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All Graded Stakes Cross Country Pick 5 Features Races From Saratoga, Arlington

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 encompassing all graded stakes with racing action from historic Saratoga Race Course and Arlington Park on Saturday. The sequence will include four Grade 1 contests and a Grade 2 event.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Juveniles will take centerstage to start it off as a 12-horse field will compete in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite in Race 9 at 5:39 p.m. Eastern. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds will see Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen saddle a pair of talented Winchell Thoroughbred homebreds – and sons of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner – in Gunite and Red Run. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez will see if Doctor Jeff, who won a first-out six-furlong sprint at Belmont Park last month, can handle the step up in stakes company, while Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will have two contenders as well with Midnight Worker, who won at Saratoga already in July, and Double Thunder, who won the Bashford Manor last out in June at Churchill Downs.

Action then shifts to Arlington, located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, for the Grade 1, $400,000 Beverly D. for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 3/16 miles on the turf in Race 7 at 5:49 p.m. Trainer Chad Brown, a six-time Beverly D.-winner who has won the last five editions of this race, will look to extend his streak by sending out the Irish-bred Lemista, who will look to rebound off an eight-place finish in the Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at Saratoga. Lemista, listed at 5-1 on the morning line, will face a strong seven-horse field that includes 9-5 morning-line favorite Mean Mary for trainer Graham Motion. Santa Barbara, conditioned by renowned international trainer Aidan O'Brien, is 2-1.

Saratoga's featured race, the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the inner turf, will go off in Race 10 at 6:13 p.m. Brown will have another strong contender in this prestigious turf race as well, with Raging Bull facing an all-graded stakes winning field as he looks to take the next step in a race in which he ran second in 2019 and fifth last year. Brown will be looking for his first career victory in the Fourstardave, which is a “Win And You're In” event for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile on November 6 at Del Mar. Mark Casse, inducted into the Hall of Fame last week, will send out Got Stormy, the winner of the 2019 Fourstardave, and she seeks to become the first dual Fourstardave winner since two-time Horse of the Year and recent Hall of Fame inductee Wise Dan [2012-13].

Arlington will close the sequence with two Grade 1s, starting with the $300,000 Bruce D. for 3-year-olds going one mile on the turf in Race 8 at 6:28 p.m. Trainer Jack Sisterson, who has amassed four Grade 1 wins since 2020, will look to sustain his run by sending out Tango Tango Tango. The race, formerly named the Secretariat, will see Tango Tango Tango, winner of the American Derby at the same track on July 17, face a field that includes Mystic Lake Derby-winner King of Miami and Like a Saltshaker.

Concluding the Cross Country Pick 5 will be the $600,000 Mr. D. for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/4 miles on the turf in Race 9 at 7:13 p.m. Formerly the Arlington Million, the Mr. D. will see the O'Brien-trained Armory, under jockey Ryan Moore, look to parlay strong international efforts into success in North America. Armory was the runner-up in the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia last year and third in the Group 1 Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot two months ago and fourth last out in the Group 2 York on July 24. Brown will have strong representation in this race as well, with Domestic Spending carrying a four-race winning streak into the weekend. Domestic Spending has won six of seven starts overall.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, August 14:
Leg A: Saratoga – Race 9, G2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite (5:39 p.m.)
Leg B: Arlington – Race 7, Beverly D. (5:49 p.m.)
Leg C: Saratoga – Race 10, G1 Fourstardave (6:13 p.m.)
Leg D: Arlington – Race 8, Bruce D. (6:28 p.m.)
Leg E: Arlington – Race 9, Mr. D. (7:13 p.m.)

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Asmussen’s Next Target: Juan Suarez

The Week in Review by Bill Finley

Steve Asmussen moved past Dale Baird Saturday to become North America's all-time leading trainer in wins with 9,446. But for such a goal-oriented individual, it's no time to rest. To be number one in the world, Asmussen still has to catch Peruvian trainer Juan Suarez. And it won't be easy.

Suarez, as of Saturday, had 9,886 wins–or 440 more than Asmussen. On the same day that Asmussen won one race from 13 starters spread across four racetracks, Suarez had three wins on the Saturday card at Peru's only racetrack, the Hipodromo de Monterrico, which is in Lima.

Over the last five years, Suarez, 71, is averaging 315 wins a year, while Asmussen is averaging 390. That means he will likely chip away at Suarez's lead but could spend years trying to catch him. The main advantage Asmussen has is his age. He is 16 years younger than Suarez and will surely outlast him.

