Churchill Downs Reinstates Saffie Joseph, Jr.

After suspending trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. indefinitely just two days prior to the GI Kentucky Derby and ordering scratched his trainee Lord Miles (Curlin) from the Derby itself, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has reinstated Joseph and will allow him to enter horses again at all CDI-affiliated tracks.

Two of Joseph's horses, Parents Pride (Maclean's Music) and Chasing Artie (We Miss Artie)–both owned by Ken Ramsey–had died at Churchill during Derby week from sudden-death events. A total of 12 horses had passed away over a five-week span at Churchill, prompting the Louisville track to move the remainder of the meet to Ellis Park less than a month after the Derby.

The statement from CDI appears below in full:

“Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) announced today that trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. will be permitted to enter horses in races and may apply for stall occupancy at all CDI-owned racetracks effective immediately. The decision follows the completion of an investigation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (“KHRC”) and the release of necropsy reports of two of Joseph's horses that died suddenly in races at Churchill Downs.”

“We remain deeply concerned about the condition of Parents Pride and Chasing Artie that led to their sudden death,” said Bill Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer of CDI. “However, given the details available to us as a result of the KHRC investigation, there is no basis to continue Joseph's suspension.”

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Two Phil’s Headlines Ohio Derby

Two Phil's (Hard Spun), a too-good-to-lose second after racing on top of a hot pace in the GI Kentucky Derby, kicks off the second half of his season in Saturday's GIII Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner has been firing bullets for trainer Larry Rivelli at Hawthorne since, including a five-furlong move in :59 (1/14) June 8.

Jockey Gerardo Corrales will replace the injured Jareth Loveberry in the irons.

'TDN Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), drawn one to the inside of the 8-5 morning-line favorite in post three, came within a head of defeating subsequent GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) in a thrilling renewal of the GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont May 13. The bay has been favored in all three of his previous career starts for trainer Brad Cox.

The field of eight also includes 59-1 GII Wood Memorial S. upsetter Lord Miles (Curlin). He was a late scratch from the Kentucky Derby and his trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. was suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs when two of his horses died from unexplained causes leading up to the first Saturday in May.

Grade I Winners Meet in Chicago…

Grade I winners Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) and Society (Gun Runner) will throw down in Saturday's GIII Chicago S. going seven furlongs at Ellis Park.

Godolphin homebred Matareya, a debut winner over this track during her 2-year-old season, has a pair of top-level wins on her resume–the 2022 GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park and the GI Derby City Distaff S. most recently on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Society, a front-running heroine of last term's GI Cotillion S. at Parx, cuts back to one turn following a well-beaten ninth in the GI La Troienne S. May 5.

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Saffie Joseph Jr. Resumes Training at NYRA; Gets 23 Stalls at Saratoga

Saffie Joseph Jr. has nominated Violet Gibson (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) to the Wild Applause S. at Belmont Saturday, June 24, and has been given 23 stalls for the summer at Saratoga Race Course, according to an email from NYRA's Vice President of Communications, Patrick McKenna.

“Following consistent and productive dialogue between Saffie Joseph Jr. and NYRA, Joseph Jr. will resume training and racing at NYRA tracks,” McKenna wrote. “He has nominated Violet Gibson to the $150,000 Wild Applause and has been allotted 23 stalls for the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. NYRA will adjust accordingly should the investigation in Kentucky reveal any wrongdoing.”

Two of Joseph's trainees died of unexplained causes in the week leading up to the Kentucky Derby, causing Churchill Downs to suspend him indefinitely, and scratch his Derby entrant, Lord Miles (Curlin) from the race.

While Joseph was never officially forbidden from running at NYRA, the association issued a statement after the Churchill ban that made it clear he would not be running at New York tracks.

“Following recent events at Churchill Downs, which remain under investigation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, NYRA has engaged in discussions with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.,” said McKenna at the time. “Mr. Joseph has no horses stabled at Belmont Park and, to our understanding, is not currently planning on shipping horses to New York or entering races at Belmont Park while the matter is under investigation. NYRA will continue to evaluate our response should new information come to light.”

“In general, after what happened at Churchill, we wanted answers,” said Joseph in explaining his absence from New York. “I was going to give NYRA respect until I got answers, thinking it would be four weeks maximum. Obviously, this carried over a much longer period.” The necropsy result released on the first of the two horses, Parents Pride, was inconclusive, according to a statement from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on June 3. The report said that bloodwork did not detect any prohibited substances or overages of allowed medications. A necropsy report on the second horse, Chasing Artie, is still pending.

 

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Son Of Maclean’s Music Graduates On Debut At Gulfstream

6th-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 6-9, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.63, gd, 7 3/4 lengths.
SECOND I D (c, 3, Maclean's Music–Cowboytakemeaway, by Street Cry {Ire}), the most highly regarded of the first-time starters taking on a field of more experienced maidens at odds of 7-2, pressured Mighty Miracle (Chitu) for the lead through an opening quarter in :22.39. As that rival began to grow weary around the turn, Second I D had plenty left and responded nicely when asked, clearing off down the stretch to hit the wire alone 7 3/4 lengths ahead of 8-5 favorite Delta Tau Chi (Practical Joke). The rest of the field was well strung out behind the top pair. His dam's first foal, Second I D is out of a half-sister to GI La Troienne S. victress Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) while third dam Above Perfection is also responsible for GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). Cowboytakemeaway has a 2-year-old Hard Spun filly, a yearling Kantharos filly, and foaled a filly by Not This Time this spring. Sales History: $150,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $25,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Gentry Farms (A.P. Gentry); B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.

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