People | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Re-Distribution Of Happiness’ Touches Hearts At Kentucky Horse Racing Commission

A 93-year-old man in a California assisted living facility has a retirement hobby he calls “re-distribution of happiness.” Lowell Joerg made headlines in Lexington (lex18.com) this week when he found a postcard from 1938 depicting the great racehorse Man o' War, and sent it “home” to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

“Too much misery in the world,” Joerg told lex18.com. “Might as well make someone happy.”

KHRC executive director Marc Guilfoil explained that the postcard also shows Man o' War's longtime handler, Will Harbut, whose great-grandson Greg Harbut currently serves on the commission. Man o' War is also buried just a short distance from the commission's offices.

Guilfoil plans to display the historic postcard, along with Joerg's hand-written letter, in a prominent place in the KHRC office.

“It just floored me that somebody would take their time to do something like this,” Guilfoil said.

TVG Telethon Benefitting PDJF Returns Oct. 17

Hall of Fame jockeys, TVG's on-air talent and other prominent racing personalities will once again take to the phones on Sunday, Oct. 17 as TVG and The Jockeys Guild host the third annual telethon to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

The event, canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, raised $330,000 in 2019, an increase of more than $100,000 over the inaugural event in 2018. Fan favorite jockeys of today and years past will be on hand live at call centers in California and Kentucky from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. Throughout the day, TVG will be connecting with personalities and horsemen who have been involved with the PDJF's work in support of jockeys who have suffered serious on-track injuries.

“We sincerely appreciate the support of TVG and FanDuel to help raise critical funds for the PDJF through the telethon. Many jockeys will be taking part in the telethon by answering the phones when fans call in to make a donation. This telethon will help in providing the monthly monetary assistance to riders whose lives have been forever changed by a catastrophic on-track accident,” said Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks.

Mike Smith will be joined by Gary Stevens, Kent Desormeaux, Chris McCarron, Pat Day, Sandy Hawley, Laffit Pincay Jr, Alex Solis, Jean Cruguet, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Darrel McHargue, Mickey Solomone and others who will be on hand to participate in the 2021 Telethon. Also on the call will be leading jockeys riding at Keeneland and Santa Anita that day.

“On behalf of the PDJF Board of Directors, we are grateful to have this opportunity as the PDJF's mission would not be possible if not for these types of fundraising efforts and the support of the racing fans,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF President. “We want to thank TVG and FanDuel, the Jockeys Guild, horse owners, Hall of Fame jockeys, jockeys from around the country as well as our industry partners who support PDJF.”

“We are proud to work alongside the Guild to support the PDJF in its mission to provide care and resources to injured riders,” said Kevin Grigsby, TVG executive producer. “We hope that our telethon is able to continue to raise awareness for the incredible risk jockeys in the United States undertake every day.

Fans are encouraged to donate by calling 1-844-TVG-PDJF or through the PDJF website.

The PDJF is a registered 501(c)3 charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered on-track injuries. Since its foundation in 2006, PDJF has disbursed over $11 million to support disabled jockeys, the organization is 100% reliant on charitable donations.

When: Sunday, October 17th, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: TVG, TVG.com

Who: Mike Smith, Gary Stevens, Kent Desormeaux, Chris McCarron, Pat Day, Sandy Hawley, Laffit Pincay Jr, Alex Solis, Jean Cruguet, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Darrel McHargue, Mickey Solomone and more

The post TVG Telethon Benefitting PDJF Returns Oct. 17 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Edwin Gonzalez Back At Full Strength At Gulfstream Park

Jockey Edwin Gonzalez made it clear that he has made it all the way back from a midsummer injury Thursday at Gulfstream Park, riding the winners of four races, including impressive maiden winner Palmach, on an eight-race card.

The 29-year-old journeyman, who had become an immediate success while riding at Gulfstream Park full time during the Spring/Summer Meet for the first time, was sidelined for seven weeks with a hairline fracture in his right leg that was sustained in a racing mishap July 3. He won three races on his first day back in action Aug. 21, but Gonzalez didn't continue to quite maintain the strike rate that he had enjoyed prior to his injury.

“I'm feeling great. I had 50 days out – that's a long time for me,” said Gonzalez, who won with his last mount Sunday and his first three mounts Thursday. “I'm feeling strong. I kept saying, 'Keep working hard, and everyone will be happy and I'll keep winning races.'”

