TAA Reports Successful Preakness

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) had a successful week in Maryland during Preakness celebrations with several on-site events, the organization said in a release Wednesday.

With over 160 in attendance, the America's Best Racing Pre-Preakness Party to benefit the TAA kicked off the week at Mt. Washington Tavern. A total of $25,000 was raised from a silent auction, ticket sales and donations.

“It was an absolute honor to once again partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on what has turned into a must-attend event on the racing calendar every year,” said Dan Tordjman, Manager, Business Development/Sponsorships, America's Best Racing. “We want to thank everyone who supported Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at the party and via the online auction. We look forward to seeing this event grow next year and beyond.”

On Saturday, May 20, the TAA presented the Sir Barton S. sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to Benefit the TAA. The Perrys entered into an agreement to annually donate $100,000 to the TAA as the title sponsor for three consecutive years.

“Diannah and I are privileged to be able to advance the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's mission, with our sponsorship of the Sir Barton S.,” said Brandon and Diannah Perry, Paragon Farms. “We are honored to be able to champion the rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of these amazing Thoroughbreds that give all of us so much joy. To see the horses that give everything to their owners, trainers, grooms, and fans be able to enjoy life after the race track is truly rewarding.”

On both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Day, the TAA hosted the Best Turned Out Awards in the Pimlico winner's circle for each race sponsored by Beyond the Wire and Fidelity First.

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Black-Eyed Susan Card Kicks Off Preakness Weekend

BALTIMORE, MD–The past two weeks has seen the kind of drama that one might expect in soap opera, laden with twists and turns that have left even the most seasoned turfwriters scratching their heads in disbelief. However, despite the all head-snapping headlines, the days leading up to this year's Preakness at Pimlico were business as usual. Thursday morning's activity matched the Baltimore weather, brisk and clear, with everything seemingly running without any major glitches. Following a brief hiatus because of the COVID pandemic, the morning tours were back in force at Pimlico, and given the robust turnout, it appeared fans remained eager to come out and experience racing's biggest events. Meanwhile, the 1/ST team of vets were clearly getting their steps in, making their rounds throughout the Preakness barns, while the typical mass of reporters milled about waiting for the reigning Kentucky Derby champ Mage (Good Magic) to make his way to the track promptly after the break at about 8:45a.m.

 

Faiza Puts Unbeaten Record on the Line
Friday's card at Pimlico is highlighted by a trio of graded stakes, anchored by the nine-furlong GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. The one clearly to beat is the undefeated Michael Lund Petersen's Faiza (Girvin), who has reeled off four consecutive graded victories, including the GI Starlet S. last December. This season, she won the GIII Las Virgenes S. and GIII Santa Ysabel S. before taking the GII Santa Anita Oaks.

“She's very professional. She's got a really good mind,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “Every time [Flavien] Prat rides, he says there is so much more in the tank because she doesn't win by a lot. I think [the Black-Eyed Susan] is going to be a step up. She will be running against more horses, so you never know. But she's doing really well.”

In Faiza's latest start in the Apr. 8 Santa Anita Oaks, she rolled home an impressive 6 1/2-length winner.

“She was really on when he asked her to go. I trained her a little bit stiffer for that one because I figured it was going to be a tougher race,” Baffert explained. “She looks great. She's healthy. She's really in the zone right now. I think she would have been tough in the [Kentucky] Oaks, but we'll find out in the Black-Eyed Susan.”

Flying a bit under the radar is Madaket Stables' Balpool (Uncaptured), who rides a two-race win skein. A comfortable winner going a mile at the Big A Apr. 7, the Florida-bred followed up with another in an off-turf renewal of the Memories of Silver S. at that venue Apr. 29.

“We were kind of scratching our heads as to what kind of filly she was,” admitted trainer Rob Atras. “That allowance race came up, so we figured we'd give her another shot in there and she really handled that field well that day. She really finished up good and kind of ran away from them. We got a little lucky with the stake [coming off the turf] but she still beat a couple decent fillies in there so, to me, it looks like she's progressing and getting better with every start. We're kind of excited about her and we're hoping that if we do run that she'll take another step forward.”

Brad Cox offers a two-pronged attack with Don Alberto's Merlazza (Medaglia d'Oro) and Godolphin homebred Comparative (Street Sense). The former won two of her first three starts before adding a victory in Oaklawn's Valley Of The Vapors S. Apr. 22.

“We have been pointing to this race with her since she won the first level allowance at the Fair Grounds [Mar. 25],” confirmed Cox.

Florent Geroux, who was aboard for her first three starts before being replaced by Joel Rosario for her latest, gets back aboard Friday.

