Tag: Keeneland

GISW Arklow Among Thoroughbred Makeover Entrants

Out of the 404 entrants, the leading earner in this week's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by the Thoroughbred Charities of America, at the Kentucky Horse Park is GISW Arklow (Arch).

After being gelded once his racing career ended last year at this time, the former Brad Cox trainee with a $3,025,996 in earnings over a seven-year career for Donegal Racing will be ridden in the event by Gina Gans in the field hunting division. The 9-year-old will jump obstacles at the Horse Park's grass steeplechase course.

Recently retired racehorses from across the U.S. will participate in the largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world in various disciplines including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, jumping, polo, ranch work and freestyle with Keeneland serving as a major sponsor.

Click here for more information.

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Mount Fee Increase For All Kentucky Racetracks

The Jockeys' Guild has reached an agreement with the Kentucky HBPA and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association on a mount fee increase effective Nov. 29, which is opening day of the Turfway Park Holiday meet, the organization said in a release Wednesday.

The mount fee schedule calls for a minimum fee of $125 at all Kentucky racetracks, including Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs and Turfway Park. This agreement also provides for $500 minimum fee in races with purses of $1 million or more.

“On behalf of our members who ride in Kentucky, I would like to thank the Kentucky HBPA and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association for working with the Guild to reach this agreement,” said Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of Jockeys' Guild. “Special thanks to Senator Damon Thayer, for his assistance in reaching this agreement. Without his support, it would not have been accomplished.”

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's Rules Committee passed Oct. 4 a unanimous motion recommending this scale to the full commission for consideration and anticipated approval. Once approved, the proposed amendment to the administrative regulation will be filed with the Legislative Research Commission to follow the rule making process and allow for written and public comment. The agreements with the Kentucky HBPA and the KTA will remain in effect until the regulation has been formally adopted, which will likely be next year.

“I was pleased to advocate for a pay increase for the jockeys,” said Sen. Damon Thayer, Majority Leader of the Kentucky Senate. “Those who risk their lives every day at our tracks should be paid a fee commensurate with Kentucky's position of having the top purses in North America. In particular, I would like to thank trainer Dale Romans as a leader in the KHBPA, for facilitating in reaching the agreement and to Commissioner Charlie O'Connor for his role at the Commission in moving forward with the adoption of the new regulation.”

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Repole: `It’s Time Now That the Owners Take Back This Game’

In an interview with Nick Luck on Sunday's Spinster broadcast on NBC, Mike Repole called for the creation of a national owners' association that would “take back this game,” from the entities that now control it.

Repole indicated that he had started discussions with other interested owners and trainers, and expressed his discontent with the current state of the sport and how it is run, stressing that every other major sport is controlled at the ownership level.

“The frustration level…” he said. “I mean, this year, even though our success has been amazing, there isn't anything in this sport that is good right now. We need to make this sport better, so I want to start an association with the biggest owners and the biggest trainers. I think it's our responsibility. People say, `whose fault is it? Why is racing this bad?' I blame myself. I blame the owners. In other sports, like the NFL or the NBA, the owners are very involved. They run the sport. and here, we let everyone else run it for us, so I think owners and trainers taking care of the horses, the jockeys, the fans, the bettors, the tracks, working with the tracks, working with the other groups–it's time now that the owners take back this game.”

Luck pointed out that Repole had spent millions on yearlings at the Keeneland September sale just a few weeks prior.

“You just said there's nothing good about this sport, but a couple of weeks ago, just down the hill, you spent $14 million,” Luck said.

“Because I'm a big idiot, just like every owner in this game,” said Repole. “We take this. We take this from Churchill. We take this from other tracks. We take this from other associations. It can't happen any more.”

Last week, in a TDN survey about the Kentucky purse, Is The Derby Purse Fair? Repole expressed a strong opinion that the $3 million Derby purse, largely funded by nomination, entry and starting fees, was not fair.

“It's beyond embarrassing,” he said. “But not only do we put up a third of the purse with fees, but the way the owners get treated is an embarrassment. And the more I reflect, the more I'm starting to really realize that the blame of this lies with the owners and the trainers. As long as we keep letting tracks make the rules…and be ruled by the ineffective associations that represent owners, trainers, and jockeys in the sport without really having done them justice, the more we have to look ourselves in the mirror.”

