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Patrick Smith, Joe Clancy Earn Media Honors For 2020 Preakness Coverage

Patrick Smith of Getty Images and Joe Clancy of ST Publishing Inc., will be recognized this weekend for outstanding journalism coverage of the 2020 Preakness (G1) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Smith, a staff photographer at Getty, has been named recipient of the Jerry Frutkoff Photographer Award for his photo of Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic coming down the stretch of the 145^th Preakness. The image was published by Getty on Oct. 3, 2020.

“I loved the facial expression of [Robby] Albarado as he went nose-to-nose with the filly to defeat the Kentucky Derby winner,” Smith said. “All the excitement we dream of when photographing racing was there.”

Smith also acknowledged co-worker Rob Carr for his support and vision and his late grandfather Paul Szugaj for his love of Thoroughbred racing. “I would be remiss if I didn't say anytime I'm against the rail photographing racing – those two are on my mind.”

Clancy was named recipient of the David F. Woods Memorial Award for his story of the 2020 Preakness entitled 'Force of the Filly,' in the November 2020 edition of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. Clancy also received the Woods in 2015 and 2017.

“I was kicking around the Pimlico barn area the day before the Preakness, taking notes, talking to people,” Clancy said. “The place felt empty, a little strange due to the Covid restrictions on attendance and media access. It was October, not May. And then I saw Kenny McPeek hosing Swiss Skydiver's legs outside the barn and thought of all the horses I hosed when I worked in my father's barn. I wandered over, said hello, fed the filly a mint or two and Kenny and I talked horses for a while. It was amazing. I remember walking away hoping she would win so I could write about it. She had to come through on the track and did she ever. The battle with Authentic was just what the 2020 Preakness needed and it was an honor to tell her story.”

https://midatlantictb.com/index.php/midatlantic-tb/featured-articles/1085-force-of-the-filly-swiss-skydiver-proves-resolute-in-history-making-score-for-mcpeek

Clancy is the owner, publisher editor and writer for ST Publishing Inc., parent company of thisishorseracing.com internet and editor of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, a monthly magazine published by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. In 2014 he won an Eclipse Award for excellence in writing. Clancy lives in Fair Hill.

Smith and Clancy will be recognized Friday at Pimlico.

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Clancy, Smith Named Media Preakness Award Winners

Patrick Smith of Getty Images and Joe Clancy of ST Publishing Inc. will be recognized this weekend for outstanding journalism coverage of the 2020 GI Preakness S.

Smith, a staff photographer at Getty, has been named recipient of the Jerry Frutkoff Photographer Award for his photo of Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver and GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic coming down the stretch of the 145^th Preakness.

The post Clancy, Smith Named Media Preakness Award Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Irad Ortiz’ Apple Blossom Ride Earns Jockey Of The Week Title

Billed as “Champion vs. Champion,” the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park was widely considered a two-horse race between Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver. Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Letruska, however, had another idea which earned him Jockey of the Week for April 12 through April 18. 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.

It doesn't happen often when three-time Eclipse Champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. isn't on either the favorite or second favorite but the end result was a familiar one. Riding Letruska for the first time, Ortiz, Jr. went to the lead after the start and led the field through fractions of 23.56 for the opening quarter, 47.96 for the half and 1:12.26 for six furlongs. Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl tracked the leader entering the stretch. Monomoy Girl grabbed a narrow lead but Ortiz, Jr. and Letruska dug in and fought back bravely along the rail to prevail by a nose at the wire in the final time of 1:43.14 for 1-1/16 miles over the fast track. Swiss Skydiver finished 6-1/2 lengths back in third.

“I got the right trip,” said Ortiz, Jr. “She likes to be on the lead, I let her go, let her make the lead. She relaxed and I was able to save something for the end. She responded really well.”

The Apple Blossom was Ortiz, Jr.'s fifth Grade 1 and twelfth graded stakes to date this year.

Ortiz, Jr.'s weekly stats were 20-7-6-3 for a 35% winners and 80% in-the-money.

He led all jockeys in purses won with $1,137,435.

Ortiz, Jr. out-polled jockeys Javier Castellano who won two stakes at Aqueduct, Paco Lopez who was second in number of wins for the week, Flavien Prat who won two graded stakes at Santa Anita and Luis Saez who won a stakes race at Keeneland and led all jockeys by number of wins.

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Letruska Denies Monomoy Girl in Apple Blossom; Swiss Skydiver Third

St George Stables' Letruska (Super Saver) completed an ascent from the humblest of humble beginnings to the highest of highs in the Thoroughbred game, fighting back willingly inside of multiple Eclipse Award winner and two-time GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) to take Saturday's $1-million GI Apple Blossom H. by half a head. Reigning 3-year-old champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) couldn't go with the top two late and settled for third.