In regard to her latest victory, Cox explained, “I just liked the way the race came up at Oaklawn. I thought she fit very well. It was a bit oddly run since there wasn't much pace and she sat behind horses and Joel did a good job of getting her out and letting her finish up.”

Although stepping up to graded company for the first time, Cox remains confident the Don Alberto homebred is up to the task.

“She's had two solid works since at Churchill and she shipped well and looks amazing,” he said. “I think she'll handle the mile and an eighth. It's her first attempt at graded stakes company but I think she's that caliber.”

And another reason to run at Pimlico?

“I obviously want to keep her away from Wet Paint,” he said with a chuckle.

Comparative needed several tries to get going, but finally broke through going 8 1/2 furlongs at the Fair Grounds in February before making it two straight in a Keeneland optional claimer Apr. 7. Luis Saez was aboard for both her career victories.

“I think Merlazza is probably a little bit quicker off the blocks than Comparative, but I think I would like Luis to keep Comparative involved [early],” Cox explained. “I think she does her best running when she's up close, and she showed that in her last two. She's stepping up in competition and we're going to need to see her move forward.”

 

Friday Undercard Packs Competitive Affairs
Cox also packs a punch in the six-furlong GIII Miss Preakness S. with morning line favorite Key of Life (Mo Town). The winner of three consecutive races last season, including the Myrtlewood S. at Keeneland, the bay finished third in the mud in the Dixie Belle S. at Oaklawn in February before annexing two straight in the Purple Mountain S. followed by the seven-furlong Beaumont S. at Keeneland Apr. 16.

“That's a good race,” said Cox of the Miss Preakness. “It's not a big field but it's a competitive group. There are some other fillies in there with speed, so I think it's going to be a jock's race. Flavien [Prat] is going to have to figure out a trip from down on the inside. They'll obviously need to get out and get some position, but hopefully, we can have enough late so she can finish down the lane.”

Trying to play the role of spoiler in the Miss Preakness is undefeated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic). All three of her wins have been recorded while facing New York-bred competition, including her sole start in 2023 in the East View S. at Aqueduct Mar. 24. She is campaigned by famed Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcell's August Dawn Farm.

In the male handicap division, Twin Creeks' Law Professor (Constitution) will try and collect his first graded score since taking the 2021 renewal of the GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile. Victorious in last season's Tapit S. at Kentucky Downs before finishing runner-up to Life Is Good in the GI Woodward S. and a fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, the gelding launched 2023 with a win in the Queen's County S. at Aqueduct in January before coming home third in Oaklawn's GIII Razorback H. Feb. 18. Well supported in a muddy renewal of the nine-furling Excelsior Apr. 1, he came home a 4 1/4-length winner. Manny Franco, who was aboard for both wins this season, gets the call.

Also coming into this year's Pimlico Special off a win is Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll (Connect), victorious in the GIII Ben Ali S. at Keeneland Apr. 22. Trained by Ken McPeek, the chestnut won three races at the stakes level, including the GIII Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

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TAA A Strong Presence at Pimlico Preakness Week

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site at Pimlico Race Course during Preakness week. The 148th Preakness S. will take place Saturday, May 20.

The TAA will kick off the week with America's Best Racing's Pre-Preakness Party. The eighth annual Pre-Preakness Party will be held Wednesday, May 17, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland. The evening will consist of networking, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, an entertaining handicapping challenge with guest analysts, and a silent auction. All proceeds of the party and auction will benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Tickets are still available online at:

www.eventbrite.com/e/8th-annual-pre-preakness-party-by-thoroughbred-aftercare-alliance-abr-tickets-596988597967

On Friday, May 19, TAA will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of Black-Eyed Susan Day. On Saturday, May 20, TAA will present the Sir Barton S. Sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry, who entered into an agreement to annually donate $100,000 to the TAA as the title sponsor for three consecutive years beginning with the Preakness 147.

On both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Day, the TAA will host the Best Turned Out Awards in the winner's circle for each race.

Throughout the week, TAA will facilitate winning guests from one of the VIP experiences auctioned off earlier this year in the “Off to the Races” campaign. In addition to the Pre-Preakness Party and a weekend of racing, this experience also includes a sunrise tour, the Alibi Breakfast, and access to join the simulcast for a race on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. Guests will also join the winner's circle for the Sir Barton on Preakness Day. This experience celebrating the second leg of the Triple Crown was donated by 1/ST RACING and America's Best Racing.

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Massive Laurel Horse Move-Out Preakness Week

Difficulties with the dirt track base repair and cushion resurfacing project at Laurel Park continue to mount, with the loose-ended timetable for the work now expected to extend at least until the start of July.