He expressed a similar sentiment to Luck on the telecast.

“If we want to move forward, the only way is that the owners take over the control,” he said.” I spoke to a lot of owners. I spoke to a lot of trainers. We're going to work with the tracks, we're going to work with the other associations, we're going to work with HISA. We're going to work with horse rescue. We're going to work with vets. We're going to work with track surfaces. We're the ones that are putting money in this game. I spent $14 million dollars in this game (at Keeneland September) because I want (daughter) Gioia to be in it for a long, long time, and I care about this sport.”

Watch the interview here. 

Monday afternoon, Repole added some details in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post, in its entirety, reads:

“It's time!!!!! Racing needs change NOW. We need a NEW association led by the owners and trainers of this game that we all love and are passionate about. We need to turn selfish into SELFLESS and each do our part for the future of this great sport that is in poor health. The goal of this association will be to make all facets of racing better. We need to make it better and safer for horses, fans, gamblers, jockeys, trainers, owners, breeders, backstretch, tracks, etc, etc. This association will not just be focused on the top 10%, the goal is to make positive change for EVERYONE involved in the game. This seismic change doesn't happen overnight but it has to start now if it is ever going to happen. The plan is to unite and work together with the tracks, HISA, other racing associations, and the sales companies. We all want a better sport and it's about time we unite and leave the competition inside the racetrack not outside. Non cooperative tracks remember the owners and trainers control the entry box. I'm asking all owners and all trainers to help lead this mission!!!!! I'm asking you all to stop talking and let's unite for progress. Walk the talk!!!!! Here's a sneak peak into some of the focus items we will address: Working with HISA to improve horse safety with an advisory committee of the most experienced Thoroughbred Vets with the #1 goal to protect these amazing & loving equine athletes. Working with tracks on having three surfaces if possible, turf, dirt and synthetic. If not possible push for a synthetic training track. Stand up and back 99% of the trainers who devote their lives and work extremely hard. There are cheaters, crooks, in every industry and facet of life, they make up a small percentage. Significantly increase the purses for older horses. Having it make sense for owners and trainers to bring back these older horses. Long term this will lead to breeding older and more durable horses that will strengthen the breed. Have every consignment owner, bloodstock agent, jockey agent, veterinarian, etc. licensed with not only rules and regulations but fines, suspensions and penalties for everyone involved. Fix two year old sales. Horses will be tested when entered, weeks prior to the breeze and tested post breeze. We will also ban the stupidity of a 1 furlong 9.3 breeze. I would suggest they work go 3f or just gallop only before the auction. Promote ownership through reputable racing syndicates to get more owners in the game and at the same time educate them on horse ownership. Work with both Gen Z & Millennials with national programs focusing on the future of racing that includes future trainers, fans, grooms, gamblers, owners, media, etc. We need the next generation involved if racing has a future. Educate, upgrade and innovate the gambling of this sport. Be creative, let's think out of the box. Openly share your thoughts, comments and ideas with the industry and me. Do not hide or be afraid to speak up and share your true opinion to make the game better. If you get fired I will hire you for the new association!!!!! (Unless your name is Joe Drape) Are you willing to unite for progress??? #uniteforprogress LFG!!!!!”

The post is signed, “Mike from Queens, Racing Fan”

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Juddmonte’s Idiomatic Dominates Spinster

Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin) continued her ascent to the top of the distaff division Sunday with a dominant and fitting front-running tally in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S., a “Win and You're In” qualifier for next month's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

This was the second Spinster title for Juddmonte, which began sponsoring the prestigious race in 2005. Emollient (Empire Maker) carried the famed green and pink to victory here in 2013.

Backed at even-money to repeat rival Nest (Curlin)'s 4-5 odds, the Brad Cox trainee took clear command from the outset, doled out splits of :24.49, :48.31 and 1:12.24 and never faced an ounce of pressure all the way to the wire, which she crossed 4 1/4 lengths to the good. Le Da Vida (Chi) (Gemologist) was second, while Bellamore (Empire Maker) rounded out the trifecta. Nest could only muster a mild late bid and settled for fourth. The final time was 1:49.82.

