose 8 percent to $13,000 from $12,000, and the buyback rate finished at 9.6 percent compared with 26.5 percent in 2020.

Gary Johnson bought the sale-topper, Hip 22, a Tapiture colt, for $49,000.

The gray or roan colt is out of the winning Monarchos mare Silver Splendor, who is the dam of one winner from two foals to race. Bred in Kentucky by Zoelle Racing, the colt was initially purchased as a short yearling by Glen Todd's North American Horse Co. for $7,500 at this year's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, and he was consigned at the CTHS British Columbia sale by the same operation.

North American Thoroughbred Horse Co. was the auction's leading consignor, with three horses selling for a combined $106,000. The partnership of James Redekop and Tod Mtn. Thoroughbreds was the leading buyer, with six purchases totaling $156,000.

To view the auction's full results, click here.

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