Kentucky Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rock Your World Reloads for Belmont

ELMONT, NY — After a forgettable run on the first Saturday in May, the previously unbeaten Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) will get his shot at redemption in the 153rd renewal of the GI Belmont S.

Off as the 9-2 second-choice in the GI Kentucky Derby following a jaw-dropping, front-running tally in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at third asking, the dark bay's race was over well before his well-documented trouble at the start that day, per co-owner Kosta Hronis.

“I think he showed a lot of immaturity,” Hronis said. “The walkover, I'm not sure how kind he was about that and all those people on the racetrack with him. I don't think he was happy then and he wasn't happy in the paddock getting his saddle on, either. He just wasn't a happy camper. It's not his fault. He had three races. It proves that old adage about needing to run as a 2-year-old to win the Derby. I can see why they say that now. His immaturity definitely came to the surface in those couple of hours before the race.”

Off a step slowly from post 15 in the Derby, jockey Joel Rosario briefly lost his right iron aboard the Hronis Racing and Michael Talla colorbearer after getting bounced around between rivals at the start. From there, it didn't get all that much better. In the end, Rock Your World reported home a disappointing 17th, beaten 24 1/2 lengths.

“He didn't break out of the gate,” Hronis said. “And they blamed the horses for bumping us, but you know what? I blame us. The horse didn't break. I knew when he got that third bump on the first turn he was done at that point. Those things happen, it's horse racing.”

Hronis Inc., a family-run business based in California's San Joaquin Valley, has been raising table grapes since 1945. Launched in 2010 by brothers Kosta and Pete, Hronis Racing quickly reached the top of the sport with 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner and champion older male Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) and was also recognized as outstanding owner at that year's Eclipse Awards.

Other GISWs campaigned by Hronis Racing include: Stellar Wind (Curlin), Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), Hard Aces (Hard Spun), Lady of Shamrock (Scat Daddy), Gift Box (Twirling Candy), et al. Having a first runner on the Triple Crown trail, however, has been a different ball game for the operation currently boasting approximately 60 head in training.

“We've won a Breeders' Cup Classic, and, to me, that's the pinnacle of horse racing,” Hronis said. “But to be in the Kentucky Derby, that's really an honor. We really feel privileged to be a part of these special days. If anything, it's made me thirsty to try to get back. I don't think I had that before. But now that we've been there and experienced it, I'm ready for another Derby. I just haven't had Triple Crown fever up until now.”

Like his owner, the Belmont's potential controlling speed, ahem, is coming into the Big Apple hot. Produced by a MSW & MGISP daughter of 2003 Belmont hero Empire Maker, Rock Your World fired a five-furlong bullet in :58 2/5 (1/34) at John Sadler's Santa Anita base May 28.

“Now that he's been through that once–he got to come back home and take a breath–he's worked really well,” Hronis said. “Let's just hope that he breaks out of the gate and gives himself a chance. The 1 1/2 miles [of the Belmont] seems to be right up his alley. We're going in very optimistic that he's going to run good race.”

A stud deal to stand Rock Your World at Spendthrift Farm at the conclusion of his racing career was previously inked prior to the Kentucky Derby.

“They're born to be racehorses and we'd like that to continue as long as they want do that,” Hronis said. “Horses do let you know. I love Rock Your World, and as long as he's happy and competing well, we've all agreed that's what we want to do. And Spendthrift, I thank them. They reached out and took a chance on him and I'm hoping it pays big dividends for them.”

Bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Deborah, Rock Your World brought $650,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Partnering up to go after some flashier offerings was a new approach employed by the Hronis family in 2019.

“This was an expensive horse,” Hronis said. “We had our eye on a few expensive horses, so instead of just tackling it by ourselves and picking one, we did three partnerships with some yearlings that were a little bit pricey. It lessens the risk. It's kind of like the stock market. You don't want all your stock in one thing. It's the first time that we've done that and I'm not sure if we'll do anything like that in the future again. It was a good idea to minimize our exposure on these really fancy horses. It's becoming a popular thing now, you see it more and more.”

In addition to Rock Your World, another one of those “fancy horses” posted one of the more impressive debut victories in recent memory at Santa Anita in late April. Flightline (Tapit) earned a gaudy 105 Beyer Speed Figure–the second highest on the year among sophomores–in a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star' performance, romping by 13 1/4 lengths. The $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga buy is campaigned in partnership along with Siena Farm LLC, breeder Summer Wind Equine and West Point Thoroughbreds.