“Actually, it was not easy looking at the race on paper with Nest being in there, a very good filly,” said winning rider Florent Geroux. “But my filly just keeps on improving and we know the distance is not a problem. She just keeps improving, and Brad and his team had her at her prime again today. She's just getting better and better, and I can't wait to ride her again.”

After methodically moving through her allowance conditions at Turfway Park at the start of the year, Idiomatic made her stakes debut a winning one in that venue's Latonia S. in March. She was a well-beaten second in Belmont's GII Ruffian S. in May before putting them back-to-back in the GIII Shawnee S. at Churchill in June and GII Delaware H. the following month. Idiomatic was last seen defeating the accomplished pair of Secret Oath (Arrogate) and Nest in a sloppy renewal of Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 25.

This was Brad Cox's first Spinster victory. Of winning it for the famed operation whose name it carries, he said, “It's very special, and I want to thank [owner Fahad bin] Mr. Khalid and his family and obviously the Juddmonte team here in America. This is a big win for this filly, it's her second Grade I. She's had a fantastic year. [This race is] a 'Win and You're In' [for] the Breeders' Cup so we're excited about that. I've run four or five fillies in the past in [this race] and haven't had much luck, so she was able to break through for us today.”

Cox said of Idiomatic, “She's a tremendous talent, very physical, really. When I was saddling her in the paddock, I was, like, 'Wow, she's the biggest horse I've ever trained.' She's a monster. She has a tremendous stride and covers so much ground. She's really a freak–I mean, she really is a tremendous talent, and we're very fortunate to have her.”

Sunday, Keeneland
JUDDMONTE SPINSTER S.-GI, $580,250, Keeneland, 10-8, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.82, ft.
1–IDIOMATIC, 124, f, 4, by Curlin
               1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900),
                              by First Defence
               2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
               3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent
Geroux. $367,350. Lifetime Record: 11-8-1-2, $1,416,840.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Le Da Vida (Chi), 124, m, 6, by Gemologist
               1st Dam: Viene Cantando (Chi) (MG1SW-Chi,
                               $119,875), by Gstaad
               2nd Dam: Cantan Las Flores (Chi), by Dynamix
               3rd Dam: Lanza Flores (Chi), by Gallantsky
O-Masaiva Inc.; B-Haras Santa Olga (CHI); T-Ignacio Correas, IV.
$98,750.
3–Bellamore, 124, m, 5, by Empire Maker
               1st Dam: Smart N Soft, by Smart Strike
               2nd Dam: Softly, by Binalong
               3rd Dam: Coragil, by Metfield
($170,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY);
T-Carlos Santamaria. $59,250.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2HF, 4HF. Odds: 1.06, 12.90, 25.51.
Also Ran: Nest, Sixtythreecaliber, Malloy. Scratched: Misty Veil.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

Pedigree Notes:
Idiomatic is the second-straight Spinster winner by super sire Curlin (last year's winner Malathaat took the Distaff next out en route to her second-straight Eclipse), and one of his 22 highest-level winners.

Idiomatic is a fourth-generation Juddmonte-bred and hails from the direct female line of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge), whose daughters have been brilliant producers and are responsible for a plethora of top horses over the last 50 or so years. One of those top horses was Juddmonte homebred, 'TDN Rising Star', and champion Close Hatches (First Defence), a full-sister to Idiomatic's stakes-winning and multiple Grade I-placed dam, Lockdown, who was fourth in the 2017 Juddmonte as a sophomore. Close Hatches is the dam of Tacitus (Tapit), whose big wins included the 2019 GII Wood Memorial S. and whose placings included the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S.

Broodmare sire First Defence, another Juddmonte homebred descending from the operation's wonderful Broodmare of the Year Toussuad (El Gran Senor), has 14 stakes winners out of his daughters. He is also the broodmare sire of 2021 GI Hollywood Derby hero Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy). First Defence now stands in Saudi Arabia.

Lockdown died in 2022 after producing just three foals. She has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Abditory (Medaglia d'Oro) and a yearling filly by Into Mischief.

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