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Bunglejungleparty Leads Opening Session Of Tattersalls August Sale

The two-day Tattersalls August Sale, being held for only the second time after last year's COVID-related debut, got off to a solid start with Bunglejungleparty headlining proceedings that saw a strong clearance rate and four lots topping 50,000 guineas.

The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls August Sale was the 2-year-old colt Bunglejungleparty who realized a bid of 125,000 guineas to agent Will Douglass. The son of Bungle Inthejungle, who recently had his first Group 1 winner when Winter Power won the Nunthorpe Stakes, was consigned by Jamie Railton on behalf of owner Theresa Marnane. Conrad Allen, standing at the top of the stairs, was the underbidder.

“I have had luck buying from these connections at last year's sale with Pom Malpic,” said Douglass. “This is just a very nice horse with form. He goes to Qatar.”

Bunglejungleparty has run four times in France and finished third last time out in a 7 furlong listed race at Vichy.

“The Marnanes are such enthusiasts, I am so pleased for them,” said Railton. “He was a pretty obvious horse and he had an avenue to the U.S. as well as he is a non-winner. This sale suits every single jurisdiction in the world to buy horses so we must strive to support it.”

Marnane, who bought the colt as a yearling for just €12,000, was all smiles after the sale and said: “I am over the moon. He is a very good-looking horse, big and strong, everybody wanted him. He had clean X-rays and a very good scope, and there were three people on him over 100,000 guineas.”

“We sold Will a very good horse last year, who has been stakes placed in Qatar; he knows where to get the good ones from,” laughed Marnane.

The Roger Charlton-trained Encourage is set to head for Bahrain to target the new Bahrain Turf Series that features ten races, each worth £50,000, which runs from Dec. 10 until March 4. The 3-year-old gelding by Iffraaj is out of a Cape Cross daughter of the listed winner Fairy Godmother, dam of the Group 1 winner My Kingdom Of Fife. Bred and owned by the Queen, the 'Timeform' 90 rated gelding was purchased by Bahrain's HE Sultan Aldeen Al-Khalifa for 75,000 guineas and has won over 10 furlongs.

“He is a little under the handicap mark, but we think he will go well in Bahrain and hopefully he will improve,” said the horse's new trainer Ali Majeed. “He is for Sheikh Sultan and we are looking forward to running him. Sometimes we buy a nice horse and sometimes we don't! We hope this will be a nice horse!”

The Tattersalls August Sale continues at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 1, with the second and final session.

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Former Boxer: Jockey Joey Martinez Making A Name For Himself At Gulfstream

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joey Martinez is a proud New Yorker whose boyhood dream came true when he rode his first career winner at Aqueduct Dec. 9, 2016.

The 27-year-old jockey, an avid New York Yankees fan, went on to enjoy a productive apprenticeship while riding at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga.

He couldn't imagine riding anywhere else.

However, Martinez would find himself at a crossroads that would eventually lead him to Gulfstream Park instead of Saratoga this summer following a business slowdown upon losing his apprentice weight allowance, sustaining a broken collarbone during a training-hours mishap, and the passing of his grandmother.

“I'm from New York. I'm not a name rider yet like I want to be. Going to Saratoga, they want the Top 5, I understand that,” Martinez said. “I'm a Yankees fan. If you're in the ninth inning, you're going to put in your best closing pitcher, rather than the guy just starting out. Of course, they want the bigger names instead of Martinez. I'd rather go somewhere else and show who Joey Martinez is.”

A third-generation jockey, Martinez rode his last race in New York at Aqueduct on Dec. 13.

“Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away last November and I went to Ocala, Florida to take care of my grandfather,” he said. “That's why I haven't been riding.”

Martinez rode a couple of races at Penn National in April before calling jockey agent P.J. Campo in New York.

“I reached out to him. I said, 'What do you think of me going to Gulfstream with you representing me, if you're interested?'” Martinez said. “He said, 'How soon can you get there?' I said, 'I'll pack my stuff can go now.'”

Martinez, who was a promising amateur boxer during his teen years, has brought a fighter's mentality to Gulfstream Park.

“I didn't go to the Olympic Trials to officially make the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012 because I wanted to ride horses and be a jockey,” said Martinez, who finished third aboard the 39-1 shot Northern Transit Sunday. “I had an offer from Golden Boy Promotions to turn professional, but I still said, 'No, I want to be a jockey.'”

Martinez, who regards veteran jockey Jose Lezcano as a mentor and friend, may be still fighting to make a name for himself, but it isn't due to a lack of confidence in his abilities.

