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After Emotional Milestone Weekend, Kendrick Carmouche Voted Jockey Of The Week

Kendrick Carmouche marked two professional milestones the week of November 30 through December 6. He won his first Grade I race with True Timber in the Cigar Mile on Saturday and then ended the week by earning his first NYRA Jockey title at the Aqueduct Fall Meet. The achievements earned Carmouche the title of Jockey of the Week. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

A field of six went to the post for the Cigar Mile. Under Carmouche, True Timber broke sharp from post 5 and tracked in third position behind the leader, Mr. Buff. Heading into the stretch, Carmouche set True Timber down and easily held off late bids from Snapper Sinclair and post time favorite Performer to hit the wire by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:36.49.

“I had perfect position leaving the gate and all the way around there,” said Carmouche. “Right before we got to the quarter pole, I pulled the trigger and I knew they were going to have to run me down from here.”

“It's my first Grade I. I owe it all to my fans, my wife and kids and how much they stuck with me and kept me pushing and fighting in this game,” said an emotional Carmouche. “This means so much to me. This is the biggest win of my career and I hope I have many more blessed ones.”

On Sunday, Carmouche, a mainstay on the NYRA circuit, registered his first-ever riding title for a New York Racing Association meet with 23 victories for the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct. No stranger to earning riding titles, Carmouche won seven at Parx from 2008-2011 earning him induction into that track's Hall of Fame in 2015.

“I give thanks to everyone who put a good effort into supporting me and pushed me along to win this meet. I'm very appreciative.” Carmouche said. “I seized the opportunity at hand and I am very grateful for all the trainers and owners for letting me show other people that I can win races.”

Carmouche's weekly stats were 28-7-4-5 and $536,576 in purses won to lead all jockeys.

Carmouche out-polled fellow jockeys Sonny Leon who was second in number of wins for the week, Jose Lezcano who tied for number of wins with nine and won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Paco Lopez who tied for number of wins with nine and Luis Saez who won five Claiming Crown stakes at Gulfstream Park.

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Ryan Moore: Hong Kong Cup Favorite Magical ‘Has Been Great For A Long Time’

Champion British jockey Ryan Moore believes Magical is primed to forge rare new territory for Aidan O'Brien in the HK$28 million (US$3.61 million) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m, 1 1/4 miles) when the Irish globe-trotter vies for an eighth Grade 1 victory.

Magical currently shares top billing at Ballydoyle for the most wins at the highest level, occupying a cluttered mantle along with dual LONGINES Hong Kong Vase winner Highland Reel, Ascot Gold Cup champion Yeats, Minding, and Rock Of Gibraltar.

Moore, 37, is familiar with the jaw-dropping feats of O'Brien's equine giants and, with history beckoning at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 13, is confident Magical can again live up to her name.

“She's been great for a long time and it's fantastic that she's here. She's won seven G1s,” he said. “The reality is they probably have her to beat, but again you always respect the horses that are in there.

“There's three smart Japanese horses in there that have all won G1s (Danon Premium, Win Bright and Normcore).

“And Furore is in good shape. It's a small field but there's not a bad one in there, I don't think.”

The Hong Kong Cup features no fewer than six individual G1 winners.

With the return of defending champion Win Bright for trainer Yoshihiro Hatakeyama and jockey Masami Matsuoka, Moore is using a ready form reference through recently retired Magic Wand, who finished second to Win Bright in the 2019 Hong Kong Cup.

“Magic Wand was a super mare but Magical would, you would think, beat her,” Moore said.

(Magical is) a slight step up on her. She would bring stronger form than Magic Wand would have done.”

Moore will also ride Mogul in the HK$20 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m, 1 1/2 miles), where O'Brien's charge will contend with six class rivals.

The striking colt has drawn plenty of admiring glances during trackwork at Sha Tin and Moore hopes the three-year-old can perform to his looks on Sunday.

“He's a beautiful horse, we've always held him high regard,” he said. “He took a while to come to hand this year but you'll see him out on the track – he's very well-made, a very strong colt.