Executives with The Stronach Group (TSG), which owns both Laurel and Pimlico Race Course, said during a Friday tele-meeting that they now need to pause work on the problematic and expensive project at Laurel until management can relocate of all horses stabled at Laurel to other facilities in Maryland.

This news was delivered two weeks after TSG came under fire at a Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) meeting for an alleged “accumulation of bad decisions over time” that led to Laurel's main track safety concerns not being addressed sooner by track management.

At that Apr. 22 meeting, TSG's senior vice president of racing, Steve Koch, told commissioners that Laurel would tentatively be back up and running by the start of June, with limited training allowed at the facility and horses vanned to Pimlico for timed workouts. That plan changed last week when TSG announced all horses would instead have to vacate the property.

The cumbersome logistics of orchestrating such a large horse and worker migration on short notice couldn't come at a worse time for TSG and Maryland horse outfits, with the GI Preakness S. week on the cusp of getting underway at Pimlico.

During the May 7 meeting, Koch projected a new, albeit hazy, timeline for the completion of repairs.

“At the moment, we've requested of the racing commission that the race meet remain at Pimlico through the end of June, so returning early July to be back at Laurel,” Koch said. “There's a lot of unknowns as we get into this racetrack [project and] we'll know more as this thing unfolds.”

Aidan Butler, TSG's chief operating officer, likened the moving-target time frame as a “cat and mouse” game.

Although Butler's words were meant to be figurative, as Friday's meeting evolved, it became clear that felines and rodents were literally involved in the ever-widening scope of the project.

That's because TSG will use the opportunity of having a vacant barn area to launch its most thorough rat extermination attempt to date.

Back in January, TSG executives confirmed to the racing commission that spending $20,000 monthly to try and eradicate rodents while horses remained stabled on the grounds wasn't working, largely because of the abundance of unsecured or spilled horse feed kept the rats well satiated.

Dionne Benson, TSG's chief veterinary officer, said during Friday's meeting that in addition to everything else, that means backstretch outfits will have to attempt herd their barn cats and bring them along once they get stall reassignments at either Pimlico or the Timonium fairgrounds. This is because of concerns that the cats could be poisoned by eating either the rodenticide or a rat that has consumed it.

Then MRC commissioner David Hayden suggested that all hay and straw should also be removed from the backstretch to eliminate another readily available food source for the rats.

David Richardson, the executive director of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said that hay and straw removal would be done if the exterminators recommended it.

Richardson asked trainers to expediate getting their requests in to the Laurel racing office about their preference–either Pimlico or Timonium–for being relocated, and to note if their stable help will need living accommodations at either venue.

TSG will provide a shuttle service to those tracks for employees who wish to remain in their Laurel living quarters, and trainers can still keep tack and other personal property secured at Laurel, so long as nothing gets stored in stalls.

To date there have been 789 stall requests: 502 for Pimlico and 287 for Timonium, meaning the majority of outfits will not make the cut for the preferred stabling at Pimlico.

Richardson said that the day after the Preakness, construction will begin on three new 40-stall barns at Pimlico, and that temporary stabling there will also be made available.

As for the housing of backstretch workers, those who opt to live on the grounds at Timonium could end up relegated to either the jockeys' quarters or some other areas that have access to bathrooms and showers, because there are currently no dorm facilities there that meet fire code requirements.

“There are still a lot of items that are outstanding,” Richardson said, underscoring the difficult nature of the transition.

TSG executives also addressed the implications of turf racing in Maryland because of the  extended meet at Pimlico.

Koch said the grass course at Pimlico–which is only half as wide as the one at Laurel–will, per usual, get used “very, very heavily” on the Friday and Saturday of Preakness week.

“So yeah, there are [future] constraints on that course in the sense that, you know, how much [use] can 70 feet sustain compared to the 140 feet that we have at Laurel?” Koch asked rhetorically.

Butler then picked up the topic: “If it's usable we will use it. Once it's through the big weekend…we're going to use it as often as we can.”

Even before Laurel's main track woes arose this winter and spring, TSG executives were on record as contemplating the addition of a synthetic racing surface there.

Butler said on Friday that with the base now exposed, TSG has the opportunity to assess what the scope of that project might look like. But he added that the synthetic option won't be contemplated until a later date–which will eventually mean more logistical headaches.

“Because there is a very high likelihood of us putting in a tunnel at Laurel, there is no way to drill under the track,” Butler said. “That will have to be a section…cut completely down through the substructure. That means later, when we come to replacing and putting in tunnels and replacing surfaces, or having new surfaces, I should say, there is unfortunately going to be some more disruption.”

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