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Brook Smith’s Splashy Claims To Support Churchill’s Backside Learning Center

Long-time supporter of Churchill Downs' Backside Learning Center supporter, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and owner of Rocket Ship Launch Pad Racing, Brook Smith made headlines when he claimed three horses for $100,000 each out of Saturday's fourth race at Churchill Downs. All three will be enrolled in the BLC's Purses for a Purpose program. A percentage of each horse's winnings will be donated to the program to support BLC's mission to build community and enrich the lives of backside workers and their families.

The BLC is the only organization of its kind in the country. Based at Churchill Downs, the BLC serves equine workers throughout the Louisville and Kentucky areas. The organization provides comprehensive educational programming and social services to this important community which serves as the backbone for Kentucky's Thoroughbred industry.

Smith proposed the concept “Purses for A Purpose” to the BLC about three years ago, as a mechanism for owners and trainers to directly support the organization.

“When launching RSLP Racing, beyond the excitement of doing things a bit differently–making a splash, thoughts immediately went to supporting those that make horse racing possible, the backside,” said Smith. “RSLP will give 4% of the purses of its runners to support the Backside Learning Center. At present there are eight RSLP horses and growing. It's time we all contribute to those who are making the industry great.”

“We are so fortunate to have Brook in our corner,” said Sherry Stanley, executive director of the BLC. “Since we met him about five years ago, he has brought some incredibly innovative and strategic ideas to us with the goal of helping us build sustainability. He has always recognized the critical role of this organization, which plays a key role in the success of the entire industry by supporting those who work behind the scenes and are its true unsung heroes.”

Click here for more information on how to become involved with Purses for a Purpose.

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Ioya Bigtime Dies Of Colic In Uruguay At Age 14

Multiple Grade 3 winner Ioya Bigtime died Tuesday of colic at Haras La Concordia in Uruguay, the South American publication Turf Diario reports.

The 14-year-old son of Dynaformer's death comes just before the start of the Southern Hemisphere breeding season. He has resided in Uruguay for his entire stud career, after being exported to the country following the 2013 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where he sold privately to South American connections after finishing under his reserve in the ring.

The Illinois-born homebred for Team Block won six of 25 starts during his racing career and earnings of $540,149, highlighted by a win in the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes Stakes in his home state, as well as the G3 Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs. Though his specialty was on the turf, he also showed ability over the former all-weather main track at Keeneland, finishing second in the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland.

Ioya Bigtime has quickly developed a strong resume at stud in Uruguay, with just four crops to race. He was the country's leading freshman sire in 2018, but his second crop paid even greater dividends.

His showcase runner is Ajuste Fiscal, who was named Uruguay's Horse of the Year in both 2019 and 2020, racking up a trio of Group 1 victories in the process. He won two out of three legs of Uruguay's Triple Crown, the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club and Grand Premio Polla de Potrillos, and he finished third in the G1 Gran Premio Nacional.

Earlier this year, Ajuste Fiscal ventured outside of South America for the first time to compete in the U.A.E., where his efforts included a third-place finish in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2.

Other runners of note sired by Ioya Bigtime include Uruguayan classic-placed Group 3 winner Negrone, and group stakes-placed runners El Curato and Russian Time.

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Dominus Moves To Ohio’s Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm For 2022

Dominus, a multiple Grade 2 winner and veteran sire, will relocate to Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm in Polk, Ohio for the 2022 breeding season.

The 13-year-old son of Smart Strike previously stood at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky., where he entered stud in 2013. He stood the 2021 season for an advertised fee of $5,000.

Dominus has sired six crops of racing age, with 112 winners and combined progeny earnings of more than $7.3 million.

His most notable runner to date has been Straight Fire, a fast-starting juvenile who finished second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and third in the G1 FrontRunner Stakes. Straight Fire currently stands at stud in California.

Other runners of note by Dominus include Grade 2-placed Dominant Soul and Parsimony, and Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Chanel's Legacy.

Dominus won four of 10 starts during his own racing career, for earnings of $444,717. He won the G2 Dwyer Stakes as a 3-year-old, then he came back the following season to win the G2 Bernard Baruch Handicap.

Bred in Virginia by Edward P. Evans, Dominus is out of the Grade 2-placed stakes-winning Lord At War mare Cuando. He is a half-brother to the multiple graded stakes producer Ask Me When, who is herself the dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winners Aristocratic and Up the Ante.

His extended family includes Kentucky Oaks winner Sun and Snow, Grade 1 winner Honey Ryder, and Grade 3 winners Cuando Puede and Hit It Rich.

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Trio Of Stakes Wins Net Juan J. Hernandez Jockey Of The Week Title

Juan J. Hernandez made the most of closing weekend at Santa Anita winning three stakes races leading to Jockey of the Week honors for June 14 through June 20. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Saturday, trainer Richard Mandella gave a leg up to regular rider Hernandez on Kanderel in the Siren Lure Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf. Breaking from the rail in the field of seven, Kanderel was six lengths off dueling leaders Texas Wedge and Tilted Towers heading to the far turn. With a furlong to run, Kanderel rallied from last to win in 1:14.98.

“I broke from the inside, number one post and Mr. Mandella told me to ride the horse like the last time,” said Hernandez. “My horse, he loves to come from behind. I was saving ground and at the (top of) the stretch, I decided to go outside and make my run.”

On Sunday, closing day at Santa Anita, Hernandez rode heavy favorite Big City Lights for trainer Luis Mendez in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity winning gate-to-wire by 7-1/4 lengths while getting five furlongs in :58.20.

“This horse is improving a lot,” said Hernandez. “Last time he broke a little slow, but today he broke really sharp and I was clear in front, probably three or four jumps after. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he took off again, he's a nice horse.”

Hernandez continued his winning ways by riding Warren's Showtime for trainer Craig Lewis in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes. Off as the favorite, Hernandez and Warren's Showtime were next to last travelling on the backside. At the top of the stretch, Hernandez took Warren's Showtime four wide to win the one mile turf event by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:34.29.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez who registered his third win of the day. “That was a good pace because she was flying at the end.”

Weekly stats for Hernandez were 24-7-3-2 for 29 percent win rate, 50 percent in-the-money and total purses of $369,886 to lead all jockeys.

Hernandez out-polled Tyler Baze who won two stakes races, Alex Bizer who led all jockeys with 10 wins, Joel Rosario with a graded stakes win and Tim Thornton with a 33 percent strike rate from 24 mounts.

Hernandez finished second in the winter/spring jockey standings with 92 wins and eight graded stakes.

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