Tag: People

Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup-winning trainer Rick Dutrow returned to the Belmont Park backstretch to begin setting up his stalls on Tuesday, April 4, according to the Thoroughbred Daily News. The first horse will arrive from Ocala on Thursday.

“They gave me stalls in barn 28,” Dutrow said. “They allowed me to come back [Tuesday]. It was mid-day and I went straight to the barn to set things up. I will have a couple of horses by the end of the week and hope to keep adding from there. I'm back and all is good. I just want to look forward. I don't want to look back at what happened. How does it feel? Great. Just great.”

Dutrow hopes to have a string of 25 to 30 horses by the end of the Saratoga meet.

The New York State Gaming Commission granted Dutrow a license to resume training on Feb. 27. The trainer had been suspended 10 years and fined $50,000 by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board – which was replaced by the New York State Gaming Commission – for a string of suspensions and rules violations, the last being a positive drug test in one of his horses for butorphanol and the discovery of loaded syringes in a desk drawer in his barn office at Aqueduct. Regulators at the time called Dutrow's conduct “obnoxious” and “unbecoming.”

Dutrow lost his appeals of the penalties and eventually ran out of legal options. His last starter, Colossal Gift, was victorious at Aqueduct on Jan. 16, 2013.

Dutrow has been a divisive figure in racing ever since. In 2019, the Paulick Report's Natalie Voss wrote about the trainer's career, legal case, and each side of the argument for allowing the trainer to return to racing: 'Bring Rick Back'? Years Later, Dutrow's Ban Still Divides.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post ‘I Just Want To Look Forward’: Rick Dutrow Resumes Training In New York appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Irad Ortiz, Jr., reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, just keeps rolling along posting impressive wins in a spectacular weekend of racing. Ortiz's four stakes victories, including two graded races, capped six total winners on Saturday. The weekend culminated on Sunday with his fourth leading rider title at Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet.

The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz the honor of Jockey of the Week for March 27 through April 2. The award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Ortiz started the racing week on Wednesday with three winners, two on Thursday and one on Friday. On Florida Derby Day, Ortiz began his stakes haul aboard Therapist for trainer Mike Maker in the Grade Pan American at 1 1/2 miles on the grass. Therapist broke sixth in the field of eight and tracked the favorite, Master Piece, to the top of the stretch. Therapist passed the tiring Master Piece in the final eighth of a mile to post a ¾-length victory in 2:29.22.

Ortiz next had the call on Marketsegmentation for trainer Chad Brown in the Sand Springs Stake. Off as the favorite in the field of nine, Marketsegmentation overcame a wide trip and a slow pace to just get up in time for the win, completing 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:43.13.

Trainer Todd Pletcher gave a leg up to Ortiz on Steady On in the Appleton Stakes. The duo sat fourth behind a solid pace before tipping outside and racing alongside Churchtown until inching away for the win in 1:34.49 for one mile on turf.

While the Appleton was the fifth win of the day for Ortiz, the best was still to come in the penultimate race of the day, the G1 Florida Derby.

Sent to the post as the overwhelming favorite in the field of 12, Forte, with Ortiz in the irons, had to overcome a bad post and an eventful trip to turn what seemed certain defeat into a defining victory and status as the favorite heading to the Kentucky Derby on May 6. Breaking from post 11, Forte had only two horses beaten as the field straightened down the backside. Approaching the quarter pole, Forte angled eight wide but was still several lengths behind the leader Mage before finding another gear in the stretch to win by a length in 1:49.37.

Ortiz added three wins on Sunday for a total of 15 for the week to lead all jockeys in wins. He will ride the entire 15-day Keeneland meet which begins April 7.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Juan J. Hernandez with a graded stakes win at Santa Anita, Jose L. Ortiz with three stakes wins at Gulfstream, Flavien Prat who won the G1 Arkansas Derby, and Jevian Toledo who posted eight wins for the week.

The post Jockey Of The Week: Reigning Champ Irad Ortiz, Jr. Caps Big Week With Florida Derby Win, Gulfstream Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Race caller Dani Jackson will return to Turf Paradise later this month to continue her tutelage from Turf Paradise Race Caller, Craig Braddick, who has been mentoring Dani for nearly two years.

Jackson, who lives in the Manchester suburbs in the UK, was a huge hit with racing fans when she visited Turf Paradise in January of 2022 and will be behind the microphone from April 26 to the close of the meet on May 6.

During her stay, Braddick and Jackson will share race calling duties and Dani will be calling the races solo on April 29, May 5, and May 6 while Craig is calling National Steeplechase Association races in Virginia.

Over the last 12 months Dani has been invited to guest call at some race tracks in the UK as well as increasing her exposure by commentating on Greyhound Racing for Sky Sports Racing, presenting on William Hill Racing Radio and presenting for Racing Post Greyhound Television.

