santa anita derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Best of the West To Be Decided in Santa Anita Derby

Barring something unforeseen, they are both headed to Louisville in a month's time, but Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby will make either Messier (Empire Maker) or Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) the left coast's best chance at GI Kentucky Derby glory when they go head-to-head for the second time Saturday afternoon.

Named a 'TDN Rising Star' when graduating by a space at second asking over a six-furlong trip that was always bound to be sharp, Messier easily handled Forbidden Kingdom in Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope S. over seven furlongs in November, but was upset by Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 11. In his lone start since, the $470,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase purchase romped by 15 in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 6, and with a switch to the barn of Tim Yakteen, would likely secure a Derby berth with a win or runner-up effort.

For his part, Forbidden Kingdom has already earned his way into the race, as he is perfect in two starts at three. The chestnut son of the good sprinter Just Louise (Five Star Day) caused something of an upset when beating subsequent G3 Saudi Derby hero Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) by 2 1/4 lengths in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. and proved he could stay a distance of ground when thrashing his six opponents by 5 3/4 lengths in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 5.

If someone is to crash the party, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) would appear to be the likeliest candidate. A $140,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned $1.7-million Fasig-Tipton Florida breezer, the chestnut graduated by 7 1/2 lengths on his Mar. 5 debut for Bob Baffert, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure that equals Messier's Lewis victory. Yakteen is also the trainer of record for Taiba and Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables.

The post Best of the West To Be Decided in Santa Anita Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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$4-Million Bonus On the Line for MyRacehorse Forbidden Kingdom Owners

Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharaoh), one of the favorites in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby, stands to earn a $4-million stallion bonus for his connections if he wins. The “Future Stallion Bonus” is an incentive for selected MyRacehorse-owned horses to earn connections financial benefits if they win a Grade I event on the dirt in the U.S.

“We selected a few really well-bred colts and attached a pre-payment of potential stallion value as a way of providing a more immediate financial return for winning a Grade I,” said Michael Behrens, Founder and CEO of MyRacehorse.

The Future Stallion Bonus was built off an idea of the late B. Wayne Hughes, whose Spendthrift Farm owns 49% of Forbidden Kingdom. MyRacehorse has the other 51% of the horse. As part of the initial offering, MyRacehorse offered 1,020 shares of the horse to investors for $229 each. The stallion bonus amounts to an early payment of $2,040,000 for the 51% owned by MyRacehorse and will be distributed pro rata to the nearly 500 MyRacehorse partners in on the colt. The revenue per share tied to the bonus would be $2,000. The pre-payment will be paid back from the proceeds of a future stallion/breeding deal.

“Most partners get involved in racehorse ownership for the joy, excitement, and thrill of owning an elite racehorse, but of course we all hold out hope of a healthy financial return. This bonus would be the first realization of the potential stallion value of Forbidden Kingdom and another chapter in this remarkable journey,” said Chris Ransom, MyRacehorse's head of finance.

Forbidden Kingdom has won three of his five career starts and remains undefeated as a sophomore. His black-type wins include the Mar. 5 GII San Felipe S. and the Jan. 29 GII San Vicente S., both at Santa Anita. He is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

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Messier Fires Bullet in First Work for Yakteen

Top GI Kentucky Derby contender Messier (Empire Maker), recently transferred from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to his former assistant Tim Yakteen, breezed six furlongs Sunday for a start in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9 in a bullet 1:11.40, fastest by nearly three seconds of five recorded works at the distance.

“He worked lights out,” Yakteen said of Messier. “We had Johnny [Velazquez] work him and he'll ride him in the Santa Anita Derby. He gave us a thumbs up. The horse looked great, although he ended up with some unexpected company. We almost had a little training race out there.”

Messier was last seen winning the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. by 15 lengths Feb. 6 in Arcadia.

Yakteen, a 57-year-old native of Germany who assisted Baffert off and on for almost 10 years between a tour with the legendary Charlie Whittingham, also received promising 3-year-old Doppelganger (Into Mischief) from the Baffert barn.

“Both horses came to me in good shape,” said Yakteen, who began training solo in 2004. “They were always well cared for.”

A $570,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling who worked five furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:00.20 (5/54) Saturday, Doppelganger is headed to the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park Apr. 2.

“We'll see if he can validate himself as a [Kentucky] Derby horse, earn some points and take it from there,” Yakteen said. “The horses are doing well, but you still need a little bit of luck.”

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Judge Rules In Favor Of Ruis Racing In Lawsuit Over Justify’s Santa Anita Derby Victory

The following press release was issued on Friday, Dec. 10, by Carlo Fisco and Darrell Vienna, attorneys for horse owner Mick Ruis and Ruis Racing, who sued the California Horse Racing Board over the regulatory agency's decision not to file a complaint for a medication violation in the case of 2018 Santa Anita Derby winner Justify. The eventual Triple Crown winner was found to have the prohibited drug scopolamine in his system after a post-race sample was tested, but the board voted in executive session to have the matter dropped, with no complaint filed against trainer Bob Baffert and no consideration of a purse disqualification for Justify.

Ruis Racing owned Bolt d'Oro, the Santa Anita Derby runner-up, who would have been in line for the race's $600,000 first-place purse (he earned $200,000 for second).

Press Release:

This morning, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff overruled the CHRB's attempt to have the purse disqualification matter dismissed involving the horse Justify and allowed the matter to go forward. Ruis Racing LLC has alleged that the CHRB's failure to disqualify Justify from the 2018 Santa Anita Derby after testing positive for a prohibited substance was a violation of its own mandatory rules.

Ruis Racing attorneys Carlo Fisco and Darrell Vienna were encouraged by today's decision and look forward to finally bringing this matter to trial. Carlo Fisco stated: “We have a long way to go but are pleased that the court confirmed our client's undeniable claim in pursuing this case. Today was a technical hurdle introduced by the CHRB in attempt to escape its responsibility for the Justify debacle. We remain confident that the trial on this matter will expose the legal improprieties of the former CHRB Board and its former Equine Medical Director as well as the utter refusal by the CHRB Board of Stewards to correct an obvious injustice.”

Trial is expected to occur in mid-2022.

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