Miller Vaccinated Against Derby Fever: Arkansas Derby Contender Get Her Number Needs To Prove Himself

Trainer Peter Miller isn't ready to commit to a Louisville trip with this Saturday's Arkansas Derby contender Get Her Number.

“I've been vaccinated for COVID-19 and for Derby fever,” Miller quipped on Tuesday's NTRA media conference call. “Unlike most trainers, it's not as high a priority for me. I'd love to have a horse take me there. If someone takes me there, we'll go, but if not, we'll find another race.”

The 3-year-old son of Dialed In won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes on Sept. 26, just his third career start, but did not return to the races until the G2 Rebel Stakes on March 13 at Oaklawn Park. Miller said the colt had a few minor issues that caused him to miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall.

In the Rebel, Get Her Number was making a move around the far turn and endured a hard bump at the eighth pole, fading to finish seventh.

“He could have been third,” Miller suggested. “He had some scrapes and scars from the bump, all of which set us back maybe a week. He seems good now, though, and we're excited to give it another shot.”

This time, Miller would like to see Get Her Number closer to the front early.

“As long as he has a clean trip, we'll live with the results,” the trainer said.

The current Kentucky Derby point standings have Get Her Number, owned by Gary Barber, at 33rd on the leaderboard with the 10 points he earned in the American Pharoah. The Arkansas Derby offers points on a scale of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers, so a top two finish would likely secure the colt a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

He's got a good mind; he's got a lot of class about him,” said Miller. “He's rateable, he doesn't want to run off or be silly. He's easy to handle in that respect. And he tries hard. I don't know if he's got the quality to run with the top 3-year-olds, but I know he's gonna try and he's doing well, and that's all you can ask.”

Get Her Number drew post four of six for the G1 Arkansas Derby.

The full field is as follows:

  1. Super Stock
  2. Caddo River
  3. Hozier
  4. Get Her Number
  5. Concert Tour
  6. Last Samurai

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Essential Quality Extends His Lead In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll

Undefeated Essential Quality, fresh off a determined victory in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3, maintained the top spot in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll.

Trained by Brad Cox and bred and owned by Godolphin LLC, Essential Quality ran his record to five for five in the Blue Grass. The Eclipse Award-winning two-year-old male of 2020, Essential Quality received 31 first-place votes and 371 points in this week's poll. He is expected to make his next start in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1. Concert Tour, winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, remained in second place for the second consecutive week with five first place votes and 319 points. Concert Tour, bred and owned by Gary and Mary West and trained by Bob Baffert, is expected to be favored in this Saturday's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Hot Rod Charlie, winner of the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 20, was third in the poll with one first place vote and 239 points.

Rock Your World, frontrunning winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby in California at odds of 5-1, moved up to fourth in the NTRA poll with 238 points. Rock Your World, who was bred by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Deborah, was making his first start on the dirt following two victories on the turf. Rock Your World is owned by Hronis Racing of brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis and Michael Talla's Talla Racing. St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda, winner of the Curlin Florida Derby on March 27, rounded out the top five in this week's poll with 233 points.

Greatest Honour, beaten favorite in the Florida Derby, was sixth in this week's poll with 160 points. Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Highly Motivated, a game second behind Essential Quality in the Blue Grass, was seventh in this week's poll with 151 points. Medina Spirit, beaten favorite in the Santa Anita Derby, was eighth in the poll with 96 points. Life is Good, who is sidelined with an injury and will miss the Triple Crown, was ninth with 69 points, followed by Midnight Bourbon with 35 points.

A Godolphin homebred, Mystic Guide, also retained the top spot in this week's NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, which saw no change to the top seven placings. Mystic Guide, winner of the Dubai World Cup, remained in the top spot with 24 first place votes and 346 points. Charlatan was second in the voting with seven first-place votes and 320 points. Two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (six first-place votes, 306 points) remained in third place, followed by Eclipse Champion filly Swiss Skydiver (1 first-place vote, 248 points) and Knicks Go (225 points).

Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam remained in sixth place with 188 points and Idol remained in seventh place with 113 points. The lone change in the top 10 saw Eclipse Champion Gamine jump from 10th to eighth place with 93 points. Maxfield (57 points) and Shedaresthedevil (37 points) rounded out the top 10.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll concludes following the Belmont Stakes on June 5 and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through November 6.

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Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Make Moves To Address Slaughter Pipeline Issues

Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the health and welfare of thoroughbreds, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) today announced its endorsement of the John Stringer Rainey Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act.

The SAFE Act, named for the late South Carolina philanthropist and former director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, is legislation that would permanently end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in the United States and abroad.

It also amends Title 18 of the U. S. Code by making it illegal to “possess, ship, transport, purchase, sell, deliver, or receive … any horse with the intent that it is to be slaughtered for human consumption,” with penalties that include fines and imprisonment.

Introduced in 2019 by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, the SAFE Act has also garnered the endorsement of several prominent animal welfare groups. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States are among those supporting its passage.

Other prominent groups that have endorsed the SAFE Act include the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the United States Trotting Association, and the Maryland Horse Council.

