santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

CHRB: Justify, Hoppertunity Scopolamine Hearings Set For Thursday, Oct. 29

The stewards at Santa Anita Park will conduct hearings Thursday, Oct. 29, beginning at 10 a.m. to consider two complaints filed by the California Horse Racing Board seeking the disqualifications of two horses, Justify and Hoppertunity, from their victories in races run in 2018. The complaints also seek redistributions of the purses from those races.

The CHRB will not be filing a complaint against trainer Bob Baffert, due to substantial evidence that the scopolamine positives resulted from environmental contamination from jimson weed.

The hearing for disqualification is a condition of a settlement agreement between the CHRB and Ruis Racing LLC, the owner of Bolt d'Oro, the horse that finished second behind Justify in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 7, 2018. In that matter, the CHRB is represented by counsel from the Office of the California Attorney General.

In addition, the CHRB is seeking the disqualification of Hoppertunity, winner of the Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita on April 8, 2018, and the redistribution of that purse based on laboratory findings that his post-race sample for that race tested positive for scopolamine. While not the subject of current litigation, this medication positive was similar to the one involving Justify. Baffert trained both horses.

Due to COVID-19, all witnesses are expected to testify remotely. The public will not be allowed to attend the hearings in person but can hear and view the proceedings through the following link: http://www.chrb.ca.gov/Live.html

Clicking the link will bring up a “Register” screen asking for the guest's name and e-mail address. A confirmation link granting both audio and visual access to the hearings will be sent to the e-mail address provided. Registration will begin at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

The two hearings will be conducted concurrently. Depending on the number of witnesses testifying and presenting evidence, the hearings could last more than one day. The stewards likely will issue their decisions at some later date.

The post CHRB: Justify, Hoppertunity Scopolamine Hearings Set For Thursday, Oct. 29 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Zero Fatalities at Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet

Santa Anita, which concluded its 16-day Autumn Meet Oct. 25 with 1,106 horses racing and 51,200 training sessions since Sept. 5., when the Del Mar Summer Meet was winding down, had no racing or training fatalities during that time. The meet was pushed back due to the Bobcat Fire in the neighboring San Gabriel Mountains and the track did not host live racing until Sept. 25.

The main dirt track at the Arcadia oval has not had a single racing fatality in 2020, including during the Winter/Spring Meet which began in December. There have been a total of five 2020 racing fatalities from 5,069 individual starts, or 0.98 fatalities per 1,000 starters. That number is below the national average. According to Santa Anita, it is currently the safest racetrack in the nation.

“These results are the efforts of the racing community to put the safety of the horse first at every turn, including additional veterinary regulations and observations, training approvals, and analysis of entries,” said Chief Operating Officer of 1/ST Racing Aidan Butler. “Last year, we set a course to reform the sport of horse racing for the next generation. This year, we are seeing the results of the hard work everyone has put into this effort. We especially appreciate the dedication of the owners, trainers, veterinarians, and hardworking men and women who care for the horses, of the jockeys who have adapted their riding styles, the California Horse Racing Board which regulates the sport, and veteran trackman Dennis Moore and the entire Santa Anita track crew, who tirelessly work the surface day and night with safety top of mind.”

Santa Anita is home to the largest training facilities in the country, operating nearly year-round with over 400,000 annual training sessions. Live racing in Southern California will move to Del Mar beginning Saturday, Oct. 31, and is not slated to return to Santa Anita until Dec. 26.

The post Zero Fatalities at Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Santa Anita Wraps Autumn Meet With Zero Racing Or Training Fatalities

Santa Anita Park concluded the Autumn meet as the safest racetrack in the nation, without a single racing or training fatality since the horses returned from Del Mar on Sept. 5. During that time period, which includes the 16-day Autumn racing meet which was delayed because of the Bobcat Fire in the neighboring San Gabriel Mountains, 1,106 horses raced over the dirt track and turf course. Additionally, horses recorded over 51,200 training sessions, including 3,771 timed workouts over the main track and 487 over the training track.

The main dirt track has not had a racing fatality in 2020, including the 2019-20 Winter/Spring meet which began in December.

In 2020 there have been five racing fatalities from 5,069 starts, or 0.98 fatalities per 1,000 starters, well below the national average.

In addition to hosting some of the most prestigious races in the nation, Santa Anita is home to the largest training facilities in the country, operating nearly year-round with over 400,000 annual training sessions.

“We especially appreciate the dedication of the owners, trainers, veterinarians and hardworking men and women who care for the horses, of the jockeys who have adapted their riding styles, the California Horse Racing Board which regulates the sport, and veteran trackman Dennis Moore and the entire Santa Anita track crew, who tirelessly work the surface day and night with safety top of mind.

We acknowledged last year that this modernization would likely lead to a short-term impact on Santa Anita's field size, but as these reforms become the national standards, California is ahead of the implementation curve which strengthens the sport in our state. We sincerely thank the bettors who have continued to support our racing product during this transition.

“On behalf of everyone at Santa Anita, we'd also like to let our fans know how much we've missed their passionate voices cheering these horses at The Great Race Place and we look forward to welcoming everyone back just as soon as we are able to do so.”

Live racing will return to the Arcadia oval at Santa Anita Park as tradition dictates on Dec. 26.

The post Santa Anita Wraps Autumn Meet With Zero Racing Or Training Fatalities appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Whip Violations: Figueroa Suspended, Prat Fined By Santa Anita Stewards

Under the new whip rules implemented at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., this month, stewards have issued rulings to a pair of jockeys for violations on Oct. 18, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Jockey Heriberto Figueroa has been suspended for three racing days for using his whip more than the allotted six times and not in an underhanded position during that day's seventh race, which he won aboard Savvy Gal. It was the rider's third violation in the last 60 days, according to the ruling.

Flavien Prat has been fined $300 for not using the whip in an underhanded position in the G2 Twilight Derby on Oct. 18, in which he finished fifth aboard Farmington Road.