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Malibu: McCarthy Remains Faithful In Underdog Independence Hall

While bettors ponder whether Charlatan or Nashville will win the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes on opening day at Santa Anita Saturday, they can be sure of this: one of them will be the odds-on betting favorite.

Charlatan has been odds-on in the last two of his three career races; Nashville has been odds-on in all three, and each has earned a Beyer figure over 100 in five of their six outings.

All that publicity hubbub aside, that didn't deter Michael McCarthy from entering Independence Hall in the seven furlong race for 3-year-olds as Santa Anita begins its 84th season of world-class racing with six added-money events, two others also ordained with G1 status, the La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs and the American Oaks, also for 3-year-old fillies but at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Independence Hall, winner of four races including the G3 Nashua by 12 ¼ lengths going a mile at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old on Nov. 3, 2019, was ridden to victory by Mike Smith last out at Del Mar on Nov. 8, but Joel Rosario returns to ride for the Malibu.

The future Hall of Famer has ridden the son of Constitution twice previously, winning his debut race at Parx on Sept. 21, 2019, and finishing an eventful fifth in the G1 Florida Derby on March 28 of this year.

“We have Rosario back, he's excited to ride him and we're happy to have him,” said McCarthy, scheduled to have a busy opening weekend with stakes performers.

McCarthy's multiple graded stakes winner Smooth Like Strait is set for Saturday's G2 Mathis Brothers Mile, cutting back from the 1 1/8 miles of the G1 Hollywood Derby in which he was second by a head under Umberto Rispoli, who retains the mount on Saturday.

On Sunday, Altea and Rideforthecause make their Southern California debuts for McCarthy in the G3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf. “They're both training like nice fillies,” McCarthy said. “I've had them since early November.”

Altea is a well-traveled 5-year-old French-bred daughter of Siyouni, a leading sire of two-year-olds in Europe, who has raced at nine different tracks in her last nine races: Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Tampa, Fair Grounds, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Saratoga, Monmouth and Belmont Park.

Rideforthecause is a 4-year-old Candy Ride filly with four wins in 11 career starts, nearly all of them at Woodbine where she captured the G2 Canadian on Sept. 12. Rideforthecause worked five furlongs Saturday in 1:01.60, while Smooth Like Strait went four furlongs in 50 flat.

Meanwhile, McCarthy expects his two G1-winning fillies, Ce Ce and Speech, back at Santa Anita from Kentucky “in the middle of January,” along with Pat Day Mile winner Rushie.

Santa Anita's traditional opening day is saturated with stakes, six in all, three of them G1's: the $300,000 Runhappy Malibu; the $300,000 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs; and the $300,000 American Oaks for three-year-old fillies at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

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TCA Annual Stallion Season Auction To Include Seasons From Curlin, Constitution

Thoroughbred Charities of America announced today that the 31^st Annual Stallion Season Auction will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 6 and conclude on Tuesday, Jan. 12. It is the largest annual fundraiser for the nonprofit organization.

The fundraiser opens with an online auction of stallion seasons beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6 and continues through 4:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 8. Over 150 seasons will be available for online bidding including Ghostzapper, Liam's Map, Palace Malice, More Than Ready, Speightstown, and Gun Runner. A full list of seasons is available here.

The majority of the seasons will sell during the online auction however select seasons including Blame, Constitution, Curlin, Game Winner, Laoban, Nyquist (with 2022 breed back), and Quality Road will be sold in a live auction in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at the close of session two, book one of the January sale. Bidders or their authorized agents may bid on the select seasons in person at Keeneland or they may contact TCA at ecrady@tca.org or 859-276-4989 to bid online or by phone.

A silent auction of non-season items including halters worn by Enable and Tapit, a John Deere X330 lawn tractor, equine air transportation aboard a Tex Sutton flight, vanning from Sallee and Brook Ledge, and much more will be available for online bidding. A list of silent auction items is available here with more items added frequently.

The auction is generously sponsored by Rosenberg Thoroughbred Consulting, Limestone Bank, Coolmore America, Keeneland, BloodHorse, Paulick Report, and Thoroughbred Daily News. For further information regarding the 31^st annual TCA Stallion Season Auction please visit tca.org or call (859) 276-4989.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2020, TCA granted over $1 million to 70 approved charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. During the last three decades, TCA has granted over $24 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA manages Cómo, a mobile app founded by Godolphin, that connects racing industry employees to the vital services they need through a network of racetrack chaplains and Thoroughbred industry organizations. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).

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‘My Freedom Only Really Came When I Asked For Help’: Da Silva Opens Up About Addiction In New Book

Former jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva has just released his new book entitled Riding For Freedom. The book follows his journey from a young boy with a big dream in a poor country to a seven-time recipient of Canada's outstanding jockey award, according to Canadian Thoroughbred. The crux of the book, however, lies in the inner demons that he battled along the way.

“When the opportunity came, I left,” da Silva said in an interview with Peter Gross on his podcast, Down The Stretch. “When I started riding in São Paulo, I was very lucky. I started winning a lot of races right away, making a lot of money. I started in Canada and I was successful. My freedom only really came when I asked for help.”

Da Silva retired from his career as a professional jockey a year ago to help athletes with their mental performance. The 45-year-old husband and father of two children now strives to help people with problems similar to his own. He opened up in his interview with Gross about his addictions and how he insisted that the book include them.

“I was a chronic sex addict and a chronic gambler, and I am not afraid to say that,” da Silva said to Gross. “My goal with my book is to motivate people to go for help.”

‘She Was A Queen’: Group 1 Winner Magical Retired To Join Broodmare Band At Coolmore

Brilliant seven-time Group 1 winner Magical (Galileo) has been retired and will join the broodmare band at Coolmore Stud, with mating plans yet to be decided.

In September, the Aidan O'Brien-trained mare became the second dual winner of the Irish Champion Stakes and was last seen finishing a close third in the G1 Hong Kong Cup. She retires with an impressive record of 12 wins and 10 placings from 28 starts; her achievements earning connections over £4.8million ($6.4million) in prize money.

“Her mum (Halfway To Heaven) was a queen, she was a queen and she was by Galileo, so I suppose you could call him the king,” O'Brien said of his stable star, adding, “It would be exciting to train her offspring.”

On the highlight of Magical's illustrious career, he said, “The days that stand out are the Champion Stakes. She was amazing, she always turned up. She was tough, she was consistent and had a super mind and was very sound.”

Magical is one of two G1 winners bred by Coolmore out of top-class race mare Halfway To Heaven, herself a daughter of King's Stand Stakes heroine Cassandra Go.

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