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Baffert-Trained Illumination Headed To Saratoga For Test

Trainer Bob Baffert plans to send maiden winner Illumination to Saratoga for this Saturday's Grade 1 Test Stakes, reports the Daily Racing Form. It will be his first starter in New York since a judge overturned the New York Racing Association's ban of Bob Baffert on July 14.

NYRA notified Baffert ahead of the Belmont Stakes that it was suspending his ability to enter horses in races or have stall space at its racetracks due to his recent history of medication violations (five over a one-year period), the conflicting statements he provided to media around the Medina Spirit scandal, and Churchill Downs' suspension of the trainer.

Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the Eastern District of New York determined that NYRA's suspension of Baffert should not have taken place without some sort of hearing allowing him to address the organization's accusations against him. Although NYRA was asserting its private property rights in the case, Amon said the organization is closely entwined enough with the state that its suspension of Baffert constituted a state action, thereby requiring due process.

The Test Stakes will be held over the main track at seven furlongs and restricted to sophomore fillies. Baffert won the Test last year with Gamine, who is expected to ship to Saratoga for the G1 Ballerina on Aug. 28. The trainer is not expected to be in attendance for this Saturday's race at Saratoga.

Illumination, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, broke her maiden on June 4 at Santa Anita by eight lengths, but has not raced since. That was her fifth career start, but first in over seven months, during which time co-owner George Bolton told DRF the filly was turned out and given time to grow up.

The $900,000 yearling purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select sale earned a Grade 1 placing as a 2-year-old in the Del Mar Debutante, finishing third. She is out of the stakes-winning, multiple graded stakes-placed Street Sense mare Light the City, from the family of Mastery, Two Step Salsa, and Top Commander.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance To Be Featured Whitney Weekend At Saratoga

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced a series of events to highlight the work of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) on Saturday, Aug. 7 and Sunday, Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

The TAA is the nonprofit organization that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Based in Lexington, KY, the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members.

Since inception in 2012, the TAA has granted more than $20.7 million to accredited aftercare organizations, assisting 12,900 Thoroughbreds. Currently 81 aftercare organizations supporting approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation.

On Saturday, Aug. 7, the TAA will be featured at the NYRA Community Booth, where fans will be able to learn about the organization's mission from TAA representatives, and to make a donation in exchange for a Remi Bellocq cartoon t-shirt and a variety of racing items like saddle towels and goggles.

Racing fans can also show their support by opting to make a donation to the TAA throughout the Saratoga meet when cashing a winning ticket on an AmTote International self-service betting terminal. All donations are tax deductible.

On Sunday, Aug. 8, horses will don NYRA-donated TAA saddle towels for a race named in honor of the TAA. In the winner's circle after the race, the TAA will present awards to the best turned-out horse and to the winning groom and connections.

“Many consider the Whitney Stakes as the marque race for older horses at Saratoga,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “What better stage for the TAA to be present and share in the excitement of the day and the commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare.”

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Weekend is a golden opportunity to share the kind of productive careers that Thoroughbreds can enjoy after they leave the track,” said Stacie Clark-Rogers of the TAA. “In many cases, these are talented and highly trainable horses who demonstrate an ability to flourish in new careers like show jumping and dressage. Training and owning these horses can be also an important and rewarding experience.”

The New York Thoroughbred industry is a leader in aftercare, donating more than $1.28 million toward racehorse retirement every year. In addition to the contributions made by NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB), the NYRA jockey colony, and individual owners and trainers, there have been two ground-breaking programs implemented at the NYRA tracks. Owners pay a per-start fee for every horse that races, and they pay a surcharge on every horse claimed out of a NYRA race. Those two programs alone raise about $500,000 every year.

To learn more about the TAA, visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

The post Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance To Be Featured Whitney Weekend At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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TAA Featured Whitney Week

A series of events will highlight the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) Aug. 7-8 at Saratoga Race Course, according to The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA). On Saturday, the non-profit organization will be featured at the NYRA Community Booth, where fans will be able to learn about the organization's mission, and to make a donation in exchange for a Remi Bellocq cartoon t-shirt and a variety of racing items like saddle towels and goggles. Fans can also make a donation to the TAA throughout the Saratoga meet when cashing a winning ticket on an AmTote International self-service betting terminal. All donations are tax deductible.

“Many consider the Whitney S. as the marque race for older horses at Saratoga,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “What better stage for the TAA to be present and share in the excitement of the day and the commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare.”

On Sunday, horses will don NYRA-donated TAA saddle towels for a race named in honor of the TAA. In the winner's circle after the race, the TAA will present awards to the best turned-out horse and to the winning groom and connections.

The TAA is the nonprofit organization that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. The New York Thoroughbred industry donates more than $1.28 million toward racehorse retirement annually.

The post TAA Featured Whitney Week appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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McPeek Frustrated By ‘Nonsensical’ Denial Of Entries At Saratoga, Seeks Hearing

Though the New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Commission officially released Saratoga's Barn 86 from quarantine on Aug. 1, trainer Ken McPeek told bloodhorse.com he was frustrated by his inability to enter horses to race on that date. McPeek and his lawyer, Andrew Mollica, filed a request for a hearing with the NYSGC as to why he was unable to enter horses until Sunday, essentially preventing those horses from racing until Aug. 6.

The quarantine began on July 11, when a filly trained by Jorge Abreu, with whom McPeek shares Barn 86, tested positive for equine herpesvirus. The filly was sent to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and is currently recovering. No other horses in the barn showed symptoms during the 21-day quarantine.

Multiple press releases and news reports indicated that the quarantine would be released on Aug. 1, provided there were no additional cases of EHV-1, so McPeek and his owners made plans to be able to race their horses from that date. He attempted to enter one horse for Aug. 1, three for Aug. 4, and three for Aug. 5, but since entries for those cards were taken before Aug. 1, NYSGC steward Braulio Baeza Jr. denied the entries.

Essentially, the quarantine was unnecessarily and inexplicably extended by another five days, McPeek argued.

“I am doing this so that the next time this happens, trainers and owners will not have to go through another situation like this where there are an extra three to five days when their horses cannot run because there is no clarity in New York. I don't want to see anyone else go through this,” McPeek told bloodhorse.com. “Officials need to address some standard operating procedures and protocols for everyone that make sense. To keep horses who have cleared quarantine from not running is nonsensical.

“What's the logic here?” he added. “It's been easier for (trainers) Marcus Vitali and Bob Baffert to run at Saratoga than me.”