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Velazquez Plans To Appeal Three-Day Suspension Issued By California Stewards

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will appeal the three-day suspension he was issued by stewards in Southern California, his agent, Ron Anderson, told Horse Racing Nation.

Velazquez' suspension was due to his ride in Santa Anita's 11th race on Saturday, in which his mount, favorite Following Sea, was disqualified from second to third for interference.

The dates of his suspension are scheduled for March 14, 19, and 20.

“We would miss the races at the Fair Grounds, of which there's eight stakes — he rides a horse called Proxy for a million dollars (Louisiana Derby),” Anderson told HRN. “If we do ride that day, we would have to give another day back, which would be Florida Derby day (March 28). So we can't really do that. So the circumstances of all this were just to appeal.”

Royal Ascot Purses Increased To $7.13 Million For 2021

Prize money for Royal Ascot 2021 is today announced at £6 million (US$7.13 million) over the week – a 66% increase on the £3.61m (US$4.21m) offered in 2020. The Royal Meeting will take place from June 15 to 19 and the full order of running with race values for the extended program announced in January is available here.

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, which takes place in July, will be run for £875,000 (US$1.04m) (2020: £400,000 (US$475,500)).

Guy Henderson, Chief Executive Officer at Ascot Racecourse, said:

“In 2020 we had hoped to offer record prize money of more than £8 million (US$9.51m) at the Royal Meeting. In the event the pandemic made that impossible and we have now spent nearly a year racing behind closed doors with trading income down 80 percent. This year's prize money of £6 million represents 75 percent of what we had originally planned for 2020.

“With restricted attendances in 2021 and pandemic insurance cover no longer available, the business will need to absorb a significant loss this year in order to deliver our wish to support the industry with the most prize money that we can prudently afford. Whilst Covid-19 has knocked back our long term financial trajectory by several years, our aim is to make the largest steps we can towards getting prize money levels back on track as soon as possible.

“Without owners we would have no racing. We are very grateful for their commitment and thank them for their support. We look forward to being able to increase prize money further as soon as it is possible for us to do so.

“We are also very grateful to our official partners, QIPCO and Longines, as well as our official suppliers, sponsors, broadcast partners and betting media partners. All of their support is deeply appreciated.

“We at Ascot much look forward to being able to welcome back our racegoers in June and delivering a special week of racing, both for those who are able to be with us on site and the many millions who will be with us in spirit through our broadcast and digital channels.”

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‘Ultra-Sharp’ Swiss Skydiver Gets Unexpected Company, Fires Bullet In Final Work For Beholder Mile

Champion sophomore filly Swiss Skydiver is preparing to make her 4-year-old debut in Saturday's Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park, reports the Daily Racing Form, even though her final breeze on Monday at Gulfstream Park was a bit quicker than planned.

Trainer Ken McPeek explained that Swiss Skydiver broke off solo at the five furlong pole, but found unexpected company at the head of the lane. She tugged jockey Robby Albarado through five furlongs in 58.09 seconds, over two seconds faster than all other works at that distance.

“I wasn't thrilled somebody else's work horse hooked in with us,” McPeek told drf.com. “She was supposed to go in around a minute, but she got too aggressive with the company and went too fast. It is what it is though, and she came out fine afterwards. It's hard not to be satisfied with the work. All is good. She's just ultra-sharp now. She's ready to run.”

Winner of the Preakness Stakes over Horse of the Year Authentic in 2020, Swiss Skydiver has two Grade 1 wins on her resume. She was second the Kentucky Oaks to Shedaresthedevil, second to Art Collector in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes, and won three other prep races for the 2020 Oaks. Most recently, Swiss Skydiver finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November before being given time off to prepare for 2021.

Her record stands at six wins from 12 starts for earnings of $1.8 million.

First Mare Confirmed In Foal To Daredevil Since Stateside Return

Lane's End announced today that Daredevil, new to the farm's roster for 2021, has his first mare confirmed in foal since returning to the U.S.

The first confirmed mare is Striking Style by Smart Strike owned by Bill Harrigan, Mike Pietrangelo, and Caldara Farm. She is a half to graded-stakes placed Aquitaine, and out of the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet-placed Rahy Dolly.

Daredevil is the only first-crop stallion to ever sire an individual winner of the Kentucky Oaks (Shedaresthedevil) and the Preakness Stakes (Swiss Skydiver). Swiss Skydiver was named champion 3-year-old filly to top off his exceptional start at stud.

Daredevil stands for $25,000.

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