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Actuator Delivers Off Private Purchase in Indiana Derby

Actuator (Bodemeister), just a $2,200 FTKFEB yearling graduate, stayed perfect on dirt to capture a career high in Saturday's GIII Indiana Derby.

Third in his first two tries on grass for trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Horseshoe Indianapolis last term, including going a mile in his juvenile finale Oct. 6, he returned from the bench to air in his dirt debut going seven furlongs in his first try for trainer Michael McCarthy at Churchill Downs last time June 8.

With Black Type Thoroughbreds acquiring a 75-percent controlling interest since, 3-1 third-choice Actuator broke inward at the start from his outside draw here. Favored GISW Rattle N Roll (Connect), drawn two to his inside, took the worst of it at the break, clipping heels while getting bumped from both sides with rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. briefly losing the irons.

Actuator, meanwhile, raced in an outside fourth while rounding the clubhouse turn. Chasing from third while three deep heading down the backstretch, the bay was ridden to keep pace on the far turn, challenged from the outside while racing a bit greenly with his lead change as they straightened and dug down deep in the stretch to hold Best Actor (Flatter) safe while brushing with that rival inside the sixteenth pole.

Actuator survived a steward's inquiry involving the start and also an objection lodged by jockey Florent Geroux aboard the runner-up alleging interference in deep stretch.

“I don't know where I interfered with him,” winning jockey James Graham said. “He did break in a little bit, but his horse didn't break either. We kind of made contact. But that's the first jump. I grabbed him immediately and he actually came and leaned on me the last sixteenth. My horse ran his race. He showed a lot of grit and tenacity today, so I'm happy with that.”

McCarthy added, “He didn't get away from there great, but James was able to go ahead and get us into a great spot going into the first turn. Up the backside, he was sitting right off the speed and around the turn. James asked him to pick it up, and he slowly got into a rhythm. He was game through the lane.”

McCarthy continued, “Everybody was quietly confident. I thought his performance off the layoff was very, very good. The horse came back and trained well after his maiden score. Jake Ballis and his partners were very keen to get in on the horse. I thought there were bigger and better things to come with him.”

Pedigree Notes:

Actuator is the 11th graded/26th stakes winner for former WinStar stallion and current Jockey Club of Turkey resident Bodemeister. Like Bodemeister's 2022 GII American Turf S. winner Stolen Base, Actuator is also out of an Indian Charlie mare. Indian Charlie is now responsible for 30 graded/90 stakes winners as a broodmare sire. The E. Paul Robsham-bred Indian Rocket, a winner of two of 16 career starts, was a $175,000 KEENOV weanling. The half-sister to GISW and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up R Heat Lightning (Trippi) passed away in 2019. Actuator was her final produce.

Saturday, Horseshoe Indianapolis
INDIANA DERBY-GIII, $300,000, Horseshoe Indianapolis, 7-9, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.48, gd.
1–ACTUATOR, 118, c, 3, by Bodemeister
                1st Dam: Indian Rocket, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Yellow Heat, by Gold Fever
                3rd Dam: The Real Thing, by Capote
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($2,200 Ylg
'20 FTKFEB). O-Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rags Racing Stable
LLC, Rick Howard & Gavin O'Connor; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-James Graham. $174,600. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-0-2, $250,860. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Best Actor, 124, c, 3, Flatter–Abraqat, by Smart Strike.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($330,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-Gary & Mary West; B-E. H. Beau Lane, Gail
McMichael Lane, J. B. Lane Orem & Michael Orem (KY); T-Brad Cox. $58,200.
3–King Ottoman, 124, c, 3, Curlin–Shook Up, by Tapit.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($335,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O/B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$32,010.
Margins: HF, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 3.20, 2.90, 4.90.
Also Ran: Trademark, Mowins, Fowler Blue, Rattle N Roll, First Glimpse. Scratched: New Year's Fever, Un Ojo. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Indiana-based Trainer Marvin Johnson, Vet Suspended

Trainer Marvin Johnson, tied for second in the standings at Horseshoe Indianapolis, has been summarily suspended by track stewards pending the outcome of an investigation.