“We're just trying to be really cautious with him because that may be the most talented horse that we've ever had in our barn,” Hronis said. “He is a special special horse.”

Flightline has yet to return the worktab, but remains in light training with Sadler at Santa Anita.

“I would've loved for him to come with Rock and run in the [GI] Woody Stephens [S. on the Belmont undercard],” Hronis said. “After his maiden win, that's what we were talking about. Then he told us, 'No.' We just have to keep everything spaced out for him. I'm sure when he's ready, we'll find a nice race for him. I'm honored to be partnered with that group.”

Rock Your World still didn't make the cross country trip from California alone. Hronis and Sadler will also be represented during this week's Belmont S. festival with GI Churchill Downs S. winner Flagstaff (Speightstown) in Friday's GII True North S. The duo also teamed up to capture the 2019 renewal with Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags).

“My daughter worked for NBC in New York for about four years, so we did experience the city a few times,” Hronis concluded. “It's a beautiful city. Being a California boy that lives out in the country, the big city is really not something we're used to. We live out on a ranch. I don't have a neighbor for two miles and that neighbor is my brother! I've never been there before on Belmont day. You see that lineup of races and they're all so historic. We're really looking forward to it.”

The post Rock Your World Reloads for Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Churchill Bans Baffert for Two Years

Churchill Downs Incorporated has suspended Bob Baffert for two years effective immediately through the conclusion of the Churchill 2023 spring meet. The suspension prohibits Baffert, or any trainer directly or indirectly employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables, from entering horses in races or applying for stall occupancy at all CDI-owned racetracks. This decision follows the confirmation by attorneys represening Bob Baffert of the presence of betamethasone, a prohibited race-day substance, in Medina Spirit's (Protonico) bloodstream on the day of the 147th running of the GI Kentucky Derby in violation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's equine medication protocols and CDI's terms and conditions for racing.

“CDI has consistently advocated for strict medication regulations so that we can confidently ensure that horses are fit to race and the races are conducted fairly,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “Reckless practices and substance violations that jeopardize the safety of our equine and human athletes or compromise the integrity of our sport are not acceptable and as a company we must take measures to demonstrate that they will not be tolerated. Mr. Baffert's record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby. Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility.”

CDI reserves the right to extend Baffert's suspension if there are additional violations in any racing jurisdiction.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has the sole authority to disqualify Medina Spirt as the winner of Kentucky Derby 147.

The post Churchill Bans Baffert for Two Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

McIngvale: Where You Bet Matters

Jim McIngvale, also known as Mattress Mack, is an entrepreneur, furniture mogul, philanthropist and horse owner based in Houston. McIngvale campaigned 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and Eclipse Award champion male sprinter Runhappy and has become a major racing sponsor while promoting his horse as a stallion at Claiborne Farm. McIngvale can be reached at 281-844-1963 or mack@galleryfurniture.com.

As handicappers and racing enthusiasts across America prepare to dive into this week's sensational Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, keep this in mind: Where you bet matters.

It took 25-plus years of horse ownership and a $2.4 million wager for me to fully appreciate the huge difference it makes where a bet is placed. It was a wake-up call for me, and it should be for you. Everyone in horse racing whenever possible should put their money through the windows or self-bet machines at the racetrack.

If you're like I was, you've never really thought about how each dollar gets chopped up. A bet is a bet, you probably think. You get the same payoff if you bet on-track, through simulcasting or online. Even at a casino that is booking the bets, you get track odds, albeit with caps.

But the return to the industry — for the owners whose horses put on the show and for the track that provides the venue — wildly varies depending on where a bet is made. For the long-term viability of the sport, those who work in and/or love horse racing should learn where the money goes and take seriously betting where it maximizes purses.

I was committed to placing at least $2 million on Essential Quality in the Kentucky Derby in order to cover my Gallery Furniture promotion where customers would get their money back if the Derby favorite won. The casinos worked hard to get my action, which they had received for promotions tied to the outcome of the World Series and Super Bowl. It was an eye-opener to learn what it meant in additional dollars to horse owners if I made the largest Kentucky Derby bet in history at the home of the Derby instead of a casino or online.

I lost my $2.4 million total in win bets when Essential Quality finished fourth but sold a boatload of mattresses and had a lot of customers snapping their fingers during the Run for the Roses. But a big winner was Churchill Downs' purse account for horsemen, which accrued $240,000 from my bets alone.