D J Stable's Palmach bucked the trend on Gulfstream's Tapeta track while capturing the featured $60,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies in Race 4. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Violence broke alertly to assume an early lead that she would never relinquish on her way to a four-length victory, becoming only the second horse to win from gate to wire in the first 20 races on the newly installed all-weather surface.

“She likes the Tapeta. The first time she was a little green and the turf was a little soft because it was raining that day,” said Gonzalez, who finished fifth aboard Palmach in her Sept. 10 debut over a good turf course. “Today, she loved the Tapeta.”

Although she was the first front-running winner since Wow Tapit wired the field in only the second race run on Tapeta, Palmach did follow an early trend on the all-weather surface, becoming the 12th favorite to come through for their backers. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Beachnut Trophy, Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred daughter of Real Solution, closed from far back to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Todd Pletcher-trained Five Prizes, a daughter of Bernardini who

Palmach, the 9-5 favorite, gave Gonzalez his second of four victories Thursday, when he connected aboard World Gone Wild ($5) in Race 2, Bramble Berry ($8) in Race 5 and Souper All Star ($14.80) through a disqualification in Race 8. Souper All Star was Gonzalez's seventh win from his last 12 mounts.

The post Edwin Gonzalez Back At Full Strength At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Reigning Champion Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Secures 3,000th Career Victory

Irad Ortiz, Jr., winner of the last three Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, captured his 3,000th career win in Thursday's fifth race aboard Saratoga Kisses at Belmont Park.

Co-owned by trainer Rudy Rodriguez with Parkland Thoroughbreds, Saratoga Kisses was in front at the half-mile call of the six-furlong maiden claiming sprint for New York-bred juvenile fillies and widened her margin impressively en route to an 8 1/4-length score.

“It's very exciting,” said Ortiz, Jr., who is currently 15th on the all-time earnings list, amassing more than $220 million in purses in a career that started in 2011. “I have to thank all the owners and connections and trainers who have supported me from Day One. Without them, none of this would be possible.”

According to records provided by Equibase, the 3,000 victories incudes 92 wins from the 29-year-old rider's homeland of Puerto Rico.

Ortiz, Jr. has enjoyed tremendous success on the NYRA circuit, winning the year-end title on three occasions [2014, 2015 and 2017].

His individual NYRA meet success includes winning the Angel Cordero, Jr. Riding Title as top Saratoga jockey three times [2015, 2018 and 2020]; as well as leading the way at the Belmont spring/summer meet [2014, 2018, 2020]; the Belmont fall meet [2014-2018]; the Aqueduct fall meet [2015, 2019], the Aqueduct spring meet [2017, 2018] and the former Aqueduct inner track title [2012-13, 2013-14, 2017].

“I'm very competitive,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I love what I do. I come here and [try] to ride every race, every single day because that's what I love.”

Since starting his career in 2011, Ortiz, Jr. has never won less than 150 races in a year and is on pace to crack the 300-win mark for the seventh consecutive campaign in 2021. He has topped all North American jockeys in both wins and earnings in every year since 2017.

Among his most famous victories over Big Sandy was aboard Creator when securing a dramatic nose score in the 2016 Belmont Stakes for his lone win in a Triple Crown race.

The veteran rider has flaunted his talent at racetracks across the continent at the highest level posting 203 career graded stakes wins, including 60 Grade 1 victories. Ortiz, Jr. boasts 11 Breeders' Cup wins, including a score in the 2019 Grade 1 Classic aboard Vino Rosso at Santa Anita Park.

Ortiz, Jr. has made an impact beyond just his success on the track. He also has been active in assisting the backstretch community in New York, especially during the last two years as the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the need for additional support and supplies.

In July, he was honored by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy for his generous and continued devotion to the backstretch community at its “Champions Talk” fundraiser, joining a select list of honorees who in the past have included the likes of Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado, owner Michael Dubb and philanthropists and Saratoga icons Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson.

“He's just a heck of a guy,” said Humberto Chavez, who heads the New York division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. “He's always looking to make sure that the people who take care of the horses he rides are also being taken care of as well. He really bonds with them.”

The post Reigning Champion Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Secures 3,000th Career Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post