In a related development, veterinarian Cynthia Diane Loomis has also been summarily suspended. The suspensions for both Johnson and Loomis began July 4.

Horses that Johnson entered on the July 4 and 5 cards at the track were ordered scratched.

When reached by the TDN, Johnson said “this is not a cheating matter.”

“On May 24, I had pelvic surgery that limited my participation at the barn,” Johnson said. “On July 4, as I understand, the vet that I had used for the entire meet was observed treating a horse that was in that day, which is obviously against the rules. Whether she did that or not, that's what the investigators are saying. I am cooperating fully with the commission on this matter.”

When asked if he knew why Loomis had treated the horse, Johnson replied, “All I do is hire my vet to be responsible for me. I trusted her fully with the horses and the times that my horses get treated. All the naysayers will say he is cheating, he is cheating. This was not a cheating matter and I'm not hiding behind some lawyer.”

Senior State Steward Eric Smith said that, with an investigation on going, he could not divulge any details regarding the Johnson and Loomis suspensions.

“It's an on-going investigation, so there is nothing I can share at this point,” Smith said. “His horses have been scratched and he has been summarily suspended. The next step is for the investigation to conclude and then there will be a hearing in front of the board of stewards or in front of the racing commission, depending on what the investigation finds. Hopefully, this will be wrapped up soon and there will be more details. But at this point the investigation is on-going.”

The Indiana Racing Commission has posted rulings regarding Johnson and Loomis which states that the individuals were “summarily suspended for actions not in the best interests of racing and which compromise the integrity of operations at a racetrack.” The ruling also states that “at a hearing on a summary suspension, the sole issue is whether the licensee's license should remain suspended pending a final disciplinary proceeding and order.”

Johnson has been training since 1974 and is a member of the Nebraska Horse Racing Hall of Fame. According to Equibase, he has 2,133 career wins. He is 18-for-94 at the Horseshoe Indianapolis meet.

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Barn Fires Subject of ITA Seminar

The Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance will present an educational seminar July 16 to inform horse owners on how to be better prepared for barn fires. The seminar will be hosted in partnership with Horseshoe Indianapolis in the Family Pavilion of the grandstand, starting with a morning networking opportunity at 10 a.m.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 326 deadly barn fires occurred during the period 2013-2017. In 2022 a devastating fire hurt the Indiana Thoroughbred breeding industry when one Indiana farm burned to the ground.

In an effort to turn a tragedy into a positive, the ITA will be sharing what has been learned in the aftermath of recent barn fires.

“That's why we chose the topics that are being covered in this seminar, because we learned so much from the fire and had no idea what we didn't know,” said Susan Burger, ITA board member and Thoroughbred farm owner.

Peter Sacopulos, who has specialized in equine and real estate law, will discuss the legal ramifications of a barn fire. Sacopulos is a member of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The insurance information you didn't know you needed to know will be presented by horsewoman and insurance expert Kim Green with Schuetz Insurance Services. Horse owners will learn about emergency triage and what to do with the animals in the midst of the fire with Denise Fletcher. And, finally, member of ATF and horsewoman Cassandra Jones will share tips on what you can do to prevent and battle barn fires.

Attendees will be treated to lunch on the breezeway of Horseshoe Indianapolis and everyone will eligible for giveaways provided by sponsors such as the ITA, Finish Line Horse Products, the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana, the Indiana Standardbred Association, Murphy Trailer Sales and others.

Free registration is required and can be made here.

The ITA is currently working on livestreaming the seminar. Updates will be posted on the ITA Facebook page: http://Facebook.com/IndyThoroughbred.

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DeShawn Parker Scores 6000th Win

Jockey DeShawn Parker scored his 6000th win aboard For Mama at Horseshoe Indianapolis Tuesday night. Only 20 other jockeys have reached that milestone.

“This means the world to me, and I was riding for my dad, because I couldn't have been here without him,” said Parker, who lost his Dad, Daryl, a longtime steward in the state of Ohio in the spring of 2021 to cancer. “He knew I was getting close to this milestone, but he never said much about any of the milestones. He's the one that kept me calm, and if I was getting worked up over something, I would give him a call and tell him what was going on and he'd calm me down. I miss not being able to do that.”

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