The contrarians were out in force all across social media since the Apple Blossom was drawn Tuesday, reasoning that Letruska had the speed to lead the field and was a danger to take them all the way. Turns out 'they' knew.

Last year's GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver, exiting a dominant 4-year-old debut in the GI Beholder Mile S. last month, was kicked away from gate two by Robby Albarado, but the lead was short-lived, as Letruska was hustled along by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and set the pace from the two path through an opening quarter in :23.56. She left the rail open down the backstretch, did Letruska, allowing Swiss Skydiver to hold her spot at the fence, 3/4 of a length behind, while Monomoy Girl was sitting her usual trip in the clear, ridden by Florent Geroux like the best horse in the race.

Letruska continued to gallop them along comfortably as they approached the second turn, and Florent Geroux slipped the odds-on favorite a bit more rein, sidling up next to Letruska nearing the stretch. Albarado was committed to riding for luck along the inside, and the gap did come at the rail, giving her a shot were she equal to the task. She was soon beaten, however, and it was Monomoy Girl who looked to have the momentum as she surged to a clear advantage a furlong and a half from home. The champ held the call into the final sixteenth of a mile, but Letruska–in receipt of six pounds–remained in for the fight down towards the inside and was up in the nick of time.

“The instructions were: 'We are the speed of the race,'” said winning trainer Fausto Gutierrez, who also conditioned Mexican imports Kukulkan (Mex) (Point Determined) and Jala Jala (Mex) (Point Determined). “She started a little bit slow in the last races. I told Irad [Ortiz, Jr.], 'No matter if this happens, you try to move and go in front and set the pace and make the others think: What do you have to do?'”

He continued, “When [Monomoy Girl] took the lead and I saw Swiss Skydiver start to go a little bit back, in my mind, I thought second is very good. We finished close. She started to come back and come back. I didn't see the picture very clearly. I went carefully to check the replay and I thought, 'Oops, we won.' For me, this is incredible because I come from a small racetrack in Mexico City. This horse started her career there. We had the confidence to send her here (United States) and she started to improve, improve and improve.”

A perfect six-for-six in Mexico, Letuska won the restricted Copa del Caribe in her U.S. debut in December 2019 and made Gulfstream's Added Elegance S. her first win at stakes level last June. A weakening fifth in the GI Ballerina S. at Saratoga Aug. 8, she was given an aggressive ride by Joel Rosario and held on for a one-length success in the GIII Shuvee S. Aug. 30, but was no better than fourth after setting a suicidal pace in the GII Beldame S. at Belmont Oct. 4. Letruska shed the blinkers and romped in the GIII Rampart S. in Hallandale Dec. 12, was the easy winner of the GIII Houston Ladies' Classic Jan. 31 and missed by a head to last year's GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in this track's GII Azeri S. Mar. 13.

Pedigree Notes:

Letruska, purchased in utero for $100,000 at KEENOV in 2015, is the fifth Grade I winner for the expatriated Super Saver and is one of three black-type performers for her Grade II-placed dam, a full-sister to Grade I winner J P's Gusto and a half-sister to Kid Majic (Lemon Drop Kid), the dam of two-time Sovereign Award winner and GSW Miss Mischief (Into Mischief) and MSP Mind Out (Tapit). Letruska's third dam produced Pacific Spell (Langfuhr), whose daughter Proud Spell (Proud Citizen) won the 2008 GI Kentucky Oaks en route to an Eclipse Award; SW No Distortion (Distorted Humor)l; GSP Proud Pearl (Proud Citizen); and SP Really Proud (Kitten's Joy). Magic Appeal is the dam of the 2-year-old colt Ocotzingo (Hard Spun), a yearling colt by Arrogate and is due to Malibu Moon for 2021.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
APPLE BLOSSOM H.-GI, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 4-17, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.14, ft.
1–LETRUSKA, 118, m, 5, by Super Saver
1st Dam: Magic Appeal (GSP), by Successful Appeal
2nd Dam: Call Her Magic, by Caller I. D.
3rd Dam: Malibu Magic, by Encino
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-St. George Stable LLC (KY); T-Fausto
Gutierrez; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $600,000. Lifetime Record:
18-13-1-1, $1,157,319. *1/2 to Trigger Warning (Candy Ride
{Arg}), MSW & GISP, $555,378. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Monomoy Girl, 124, m, 6, by Tapizar
1st Dam: Drumette, by Henny Hughes
2nd Dam: Endless Parade, by Williamstown
3rd Dam: Mnemosyne, by Saratoga Six
($100,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $9,500,000 5yo '20 FTKNOV).
O-My Racehorse Stable, Spendthrift Farm LLC and Madaket
Stables LLC; B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$200,000.
3–Swiss Skydiver, 122, f, 4, by Daredevil
1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $100,000.
Margins: NO, 6HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.40, 0.70, 1.90.
Also Ran: Getridofwhatailesu, Another Broad, Chance to Shine.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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