Purses are the lifeblood of American racing — it's what makes our racing unique and is vital to its sustainability. There's a substantial difference in the money that goes to horse owners if a bet is placed onsite at the track or if it's bet through an online platform, simulcasting, a casino or off-shore. It also makes a big difference to the track staging the races, with the significant costs entailed in building, maintaining and staffing the facility.

Had I made my wager in Las Vegas, where the casinos do not have a contract with Churchill Downs and therefore could not bet into the parimutuel pools, no money would have flowed back to Kentucky horsemen. If bet anywhere but on track, at best the funding to purses would have been would have about half. At worse, zero.

If we care about the industry, the last place we should bet is offshore or with casinos that book the bets and don't contribute anything to our mutuel pools or purse account. Offshore sites might offer lucrative rebates – but they can do that because they have no outlay for the cost of putting on the product.

I'm not bashing reputable online betting operations or simulcasting. The pandemic proved how vital ADW operations are to racing, how we were able to stay in business with spectator-less racing while other sports were shut down.

Millennials and Generation Z's office is their phone, so ADWs are expanding our reach but at the same time should pay an equitable rate to racetracks and horsemen. Kudos to ADWs that have worked with various tracks and horsemen's groups in California, Kentucky and elsewhere to make sure ADW betting on-site returns the same amount to purses as if the bet were placed with a mutuel clerk or self-bet machine.

Of course, if we're asking horseplayers and racing participants to bet at the track where possible, tracks likewise must make their facilities and the experience inviting for fans. Every day, and not just on select days.

Horse racing has a great opportunity to step up our game and attract new fans. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness ratings showed people are interested in horse racing. Heck, my Gallery Furniture promotion shows that the Kentucky Derby and racing resonate with the guy and gal on the street.

We've got to attract younger people. We need to attract the followers of Barstool Sports, Bleacher Report, Action Network. We need to embrace sports-betting content.

There is no easy fix. It takes commitment, effort and ingenuity. But our sport and industry are worth it. Excluding football games, the Kentucky Derby was the third-most watched sporting event since the pandemic hit in March 2020, trailing only the NCAA men's basketball championship game won by Baylor and Gonzaga's semifinal victory over UCLA, according to Sports Media Watch. That's impressive.

The Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown and horse racing are still relevant. But you've got to flame the fire — and also be smart about where we bet. Cumulatively, it makes a huge difference.

The post McIngvale: Where You Bet Matters appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Churchill Suspends Baffert For Two Years After Medina Spirit’s Split is Positive

According to Craig Robertson, the lawyer representing Bob Baffert, a second-post race test has confirmed that Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for the prohibited corticosteroid betamethasone, which could lead to the horse being disqualified from this year's GI Kentucky Derby. In response, Churchill Downs Inc. banned Baffert for two years.

“In response to the inquiries, this will acknowledge that the Medina Spirit split sample confirmed the finding of betamethasone at 25 picograms,” Robertson said in a statement. “There is other testing that is being conducted, including DNA testing. We expect this additional testing to confirm that the presence of the betamethasone was from the topical ointment, Otomax, and not an injection. At the end of the day, we anticipate this case to be about the treatment of Medina Spirit's skin rash with Otomax. We will have nothing further to say until the additional testing is complete.”

As of the deadline for this story, the Kentucky Racing Commission had yet to make any statements regarding Medina Spirit and the Betamethasone positive and neither had it confirmed that Medina Spirit has failed any drug tests. However, Churchill Downs took action of its own Wednesday, suspending the trainer until the conclusion of the spring meet in 2023. If Baffert cannot compete in the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derby many prominent owners may choose to give their horses to other trainers.

Churchill issued a statement Wednesday, which read, in part: “The suspension prohibits Baffert, or any trainer directly or indirectly employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables, from entering horses in races or applying for stall occupancy at all CDI-owned racetracks. This decision follows the confirmation by attorneys representing Bob Baffert of the presence of betamethasone, a prohibited race-day substance, in Medina Spirit's bloodstream on the day of the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby in violation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's equine medication protocols and CDI's terms and conditions for racing.”

Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen made it clear that the company has no tolerance for anybody whose action might compromise the integrity of the sport.