For her part, Dani is excited about her return to the United States: “I have learned such a lot from the great opportunities I have been fortunate to have in the last year. And I am really looking forward to showcasing my race calls at Turf Paradise. Craig is always encouraging and always looks for ways for me to improve. The fact he applies the same standards to his own work makes him a great mentor for any race caller.”

Braddick added: “The amount of work Dani puts in to improve her craft should be an example to anyone in any field, and I am really looking forward to working with her and have no doubt she will do an excellent job.”

Many of the races Dani Jackson will be calling will also be featured on Fanduel TV, Sky Sports Racing and Sky Racing Australia.

The post UK’s Dani Jackson To Return As Guest Race Caller At Turf Paradise appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Irad Ortiz Jr. finished off a remarkably successful Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park in spectacular fashion this weekend, deftly guiding Forte to a victory in Saturday's $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa that was as gritty as the late-rallying decision was thrilling on an afternoon during which he rode six winners, including four stakes.

With three more winning rides on Sunday's closing day program, Ortiz finished the Championship Meet with 128 victories to reclaim the jockey title for the elite winter Thoroughbred session. Ortiz's total wins is particularly impressive considering that he fell just 12 wins short of his own record of 140 achieved during the 2020-2021 season that ran three weeks longer.

Ortiz, who had captured three consecutive Championship Meet titles before being dethroned by Luis Saez last season, ran away with this year's title while finishing 57 wins ahead of the Saez, who finished three wins ahead of third-place Jose Ortiz.

“I've had big support from the owners and trainers. They support me. Thanks to them. If I don't have their help, I can't do anything,” Irad Ortiz Jr. said Sunday. “At the same time, my agent Steve (Rushing) has done a great job. He does everything he can, every single day to get horses for me. I thank God for keeping me healthy and being available to do this every single day.”

The 30-year-old Ortiz, a four-time Eclipse Award winner, rode the winners of 14 stakes, including Atone, the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) champion, as well as Forte, who established himself as the solid early favorite for the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1) with a Florida Derby score in the face of considerable adversity that followed a dominating win in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Ortiz's uncanny ability to work out a winning trip under the most adverse conditions were on full display in the Florida Derby, in which his 1-5 favorite was forced to race from far back while taking considerable kickback and under steady pressure to get back into the race and overtake Mage by a length while making up several lengths in the stretch.

“I was asking my horse on the first turn and backside too. The last turn he kept giving me more every time I asked him,” Ortiz said. “Every step of the way I'm on top of him asking him and he kept giving it to me, giving it to me. I was expecting him to say, 'It's over. I've given you everything.” But he has a big heart and he never quit. I asked him in the stretch and he gave me another gear. I said to myself, 'Oh, my God, what a horse.”

Ortiz, who had a 28-percent strike rate during the Championship Meet, easily led the purses-won standings with $7.39 million.

“I try to prepare as much as I can for every horse, every day. I just like to prepare myself to get to know every single horse to get an advantage, that's important,” Ortiz said.

Saffie Joseph Jr. made a successful title defense of the Championship Meet by a 47-41 margin over Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The 36-year-old Barbados native ended Pletcher's streak of 18 Championship Meet titles last season while saddling 58 winners, including Florida Derby winner White Abarrio.

“Last year was huge because if was the first time we had done it. I think this one even means more to comeback and prove it again. It gives the whole team a lot of confidence,” Joseph said. “I have a lot of appreciation for all the owners' support. It's a blessing from God.”

Keeping his training title didn't come easy.

“Todd really gave us a fight for this. Last year, we always had the momentum. This year, we weren't separated by more than two wins most of the time. He went ahead by two in mid-February,” After that we got some momentum and were able to hold him off. It mean's a lot.”

Joseph's stable will spread out during the spring and summer months to Keeneland, New York, Woodbine, and likely Monmouth while maintaining a South Florida string of 80 horses.

While Pletcher fell short of reclaiming the training title, the Hall of Fame trainer enjoyed a banner Championship Meet capped by Forte's stunning triumph in the Florida Derby. He led all trainers with a purses-won total of $3.59 million and saddled the winners of nine stakes.

Bruno Schickedanz led all owners with 11 winners.

The $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) set the tone for a memorable Championship Meet Jan. 28, when Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saddled Art Collector for a dominating 4 ½-length triumph during the annual celebration of Thoroughbred racing, world-class entertainment, dining and fashion.

The Royal Palm Meeting at Gulfstream Park will get underway Thursday. Racing will be conducted four days a week, Thursday through Sunday, with a 12:40 p.m. first-race post time.

The post Irad Ortiz Jr., Joseph Take Gulfstream’s Championship Meet Titles appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post