Suarez was born in Santiago, Chile and moved to Peru in 1963 at the age of 13. The family moved because Suarez's father, Juan Suarez, Sr., was hired as the trainer for Haras Barlovento, then among the leading stables in the country. The elder Suarez won the most prestigious race in Peru, the G1 Derby Nacional, eight times. Suarez worked as an assistant to his father before going out on his own in 1980 and won 116 races that year.

Much like Asmussen, he built up a huge stable that delivered year after year. From 2001 on, he has not had fewer than 200 winners in a year. He had a personal best 368 in 2013. He currently trains 210 horses and has had as many as 300 at times.

Asmussen enjoys advantages Suarez will never have. Not only does he have more horses than Suarez, but he has the ability to race at four or five tracks at a time. Suarez is restricted to running at Hipodromo de Monterrico.

Through an interpreter, Suarez said that his numbers are down because the stable is still dealing with COVID-19 issues. Though in his seventies, he shows no signs of slowing down and he is not contemplating retirement.

“I live for this activity and I do not have any plans for retirement,” he said. “I am still active in the field here in Peru and many horse owners still look to me because of my experience and our friendship.”

It seems that Asmussen and Suarez share many of the same attributes and both believe the key to success is hard work, putting together a good team and paying attention to every last detail.

“The most important thing is having a dedicated work team,” Suarez said. “You must also have support from your family because the job takes up so much of your time.”

“I was reading about Steve Asmussen and his having such a great memory,” said Suarez's nephew, Lexington-based bloodstock agent Dante Zanelli, Jr. “My uncle is just like that. He has a photographic memory. He has had as many as 300 horses at a time and he knows everything about every horse. He knows his horses and he remembers everything about them. That has a lot to do with his success. He is also an extremely good trainer and has great people working for him. It's very similar to what Steve Asmussen has.”

While Suarez wants to win, he is not consumed with winning.

“I don't focus too much on the wins,” he said. “I pay more attention to the work. I want everything to be OK, and then to see the result of the hard work done by my team and I.”

Suarez has had just one starter in the U.S. For the 2012 GII Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita, he brought over the Peruvian-bred mare Almudena (Per) (Silver Planet {Arg}). A Group 1 winner in her native country, she finished 10th with Jose Valdivia, Jr. aboard. Valdivia is Suarez's nephew. He is also related to retired jockey Fernando Toro, who is his brother-in-law.

“That was a great experience,” Suarez said. “We did not have much luck in that race but the experience and being able to celebrate the experience was amazing. I love how in the USA they make the experience even greater with the Breeders' Cup organization and all the attention to detail.”

He has also exported horses to the U.S., including a stakes winner at Hialeah. He trained Tomcito (Street Cry {Ire}) before sending him to Zanelli, then a trainer, for the 2008 GI Florida Derby, where he was third.

Zanelli said that his uncle has considered opening up a small stable at Del Mar.

“We have talked about that and the logistics involved and how to make it work,” Zanelli said “He's been talking to his owners about this and has been trying to get permission from the Jockey Club of Peru to open a stable at Del Mar. He'll explore that again for next year. He has a couple of pretty good horses that could win there. He'd like to have a stable with six to nine horses.”

With 12 horses entered Saturday at the Hipodromo de Monterrico, Suarez didn't have time to watch Asmussen move past Dale Baird, but he is well aware of Asmussen's accomplishments and he is an admirer.

“I know that Mr. Steve Asmussen is one of the top-tier horse trainers in the USA,” he said. “I also know that he has a lot of horses and a great work team and family. That shows why he is so successful. His breaking the record in the USA shows the great work ethic that he has. I know the sacrifices you must make to train horses, for the trainer, the family and the team that works with him. It is particularly difficult in such a competitive horse racing country as it is in the USA. I wish the best to Mr. Asmussen and congratulate him for the enormous achievement he has accomplished.”

Panza Left His Mark on Saratoga and NYRA

The paid attendance Saturday at Saratoga for the card topped by the GI Whitney S. was 38,525 and the all-sources handle was $36,820,234. Yes, Saratoga sells itself, but those numbers may not have been possible without NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza. Panza announced his resignation last week. He will work through the end of the Belmont fall meet.