“CDI has consistently advocated for strict medication regulations so that we can confidently ensure that horses are fit to race and the races are conducted fairly,” Carstanjen said. “Reckless practices and substance violations that jeopardize the safety of our equine and human athletes or compromise the integrity of our sport are not acceptable and as a company we must take measures to demonstrate that they will not be tolerated. Mr. Baffert's record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby. Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility.”

CDI said that it was reserving the right to extend Baffert's suspension if there are additional violations in any racing jurisdiction.

NYRA suspended Baffert for an undetermined period starting May 17 and they announced that the ban would stay in place until further notice.

“On May 17, the New York Racing Association, Inc. announced the temporary suspension of Bob Baffert from entering horses in races and occupying stall space at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack,” NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna said. “That suspension remains in effect and NYRA will make a determination regarding the length and terms of Mr. Baffert's suspension at the appropriate time and based on information generated by the ongoing investigation in Kentucky.”

After the news broke that the horse had tested positive following the Derby, trainer Bob Baffert and owner Amr Zedan requested that a second sample be sent to a laboratory, hoping that it would not show any traces of the prohibited medication.

If Medina Spirit is disqualified, the official winner of the Derby will be Mandaloun (Into Mischief). In 1968, Dancer's Image was disqualified from the Kentucky Derby after tests revealed the presence of phenylbutazone in his system and Forward Pass was declared the winner.

Once the racing commission makes it official that Medina Spirit has failed both tests, a hearing will be held before Churchill Downs stewards. If they decide that Medina Spirit must be disqualified then the Baffert team will have the option of appealing the case to the Kentucky Racing Commission. Should it decide to uphold the disqualification and penalties given to Baffert by the stewards, the next move from the Baffert team would likely be to appeal to the courts and to seek a stay pending the outcome of the case.

It took four years for the Dancer's Image case to work its way through the court system. He was not officially disqualified until 1972.

Baffert did not respond to a text from the TDN. When reached by phone, Zedan said he had no comment and referred questions to his attorney, Clark Brewster.

Brewster said he was confident that the original results of the Kentucky Derby would hold up and that Baffert would be exonerated. Baffert has said that Medina Spirit was treated with Otomax, an ointment that contains betamethasone and is used to treat dermatitis. For that reason, Brewster will make the case that the drug positive was nothing more than a case of inadvertent contamination. He said that the Medina Spirit team will request additional tests in an effort to prove that Medina Spirit was in fact treated with Otomax, which would indicate, he said, that the horse was not injected with the medication and that there were no attempts to use the medication as a performance-enhancer.

“Bob Baffert wins the Derby and within days is pilloried. People are on social media saying he is a cheat,” Brewster said. “The upshot of this is that they all believe this was an injectable into the joint and he's trying to get a horse in that might have some joint issues or pain. That's nonsense. If it can be proven that it simply was salve for eczema and used on a portion of his hip, which I think we can document…And it's not just Bob saying that, it would be proven scientifically. Reasonable people with some of facts will reach the same conclusion. The Horse Racing Integrity act? I love it. Let's make the rules uniform for everybody. But if you reject the science and use Draconian decision making, then it's bad for everybody. It's like rejecting climate change. When you are at a picogram level you have to use common sense and when you show the method of how it got into the horses's system, that is relevant and important for any decision making. I am very confident that reasonable people with the same facts will reach a reasonable conclusion, which means victory for Bob.”

PETA issued a statement Tuesday in which it called for Baffert to be permanently banned from the sport.

“Bettors who've been cheated by putting money down on the rigged Kentucky Derby may contact PETA or attorneys who are filing class-action lawsuits, but the other victim here is Medina Spirit,” said PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “He should be thoroughly examined by independent veterinarians to find out why he was administered a powerful medication and whether it was through injections to his joints rather than with a topical cream. The racing industry must at last stop buying Baffert's nonsensical excuses and kick him out for good.”

The Animal Wellness Action called for Churchill Downs to permanently ban Baffert from participating in the Derby.

Though the Kentucky Racing Commission has yet to take any official action against Baffert, he has been banned indefinitely by Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association. The Stronach Group, which operates Santa Anita, Baffert's home track, has not taken any action against him, but may have been waiting for the split sample to come back. Should he be suspended by the Kentucky Racing Commission, all other state racing commissions will have to honor that suspension.

The post Churchill Suspends Baffert For Two Years After Medina Spirit’s Split is Positive appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post