“He was very impressive when he won the Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) (on) Arc Trials weekend and, at the Breeders Cup, he wasn't beaten far in what was a messy sort of a race (when a three-length fifth behind Tarnawa).

“Obviously there's only seven in there (the Vase), Exultant always runs his race but he (Mogul) would look to have a solid chance in that race.”

Moore will seek to add to his tally of five LONGINES Hong Kong International Races credits with Danon Smash, who finished eighth in last year's G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m, six furlongs), beaten only 2.5 lengths.

A dual G2 and four-time G3 winner, Danon Smash will bid to provide Japanese trainer Takayuki Yasuda his third victory in the race.

Yasuda savored consecutive triumphs with Danon Smash's sire Lord Kanaloa in 2012 and '13.

Pitted against Classique Legend and a slew of emerging Hong Kong speedsters, Moore is hoping Danon Smash can successfully contend after a leisurely gallop on turf at Sha Tin on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

“It was nothing strenuous but he's been here before and it was just getting a feel of him today,” Moore said. “He seems well. He's got plenty of form in the book and it's always hard to beat the Hong Kong horses in the Sprint.

“Obviously this year, Classique Legend looked exceptional in Australia. As always, it's a tough race and we probably have to step up a little bit but hopefully he can get a good run and perform well.”

Moore has prevailed on five occasions at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races – twice in the Vase with globetrotting Highland Reel in 2015 and 2017, the Cup with Snow Fairy (2010) and Maurice (2016) and the Mile with Maurice (2015).

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Wendy Davis Elected President Of Turf Publicists Of America

Wendy Davis from the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona has been elected president of the Turf Publicists of America (TPA) for 2021 and 2022, announced outgoing President Amy Gregory on Tuesday.

At the same time, TPA announced that Najja Thompson from the New York Thoroughbred Breeders has been re-elected as a vice president, and due to a tie in the voting both Claire Crawford from the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and Kevin Kerstein from Churchill Downs Racetrack have been elected vice presidents for the first time. Each will serve a two-year term in 2021 and 2022.

Davis, Thompson, Crawford and Kerstein join vice presidents Tom LaMarra, Erin Shea and Amy Zimmerman and secretary-treasurer Dave Zenner, each of whom was elected to a two-year term last year.

LaMarra serves as the Communications Director for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Managing Editor of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association website and Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships. Shea is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Zimmerman is Senior Vice President and Executive Producer for Santa Anita. Zenner is a freelance publicist and racing official.

The new slate of officers was installed immediately.

The TPA, founded in 1951, is comprised of approximately 130 Thoroughbred racing publicists and marketing executives at racetracks throughout North America with the shared goal of promoting the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Each year at the Global Symposium on Racing, the TPA organizes the Mark Kaufman Workshop on a topic relevant to publicists and marketers, awards the Big Sport of Turfdom to recognize an individual or individuals who enhanced the sport of Thoroughbred racing through their cooperation with the media and racetrack personnel.

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Thomas Moves From Private Practice To Regulatory Vet Duties In Maryland

Dr. Heidi Thomas, who has roughly 25 years of experience as a private veterinary practitioner primarily in Florida, has been getting acclimated since she started her job as the Maryland Jockey Club Senior Veterinarian in mid-October.

Thomas, originally from Connecticut, earned her undergraduate degree at Purdue University in Indiana and her veterinary degree at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in Massachusetts. Though she has done regulatory veterinary work at tracks in Florida and Arizona, much of her time has been with the prominent veterinary practice Teigland, Franklin & Brokken, DVMs in South Florida.

She was working at Gulfstream Park and Gulfstream Park West before relocating to Maryland.

As the MJC Senior Veterinarian, Thomas works closely with Dr. Libby Daniel, the Maryland Racing Commission's Equine Medical Director. Her primary role is to monitor training at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course.

“I'm learning the routine and getting to know the people and horses,” Thomas said. “The Maryland racetracks are a nice place to be. The recent regulatory changes made in Maryland have improved horse health and safety. I'm available if anyone at the track needs assistance, and I'm happy to answer any questions.”

Thomas owns a retired racehorse and has a special interest in aftercare and rescue organizations.

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