“I'm not a cocky man at all, but I'm very, very confident. Coming down the stretch, I feel like nobody can beat me. That's the confidence I have,” Martinez said. “I finish really strong and I think what helps me get a lot out of horses is that I'm always relaxed and very patient. I believe the more comfortable and relaxed you are on a horse, they'll be as comfortable as you are. I go you there and have fun. I come out of the gate and try to find my position and let the horse tell me what he wants to do. Let him find a comfortable rhythm.”

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‘A Fascinating Exercise For The Handicapper’: Kentucky Downs’ Average Win Payoff $16.73 In 2020

When it comes to Kentucky Downs making its case as the best betting product in America, the proof is in the payoffs.

Last year's average return for a $1 exacta at Kentucky Downs was $65.32, $75.99 for the $1 double, $269.20 for the 50-cent trifecta, $374.06 for the 50-cent Pick 3 and $23,076 for the 50-cent Pick 5. Even the $2 win payoff average was a healthy $16.73.

The all-grass FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs runs this Sunday, Labor Day Monday and Sept. 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12. First post is 12:20 p.m. Central.

“One of the highlights for handicappers and for fans is that you get this amalgamation of horses from different racing circuits around the country that you normally only get at a meet like the Breeders' Cup,” said Ken Kirchner, Kentucky Downs' Director of Wagering Development: “When you have more than $2 million a day in purses, not only are your stakes races this mix of New York, Kentucky, Florida, California and other horses, you have that in the maiden and allowance races across the board. It's just a fascinating exercise for the handicapper to say, 'Gosh, I can find great value every single race of this meet.'”

Kentucky Downs offers full fields and large betting pools — the formula for big payouts. Last year Kentucky Downs averaged a $3,295 payoff for its 50-cent Pick Four, with the betting pool averaging $357,778, according to an Equibase analysis. With the Pick 4 one of racing's most popular bets, Kentucky Downs has added a third daily Pick 4 to its betting menu for 2021.

Kirchner said there “is not another meet in the country that matches up with Kentucky Downs” as far as betting value. Kirchner is an internationally recognized expert on simulcasting and wagering who, as a senior vice president for both industry organizations, was instrumental in creation of the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) for the Breeders' Cup and the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

“I would almost equate this one-week meet at Kentucky Downs to Royal Ascot, where it is so unique in terms of the racing surface, the mix of horses and horsemen, the top jockeys all coming in from around the country,” Kirchner said. “This has that Royal Ascot meets county fair-type feel at Kentucky Downs.”

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Kirchner also was involved in expanding Kentucky Downs' 2021 King of the Turf Handicapping Challenge presented by Daily Racing Form into a trio of two-day handicapping contests spanning the entire meet.

Seats at the 2022 NHC will be awarded to the top finishers in all three individual competitions, with seats for the 2021 BCBC also up for grabs in the final two contests. The overall winner who participates in all three contests over the six dates will be crowned National Turf Handicapping Champion and earn additional prize money, along with the National Turf Handicapping Champion Trophy presented by BetMakers.

The separate online tournaments are live-money events, meaning that entrants use a real bankroll and get to keep whatever they might earn. All contest bets must be placed through the TVG, 4NJBets or Xpressbet advance-deposit wagering platforms.

“We're excited about the new tournament format,” Kirchner said. “It's a very unique format. With the betting value and being a live-money contest, players have a chance to turn a small bankroll into a big reward.”

For more information or to sign up, contact tournament director Brian Skirka at bskirka@monmouthpark.com.

Click here for complete rules

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Hay Jude, Dam Of Breeders’ Cup Winner Little Mike, Dies At Age 26

Hay Jude, the dam of 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Little Mike, died of an apparent heart attack at Old Friends Equine Retirement's annex farm, the farm announced Monday. She was 26.

The Illinois-bred daughter of Wavering Monarch raced as a homebred for Long Meadow Stables, competing exclusively in her home state and becoming a multiple allowance winner. She retired with five wins in 30 starts over five seasons of racing for earnings of $113,152.

After her racing career, Hay Jude entered the Florida broodmare band of horseman Carlo Vaccarezza, and her second foal was the Tiger Ridge gelding Little Nick, who became a three-time stakes winner in Florida and New York.

Her most notable work as a broodmare came with her fourth foal, the Spanish Steps gelding Little Mike, who earned over $3.5 million on the racetrack, with Grade 1 wins in the Breeders' Cup Turf, Arlington Million, and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes in 2012, and another top-shelf victory in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes a year later.

Like Hay Jude, Little Mike was retired to Old Friends, and he currently resides at the farm.

After the success of Little Mike's 2013 campaign, Hay Jude was offered at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale in foal to Distorted Humor, but she was kept by Vaccarezza, finishing under her reserve with a final bid of $235,000.

Hay Jude was pensioned from her broodmare career after delivering the Liam's Map filly Little Jewel in 2016. In total, she produced 12 foals, with eight winners from 10 starters.

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