Tag: People

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams recently joined his Ukrainian-born wife Larysa, their four children, and his parents for a humanitarian trip to deliver aide across Ukraine. Williams recounted the life-changing trip to the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

After raising over $300,000 from the racing industry and other Australians, Williams and his crew were able to take over 2,000 pounds of trauma and survival kits to distribute across the war-torn Ukraine. They also purchased four vehicles in Poland for the trip, which have since been repurposed as ambulances on the front lines.

“Of course I was worried about my children's safety,” Williams told TRC. “But by being able to show them that things are dangerous and life is not easy, they now realize that it's not whether you've won that G1, whether you have so much money in the bank or are healthy.

“It's about doing the right thing and helping save lives, even though you are 15,000km away. When I explain how grateful people in Ukraine are to the people of Australia, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I can't put into enough words the satisfaction this trip has given me.

“There is no greater reward than being able to save someone's life. They are fighting the war for the rest of Europe and the world. It's right over wrong and good over evil.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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Sonny Leon, upset winner of this year's Kentucky Derby aboard the Eric Reed-trained Rich Strike, will shift his tack from Ohio to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., according to the Thoroughbred Daily News. Leon is listed on six mounts at Gulfstream on Saturday, July 16.

Jeff Perrin, Leon's agent in Ohio, will no longer represent the young rider. Instead, Bryce Soth will take over Leon's book.

“His last day in Ohio will be Friday and then he'll head to Florida,” Perrin told TDN. “He was friends with Emisael Jaramillo, who was second in the standings, and that jockey got hurt. He will be working with his agent, who has a good book of business. You can't blame Sonny. It's a great opportunity. We won the Kentucky Derby. We shocked the world.”

Leon, 32, is a native of Venezuela and rides regularly in Ohio at Belterra Park and Mahoning Valley where he has earned multiple riding titles.  The Kentucky Derby was Leon's first graded stakes win. Since coming to the United States in 2015, Leon has won 795 races from 5,338 mounts with purse earnings of more than $15 million.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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The Breeders' Cup has announced the election results to its Board of Directors by the Breeders' Cup Members.

Barbara Banke (Stonestreet Farms), Walker Hancock (Claiborne Farm), Gray Lyster (Ashview Farm), and Elliott Walden (WinStar Farm) were each elected to serve a four-year term. Ms. Banke, Mr. Hancock, and Mr. Walden were re-elected as Directors.

Lyster, who was elected a Breeders' Cup Member in 2020, has been involved in the equine industry for his entire life. His family operates Ashview Farm. Lyster is a breeder, owner, farm operator, and consignor. He co-bred Breeders' Cup Champion Runhappy, and more recently co-bred Belmont Stakes (G1) first- and second-place finishers, Mo Donegal and Nest. Lyster is a member of Keeneland's Advisory Board of Directors and has served as the President of both the Thoroughbred Club of America and the Consignors and Commercial Breeders Association.

“Gray's extraordinary background and expertise in many facets of the Thoroughbred industry will be a terrific asset to the Board,” said Banke, Breeders' Cup Chairman. “We look forward to his advice and recommendations in supporting and enhancing the World Championships and the safety and integrity of our sport.”

Previous Director Gavin Murphy's four-year term ends in 2022.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Gavin Murphy for his outstanding dedication and service to our Board and to the Breeders' Cup during his term,” said Banke. “Known for his creativity and innovative style, Gavin's insight and expertise were particularly impactful with respect to long-term strategy, the formation and passage of HISA, and especially as the Breeders' Cup encountered unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. We genuinely appreciate the value he has added to the Breeders' Cup and the industry as a whole.”

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Creative Credit, ridden by Tommy Pompell, earned her first career stakes win in the second running of the $100,000 Clarksville Stakes Wednesday, July 13, at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The duo covered the five-furlong turf race to set a new stakes record of :55.50 seconds.

Pompell had Creative Credit ready to go as soon as the gates opened and was on top from post three to battle early with Elle Z and Mitchell Murrill on the outside. Creative Credit held her ground throughout the one-turn event and in the stretch, she kept her advantage all the way to the finish line to win by three-quarters of a length over Elle Z. Cashable and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. finished third.

“”I was told to go with the 6 and to not let her go off on her own,” said Pompell. “She's a really fast horse, there's not much instruction I need to ride her. She always breaks really well, and she did today, and she got me going and set me up so we could win.”

Creative Credit was a small surprise to bettors, paying $12.60 for the win. The chestnut mare is owned, trained, and bred by Richard Finucane who has a farm in Kentucky. She is the second generation to run for Finucane, who also campaigned her mother, Credit Crunch, to more than $220,000 in career earnings.

“She (Credit Crunch) set a track record here for seven and a half furlongs on the turf,” said Finucane. “For as good of a racehorse as she was, she was a terrible brood mare. This is the only foal that survived.”

Creative Credit is doing more than surviving for Finucane. She earned her third straight win and is three for four in 2022. Her career earnings were just boosted to more than $146,000 with her win in the Clarksville Stakes.

“I told Tommy (Pompell), if she breaks like she did the other day, you know what to do, and he did,” added Finucane. “I literally train in my back yard. I've been racing for a long time and it's always good to get a stakes win.”

Making the trophy presentation on behalf of Caesars Race and Sportsbook at Clarksville was Brian Lewis, general manager of the facility, located just across the Ohio River from Louisville. Joining Lewis was Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The 20th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Live racing is conducted at 2:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with Thursday post times set for 2:10 p.m. A total of 12 Saturdays will feature live racing in 2022 highlighted by the 28th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby and the 27th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks set for Saturday, July 9. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

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