Panza “got it.” He loves racing and is always happy to roll his sleeves up and get to work to make it better. Two of his primary innovations were on display Saturday and contributed to the card's success. He put together the successful turf series for 3-year-old males and fillies that includes the $1-million GI Saratoga Derby Invitational run Saturday. He's also an advocate of creating “Super Saturdays” at the NYRA tracks. Saturday's card didn't include just the Whitney, it had five stakes races and three Grade I's. He turned the card for the GI Belmont S. into a day that goes well beyond the Belmont itself. Next to the two Breeders' Cup Days, it is the best card on the year.

His successor will have big shoes to fill.

The post Asmussen’s Next Target: Juan Suarez appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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NYRA, Resorts World Partner at Saratoga

Resorts World will serve as naming rights partner for the Founders Room and Legends Hall, which are located within the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course, and will be the presenting sponsor of the $750,000 GI Sword Dancer S. on GI Runhappy Travers Day, Aug. 28, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced Saturday.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Resorts World, our longtime neighbor at Aqueduct Racetrack,” said Tony Allevato, NYRA Chief Revenue Officer. “We invite and encourage our fans to experience and enjoy the many amenities this summer at the Resorts World Founders Room and Resorts World Legends Hall inside the 1863 Club.”

Meghan Taylor, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations at Resorts World, added, “Racing has a long and storied history in New York and we are proud to partner with NYRA at the world-famous Saratoga Race Course. We look forward to welcoming fans to the Resorts World Founders Room where they will have a front row seat to all the racing action.”

Resorts World unveiled a new hotel on property this month at its Queens location, the Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World New York, and has been named the official hotel provider of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and the 2021 Belmont Stakes.

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Panza Leaving NYRA Role As Senior VP Of Racing Operations

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that Martin Panza will depart from his position as Senior Vice President of Racing Operations at the conclusion of the Belmont Park fall meet on Oct. 31.

Since joining NYRA in 2013, Panza has been responsible for the leadership and oversight of racing functions at NYRA, including the overall development, planning, and execution of NYRA's premier stakes offerings and daily racing programs.

“Martin has successfully maintained the history and traditions of New York racing while also modernizing the program to adapt to changes in the sport and the overall industry,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “His contributions have strengthened thoroughbred racing here in New York and across our sport. During his tenure, Martin has established a talented racing office team that will serve as the foundation for continued success. We extend our thanks to Martin for his years of service to NYRA and wish him the best as he enters a new phase in his career.”

Panza successfully led NYRA's efforts to create significant events by bundling major stakes races into either a single day or across a series of days. The strategy resulted in blockbuster Travers and Whitney days at Saratoga Race Course, and the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and Stars and Stripes Racing Festival at Belmont Park. Panza was also instrumental in the creation of the Turf Triple Series, which emulates the American dirt classics to shine a spotlight on the finest 3-year-old turf runners on the male and female side.

“I would like to thank my colleagues at NYRA and the NYRA Board of Directors for their dedication to this organization and the sport, which has allowed us to innovate together to enhance NYRA's world class racing product,” said Panza. “I'd also like to thank the horsemen, jockeys, and horseplayers who support our racing on a daily basis throughout the year.”

NYRA's organizational commitment to safety and integrity now sets the industry standard. Panza played a leading role in the formation of a coalition of leading Thoroughbred racing associations and organizations committed to phasing out the use of Lasix. Subsequently, NYRA and its coalition partners eliminated the use of Lasix in all 2-year-old races in 2020 followed by all stakes races in 2021. As a result, the three Triple Crown races are now contested without the use of race day medication.

Panza served as chair of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety Committee, establishing the NTRA Code of Safety Standards in the process. NYRA was a founding member of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, which was launched in 2019 to create and implement a series of significant safety, medication, operational, and integrity guidelines across Thoroughbred racing to ensure the well-being of horses and jockeys while increasing transparency and accountability.

Over the last eight years, NYRA has embarked on a sustained effort led by Panza to recruit prominent international horses and trainers to compete on the New York circuit. Driven by the interconnected nature of the sport, as well as the increasing popularity of turf racing, this initiative has generated an increase in global interest in NYRA and strengthened the foundation of New York racing.

“I've been lucky to have learned the craft from some of the best in the business,” Panza said. “It's a responsibility to share that knowledge with the next generation, and I look forward to watching the NYRA racing office flourish and succeed for many years to come.”

Panza sits on the board of the NTRA, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the Racetrack Medication and Testing Consortium and the Thoroughbred Racing Association. He also serves on the advisory board of the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program.

In addition, Panza has served on a number of racing committees and organizations, including the American Graded Stakes Committee, the Breeders' Cup Selection Committee, and the North American Ratings Committee.

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