“Our bipartisan legislation will help put an end to the cruel and inhumane slaughter of horses while protecting families from toxic horse meat and safeguarding the reputation of the U.S. food industry worldwide,” said Sen. Menendez when the bill was introduced.

In addition to its commitment to the health and safety of Thoroughbreds, aftercare is also a top priority of the PHBA, according to president Greg Newell.

“We are doing everything we can to help place horses who reach the end of their first or second career, whether they have finished racing or breeding,” said Newell. “Our Anti-Slaughter Committee, chaired by Kate Goldenberg, has done a wonderful job addressing what can be done to help our equine athletes.”

PHBA Board member Hank Nothhaft, also a member of the Anti-Slaughter Committee, said that endorsement of the SAFE Act was something the organization wanted to do to be a positive force towards improving the industry. The fact that many unwanted thoroughbred broodmares are found in slaughter pens proved to be a call to action.

“There was unanimous support from the PHBA Board to mitigate the slaughter of broodmares,” said Nothhaft. “Older broodmares, especially, are not attractive candidates for equestrian activities, and thus they are not as easy to rehome as younger horses. This has really pushed us from sitting on the bench towards getting into the fray.”

“The Anti-Slaughter Committee was formed in order to protect our broodmares, stallions, and Pennsylvania-bred racehorses that end up in the slaughter pipeline, or in bad situations,” explained Jennifer Poorman of the PHBA. “What is coming from it is so much more.”

Poorman said that the Committee has a goal to create a broodmare retirement program to address the need of unwanted mares.

“Our hope is to form a non-profit within our organization, to assist our breeders when the time comes when their broodmare can no longer breed,” said Poorman. “We'll be looking to build a network of partner farms willing to assist with retirement from breeding, whether it's a second career or permanent retirement due to physical limitations.

“We're also creating a campaign to educate our breeders about responsible aftercare, along with providing a network of resources for our breeders to turn to at any point they find themselves in need of assistance,” she said.

“No one has been looking out for the broodmares,” said Nothhaft. “There's lots of enthusiasm for this project moving forward.”

Nothhaft said one reason why the SAFE Act hasn't gained traction towards passage since 2019 in Congress is because large agricultural interests fear that anti-slaughter legislation would bring undue attention to their industries, which involve large-scale slaughter of animals for food.

“The SAFE Act is one of three items we are working on,” said Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary of the PHBA. “The others are Pennsylvania-specific anti-slaughter legislation, similar to the SAFE Act, that would make it a misdemeanor for anyone who causes or transports a horse into the slaughter pipeline, as well as a PHBA code of ethics, with sanctions for anyone who is a member or registers horses with our organization and is found to be in violation of the Pennsylvania anti-slaughter measures.”

The PHBA's relationship with legislators in Harrisburg could have a positive impact towards the introduction and passage of a Pennsylvania anti-slaughter bill, said Nothhaft.

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Dubai World Cup Winner Mystic Guide Takes Over NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide earned his first top-level victory in spectacular fashion this past weekend when he surged to a 3 ¾-length triumph in the $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. In addition to padding his career bankroll, that win allowed the son of Ghostzapper to continue to elevate his reputation in the handicap ranks as he takes over the No. 1 spot in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Trained by Michael Stidham, Mystic Guide came into the Group 1 Dubai World Cup off a six-length victory in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on February 27. The 4-year-old colt, who won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes during his sophomore campaign, earned 21 first-place votes and 333 points this week to move past fellow Grade 1 winner Charlatan into the lead position on the poll.

“Today he proved he is a champion and I know he is going to get better and better,” jockey Luis Saez told the Dubai World Cup notes team after piloting Mystic Guide to victory. “What a nice horse, he has all the ability. It's an honor for me. It's a dream come true.”

Charlatan, who most recently finished as the runner-up in the $20 million Saudi Cup, drops one spot to second with 10 first-place votes and 328 points. Champion distaffer Monomoy Girl sits third with 6 first-place votes and 309 points followed by fellow champion Swiss Skydiver (1 first-place vote, 249 points) and stablemate Knicks Go (231 points).

Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam ranks sixth with 193 points while Santa Anita Handicap hero Idol (122 points) is seventh. Godolphin's Maxfield ranks eighth with 68 points while Shedaresthedevil (52 points), and champion female sprinter Gamine (45) round out the top 10.

The Godolphin team reigns over both NTRA polls this week as their unbeaten juvenile champion Essential Quality maintains his lead position in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll with 31 first-place votes and 373 points ahead of his expected run in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3.

Concert Tour, winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, remains second with 6 first-place votes and 330 points with Louisiana Derby victor Hot Rod Charlie moving up to third with 258 points. Known Agenda joins the top 10 for the first time, landing in the fourth spot this week with 240 points following his triumph in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Medina Spirit sits fifth with 185 points while Greatest Honour (178 points) drops to sixth after finishing third as the favorite in the Florida Derby. Risk Taking (89 points) is seventh followed by Life Is Good (1 first-place vote, 88 points), Midnight Bourbon (70), and Helium (51).

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll concludes following the Belmont Stakes on June 5 and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through November 6.

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